Dozier wins again...

J

Jimmy the Jet

Joined
Feb 22, 2001
Messages
108
A friend shot a HUGE woodland caribou today and I let him try my Yukon Pro Skinner to do the dirty work. If you've never tried skinning a woodland 'bou, they are buggers to do. The skin won't pull off like a barrenland caribou or even a moose. You have to use your knife every step of the way. This hunter, who has dressed literally hundreds of animals, could not believe how well this knife cut! And cut!! And cut!!! He said he has never seen or used a blade with this level of sharpness or edge holding. He is not exactly a knife nut, but he does own most top brands' hunting knives, and two or three customs collected over the years. I've watched him skin several animals
and this was by far the fastest I've seen him able to go, all because of the quality of my knife's edge. He usually scoffs at a blade without a distinct drop point, but the slight drop on this model was just enough for the job today.
Since I happened to have the Dozier catalogue in my truck, there will soon be a new customer for Bob and Linda!
The only nit to pick? Because he often skins several animals in a day, and he doesn't like to be stained with blood, his hands are lightly covered with vegetable oil when cleaning a kill. This made the knife handle too slippery, and this model has very little to prevent slippage onto the edge. No injuries were incurred, though, and my hunter buddy said because it felt slick, he was very concious of his grip. My next Doziers will be one of the models with a finger groove, or bead bkasted handle. Or better yet, STAG scales!!!
Anyway, after completely skinning, quartering, banging bone, etc., the knife will still shave! Not scrape, but actually pop hair off my arm!

Mr. Dozier, this is an excellent product, the best I've seen!
Forumites, if you hunt, buy a Dozier!

Jet

Just for the record, the 'bou was over 400lbs, and taken @ 950-1000 yards, with a Ruger .223!!!
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Jimmy the Jet:
Just for the record, the 'bou was over 400lbs, and taken @ 950-1000 yards, with a Ruger .223!!!</font>
Click to expand...

hehe, so did the dust kicking up 500 yards shy of the caribou scare him to death, or did your buddy drop the Ruger off a 3000ft. cliff on top of him?
 
No, we use poison tipped bullets up here!

Actually, I wasn't joking about that. It was a cool shot. On Monday the same guy killed a mature black bear with a 10/22, above the right eye @ 30 or 40 feet. Maybe Canadian ammo is like our beer... stronger! Ha Ha!

Jet
 
Hey Mr. Jet, What's Up?

I have the good fortune to own 4 of Bob's Skinners, each one a little different in weight, length, blade and handle width, but all made from D2 steel at Rc 60-61 and with Bob's handmade Kydex sheaths! In 1997 he came out with the Yukon and the White River skinners and in 1999 Bob presented to the knife/hunting community the Master Skinner. That same year(1999) I received my Woodcraft-Style Hunter/Skinner (special order).

I hunt rear round ( 4 different seasons), and enjoy selecting a Dozier Skinner that I feel matches my taste for a given season. During winter I'll select a wider handle and deeper belly blade ( Master Sikinner) and in Summer/Fall, I'll take the Yukon or White River Skinner. If the hunt requires camping for several days, I often take the Woodcraft-Style Hunter/Skinner ,as it doubles quite well for a camp knife.

My good fortune in owning these tools came through giving up other "things" and saving money to INVEST in the finest skinning tools available in the world...strong personal opinion.

But you know what? A fellow could put the knives into their sheaths, lay them on the kitchen table and sit down. Close your eyes, raise your hand over your head then bring it down and select one. Open your eyes.

It don't make no damn difference which one you picked up, it will be one of the finest handmade skinning knives available in the world today ( fact, not opinion).

To that end, I agree with you Mr. Jet. Bob Dozier's email address is BobDozier@aol.com

 
.223 Huh? sound a mite irresponsible to me, even if it were only 100 yds. Arent there minimum caliber laws in Canada for big game? 1000 yds ? Come on pull my leg some more
smile.gif

Nice knife though s'truth.
 
FF, I have a Master Skinner and it is everything you said it is. Please describe the Woodcraft/Style Hunter-Skinner in more detail. Thanks, Dick
 
1000yds and a .223?!!!
Maybe the PH 'finished' him with his .300mag after the initial shot?
And a bear with a .22? OK sure.
When I spent time in Colorado the boys there referred to a .357 mag. as a "Bear Tickler"
I guess it'll be bear hunting with the dozier next!
wink.gif

I went bear hunting twice.
The first time there was a sign on the road that said 'Bear Left"...
So we went home.
The second time?
I got cold.
Glad you like the knife
smile.gif
 
WOW! . . . a great dozier is nothing compared with . . . a bear with a .22 at close range (let's say point blank) maybe 150 ft. lbs of energy is nothing compared with . . . a 'bou with a .223 at 1000 yds. with less than 25 ft. lbs. of energy with at least 12 feet of drop not to mention wind drift . . . THAT'S QUITE REMARKABLE!
biggrin.gif


Don't get me wrong . . . I am not saying it couldn't be done . . . just that it shouldn't be done by those of us who are overwhelmed by the ballistic difficulties of such a shot. Approximations in my post are based on estimates since I have yet to find a ballistics table that includes data beyond 500 yds. for the .223: (185 ft. lbs. and 65" drop at 500 yds.) I guess this is just a "don't try this at home" kind of caution . . . no offense intended . . . HONEST!
 
