Blog Entries for Aneal Roney

BowCast At The Bird 2010 - Registration is OPEN!

aroney@bowcast.com — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:00:00 +0100

You have been waiting...now you know BowCast At The Bird 2010 will be held at Snowbrid, Utah on July 10th and 11th.� To register and get more info, visit http://www.bowcastatthebird.com/.

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"Super Tune" - South Cox and the Hooter Shooter Shooting Machine

aroney@bowcast.com — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +0100

You heard Josh and I on BowCast Episode #109 talk about the benefits of using a shooting machine like the Spot Hogg Hooter Shooter.� Well, South pitched in to film his own "super tune" show.� Check out the process South goes through with tuning the nocks on his arrows using he Hooter Shooter.� I like it when arrows hit the same hole!

If you have any questions about using a shooting machine or how to tune your nocks and broadheads, please leave them as a comment to this blog entry.� Enjoy!

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"Mystery Buck" Shot; Discounted Colorado Muley, Whitey, and Antelope Hunts!

aroney@bowcast.com — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +0100

Many of you have followed our recent Eastern Colorado Mule Deer hunt.� For those of you who watched the video footage of Day 5, you'll know I had a buck we had not seen up until that point walk 130 yards in front of me in search of a doe.� He needed to turn right, but instead trotted off left.�

We all (Me, Matt, and Miles) collectively agreed that he was a nice buck, but Wes Atkinson from Outdoor Expeditions just called me with 2 pieces of exciting news.� The first piece is that just a mere 10 days after that buck was in front of me, Miles and his client were able to harvest him on the same property!� The hunter's name was Jeff Rossiter, and we weren't mistaking, this is an absolute dandy Eastern Colorado Mule Deer!

If that muley on the ground wasn't enough, Wes shared with me the second piece of the great news.� Been dreamin of chasin' a buck of this caliber with your bow?� Well, Outdoor Expeditions is making it a bit easier for BowCasters to hunt Eastern Colorado!

15% BowCast Discount

Due to the response of BowCast Nation to the semi-live updates from
the field, Outdoor Expeditions has just announced a great deal
exclusively� for BowCasters!� For those of you who have the dream
of bow hunting a trophy Mule Deer, Antelope, or Whitetail in the
West, Outdoor Expeditions is offering you a 15% Discount on all
Eastern Colorado Archery hunts.� This is one of the most affordable
ways to chase the giants that have made the Eastern Plains of
Colorado famous.� Many of the professional hunters you see on TV
have taken world class animals in Eastern Colorado, and now Outdoor
Expeditions is making it affordable for the average archery hunter
to get a crack at these monsters.
�
To be eligible for the discount, you simply need to ask for the
"BowCast 15% Archery Discount".� This discount applies to Mule
Deer, Antelope and Whitetail archery hunts.� The Outdoor
Expeditions price list is below.� This offer is only for 2010
hunts, and they must be booked by February 1st, 2010.� So, make
2010 the year you get your giant and give Outdoor Expeditions a
call today!

BowCast Pricing
�

5 Day - 2-on-1 Guided Archery Mule Deer Hunt $4,000
BowCast Discount - $3,400
�
5 Day - 1-on-1 Guided Archery Mule Deer Hunt $5,200
BowCast Discount - $4,420
�
5 Day - 2-on-1 Guided Archery Whitetail Deer Hunt $4,000

BowCast Discount - $3,400
�
5 Day - 1-on-1 Guided Archery Whitetail Deer Hunt $5,200
BowCast Discount - $4,420
�
3 Day - 2-on-1 Guided Archery Antelope Hunt $1,500
BowCast Discount - $1,275
�
5 Day - Archery Whitetail Hunt - Treestand Only� $3,500
BowCast Discount - $2,975�
�
�
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed my 2009 hunts with Outdoor Expeditions, and I am excited that a few BowCasters are going to take advantage of this discount!� For more pics of the
quality deer and opportunities that are available from Outdoor
Expeditions, visit their website and check out the OE Photo
Section (http://www.atkinsonexpeditions.com/Albums.aspx).��
�

Get More�Info on the�BowCast Discount�

To book a hunt, find out more information, or take advantage of
this 15% discount, you can contact Outdoor Expeditions in the
following ways:
�
1)� Email mailto:OE@atkinsonexpeditions.com

2)� Call Outdoor Expeditions at� 970.568.9667 or 970.227.8124.

