Lawdwaz

If you want to get more involved with your hobby, fletching arrows would be the logical step. Kind of like a guy that reloads, builds his own fishing rods, ties his own flies, plants food plots etc. All those things can keep you connected to your passion through out the year. back in the 80's and 90's I built all my own ceder arrows up from raw shafts. Stain, seal, dip, crest, taper, fletch and glue on heads. Broadheads were all purchased and needed to be sharpened, by hand. I have a bunch of friends that took it one step further; they built their own bows. Recurves and longbows, mostly one piece but some were takedown models. And perfect! How far do you want to go? Its all fun!

First of all, I can't believe they are fleshing the hides themselves, maybe but I doubt it. How about the salt, donated I hope? How about storing them? That'd be a PIA for them too. How about past years, how many have they collected? It must work out good if they continue to do it. Mine are given to a friend who traps and sells the deer hides along with his trapping spoils.

Let it be known that the foggy pics were take after the fog was getting better........and I had my air horn handy, sitting in the cup holder to my right. Just in case.......................

I hit the Upper Niagara again this past Saturday morning. I put in at the foot of Sheridan ramp and motored slowly over towards Strawberry Island as the fog was fairly thick. After short time I could see it was getting worse so I headed over by the Ontario St ramp and fished a bit towards the Chevy plant. After a bit it seemed to lighten up towards the Island so I motored over that way.......it was a sucker hole! Man did it sock in bad then............ I hung out there on a slow drift for about thirty minutes and I have to say you could not see a damn thing outside of 50 yards or so. It was think and a bit spooky! Finally I heard a guy holler YAHOO!! from out of the fog to my east I thought. A few minutes later the fog started to lift and I could see a boat fishing the Canadian waters and they must have got the clearing a bit before me. That was about 9am and I'd been on the water since about 6:45am. Oh yea, the fishing wasn't so hot. It started out real slow; one hog lost at the boat in the fog then I landed three including another hog that went 19.5" An 18" and another about 16" finished the morning off. I didn't keep any as those big slobs or the smaller one, the action just wasn't hot enough. The best fishing was over by Ontario St in 25' of water as I was chasing all over after the fog went adios.

I bought my Bitzenburger set up 26-27 years ago second hand for $25 from a archery shop on Rt 15A in Hemlock that was going closing. Also got a couple 100ct bags of barred full length feathers!! I have fletched my own arrows and arrows for others since then. My Bitzenburger would be one of the first things I'd grab if the house was ablaze..... Maybe you don't save much (or anything) by fletching your own but I enjoy the control and the fact that I can grab an arrow with a monkeyed up vane and replace it in minutes without heading to an archery shop. Choosing the color of the fletch, doing it on my time and experimenting with other things make for more enjoyment. I used to build my own flu flu arrows, four fletched. Did 5" feathers on my hunting arrows years ago and now down to 2" Blazers, all with that antique Bitzenburger. If you buy one now, it should last three lifetimes. Hurry......................................

Seems like a lot of work to make $5.................IF they get that much.

I'd say some quality time with some Youtube skinning video's are in your future..................................better do it while it is fresh in your mind.

Here's a link to the article......... http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/outdoors/olean-artist-gets-national-stamp-of-approval-20140928 And the article......... Related Articles As season nears, archery hunters set to take a bow By Will Elliott NEWS OUTDOORS WRITER Jennifer Miller, 32, an Olean artist, has established her prominence in a series of threes. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service officials last week announced Miller as the 2014 winner of the service’s annual contest to select the illustration for the 2015-2016 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp. Miller, a painter of wildlife and mainly birds since early childhood, is only the third female artist to win the honor. Contest entrants this year had the option of painting either a brant, a Canada goose, a northern shoveler, a red-breasted merganser or a ruddy duck. Miller decided to do a portrait of a pair of ruddy ducks and won the competition. This was only the third time a ruddy has been selected as the duck stamp. “I chose the ruddy duck even though it’s not a popular hunter option, but it’s a neat looking, comical bird with its distinctive blue beak, body colorations and just its personality,” Miller said of the bird she has observed around Lake Ontario and along the Oregon coast. The duck stamp win was her first first-place win in competition, but during a decade of painting professionally and about five years of entering competitions she has done well at state stamp contests in Delaware, North Carolina, Michigan, Oklahoma and Colorado. Her next-best win was in the Oregon Conservation Stamp contest where her pileated woodpecker entry took second place. She has set up exclusively as a self-employed wildlife artist for the last two years and looks forward to a career in art work. She got an early start. “I recall my aunt Deborah Greenwood would bring me into work at the Department of Environmental Conservation office in Olean when I was just a little kid and I marveled at the fish, birds and animals they had on display there,” she said. Miller developed observation skills as a bird watcher and recalls the many times she accompanied her dad on hunting trips and became interested in hunting as well as art work. “I just haven’t had enough time to get into waterfowl hunting or archery, but my husband and I do a lot of turkey and deer hunting,” she said. Involved in the hunt before her husband got started, Miller has assumed the predominantly male role of interesting a mate in hunting after marriage. Along with several wild turkeys, she has taken a fair share of whitetail deer, including a 10-point buck that sported antlers on one side only. Her win in the Federal Duck Stamp competition is impressive. This year, 168 artists submitted entries and 17 were chosen for the final round of judging. Many of the artists had been doing wildlife art longer than Miller has been alive, and she emerged as the contest winner with an acrylic painting of a mating pair of ruddy ducks coursing the surface of a mountain pond or lake. This win and her other accomplishments have led her to set up her own studio and Web site. For details on Jennifer Miller’s win and work, visit featherdust.com. This year’s top three duck stamp winners are well-known, established wildlife artists. Second-place went to Ron Louque of Charlottesville, Va., who did a stunning red-breasted merganser; third-place recognition went to Frank Mittelstadt of Beaver Dam, Wis., for his Canada goose done in acrylic. In announcing the top three winners, USF&WS deputy director Rowan Gould highlighted artists’ accomplishments and the important work done with duck stamp fund money. “You just need to look at the more than 6.5 million acres of waterfowl habitat protected by funds provided through the purchase of the stamps for proof of the power of this art.” The stamp is available for $15 at any U.S. Post Office or online. In June of 2015 the 2015-2016 stamp goes on sale with Jennifer Miller’s ruddy ducks colorfully shown on its front. Even if one does not waterfowl hunt, it would be good to buy one and then possibly two more for friends. Jennifer Miller’s art work seems to go well in threes. email: [email protected]

