d-bone20917

How can I tell if my blaze orange is bright enough?

You can't beat the Magnus Stingers. I've never used the buzzcuts but I've been using the regular stinger 4 blade and 2 blades for awhile (I prefer the 2 blade). They are tough and have a lifetime replacement guarantee. Unfortunately they don't make them in 175 grain so I'm going to have to use something different this year. I think I'm going with the VPA Terminators.

I love my 270 WSM. It's a Winchester Model 70 and it's all I've used since I bought it about 9 years ago. I'm shooting 140 grain Accubonds over 59.5 grains of IMR 4350.

So that pretty much ensures there will be no more wildlife refuges established. Public lands and wildlife conservation are under attack in Washington. http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/open-country/2013/07/house-introduces-bill-will-cut-funding-many-conservation-programs

Take a look at the backpacking sites for some decent gear. Also go with the best and lightest gear you can afford. The less weight you have to carry the better. There are a lot of ultralight tents out there that will work well. Also I'd recommend looking at the floorless tarp or tipi type shelters with a stove jack if you plan to go later in the season when the temperatures drop. I picked up a golite Shangri-la 3 this year and if I just use the fly without the nest it's around 2 lbs. Also, if you are planning to go in deep you want gear you can rely on to pack out your camp and meat. The last thing you want when you are 10 miles into the back country and have a deer on the ground is a pack failure. Badlands have gotten a pretty bad rap lately due to unreliability. They have a lifetime warranty, but that doesn't really help when you are in the field. The Eberlestock packs are reasonably priced and are built better in my opinion. I've tried a lot of different packs over the years and I finally bucked up and bought a Mystery Ranch (actually 2). I'm sure they are outside your budget as a college student but they are bombproof. The Kifaru packs are in the same league also but I've never tried one. Don't limit yourself to just hunting packs either, regular backpacking packs will work too but you won't get any cool camo patterns.

KUIU is the name of the new company and they are making some great stuff. It is cheaper than Sitka because he only sells directly through his website (kuiu.com) so there is no retailer mark-up. It's the best hunting clothing I've ever worn, but it is still pricey.

Your post doesn't say how long you have been at it, but as Doc said it takes time and practice to be consistent. If you are just starting out don't worry where the arrows are hitting, just concentrate on form, anchor and release. Once you develop this and are consistent, then start working on your accuracy. Also, have you tried playing around with different arrow spines and tip weights? With a recurve you need to tune the arrow to your bow which also takes time to learn. I would say you are a little over spined for that bow. Try bareshaft tuning with some 150 and 200 grain tips. Maybe pick up a few 500 spine arrows and try those also. Shooting a traditional bow can be frustrating, but it is also a lot of fun.

Everyone is talking about it so they got what they wanted.

That is true in Canada, but you can go to any US state and hunt DIY without a guide. Some states and species, such as sheep or mountain goat in Alaska, require a guide for non-residents, but that is very rare. Hunting is great in this country because anyone can head out west and do a DIY hunt on public land. Some people just like to pay the big bucks for a guide to increase their odds at killing something, not because it's required.

KUIU Vias

If they were concerned about money and conservation they wouldn't be reducing the cost of the licenses... but that's a different discussion all together.

Damn!!! I've been pronouncing it wrong all these years.

They absolutely do. Lots of western game animals are taken with traditional and compound bows every year at less than 20 yards. It depends on the country you are hunting.

Learning the land is key. Get boots on the ground and study the aerial photos and topo maps. Hunting new places is always fun.

I got a point also. You can check it on the CO DOW website. I haven't received anything in the mail yet.

Agreed. Check out Ferari's Archery in Carthage. Much better in all regards.

I got this one for my daughter on her 5th birthday. She'll be turning 7 this year and still loves it. http://www.3riversarchery.com/3Rivers+Pilgrim+Youth+Longbow+-+Pink+Series_i2240-PX_baseitem.html

Check Google Maps. It will show you where the public land is.

I've always been a skinner, but this year I'm going to try plucking. Keeping that layer of skin on there is supposed to help keep it moist.

I've always wanted to hunt sheep too and I've been researching the different states. Alaskan Dall sheep is probably the easiest to draw, but non-residents are required to hunt with a guide unless you have a relative that is an Alaskan resident. If you weren't forced into hiring a guide the price would be reasonable. Some of the desert sheep hunts are extremely difficult to draw. Colorado and Montana are other options for big horn sheep but they have long odds too. I guess I should start applying for some of these because most take many years to draw if at all.

There has been no request from Colorado residents to boycott hunting in their state that I have seen. The boycott stance is being taken by some groups trying to get their name in the news.

It was nothing personal Biz, I just got a chuckle out of your response. It sounded like you had no interest in the hunt other than pulling the trigger. To me the research is a big part of the hunt. I know some people feel the need to hire outfitters due to time constraints. I have nothing against that.

Keep going guys... you are almost to 22 pages. You can do it!!!!

The prep and research is the stuff I enjoy the most. If you want they could probably shoot it for you too and you wouldn't even have to make the trip.

Colorado has a similar situation to NY. They have one major metropolitan area around Denver where about half the state residents live. These are the areas that tend to be more anti-gun. The population in the western part of the state is overwhelmingly pro-gun. The CO DOW has absolutely nothing to do with the decision, so boycotting hunting in CO to try and make a point is ridiculous. All it does is reduce the amount of money available to CO for conservation efforts. Do you think the legislators that are passing these laws will feel that pain? The only people that take the hit from that boycott are other people like us. We should support them not boycott.