Arizona Native And Archer

I noticed that I had a visitor from Cave Creek, Arizona lately. I know two things about Cave Creek, the first being it's a rough terrain but beautiful at the same time and the second thing is an archer named Randy Ulmer.   Is it just a coincidence that my visitor landed on a post about an archery tournament? Hmmm...

If you are a person who hasn't ever heard of Mr. Ulmer I will give you a little info about him. I was introduced to him by a friend named Danny Hill. Danny & I were shooting partners at the time and traveled to several events together. I should really post more on Danny, he's one interesting and likable person. Maybe later so let's get back to Mr. Ulmer.

If I remember correctly it was 1996 in Augusta Ga. at a NABH tournament that was sponsored by Cabelas, when I first met him. He was on the range shooting and we walked along talking and laughing. He was as close to a celebrity that I had ever met at the time and I was left with a feeling that he was a really nice guy who was very meticulous..

The next time I ran into him was in Gainesville FL during an ASA tournament. At that time he was shooting for a bow company that was not really into tournament archery. He had taken silicone (yes, the waterproof clear type) and applied it liberally under the limbs of this bottom end (cheap) bow. When I asked why he explained that the limbs floated around and made for a sloppy shooting bow. My how technology has changed.

The location of the shoot was in a very large field that was cut just prior to our arrival. I remember that it was very dry that year for February and a thousand people walking through that sand created a small dust cloud. When the trail to the ranges started the palmetto's were waist high. As soon as we made it there Randy tossed one of the 2 bows he was carrying into the palmetto's and turned to someone whom I can't recall at this time and said "don't let me forget that on the way out."

Everyone was making fun of those cheap bows he shot until they walked from the range with their heads hanging down. Valuable lesson learned that day for me-It's not the equipment it's the shooter! I was so impressed with his ability that I had to purchase his tuning video on vhs. When it came to educational video's it is still in my top 3 almost 20 years later.

                        Yes this is a scan of my personal video's

He ruled the archery world in the pro division for years and was inducted into the Bowhunter's Hall of Fame in 1999

Here is a snippet of accomplishments during the mid 90's:

1995 Archery Shooters association (ASA) World Championship

1996 NABH (Cabela's) World Championship 'Shooter of the Year' 

Association of Professional Archery's 'Shooter of the Year' in 1995 and 1996. 

IBO Triple Crown National Championship in 1996 

An impressive string of incredible victories in National and World Championships in Indoor, Field and FITA competition.

There is so much more info about this man and his positive influence on archers. If you are a bowhunter he would be a model to follow. His website has a very nice bio that's worth the read.

If the visitor from CC AZ was indeed Dr. Randy Ulmer, thanks for stopping by and if anything I have written is incorrect, please leave a comment and it will be corrected.

If the visitor was someone else from the same area with like interest then I would also like to thank you for stopping by as well. 

Turkey Hunting With A Bow

I have been Turkey hunting several times with my bow and they all have proved to be a success and a failure. The success was getting close enough for a shot. The failure is that I have yet to hit one with an arrow.

I have two hunts that went the same way. The Gobblers come in and I had gotten impatient and decided to shoot at 40 yards. Both arrows were spot on but the critters ducked the arrows. This is a true story!

One day I was deer hunting from a tree stand (this was after the state law changed and treestand hunting for turkeys became legal) and had 3 Gobblers walk up a logging road and stop in a large clearing. I ranged them at 50 yards. I raised my bow and came to full draw, settled the pin on the base of the largest birds neck, which by this time was looking straight at me. My arrow left and seemed like a guided missile headed for this long beard. About 10 yards before arrival the turkey dropped its head 3 inches and the carbon missile buried up in a rotted log!

Now, for those of you who think a 50 yard shot is unethical bear this in mind. I practice out to 55 yards with good results. 5 arrows in a 3 inch spot at 50 yards is my goal. Believe me I can hit a turkey at 50 yards standing flat footed in a treestand at eye level.

After being discouraged from this practice, a friend calls me a couple of weeks ago and asked me to shoot a bird from a ground blind with my bow. Hmmm... OK! We are allowed to use decoys now in Alabama and he ensures me that getting a 10 yard chip shot is easy. I guess we'll see!