3)� Fill out the Contact Form on their website here -
http://www.atkinsonexpeditions.com/ContactUs.aspx.
�

Good Luck in 2010, and don't forget to mention the "BowCast 15%
Discount".
�

Aneal

[...]

BF #7 - Equipment - Review - AMS Retriever Pro Reel

aroney@bowcast.com — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +0100

If you are looking to pick up a bowfishing reel, there are a number of different styles that you can choose from.� I have mentioned in my previous blog entries that I finally settled on the AMS��Retriever Pro reel for a number of reasons that I will get into in this entry.�

First, from my research there are a few style reels out there.� On the cheaper end of the spectrum, you could use a hand reel which screws into your stabilizer (or can tape to your recurve).� There's no bells and whistles with this type of reel - it is simply there to hold your line after you have and retrieved your fish (or arrow if you missed).� A good example of a hand style reel is the Bohning Lightning Reel 1025 pictured below.

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Then you have the spinning reel which will probably look most familiar to all you BowCast Bass Masters out there.� An example of this type of Reel would be the Zebco 808 pictured below.� The main difference I saw with this type of reel was really look and feel.� You will most likely use a monofilament line (as opposed to a Nylon Braided line), and this type of reel is going to feel more similar to when you are fishing with a pole and a bait caster.� I am a fly fisherman, so the look and feel was something I was not immediately used to, so that is where I arrived at the AMS Retriever Pro reel.

There are a couple of features that really stood out fishing with the Retriever Pro this year.� First was how easy it was to reel in line.� The Retriever Pro has a "trigger" that is easily grabbed when your hand is on the riser of the bow.� So, after you shoot, you simply depress the trigger which clamps tension down on the line and allows you to reel in super quick.� Matt and I often got multiple shots off in a matter of seconds, and that was largely due to how quickly we were able to reel our line in.� I also like the "bottle" that contains the line.� With the frenzy of bowfishing, I felt this was the best system to keep from dealing with "Rat's Nests" when there are a bunch of fish in front of you.� And lastly, albeit a minor feature, the Retriever Pro has a built in 1 arrow quiver that you can snap your fish arrow to for easy storage.� This is great when motoring around a lake, or simply hanging your bow up in the garage.� Overall, there is nothing prompting me to switch away from this reel, and it retails for under $100.

So what bowfishing reels have you tried?� What do you like?� What don't you like?� Leave your comments and reel questions as a comment to this blog post.

Aneal

[...]

BF #6 - Equipment - Review - Muzzy Arrows and Fish Points

aroney@bowcast.com — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +0100

My education on arrows and what to tip them with for bowfishing started back on Episode #67 when we had Mark Land on from Muzzy Bowfishing.� As many of us who bow hunt and haven't yet jumped into Bow Fishing, I incorrectly labeled the tips on the end of a bowfishing arrow a "broadhead".� Mark corrected me indicating that in the world of Bowfishing, we call them "fish points".....and so my curiosity and education began and I'll share a few things I learned this year in this blog entry.

Bowfishing Arrows

There are a number of manufacturers out there who specialize in arrows engineered for taking fish with a bow, namely Muzzy, AMS Bowfishing�and Cajun Archery.�� The first thing you will notice is that construction and weight of these arrows are much different than our big game arrows.

First off, the Muzzy Classic Fish Arrow I chose to use is made from premium-grade solid fiberglass for durability when bouncing arrows off of rocks or getting the stuck in stumps when carp fishing.� A bit different and more durable than than the carbon vs. alumnimum debate that rages on the BowCast.com forums.� In addition, I just put my arrow on the scale including the Muzzy fish point and safety slide and it weighs in at 1458 grains!� A bit more weight that my 425 gr Easton FMJ setup I use for big game!

Safety Slide

One component of your arrow system that should never be forgotten is a safety slide.� I put the AMS Safety Slide System on my arrow setups this year, and shot the whole season with piece of mind.� If you are tying a string to the back of the arrow and shooting at fish, you are simply asking for an accident to happen.� If the string hanging in front of your riser were to catch on a branch, the reel handle or anything else, the arrow could snap back and an unpleasant accident can happen.� If you are just getting started in bowfishing, please make this note - always use a safety slide.� The other major manufacturers all make them and they are all relatively good and functional.� I am happy with the AMS Safety Slide system as it is durable (I used the same one almost all year), is easy to install, and simply just worked great.

