Stayed in the stand all day today.

Saw a nice 8 pointer about 7:40 this morning, but he stayed too far away.

Saw nothing the rest of the day.

Then in the last 5 minutes of shooting light he comes in. Perfect broadside at 30 yards --- and I could not draw the bow!!!!

I'm still carrying the 80# Allegiance that I'm hoping to take to Africa next year. I killed an elk with it, then a doe, but I just ain't man enough to draw it when I'm cold and stiff. (22 this morning, warmed up to 28 at dark.)

Guess I'll carry the FeatherMax until Spring.

Man, I am down!

Don_G,

I sure do sympathize with you on this one. Had it happen to me on a very cold and rainy day last year. The old muscles got set and I just couldn't get full draw on my old 75 pound, 35% let-off Martin.

Jees ... very embarrassing and very discouraging.

Oh, bummer. The condensation and cold made your cams freeze up. Under the right conditions, it can even happen in warm weather, so don't feel bad.

Penny

It wasn't the cams, it was my muscles!

Don,

I woke up this morning to 14 degrees, so I know what your talking about. To beat the cold, I draw my bow at least once and hour and hold it as long as I can. I mean really struggle for as long as you can. It heats up your arms, get your blood moving, and beats the boredom. Course take a good look around before you do it!

Hugh

Don,

My sympathies...

Been there, done that! Definitly a cold weather issue. I used to have two bows, one was set at a much lower poundage and I would use that one on those very cold days.

It's gun season here, I shot under a small buck on the opener. No venison still here.

Don, Do you think the rut's already passed here in Ohio? I'm on the other side of the state and have a bunch of guys telling me the rut peak was November 8th, sound right to you? I started hunting last week and really haven't seen any bucks "running" Thanks Joe

I'm waiting to hear from Doc on the rut. I do think the peak has passed.

It sure was "dead" where I was. That buck was the only deer I saw in 11 hours on the stand.

Don,


quote Don "Stayed in the stand all day today"

Sorry for You, such dedication to be frustrated. Anyhow, reading Your many posts, I know lady Luck usually responds Your advances. Moreover You seem not short of deers in Ohio

I am using the allegiance 80# for one week. A nice bow, but God, I have to train a lot.
I am a 70# shooter, not a 80# yet. Not sure I'll be able to use it for real hunting.

So I understand You might flinch once in ........a lifetime.

Don,

That was a tough break..sorry!

I have had one 11 pt with a 3" drop tine around, but he hasn't come inside bino range (50 yds.), but gun season starts next sat, so that may turn the table on him if my neighbor or kids don't get him first. I have never gotten one with a drop tine, so I really would like to get him, but a bow would be best.

I'm not going to do Africa, so my 53# Martin is all I seem to need, but some cold days after sitting for hours that is awful hard to pull too.

Better luck next time!!

That very thing happened to me my second year of bowhunting some 15 years ago. It got to 19 degrees that morning for a high. I had a small buck come by at 25 yards and I couldn't draw the bow. I actually tried 3 times and the damn thing wouldn't budge. I thought maybe something was stuck.

Now, everytime I hunt with a bow and it is cold (less than 30 degrees), I draw my bow every half hour a couple of times. Haven't had a problem since. My bow is set to max at 73 pounds.

Today I'm trying to decide where to hunt, Ohio or KY.

Don, at least you have the stones to admit it. Sorry it had to be when it was a shooter buck.

In 25 plus years around the archery game I've seen a lot of people overbow themselves, especially when you factor in the cold weather. For the serious hunters, we always set them on a bar stool with their feet up on the highest rung--up under them--and then had them draw the bow at odd angles off of their weak side, i.e. right handed shooter draw bow while twisting their torso to the right. When they could draw the bow straight back, no elvation of the arm--just dead straight back with arm extended, most shooters would be capable of 15 or more pounds--less than their draw weight when standing in the shop.

We would always recommend about 5 lbs less than that number--the lowest one from the awkward seated position--for a max hunting weight. A very large percentage of folks--who claimed to be serious--would still opt for the draw weight that was borderline when standing on a concrete floor in a heated pro shop, as their 'hunting' weight. It's amazing what the ego will do to common sense.