I am scheduled to hunt with him in April and have gotten somewhat excited about it. I am not really a turkey hunter but things can change. I will keep you posted on the results.

Aiming:Spot Versus Animal

Have you ever been shooting on a bag target and find that the arrow impacts to the right of the spot? When you are shooting at an animal the arrow seems to hit right where you are aiming, why? If you are a right handed archer theoretically the only way that this can happen is shooter error. This assumes that one's bow is tuned properly.

Years ago when I used to compete with pin sights this little issue showed up. I would stand and pound a bag target at 30 yards and my impact was always to the right. Not much mind, maybe an inch or two. Step into the woods and I would hit exactly where I was aiming. WHY!?

Year or so earlier a very well known archer on the ASA archery circuit had recommended that I sight my bow in on a 3D range instead of a bag target. His explanation was quite simple "things change in the woods". Yes, my friend, they do.

I was posting good scores for my shooting ability at the time but was still a little frustrated about the bag issue. It seemed to worsen at 40-50 yards. Determined to figure this little glitch out I started paying attention to my shooting habits. 20 yards good, 30 yards in the sun, good. 30 yards in the shade or low light, impact to the right.

After shooting what seemed to be thousands of arrows I came up with this solution. At 20 yards the spot on my morrel bag was larger than my pin sight. At 30 yards in the sun I could still make out the spot ok. In the shade or at a longer distance the spot would vanish and I would drift out to the right in order to see the spot.

When shooting at a 3D animal or a real one, I would just set the pin where the arrow should impact. If the target was a short Javalina for instance and the twelve ring was visible I would almost always impact to the right.

Today you will find me shooting a 3x scope with an up pin. Why you ask? It allows me to see a little more definition on the target. Do you still have trouble with the pin covering the spot? Now I normally add 2 yards and hold just under what I am trying to hit whether it be a spot on a bag target or a 12 ring at 40 yards.

Outdoor Celebrity Jeff Murray

You may or may not have heard of Jeff Murray. Chances are if you are reading this, you probably have. Outdoor writer, best selling author and an accompolished bowhunter for the last 30 years. He passed away recently after battling cancer.

The first book I ever read about whitetailed deer hunting was written by him. Since then I have made a point to read as much of his writings as possible. Although I've not met him I have a great deal of respect for the man.

Just thought I would take a minute and make mention of this just in case you haven't heard the news already.

How To: Estimate Weight Of Whitetailed Deer

Have you ever had a conversation with someone about your bucks weight? Typically I drop mine off with a processor and rely on his scales to provide me with a field-dressed weight. Then someone will ask about the live weight...

Here is a formula for estimating live weight of your deer. You will need to make an adjustment depending on where the animal was taken. I typically hunt in Alabama so I will take the weight measurement from my field-dressed deer and multiply by 1.17 and add 5 pounds. This will stand true for most southern hunters below the Kentucky state line.

For the western and mid western deer multiply the dressed weight by 1.25 and add 2.6 pounds. Deer that are harvested in the east will need to multiply the dressed weight by 1.25 and add 4 pounds.

Of course, you will need to make some adjustments to this formula according to the particular area that you hunt. For instance. I have hunted some really large deer in southwestern Georgia. These deer were stocked from a northern state and rutted earlier than the surrounding counties. Therefore the deer are larger in body size compared to the typical southern deer.

How To: Installing Inserts In A Carbon Shaft

Tools and supplies needed for inserts and points as well as unibushings.

Taper tools for carbon and aluminum arrows. These are attached to my cut off saw.

I have been asked this question numerous times over the years and thought that I would share this step in arrow making .

After using a high speed cutoff saw to ensure a precise cut without splintering you will need to prepare the shaft.

To do this you will need to obtain this high tech gear.

• Denatured Alcohol (you can find this at any hardware store)
• QTips
• Taper tool

You need to smooth the edges of the cut with the taper tool. Most good cut off saws have these attached. If not you can purchase one separately.

After smoothing pour a little alcohol into a small container about the size of a bottle cap. Take a QTip and insert one end into the alcohol and then use that end to insert into the arrow shaft about 1" to 1 1/2" inside and clean the dust from the walls.