The other thing I will point out is that you don't need a quiver full of arrows to get started in Bowfishing.� Forget paying $100 plus dollars for a dozen arrows like we are used to with our big game setups.� I would suggest starting off with 2 arrows, and you probably won't ever even get to use the second "back up" arrow.� You can pick up 2 complete arrow setups (arrow, fishpoint, nock, and safety slide) for around $30.� See the Muzzy Carpoint kit ($16.95) here.

�

Fish Points

Lastly you have your fishpoint. To be honest I haven't tried a ton of these.� I went with Muzzy's Carppoint and it just worked.� We did lose a fish or two along the way, but that is just part of bowfishing.� Next season I hope to try a few different fishpoints to see if I notice any difference.� But the Muzzy Carppoint did what I needed it to which is penetrate fish, and keep them on as I fought them into the boat or shore.� Muzzy makes a fish point for just about every species you might consider going after.� Check out their full catalog here to get an idea of what points you have to choose from.

What arrows do you all use?� Any tips, tricks, or equipment selections you would like to share with the BowCast community?� Leave them as a comment post to this blog entry!

Next post, we'll look at the AMS Pro Retriever Reel system.

Gone,

Aneal

[...]

BF #5 - Equipment - Review - AMS Fire Eagle Bow

aroney@bowcast.com — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +0100

So, I have been getting a lot of questions related to - "Do I need to go out and buy a special bowfishing bow to bowfish?".� And the quick and easy answer is no.

You certainly could outfit your current compound or traditional bow to be setup to enjoy bowfishing.� You may need to switch out your rest, and most definitely will want to add a reel, but it is relatively easy and cheap to use the bow you currently own to bowfish.

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However, If you are pulling a lot of weight on a compound bow for big game, you almost definitely want to crank down on the poundage.� Probably 30-40 lbs is all you need for most types and styles of bowfishing (maybe even less).

I thought about using my Elite GT500 this season for bowfishing.� I ended up talking with some folks over at AMS who changed my mind about that.� And, as Matt can attest to - after dropping my bowfishing bow overboard in 6 feet of water and fishing it out with a gaff, I am happy I made the decision to purchase a bow strictly for bowfishing.

I decided on the AMS Fire Eagle Bow.�� I gotta admit, the looks of the thing caught my eye before I even understood some of the technical functionality of this bow.� I really dug the Blue Firestore Camo design that they had available.

First thing I like abou thte Fire Eagle is the range in draw lengths - 15 - 30 inches.� I thought that was a great feature because when my kids are big enough, or a new bowfishing buddy wants to borrow my bow, I know I can get it to fit comfortably for me or anyone lese I lend it to.

And if you are used to shooting a high end compound bow for your other types of hunting, you may recognize when you start pulling back some bowfishing specific bows that they feel...well...clunky.� Often the engineering and design are not up to the same standards as what we are typically used to in a compound hunting bow.� What I noticed quickly with Fire Eagle was how smooth it drew, even when I had the 50# limbs cranked all the way down.� And as I mentioned before, you probably only need 3o or so lbs to effectively bowfish and kill in most areas.� However;� In the lakes we were fishing in Colorado we tend to find carp in water that is a tad deeper.� The extra speed and energy definitely helps to effectively get down to fish that are not on the surface.

One thing that I didn't think about when I first purchased the bow, but definitely am liking after using it for a season is the concept of "minimal letoff".� While I enjoy my 80% letoff on my hunting bows, the style and frequency of shooting when bowfishing will let you appreciate "minimal letoff".� What it means is that more energy is stored throughout the draw cycle, and not as much is letoff.� Therefore, you still have the energy you need to kill a fish if you have to "snap shoot" before you are even at full draw.� A nice feature when sometimes you get a� split second and a flash to make a shot at a fish.

