Beckers, Bows and Arrows! Let's see your "stringed instruments" :)

Here's a link to a site that shows how to make DIY target butts.

http://www.thehuntinghq.com/diy-archery-target/

This is the style I was making back in the 80s.

The neat thing about these is that when you shoot out the center area, you just loosen the nuts, pull out the shot up sections, push the top pieces of cardboard down and then slide in as many pieces as you took out and tighten every thing back down.

One difference between the one in on the website above and the ones I have made, is that I bolt large caster wheels from HF to my bottom board so I don't have to strain my back moving it.
 
I was obsessed with bows and arrows once upon a time. I liked the idea of being self-sufficient for harvesting meat. I made and broke dozens of bows, but I had a few successes. I made this one around 1995. I have other bows, but I thought I'd share this photo seeing this is the bow I harvested a few animals with. I havent measured the draw weight lately, but it wouldn't be much above 35 pounds at 24 inches. I prefer to use a shorter draw which gives me some flexibility regarding shooting position. It also enables me to use shorter arrows, and generally it is easier to find short shoots for making arrows compared to finding longer ones.

The bow is made from a NZ native tree called Olearia paniculata. The longer arrow is made from a dried bracken fern stalk. I cut the bracken fern while it is still alive, but well 'ripened'. It twists and develops grooves along the shaft as it dries, but it makes a pretty good arrow. Both those arrows were straight enough to shoot when I took the picture today, and they are likely to be at least ten years old. The shorter arrow is made from a native shrub called stinkwood coprosma. Both arrow points are home made. The bracken arrow has a simple trade point, and the shorter arrow has a socketed point with a soldered-in blade. I've mostly used the trade points for the few successful hunts I've had.

I used a hatchet for a lot of my bow making. But I can tell that a BK2 would be ideal for the job (or any of the heavier Beckers... although a light blade would suffice if necessary).

Like someone else said here, I think the bowhunting made me a better hunter and a better rifle shot. I generally get my meat with traps nowadays... and if I 'go hunting' I am more likely to carry a rifle than a bow because I want to do all I can to make the trip worthwhile. But I still have some bows and arrows, and I may take them out again.

BowAndBecker_zpsthrlhp9x.jpg

rabbitarrow2.jpg
 
Just found out the park across the street from where I work has an archery range. I have a feeling I know what I'm going to be doing for lunch!
 
Well, had a couple, uh....unfortunate shots over the last couple days and tonight the results were that my PVC target frame collapsed. Looks like a total loss....

The first one:

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and the second, fatal one:

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Both were at 30yds. Moved up to 20 yds. and the second to last shot resultet in this:

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Which was too bad, as it was the best end I had the whole evening.
 
Nice shooting. What diameter are the outer rings .... two and a half inches maybe?

It's time to pull out a Becker, chop off a branch, then whittle some pegs to fit nicely inside the pipe at the breaks.
 
Quick GSOM paint a bulls eye on them an say it was a planned event!

Problem solved.

Jeremy
 
coote said:
Nice shooting. What diameter are the outer rings .... two and a half inches maybe?
It's time to pull out a Becker, chop off a branch, then whittle some pegs to fit nicely inside the pipe at the breaks.
Click to expand...

I think they are 4" circles, the center being 1". The PVC is 1.25" on that target. Gonna go with 1.5" on the next build....for some reason the 1.25" fitting are twice as much as 1.5" - which I didn't realize until I was mostly done building it. Live and learn.

dresnor said:
Quick GSOM paint a bulls eye on them an say it was a planned event!

Problem solved.

Jeremy
Click to expand...

THAT problem solved.....I still have a broken stand, tho. Found the tail section of one of those arrows (shot a couple weeks ago) on the other side of the pool fence today. When it broke I found the shaft and point, as well as the nock....but the last 6" or so with the fletchings kinda....disappeared. I do wish I was more consistent, though. I don't know how, but every once in a while I flinch or twitch or spaz out...and miss by a couple feet. The shed that is the backstop is seriously decrepit....I would not be surprised if the whole thing collapsed from being hit by a poorly (but placed just right - in a bad way) shot arrow. Hopefully I'll have a video camera rolling when/if it happens.
 
Getting better at 30 yards. I made a few adjustments to my sight and it helped a lot. I am still not where I need to be but the confidence is growing.

I only have 4 arrows so I can only show 4 shot groups.

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Shooting at Amanda's parents house at 30 yards.

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Who knows how I will shoot with a deer standing in front of me.


Jeremy
 
Still some good shooting, Jeremy. I can never get a group like that at 30 yards....but that probably has a lot to do with shooting righty and being VERY left eye dominant. Actually, it is mostly to do with my right eye just being.....not so good, even with a contact lens in. Oh, well...sometimes I hit the center of the target.....and sometimes I take it out at the knees....
 
Church of the Open Sky this evening. Didn't shoot real well, but hey....outside with a bow in my hand after an 11 hour day? I'd call that good.

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Closest I came to a decent end at 30 yds.

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Really beautiful evening...

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dresnor said:
I like it Mike, We need to shoot together at some point.

Jeremy
Click to expand...

You'll have to make sure to stay well behind me.....
Contact lens would just not settle today. I've handicapped myself as it is shooting with my very amblyopic right eye, but somedays...it adds up to nothing but frustration. Blurry pins, even blurrier target - I was lucky to get this end as good as it was - center of mass shots with a contact that won't sit right, well....ONly did a few at 30, tho 20 yds. wasn't much better. Some days you get the bear, some days it gets you.

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Best end at 20....and the rest were pretty bad. I don't usually mind shooting when I'm not hitting the target well - but not being able to see the target just makes me frustrated. Only shot about 40 arrows tonight before calling it quits.