Today's Buffalo News has a great story on Jennifer's winning the Federal Duck Stamp competition. A black & white picture accompanies the article along with some background on her and her art career. Funny thing though, there is no mention of this web site that I would say has propelled her to stardom. Congrats again Jennifer!

Absolutely terrific to eat. I'd gladly trade a truck load of honkers for a half dozen dove.

Not sure what costs the school has paid towards this if anything but I can assure you it is not inexpensive at all for us...........definitely money well spent in my opinion.

The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a GOOD guy with a gun. I hope they fry the POS that did the deed.

I took a handful of post cards to the post office but can't read Italian............

I scored two of these wonderful calls myself this week, both will be gifts. One to ME (!) and one to a friend......... I have a few others that never did much for me but after Phade's endorsement and some research I could see that these are the real deal.

For the last 8 days we have had a wonderful 17 year old gal from Bolzano Italy staying with us. She will be here until Tuesday morning then with her group of 11 other student and one chaperon will head to Washington DC for 4-5 days. Before they got here in Buffalo they spent 4 days in NYC. In return, my daughter and 11 classmates will go to Bolzano for approx. the same amount of time in February. They will spend 4 days in Rome and 4 in Paris sandwiched in between the stay in Bolzano. Each student stays with the family of the child that stayed at their house here in the US. All the kids are in the Amherst school district. Things have gone great since she arrived although, not surprisingly they are burning the candle at both ends! Between shadowing at some of her classes and side trips they are all going full speed ahead. Tomorrow they have a full schedule between a sporting event here in town and then a trip to Niagara Falls. Sunday they are having a big farewell dinner (although they don't leave till Tuesday) at another students house, 48+ people!! We'll bring a vegetable casserole and a Sam's Club monster pie . Turkey will be the main course...........................!! Anyone else had an exchange student or done it yourself?

Oh yea....thanks all!

I sent them to Bank Of America since they are even bigger than M&T and First Niagara. Should be cool as a cucumber.........

OK, good. So just going to M&T or First Niagara should be trouble free?? She is aware of the fee's so that isn't an issue. I was just wondering if a bank's ATM was better than a drug store, probably the bank will be better. Thanks.........

Bank is in Italy.....

Nope............not THIS time.

I have a young gal here from Italy, she needs to get cash from an ATM with her debit Master Card. Is there an advantage to go to one machine over another? M&T or First Niagara? Drug store? I haven't a clue in this stuff........................... Thanks

They're building energy for the big push in November. Laying low and waiting out the good times.

Sorry if the title offends anyone. After 5 months (YES, 5 MONTHS) on the job the guys gets a "package" to get the $%#@ out of town. Not to shabby for Psycho Pay huh? 82K salary 29K vacation pay Health care for a year If you looked into this nut jobs last few months you'd completely agree with me and maybe toss in some more spicy words. FROM THE WEB................. http://www.wben.com/Hamburg-Approves-120K-Settlement-for-JetterAfter-h/19984162 Hamburg Approves $120K Settlement for Jetter Hamburg, NY (WBEN) Former Hamburg School Supt. Richard Jetter will leave the district with approx. $82,00 in salary, $29,000 in vacation time, and a year of health insurance. The entire separation agreement approved in a 5-1 vote Friday morning totals approx. $120,000. School Board president David Yovienne tells WBEN that while it seems like a large amount, it is a bargain when compared to the cost of possible litigation "Our lawyers and administration have cut the best deal in the separation, and now we want to move forward with student achievement." Yoviene says as far as the schools are concerned, it's business as usual," Yovienne said, Jetter recently admitted to filing a false report with police, confessing he, and not vandals, damaged his car at a time when the district was filled with strife . He'll be sentenced November 25th. The board also voted to name Vincent Coppola, a veteran consultant on several WNY superintendant searches, as interim superintendent. Yoviene says no timetable has been set yet for a search for a permanent superintendent. "Certainly sometime in 2015," says Yoviene. "It's something the board has been looking at. We hope to have one in place by the next school year."