Overall, I probably paid a bit more for the Fire Hawk than some of�the other steups I looked at.� But, the beneift I think I got was a bowfishing bow that is flexible to setup, has the "horesepower" to do any of the bowfishing for any of the species I have been dreaming of, and the durability to last me for many years.

I have listed the Fire Hawk specs below.� Also, you can buy a complete kit with the Fire Hawk that includes an AMS Pro Retriever Reel and Wave Rest so you are ready to start bowfishing immediately.� Pretty good deal.

So what bowfishing bow are you rolling with?� I'd love to hear some comments and questions about what you shoot, what you would like to shoot, and what info you would like to see on BowCast.com related to bowfishing setups.�

Gone Fishin,

Aneal

[...]

BowCast In The Field - Hunt Day 5

aroney@bowcast.com — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +0100

Last day of Aneal and Matt's hunt with Outdoor Expeditions. Tune in to see the last day big buck action, as well as a review of spot and stalk packs from Aneal and Matt.��

A big THANK YOU to Mr. Launch Monsen for salvaging this tape from a case of bad video heads.� Also a big THANK YOU to Miles and Outdoor Expeditions.� We'll definitely be back again - hopefully these giants are even bigger!

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BowCast In The Field - Hunt Day 4

aroney@bowcast.com — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +0100

Day 4 with the BowCast Boys and Outdoor Expeditions in SE Colorado.� Find out why it is better to have a lifestyle versus a job.

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BF #4 - Putting it All Together - Bowfishing Tournaments

aroney@bowcast.com — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +0100

Once we got our "feet wet" Matt, myself and John North got hooked up with the Colorado Bowfishing Association and entered several of their tournaments.� If you are looking to get into bowfishing, I highly encourage you all to look up your local bowfishing chapter, and go out to one of their tournaments.� They are a ton of fun, and the guys and gals who compete in them are usually extremely helpful by sharing their knowledge about equipment and tactics......when they are not competing of course!

How Bowfishing Tournaments Typically Work

We entered a few tournaments over the summer, and the format was usually pretty similar.� Pretty early in the morning, there would be a long line at the boat ramp to get into the water.� At the designated start time, a horn would blow and you are off.� When teaming up, the rules we had to follow dictated only one team mate could be fishing while another was steering the boat.� You could switch off at anytime, but only one person could be fishing at a time.

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You had to be out of the water and at the weigh station with your tracsh can(or for some guys trash can after trash can after trash can) of fish to be weighed.�� There were usually two categories of fisherman - shore fisherman and boat fisherman.� And usually there was a prize for heaviest overall fish, and then heaviest overall catch for the day.� I gotta hand it to those COBF guys and gals, because they get hell of a lot of stinky carp weighed in a pretty quick period of time.

Many sponsors like Muzzy and AMS giveaway a ton of equipment at these events.� From whole setups, to fishpoints, arrows, t-shirts, hats, string, reels, bows - you name it.� And, most tournaments have a purse that comes from the registration fees (Usually like $20 a person).� So often times, the big winners are taking home several hundreds of dollars!� Not bad for a day of slinging arrows!

I am sure there are many different types and styles of tournaments out there.� But on a beautiful summer day when no big game can legally be taken, it's great to get out there on the water, feed your competitive spirit, and just have some fun slinging arrows.� If you have questions about Bowfishing tournaments, or experiences to share around bowfishing tournaments, leave a comment to this blog entry.� In the next blog entry in this series, I'll start getting into some of the equipment we used and tested out.

Late,

Aneal

[...]

BF #3 - Bowfishing Tactics

aroney@bowcast.com — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +0100

For those of you who have never tried bowfishing, you may have conjured up in your heads an image of a huge boat with a big ass fan on the back buzzing a bunch of rednecks around in some swamp somewhere.� While that may be the way many of those who enjoy bowfishing do it, Matt and I started out a bit simpler - with our own two feet.

Wading�/Shore Fishing

We basically started in the early summer once Turkey season was done hitting up some of our local lakes and a few farm ponds here around Denver.� We found our first kills were just wading out a bit from the shore, or sometimes walking out on a downed tree and waiting for a carp to flash or splash.