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I wonder..... what say you tried shooting instinctively at a closer range just to see what happens. I've never shot a compound bow, so I don't know how it would work. To me instinctive shooting is about concentrating on a small spot on the target, and subconsciously using what you can see of the arrow to line up properly.

I shoot in what I think is an instinctive manner (and my way may not be the best).... and I don't think I'd group as well as you have been at those comparatively long ranges. However at shorter ranges I have been fairly happy with the results.

Also.... targets with contrasting colors and 'harsh' lines might be more confusing to the eyes than the 'imaginary' tiny bullseye you 'paint' in the centre of a deer's vital zone.

And.... at the risk of sounding weirder.... how about working more with 'inner vision'..... picturing that arrow sailing right into the mark. Not only while you are shooting... but maybe when you are relaxing on the sofa or lying in bed. Mental practice if you like.... or giving instructions to your body.... or maybe something a bit magical. Dunno.

Just my thoughts. I won't be offended if you ignore them. And I acknowledge I am a bit weird.

Possum.jpg
 
I am sure that a compound bow with sights is generally more likely to help you bring home meat compared to more primitive methods. But seeing I've brought up the subject of instinctive shooting, here are some folks I admire:

Pistol shooting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GflTkHaigo

Slingshot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ieWrWLjii0

Tom Mills Atlatl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8vctRvjLcY

Expedient Atlatl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEm53b_XWsU

Bow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejiv2E6f1sA
 
Great videos. I saw that slingshot video a long time ago and have never forgotten it.
 
coote said:
I am sure that a compound bow with sights is generally more likely to help you bring home meat compared to more primitive methods. But seeing I've brought up the subject of instinctive shooting, here are some folks I admire:

Pistol shooting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GflTkHaigo

Slingshot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ieWrWLjii0

Tom Mills Atlatl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8vctRvjLcY

Expedient Atlatl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEm53b_XWsU

Bow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejiv2E6f1sA
Click to expand...

Wow just wow look at the pistol one
 
coote said:
I wonder..... what say you tried shooting instinctively at a closer range just to see what happens. I've never shot a compound bow, so I don't know how it would work. To me instinctive shooting is about concentrating on a small spot on the target, and subconsciously using what you can see of the arrow to line up properly.

I shoot in what I think is an instinctive manner (and my way may not be the best).... and I don't think I'd group as well as you have been at those comparatively long ranges. However at shorter ranges I have been fairly happy with the results.

Also.... targets with contrasting colors and 'harsh' lines might be more confusing to the eyes than the 'imaginary' tiny bullseye you 'paint' in the centre of a deer's vital zone.

And.... at the risk of sounding weirder.... how about working more with 'inner vision'..... picturing that arrow sailing right into the mark. Not only while you are shooting... but maybe when you are relaxing on the sofa or lying in bed. Mental practice if you like.... or giving instructions to your body.... or maybe something a bit magical. Dunno.

Just my thoughts. I won't be offended if you ignore them. And I acknowledge I am a bit weird.

Possum.jpg
Click to expand...

Not weird at all. Even with a compound and a sight, it's pretty important to "see" yourself hitting the target and not force the shot....I believe it's a lot easier to overthink a shot with a compound bow, especially with a modern sighting system; you can hold at full draw for a LONG time and you can see that damn pin hovering near, but not resting on, the 1" dot; it's also easy to punch the release trigger and really do some damage.....The last couple of days have been kind of instructive in that regard. I put in a fresh pair of contact lenses (oh, I am SO envious of you folks with uncorrected vision) and the right lens (my amblyopic aiming eye) isn't providing a very clear picture at 30 yards, or even 20. So, I'm seeing a blurry pin aiming at the center of mass of an even blurrier target, with an eye that gets tired after about ten seconds. Man, would I love to get Lasik. I can work with the amblyopia (been doing that for decades), but add in a lens that won't sit properly and it's damn frustrating. This is even more, ah.....of a "situation" as my wife is an optometrist. Sadly, she's kind of against Lasik - for me, at least. Luckily, I didn't chuck the last pair of lenses that were giving me somewhat reasonable vision, but last night and tonight were difficult - so I just kind of worked on relaxing and a little release technique. Sometimes it's OK to not be accurate to the tenth of an inch - as if that was ever the case with me :rolleyes: - but it sure can be aggravating if one lets it be.
 
I think your shooting is plenty good enough to go hunting deer with your bow if you stay within your limits.

I look forward to September because I will be planting my beloved tomato seeds down here, and I'll be looking at pics of your first deer on this forum.

Have you organised some hunting arrows yet?
 
coote said:
I think your shooting is plenty good enough to go hunting deer with your bow if you stay within your limits.

I look forward to September because I will be planting my beloved tomato seeds down here, and I'll be looking at pics of your first deer on this forum.

Have you organised some hunting arrows yet?
Click to expand...

My shooting MIGHT be good enough if my contact lens stays in place. I've got plenty of arrows and some Muzzy broadheads - they even come with "practice" blades that are less sharp and easier to pull from targets. Also a 4 arrow quiver (don't think I'll need the 6 arrow one for hunting). I'll need a license and probably a re-up on my hunter safety (last license I held was 25 years ago, though it might count) and lastly, a plan and some time to go. Work and kids and needing a friend with a truck - NO WAY the family is going to let me put a deer into the Jetta Sportwagen or the Civic - all come into play, here, plus just going out and killing a deer (or anything else) after more than half a century of living without doing anything more than fishing. I think I want to, but - I'm not ashamed to admit it's a bit of a hump to get over. Also gonna need a freezer, if I don't want to give half of it away (though my brother and my friend with the truck have offered to take some off my hands - you know, to help out ;)). I really do hope, though, that you ARE looking at pics of my first deer. We'll see when I get there. And then you can send me some NZ tomatoes for venison chili ;).
 
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