Jet - The Dozier's performance? No raised eyebrows here.

Taking a bear at this short range with a 10/22? Okay. I can buy that. I used to know a guy who bushwhacked huge wild pigs at water holes at the same distance with the same rifle.

Caribou at 1000 yards with a .223? I know caribou are pretty "shocky" and drop pretty easily compared to other animals of comparitive size, but just making the shot with THAT caliber is, well..., pretty darn lucky. Not saying it cannot be done though.

AL
 
OK, to set the record straight, 1000yrds w/.223? I did not use a range finder, but the shot was fired from the back of our pick-up truck, and the 'bou was on the same trail, that curves a bit. The animal reared, walked about 30 ft to the edge of the bush behind him and dropped. We were amazed he went down, so we reset the odometer and it was just shy from rolling over from .9 to 1.0 km where we stopped at the animal. At the least, it was .950. Yes there is a curve in the road I did not account for, but it would not make much difference in distance, maybe 20 or 30 yards at most. Was it an incredible shot? Of course! That's why I made mention of it. This was not a "once a year", holiday, kind of hunting trip, planned for months. This was a subsistance hunter on his lunch break from his job (teacher), taking students up toward the airport to look for a troublesome bear. He takes DOZENS of caribou, lots of moose, and several bears every year. To him this was a lucky shot, but not that big a deal.
In fact, when I told him of the replies to my post, he laughed and said , "tell them the knifes' performance was more impressive than the long shot."
Is a .223 irresponsible? Not if filling your freezer with undamaged meat is your intent. I've hunted with this guy before, and all he uses for caribou is this Ruger. I've seen him miss, but never wound an animal that got away. The reason for minimum calibre laws is to prevent non lethal wounding, from small, light bullets deflectin off twigs, etc. A .223 will kill almost anything, if your aim is true. And it will do it without damaging much meat.
Is it legal? No. But, these laws do not apply to aboriginal subsistance hunters because the game officers realize that this is the way of these people, and has been for years. Hunting on a service road is illegal, too, but that's where the animal was, so he shot it. Again, this is for food, not sport, so these laws bend. I am not aboriginal, so I could not hunt in this situation.
Was the black bear w/.22 a big deal? No. This in very common here. People hunt rabbits an muskrat on islands on the MacKenzie in spring and summer with .22's, and when a bear won't leave them alone, one or two to the face at close range works just fine. Some guys here hunt barrenland caribou up close with .22's on snowmobile! In fact this winter, a guy tried (unsuccessfully) with a lasso!
I don't write posts to tell lies. If you think these events are interesting, great. That's why I posted them. If you don't believe me, that's fine, too.

My reason for the post in the first place was the performance of a great knife. If I had known I would have to defend my finishing statement, I would not have added it.

BTW, does anyone have a picture of the Dozier woodcraft style?

Jet



[This message has been edited by Jimmy the Jet (edited 06-08-2001).]
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Jimmy the Jet:
My reason for the post in the first place was the performance of a great knife. If I had known I would have to defend my finishing statement, I would not have added it</font>
Click to expand...

Point well taken . . . sorry we made you defend the story . . . we just like to pick. Thanks for the Dozier review . . . he makes an awesome knife!
wink.gif

 
Hi Dick: Wish I had the equipment and technical know-how to post a picture of this knife. If anyone wants a picture, let me know ... I'll print some up and get them out to you. This was a special/non-catalog knife Bob made for me and perhaps others that knew about it. It is a beauty and oh my, what a cutting machine !!

Dozier "Woodcraft Style" Hunter/Skinner

BLADE: 4 1/2" flat ground, satin finish of D2 steel @ Rc. 60-61. 1/2" choil...4" cutting surface, 1/8" wide stock. At its maximum width the blade measures 1 3/8". There is a 3/8" grooved thumb notch resting on the flat spine, just forward of the handle. The spine moves forward in a upward motion to an apex about mid-blade then drops gracefully downward in a clip-point style to the point...similar to a Marble's Woodcraft. The long sweeping curve of the cutting edge shouts " skinner, skinner." The cutting edge is not convex ground (most Marble blades are convex ground). The grind on this blade is absoutely flawless, so beautiful and well executed !!