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What I think is so great about bowfishing (especially when carp are spawning) is it is not stop action, and you get a ton of shots to figure out just where to aim (and trust me, this is going to take a few arrows to get down).� In general , you are aiming lower than where you see the fish to account from the refraction on the water's surface.� I had some of my best luck standing on a log and just watching the reeds in the shallow water moving around.� That was always a good sign that a carp was swimming by, and gave you a notion of where he or she was going to.

Once the spawn heated up during some of the COBF tournaments, there was spalshing all around, and one of the best days Matt and John North had was when they didn't have a boat and entered the tournament as "Shore Fisherman".� But more on the tournaments in the next blog entry.

Using a Boat

More traditionally, guys who have boats, tend to be a bit more mobile.�� Again, there are all kinds of setups with generators and lights for night fishing, swivel chairs raised well above the water for better vision, and even gadgets that let you control the motor and direction of your boat by simply moving your quadracep left and right.�� Trust me, if you want to talk to some new school tinkerers, go find a bowfisherman who has his own boat.� That will be a fun and educational conversation.

Finding Fish

We had a few opportunities to borrow my neighbor Rick's boat.� Nothing fancy, but it allowed us to essentially motor the shore lines until we found areas that were holding fish.� When the fish weren't spawning hard (splashing all over the place) we tended to need to find the right "depth and mixture" of vegetation.� On the Colorado lakes we fished, it seemed between 2 and 3 feet with some grassy vegetation on the bottom seemed to be where we typically had our action.�And when you have action bowfishing, look out!� Fast and Furious!

One thing to note is that we are probably shooting in water that is typcially deeper than many other areas of the country.� This led us to pull back a slightly heavier bow which I will get into in another blog entry.

Whether you are fishing from the shore or from a boat, bowfishing tactics are pretty straightforward.� Find the fish be either sight or motion in the water, aim low, and start firing arrows.

In my next blog entry, I'll cover a bit about how the COBF tournaments were setup that we competed in.� In the meantime, post your questions about bowfishing tactics as a comment to this blog entry, and we'll do our very best to get them answered.� Happy Fishing!

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BF #2 - Equipment - What do you need to get setup for Bowfishing?

aroney@bowcast.com — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +0100

As a reminder, 2009 was the first year I ever picked up a bow and aimed it at a fish.� Being as resourceful and inquisitive as many of you know I am, I reached out to several individuals to understand what went into getting setup for bowfishing.�� I talked to a couple of the individuals from the Colorado Bowfishing Association (COBF), I spoke with Mark Land from Muzzy Bowfishing who runs the largest Bowfishing tournament in the country, I spoke with Jeff Braun from AMS bowfishing, I spoke with reps from Cajun Archery, and I chewed the fat with many different guys who have been doing this for a long time.�

Just like anything related to the great sport of archery and hunting, there are many opinions out there.� My goal of this blog entry is not to necessarily make recommendations on specific pieces of equipment (although stay tuned, that is coming), but to really highlight what the core pieces of equipment are to be capable of shooting a fish with a bow.� Here goes.

�A Bow (Duh)

It is important to recognize that pretty much any relatively new bow (whether it is a traditional or compound bow) will work to Bowfish.� A lot of guys choose to use traditional (recurve/stick bow) to shoot fish with.� It should also be pointed out that in most cases, the same exact bow you use for big game hunting can be used for bowfishing.� You need to switch out your arrows, rest, and add a reel, but if you only own one bow, chances are you could use it for bowfishing.

With that being said, there are manufacturers (such as AMS) who make bows designed for bowfishing.� What is different?� Well, for one, shooting at fish is more of an "instinct" type of draw cycle.� The AMS Fish Hawk that we used this year only has 20% letoff, but the limbs do crank up to 50 lbs.� Often, 30-40 lb limbs is all you need to be effective while bowfishing.�

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In addition, if you do only own one bow, you need to consider the conditions you will be bowfishing in.� Obviously there is water involved, and I will admit to the greater BowCast community that I have dropped my bow overboard and had to fish it out with a long gaff out of a murky, muddy, carp egg laid lake bottom.� Might not be exactly what you want to do with your primary big game bow.� So in some instances it does make sense to invest in a primary bowfishing bow.� More on that in subsequent blog entries.