At any rate, I know you know the game, I just hope with your standard weight rig you get a shot at that buck.

Good Luck--Don

Man that's a tough break. Pull the bow every once in a while and that will probably cure it. Better luck next time.

Don,

Don't feel bad it happend to me this weekend for the first time. I ended up dropping my draw weight by about ten pounds due to the cold. As I could only draw my bow about 3"..

I find that when I'm really pumped with adrenalin I have more problems drawing also.

the chef

I've been back several times since, and no sign of the buck. I think I spooked him with all my straining!

I won't carry a bow hunting unless I can draw it and hit the black six times in a row at 30 yards from a sitting position with dangling legs.(Of course that is from my back deck while I'm warm!)

I was standing when the incident happened, and had been for about two hours.

I had drawn the bow when I first stood up, and it was tough then. So I did some isometric exercises that usually keep me warmed-up. On that day I guess it just was not enough. I had started shivering about thirty minutes before the buck showed.

I didn't really have buck fever, so I don't think it was adrenaline. I got the bow back about halfway, and just couldn't get the rest in three tries. I was really surprised!

As I stated earlier, I do not need an 80# bow for deer - I just wanted to continue to get used to it to prepare for Africa next Sept.

Thanks for all the tips and hints.

I don't think you'll have to worry about freezing up in Tanz! Or standing still for an entire fricken day.

Regardless, IF you do have trouble drawing your bow (heat exhaustion or dugga-boy fever ), I can just hand you my 470 Mbogo.

Cheers,
Canuck

Don
As they say SH*T happens and the worst is the more you try the less you can accomplish it

The other bad part is the older we get the more heat we need to warm up.

Better luck next time

Fish30114
Thanks for the tips.

Canuck,

If I can't get the bow back in TZ it will be because of pure fear!

As you know I hope to take one with the 416 then try for one with a bow. But if I can't get up on a buff with the bow for any reason, then you'll have to do the honors with the 470. I think I'm more afraid of that 470 than I am a buff! (Of course I've not yet been within 100 yards of a Cape buff. I got about that close to that herd I saw in RSA, before Samual punked out! He may be smarter than I am - he wanted nothing to do with those Cape Buffalo!)

If nothing else, that bow will give us an excuse to hunt 14 hrs a day for the whole time we are there.

I'm not much interested in blind hunting for them, and if they have beem hunted hard it will be tough to get in range on one.

Jaco,

Yep, I'm definitely getting older. I hurt my left foot ("Plantar Fasciitis") carrying that elk out of the mountains and it is still giving me Hell. Looks like I'm going to have to take up swimming to get some exercise, as I can't even ride a bicycle right now!

It's Hell getting old - but the alternative is a bitch!

quote:

Originally posted by Don_G:

Yep, I'm definitely getting older. I hurt my left foot ("Plantar Fascitis") carrying that elk out of the mountains and it is still giving me Hell.

Come see me at the office Don, I'll print you out some specific exercises for PF, or just PM me your fax number and I'll fax some over to you. I had it for a frickin year after doing heavy yardwork. PF is a real bitch in the mornings when you take that first step. Try some ice massage. Get a bunch of styrofoam coffee cups. Fill them almost full of water, freeze them, then take one out, cut off the bottom part to where about an inch of ice is showing, put in on the floor and put your foot on it with moderate pressure and START RUBBING. Do this about 2x/day 15 min per session followed by some stretches I can give you. You also can use a tennis ball to roll under the arch after ice massage.

Drop that bow wt. to 70 pounds over the cold months, your arrows are plenty heavy to penetrate any Ohio deer and then 12" of dirt. Push back to 80# by Feb and shoot 4x/week. You'll be fine in Tanz.

quote:

I hurt my left foot ("Plantar Fascitis") carrying that elk out of the mountains and it is still giving me Hell. Looks like I'm going to have to take up swimming to get some exercise, as I can't even ride a bicycle right now!