Remove and moisten the other end and repeat. That should do it. Now your ready to insert an insert or target point.

There are several methods for doing this. Most preferred is 2 part epoxy. Mix well and apply liberally to the point or insert. Slide it down inside the shaft until it stops flush. Now take a clean rag or thick paper towel and wipe the excess from the arrow.

At this point I always stand the arrow up with the point down on the table and lean the nock end against the wall. This will keep the point from sliding out.

If you choose to use a fast adhesive such as super glue or AAE fastset gel. Follow the same procedure only do it faster!

I am a fan of hot melt glue. This stuff is typically heated over an alcohol lamp until melted and then applied to the point or insert. After installing just wipe away excess and lean against the wall.

There is 2 downsides to the hot glue application. One being that if you use to much heat and insert it into a carbon shaft it will cause damage. Remember that carbon is formed under a heating process. Too much and it will bend or crease.

The second downside of hot glue is when you shoot into a foam animal and the application of glue was not even and thick, you will lose the point in the target. The heat generated on the way in will be enough to allow the point to blow out when the arrow comes to a quick stop. A little Woody's arrow lube will help to prevent this.

You are asking why would anyone do this, because when you are paying $1.50 per point and have a broken arrow it's nice to be able to apply a little heat and remove it to use in another arrow. Just call me cheap.

There are times when removing an insert from one shaft to use in another would save a trip to the archery store, right? Well you make the call. Epoxy is for life and super glue can be removed with great effort but usually results in a warped or broken shaft.

Good Luck.

Pre Season Maintenance: Arrow Shafts

Gone are the glory days of aluminum shafts but there are still plenty of hunters that use them. With the rise in popularity of carbon shafts 10 years ago the majority of hunters are enjoying the benefits that come at a slightly higher cost. Most believe that the costs will be justified by the durability.

I started using Eastons ACC series of arrow shafts in 1994. ACC stands for "Aluminum Carbon Composite" which refers to their construction. A thin walled aluminum shaft wrapped in a carbon composite. This made for a very durable hunting arrow as well as a superior target shaft.

Some years later Beman (which was owned by a French company) started producing an all carbon shaft that would allow for a full sized uninock to be inserted directly into the rear of the shaft. This was called an "ICS" shaft. "Internal Component System." This company was later purchased by Easton.

I started hunting with them around the mid 90's. Actually the first dozen to come into the shop was for me. I still use this shaft for hunting and still use 3 of the original dozen from the 90's. I guess this would be a testimonial for the durability and longevity associated with carbon. Yes, I harvest 2 deer on average per year. The trick is to hunt in sandy soil so that your arrows don't get bent after passing through the animal.

The manufactures recommend inspecting your shafts before every shot. It's not as ridiculous as it sounds really. Before my first practice session usually in late August, I will inspect all of my arrows closely.

The vanes are checked by wrapping my hand completely around them and twisting the arrow several times to be sure that all of the vanes (or feathers) are still intact. Next I will grasp the shaft by the ends and bend until there is a nice arch in the center. Typically you can spot the carbon fibers sticking out pretty easily. Never run your hand down a carbon shaft looking for a crack or splintering as this could result in some serious pain when removing a sliver from your hands or fingers.

With aluminum you can hold the shaft by the nock while supporting the other end of the arrow with a finger underneath. Spin the shaft slowly while looking directly down the shaft. Another way to detect a bend is to let the point rest in the palm of your hand and spin the shaft with your fingers. If a bend is there you will feel the point wobble. The best way is to use a device designed especially for this purpose.

When I shoot into a bag target I have a routine that goes like this. When the shafts are pulled, I wipe the remains from each shaft and while doing this looking for cracks or nicks in the carbon.

When shooting aluminum shafts I will do the same thing and check for a crease or bend at the end near the insert.

If you do find a crooked or bent arrow, put a mark or number on it so that you can easily recognize it and not throw it in your quiver.

Good Luck.

Pre Season Maintenance: Release Aids

Notice how the unprotected bolts have surface rust and the trigger mechanism is rust free.