Reel/Line

I am sure many of us would love to be able to follow a line to the deer that we shoot,�but doing so�is just not that practical.� If you want to bowfish, you will need to invest in a reel.� The good news is they are cheap, they attach to your bow very easily, and you can put them on and off pretty easily.� Keep in mind, while it isn't unheard of, most guys do not run with a sight on their bowfishing setup.� It's more of an instinctive shot (i.e using the tip of your arrow as a reference point).� So, you can pull off your sight, and attach a reel pretty easy.�

There are different types of reels are available.� I will be reviewing the AMS Pro Retriver which is a "bottle" style reel that stores your line in a bottle and uses a "trigger" to provide tension when you are reeling in a fish.� These reels are EXTREMELY popular.� It worked great for me, but there are also more "fishing" style reels that have line on a spool.� I personally like the bottle style better as there seems less to get tangled with - �but bottom line you will need a reel to bring in your fish once you shoot them.� You'll also need some line either made by Muzzy or Brownell, but usually the line is included in a reel kit.

Rest

In theory you could probably use a drop away or TM Hunter style rest, but there are several bowfishing rests that are much simpler than what we use on our big game setup.� Again they are cheap, easy to switch out, and we just aren't concerned with some of the same speed dynamics when shooting a big heavy arrow at fish.� You want some containment aspect to your rest as� you are constantly swinging around to take a shot, and don't want your arrow falling off a rest.� Stay tuned to reviews of 2 specific rests I used this year.

Fiberglass Arrows

You will not use the same arrows you use for big game.� You'll want to get some fiberglass bowfishing arrows (I used Muzzy Arrows).� These will be MUCH heavier than the typical ~400 gr arrows we are used to running through our big game setups.� They are also more durable which is important when you are shooting into rock bottoms around dams, or cement like sand at the bottoms of rivers and lakes.� I have not had an arrow break, so I literally think you could get by with 1 arrow, maybe 2 arrows to have one as a backup.� Probably don't need more than that until there is a reason to buy more (i.e. skip one off a log and lodge it into a tree - ha ha!).

Fish Points

I think of these as broadheads for fish.� Typically there is a ferule with "V" wing to pass through and ensure the arrow doesn't come back out the 2 holes you put in a fish.

Safety Slide

This is an absolute�must have for bowfishing!� Never run an arrow through a bow without a safety slide.� The safety slide goes over the shaft of the arrow, and when you are waiting to draw, the safety slide is pushed down towards the end of the arrow where the fish point is.� This ensures the line is out in front of you and has less of a chance catching up with the reel or bow mechanisms.� Obviously you could imagine shooting an arrow attached to a line out of a bow, and having it stop 3 feet from your face and coming back at you.� Do NOT run a bowfishing setup without a safety slide.

Other Equipment Considerations (Garbage Can, Gaff, Boat, Release etc.)

As you may know. Matt Hogue, John North and I took a crack at a few tournaments in Colorado this year.� Spending all day bowfishing makes it apparent that there are some accesories and other peripheral pieces of equipment that are useful and make the overall experience more enjoyable.

On thing to think about is what you are going to do with your fish.� We got a couple of cheap rubbermaid garbage cans that we used to throw our fish in.� Until they fill up, you can keep the lids on to keep the flies away and the stinc down.� And by the way, the action is non-stop and during the peak of a spawn, you will absolutely fill up multiple garbage cans with fish.� Another note - if you are shooting invasive/non-edible fish, do not "dump" them on the shore or even in the water.� Dispose of them properly so bow fisherman (and women) don't get a bad rap.� You can use the fish as fertilizer, donate to a local wildlife sanctuary or even an organic farm.� Find someone who can make good use of the fish, and make it a point to donate them there.

A gaff is very useful as it gets a little crazy when you have a fish on an arrow that you are trying to land and not lose (BTW, I arrowed two fish with one arrow this year....yep, I am bragging even though this isn't a rare feat in the midst of the action of a heavy spawn).� We started out with one of those long pole gaffs which are useful, but we found it easier to just use a hand held gaff and get down closer to the fish on the side of the boat.� We were mainly shooting carp in the 10-15 lb range, so a gaff is not an absolute, but merely a recommendation.

A boat can get you into some spots where wading won't allow.� But I will be very clear - you DON'T need a boat to start bowfishing.� Matt Hogue and John North actually took 3rd place in one of the tournaments doing it all in waders from the shore.