I had it for a year...well I guess technically I still do as it flares up from time to time.

Got it from overdoing it getting in "sheep shape" in 1998. Hiking straight uphill is hard on the insertion point in your heel! Ended up getting it in both feet.

What worked for me was icing it every time it flared up, and rolling a golf ball under my heel a couple times a day (the hard golf ball gives a very soothing massage!). Then I went and got a custom orthotic made....I use them in all my shoes, all the time now. One of my feet pronates pretty bad (which is a contributing factor to PF for me), so the orthotics help with that too.

The second it flares up now, I ice it. I almost never have any problems anymore. When I was backpacking and had no ice, I'd just stick my foot into a cold stream for 10 minutes every time I got the chance. Worked like a charm.

You'll really want to work on this Don. We plan on spending lots of time walking in Tanz, and walking in soft sandy soil (like Africa!) or snow is a lot harder on your feet.

Don't ignore it....you can get heel spurs from prolonged inflammation of the PF tendon (where it inserts into the heel, continual cycles of inflammation will cause a buildup of calcium).

Cheers,
Chris

PS: Doc, the styro coffee cup idea is great!

quote:

Originally posted by Canuck:
..you can get heel spurs from prolonged inflammation of the PF tendon (where it inserts into the heel, continual cycles of inflammation will cause a buildup of calcium).

That's right. Not to mention you get adhesions where the microtears occur, hence, that is why a golf ball or tennis ball or hard ice works when you use it. It's been awhile since your elk hunt. Better get that heel under control. The longer you wait, the worse the outcome, and the increased frequency and intensity of future episodes.

Orthotics are not a bad idea either, but if you plan on going that route, you will need to do that a good 3-4 months before you next trip. When you change anything regarding your gait or heel strike, your joints must adapt, and that is not always pleasant either, even though the long term outcome is generally good. Typically, your mortise joint will get a bit sore, then the knees, then potentially the hips, but all of this usually subsides in a relatively short time. It's all about levers/mechanics, and you being an engineer undertand these mechanisms.

quote:

Orthotics are not a bad idea either, but if you plan on going that route, you will need to do that a good 3-4 months before you next trip.

Thats a good point Doc. You could easily run into knee problems, etc, if you tried long distance walking shortly after getting your orthotics!

Don....get 'er fixed quick my friend! I can assure you it won't go away over night, and it could render you safari truck bound if it isn't fixed! I had a couple sheep hunts ruined by it.

Cheers,
Chris

Doc and Canuck,

Nice to know I ain't the only one falling apart!

I have been working on this with tennis balls at work and frozen orange juice cans at home, along with stretches and exercises that I got off the internet. Here's a link that has some advice that I like.

Ebbets on Plantar Fasciitis

I have been taking this seriously ever since it did not heal with two weeks of "light duty", but it sure is taking some time. Ebbets says that about the worst thing you can do is "tough it through the pain", which is my natural tendency.

If I read Ebbets right, he says heat/stretch before rising in the AM, then ice/stretch/roll during the day.

quote:

Ebbets says that about the worst thing you can do is "tough it through the pain", which is my natural tendency.

That is a for sure....one you have this, it won't go away without attention, and it WILL get worse if you ignore it.

Heat and stretch before use is a good idea. Ice after use to reduce/prevent inflammation.

Try a golf ball, too. I used a tennis ball at first, but preferred the "deeper" massage you get from the hardness of the golf ball.

Cheers,
Chris

Thanks, Chris. I will get some golf balls, too.

I massage my foot by hand all the time, too. At least I can reach my foot!

The soreness seems to be concentrated at the front of the heel bone, so at least I haven't pissed off my whole foot.

Doc, you have a PM!

Don_G,
Pissies don't grow old, only strong men grow old.


Why? We can handle it

Hope that heel gets better quickly, you might have to carry another elk, if you need help I'm just a far phone call away.

Jaco,

I'm not sure I'm man enough to handle growing old! I sure don't like today's lesson.

You can bet I'll jerk (make into biltong) the next elk right where he falls. I like jerky anyway.