A high quality lubricant is a must for proper maintenance

A release aid is something that most people just use and forget about until the next time it's needed. Same way with windshield wiper blades. When it's pouring outside and you jump in your vehicle, the first thing you reach for is the switch so that you can see to drive. When is the last time you sat down in your vehicle on a sunny day and thought about those streaking blades that are in need of replacement?

Same with a release aid, grab it and start shooting. These things need a bit of maintenance also. I have seen them frozen up so tight that a ball peen hammer couldn't separate them. Most common problem I have witnessed is a rough or sloppy trigger mechanism. If it cost's more there is a very good reason for it. You get what you pay for when buying a release aid!

More times than not this problem is due to the lack of lubrication to the seer or roller. I would recommend that you lube the release at least twice a year. Even more if you get caught in the rain or snow.

An old friend was hunting with me one morning and lost his caliper release somewhere near his tree stand. He was climbing up the tree and it just disappeared. I asked him why he took it off and he said that the Velcro strap was annoying while climbing. The following Monday I gave him one that had a leather strap with a buckle on it.

One year later to the day, same friend, same tree stand, looking up at the same tree, see's something hanging from a sapling next to the tree he was about to climb. Yep there it was, his release aid.

After fetching it from the hiding place in plain sight he tried it out. It was still in good shape. After a good lube and shooting it performed like new. He is why I bothered to write all of this, he had made an adjustment and applied a synthetic lubricant that contained "Teflon" the day before the hunt and a year later was still shootable.

It's worth taking a minute to add a few drops prior to hunting season to ensure a flawless execution. I would say that it is just comfort in the back of your mind. I don't usually think about equipment breakdowns or failure during the season because of the confidence that's built preseason.

For those of you that use a thumb type release there is something you need to address also. Of coarse you will need to lubricate it but you also need to inspect the jaws for burr's. Whenever I purchase a new release aid of any kind there are 2 things that I do. First lube and shoot. Second inspect my string loop after 300-400 shots. If there is any fraying going on this tells me that some quality time needs to be spent polishing the jaws and mouth.

I have been using "Tri Flow with Teflon" for 10 years or better now and have no complaints. As far as a polishing compound for the jaws, a friend gave me a can of "Jewelers Rouge." This is a pasty substance with very fine particles mixed in for "cutting" or "smoothing." I am sure it comes in different ratio's of abrasiveness but a fine abrasive would perform quite well.

This stuff works really well with a Dremmel tool. The same a Hygienist would use to polish your teeth with. I have used the same string loop for 3 years and it shows very little wear. Give it a try.

Good Luck.

Pre Season Maintenance: Cable Slides And Rollers

The picture below is of a typical cable slide used on most bows from the mid 90's until present day. These are usually trouble free. On occasion you may experience a chatter or jerk. I have tried almost everything that has been suggested and come to the conclusion that cleanliness is what works best for me.

If you own a press it will make the following task somewhat easier but not necessary. First you will need to remove the cable slide from the rod. Next remove the cables from the slide. Remember how they came out. Use a clean cotton rag or towel to wipe the rod down with. Rub it until the rag gets warm or it when it slides very easily.

Now you need to clean the slide in the manner. Be sure to remove all of the wax from inside and out. Now just reinstall it, careful as not to allow wax to make contact with the rod. If you are having trouble remembering how the the cables run try this. With the cable slide removed, lay the bow on a bench or in the press with the cable slide away from you. Look at the point where the cables cross each other. It creates an x. The cable on the top or the one closest to you will need to remain on the outside. Now take the slide and insert it between the cables and be sure that the closest cable is in the longest slot. Now you can reinstall it on the rod.

Ever had a bow that would not tune no matter what you tried? If you groups are sporadic and there are a lot of right and lefts in the bag, try this. Tug on you cable slide. If it pops out you have found the problem. This was common place prior to bow companies installed the handy-dandy set screw in the riser. Be sure to check that it is good and tight twice a year. That should save you from a serious headache.

The white cable slide pictured here is an excellent choice if the one installed on your bow is wearing cables prematurely. The softer "Teflon" will reduce wear and possibly pick up your bow speed a foot or two due to the reduced friction on the rod. In turn, they also wear out a little quicker. Whenever you upgrade or replace the factory slide be sure to check for adequate fletching clearance.