Guard: Premium brass (1 3/4" long..extending 3/4" below the handle). Very comfortable feel and inward angle.

Spacers: Very nice, Bob's own arrangement and custom made of red fiber then brass followed by black fiber. Smoothe fit and finish.

Handle: India Sambar stag carver handle!! The most beautiful stag carver handle I have ever seen, felt or owned. I was lucky enough to slip in under the India government ban of this material..or Bob hit it lucky and obtained some premium quality material. It is a honey brown and coffee color, well figured with grooves and expertly finished and fitted to the tang then screwed tight at the butt-end with quality brass screws. I wish each one of you guys could have this knife in your hand and put it to use on a elk, deer, bear...whatever. The joy of cutting and skinning almost makes you want to live "out there" forever.

Sheath: A little different. Black, custom fitted Kydex with break-out thumb notch, guard slot and strong nylon belt loop. The rig sits down from the belt as opposed to riding tight against the belt. I like that.

Overall length is 9 1/2" and with the sheath the weight is ??? I don't know, I did not weigh it. Again, overall fit,finish, balance and materials are to die for!! Most important, it is a hunter/skinner masterpiece that cuts just like a experienced master craftsman intended it to do. The year was 1999, June. The price was, as I remember, $ 280.00. I think the stag carver handle, if you can get it, is almost worth that today. Call Bob. See if he will make one for you and then we can get together and cut up some anmal hide and meat. Bob is currently out of town at a "blade show" in Atlanta, Ga. His wife invites you to leave a message: 1-888-823-0023. thanks for asking about the knife,,FF
 
Jimmie, that's fine, you are entitled to your opinion. Probably a lot of the outburst here stems from differences in hunting. Here in the US, what you described is referred to as poaching, no matter who pulls the trigger. Maybe it's different in Canada, where certain types of people can ignore laws. That really goes against my grain as well as a lot of other people's also. Whatever, it's not my country, and I'm sure that yours has different customs, traditions, etc.

Glad the Dozier worked well, I've been drooling over them for quite some time.
 
Jet, a little off topic, but I was just reading this over again and saw where you mentioned that Bob's handles get a bit slick. About 6 months ago there was a thread about a lady (I think) who did various styles of checkering on Bob's micarta scales. You could go back and look it up, or perhaps a forumite with a better memory than mine can fill in the blanks. FYI
smile.gif


AL



[This message has been edited by Kwaiken56 (edited 06-08-2001).]
 
FF-

If you have a digital image of the knife, send it to me and I will put it on my website so that we can all see it.

BTW- I would have emailed you directly, but you have turned your email display off.

------------------
Thank you,
Marion David Poff aka Eye mdpoff@hotmail.com

My website, guided links, talonite/cobalt alloy info, etc....
http://www.geocities.com/mdpoff

&gt;&gt;---&gt;Bill Siegle Custom Knives&lt;---&lt;&lt;
-http://www.geocities.com/siegleknives-

"To wait for luck is the same as waiting for death." -Japanese Proverb

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Lao Tzu

"We will either find a way, or make one." Hannibal, 210 B.C.

40K Space Marine Army, For Sale or Trade for Knives or Gear http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/002045.html
 
Sorry if I was not exactly clear. The laws in Canada make hunting a heavily regulated undertaking, but First Nations People,(Canadian Aboriginals) are entitled to hunt traditionally, exempt from most regulations, such as seasons, etc., and that is the law. Therefore, it is not poaching. I'm no expert, but I believe the laws vary from province to province, regarding Indian hunting rights, and they are also different when hunting on reserve.
We do consider taking game illegally as poaching, but the reigns are fairly loose in my particular part of the NWT. The caribou population is MUCH greater than the human population, and this allows a little more freedom. You would not want to be arrested for J-walking, and the people here don't want to be persecuted for living as they always have. There is alot of room for arguing these points, and that arguement has been going on for years in this country. It is a very large can of worms to break open. Especially if you open it with a .223 @ 1000 yrds!

Jet
 
Hang-on gentlemen, David and I are trying to work something out to get a picture of the knife posted. I think you will enjoy viewing it. By the way, I have two of these knives. The second one, upon request, is made of A2 tool steel with a most beautiful leather washer handle...very smooth, full bodied handle with a neat small spacer almost in the middle of the handle. This is the Dozier Woodcraft I use in the field. We will get it into Cyber Space some way. Bob makes this knife in quality stag or leather. And I'll bet he would make it with Micarta, which I believe is his favorite material for handles.
 
FF,
Can't wait to see the photos.
I didn't know Mr Dozier would make flat ground knives, and now that I do, I'll be plotting my next purchase!!!
To be honest, it'll take some strong persuasion to get me to purchase a knife from another maker(except maybe a CRK one piece down the road). The Doziers are a pleasure to deal with, and I love the knives!

Jet
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top