Changes Coming

Some changes coming down the pike. For one thing, alongside the Ranger oriented material here I will also be posting about Primitive Tech projects and experiments...that means back to the bronze and stone ages, yes.

Currently I am working out plans for replicas of Ötzi's belt, quiver, and a-frame backpack. I want to see how they will function IRL. I already have a bow similar to his.

Also, medicine bags, Crane Bags, and what have you. Ranger-Primitive mix essentially. There is much overlap in any case, just as there is with Long Hunting.

Today I took Taliesin out to the Range for the first time since becoming members (his, not mine). We spent two solid hours just shooting archery, although we did pause long enough to have a free burger courtesy of the clubhouse and trap shooters.

The archery range is nothing fancy; four targets on sled frames so they can be moved about, one 3D deer target and a wood fence backstop. Total range length is about 40-45 yards...good hunting distances are possible here. Nothing fancy indeed, but it is enough for our purposes at the moment.

We shot standing, sitting, kneeling, and prone. Yes, it is possible to shoot accurately from the prone with a bow. It will work your abs and back, but it can be done. We began speaking of holding events similar to pistol combat courses using bows instead. Something we will have to think on more deeply.

I allowed a fellow archer to fire the arrows I made this past year. He was so impressed he ordered a dozen from me on the spot. O-o I have had no expectations of making arrows for money..after all, until today I didn't even know for certain if I were doing it right. Apparently I have done as they all flew beautifully.

The upshot is that I will make this dozen arrows for him, keeping careful tally of time worked, materials used and lost, and general work. Then I'll show them to him, and discuss a fair price. I have no idea what to charge for them. I will be making them with self nocks, field tips, feather fletching of blue and white, and probably a little cresting. I have no idea what such things might be fairly sold for.

I wonder if this starts me on the road of being a Fletcher. ;) Still working on building the hickory bows. Pictures of things coming soon to a blog near you..or well, this one anyway.

Eledhwen