The latest and greatest is a double roller riding on sealed ball bearings. The bearings ride on an axle or pin that is secured with 2 "e-clips." I talked about these in another post about idler wheels but the same applies here. They need to be checked yearly.

Remove the cables from the rollers. Remove one e-clip and then the axle. Remember which roller goes to which side. Not really sure if there is a difference in bearing and applied pressure but why take a chance.

Insert a pencil into one of the roller bearings and apply some downward pressure. Rotate the roller. If it's smooth check the other one. If both are good just pop them back in and shoot a few arrows.

If not you will need to replace the bad one. Rarely do both go bad at the same time but I replace both while I have the bow down and apart. The last time I tried to purchase bearings from my local dealer they told me that you can only buy the roller as a unit. Ummm....OK. So when the parts arrived it was the entire assembly.

Lesson learned: Be specific with your questions prior to ordering. It wasn't cheap.

Good Luck.

Pre Season Maintenance: Nocks And Unibushings

I will start this blog by offending those who still shooting the old tapered nocks. If you are one of those folks, please stop ASAP! Your accuracy depends on it! Seriously, the chances of having 6 arrows that will hit the same spot time and time again is low.

Back in the day, I would spin all of my arrows and check the nock alignment. After finding several that would be misaligned I would cut them off, dress up the taper and reglue another. Eventually finding a half dozen worth hunting with.

Jump forward 15 years and into 2009. I find it hard to believe an archery shop would even stock those shafts any more with one exception being the traditional guys. Even they are turning to uni bushings in the ends of their shafts.

Correct nock alignment is critical to obtain good arrow flight. 1/8 th turn and you will suffer left or right impacts in your target. The uni bushing allows us to do 2 things well. Align nocks for proper flight and replace them easily when broken or bent.

Uni bushings are not installed in every shaft, some do not require a bushing at all. Just simply insert the nock in the arrow and rotate to the correct alignment. In the event that a nock does not fit snugly just take your pocket knife and scratch it 3 times (in the same alignment as your vanes) long ways and reinsert it. Now it will be perfect.

You will need to replace them every so often as they will wear down in the grooves that make contact with the string. It really depends on how much you shoot. If after work or on the weekends you only fire 30 shots at your bag target, you will probably never need to replace them. However if you sling 200-300 arrows on a daily basis you are looking at replacing them annually.

I will tell you how I found this out. One day while shooting on my range a friend of mine came in and started shooting. After about 100 shots he approached the counter and asked if I had ever seen a bow that would shoot a 4" group of arrows at 80 yards then the next day it would shoot 2" high at 20 yards. My reply was this, "No, I have not." I really did not buy it. The part about being 2" high, I had seen him shoot a group at 80 yards and you could pull 6 arrows at the same time with one hand.

After watching this unfold I noticed several arrows were hitting high and the rest would wad up in a quarter sized group in the X-ring. We talked a bit and then he mentioned the fact that he had replaced a few and that's when his groups started to change. I grabbed a bag of nocks and we replaced the one's that were hitting high. The next group was very tight and in the X-ring.

After a close inspection of the nock groove I could see some wear. He admitted that he was shooting the same nocks for over 2 years. When an arrow would be deemed unusable, out came the nock and into the new one. That would be fine for most but this fellow shot a lot of arrows. He was a pro shooter and really practiced.

I replace my nocks every 2 years just for safety reasons. All plastic has a shelf life and arrow nocks are no exception. That goes for vanes as well. I know, I too have arrows that are 10 years old and have the original fletching but I would probably replace them prior to hunting.

Uni bushings have a downside also. After doing a test with a Hooter Shooter (A machine that you can lock your bow into and fire without human error http://www.spot-hogg.com/products/hooter_shooter/index.php) I found that an arrow with a creased or dented bushing would not hit the exact same hole as did the rest of the arrows.

At 20 yards with a hunting bow this would be insignificant. Back up to 40 yards and see what happens. I typically replace 1 uni bushing every time I practice. I do it so often that hot glue works the best for me. I used to use epoxy to secure them to the shaft but that proved to be a real challenge to remove whenever I would bend or crease one.

Good Luck.