Release?� I think I am one of the only guys in the world who bowfishes with a release.� Typically bowfisherman are finger shooters.� Since I do most of my shooting with a release, I felt most comfortable anchoring with a release.� But that is probably a topic for another blog entry.

So what equipment do you use that I didn't cover?� What questions on bowfishing equipment do you have?� I want to get folks having as much fun as I did this year shooting arrows at fish, so if you have a question, just post it to this blog entry as a comment.� This sport is absolutely awesome, and if you haven't tried it, I would suggest you give it a shot�- I can't imagine you would be sorry you did so.

I'll get into some specific equipment we used on the next part of this bowfishing series.

Until then, I am out.

Aneal

[...]

BF - #1 - Why Bowfishing is such a great sport (IMHO).

aroney@bowcast.com — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +0100

So why would guys go out all day on a boat and create a bloody mess killing carp (or other species) using archery equipment?� I wondered the same freakin thing several months ago.� From experience, I now have my answer.

Ala Dave Letterman's top 10 list, I thought I would share a list of what I have learned to be the reasons that draw me to Bowfishing.� I was hesitant at first......until that first fat carp that I arrowed.� From there, I was hooked.

#10) Bustin Balls

We all do a lot of very serious big game hunting.� Working our butts off the stalk a mule deer, or sitting all day in a whitetail stand.� But often when we team up with our buddies to get after a big game animal, it's all business.� I think about Bowfishing as more of a "Corporate Picnic".� One of the thing I enjoyed most about bowfishing is I could "bust balls" about a missed shot or brag about shooting 2 carp with a single arrow.� The conversation runs all day long and it is LOUD!� Great to get out with buddies and just act like we are at a picnic........a picnic where we are killing a few fish!

#9)� Saturday's in the sun and on the water

No matter what you call your "Neck of the Woods", there is nothing better than being on water in summer.� Bring the sunscreen, dress light, and enjoy the heat!� If you get bored, take a dip to cool off!

#8)� The People

As I have mentioned, Matt Hogue, John North and I have all participated in the Colorado Bowfishing Associating (COBF) tournaments this year with the goal of learning from guys who know what they are doing.� What was a side benefit was meeting some of the guys on this circuit who are so into having fun drawing a bow back on a fish.�� Many of them bring their entire families and friends out to cheer them on and just "hang".

#7)� Wakin up at 3 AM to shoot Fish with a bow

Never thought I would do it, but after ther first time I did - I was hooked.

#6)� The Stink

I love the smell of carp eggs in the morning!

#5)� Pulling a bow back at game in the Summer

This is a big one for me.� Other than some small game, and turkey in the spring, there is really nothing to shoot at late spring through early summer.� The act of drawing a bow back at game (regardless of the species) is something I suggest everyone does anytime they have the chance!� Now, I will get ahead of the "form" questions by pointing out drawing a typical bowfishign setup is a little different than pulling back on big game.� BUT, I'd like to change that perspective.� For example, most bowfisherman roll with fingers.� I didn't.� I have been rolling with the same Carter Chocolate release I use on normal big game?� Why?� Why not?� While it's a little different, it's still drawing a bow back, anchoring, and following through on your shot.� Think about it, and we'll get into more on later blog posts.

#4)� SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS

For those of us who like to shoot a lot, hay bails get old after a while, but shooting at live fish NEVER gets old.� During the carp spawn here in Colorado, we had 2 hour stretches where we probabaly shot over 200 times at fish.� No, we didn't boat 200 fish, but we were shootin'!

#3)� Bowfishing is CHEAP!

Use your current bow, or even you backup bow setup.� You can literally get away with a AMS Retriever Reel (about $20+) and 1 singe Muzzy arow and tip.� It's not the "high end" dollar figures we talk about on our big game setups.

#2)� It's a family sport

I met a few of the competitors on COBF tournament that incorporated the entire family into the sport of shooting a fish with a bow.� One thing I saw was a hustband and wife who were pulling their own boat setup, and behind it they had a second 14 ft john boat blazing yellow that was setup for their 2 sons.� The entire family enjoyed the sport!� I also shot one of my first carp with my 5 yr old daughter, and she got an amazing kick out of it!� I am not going to harp on what we all already know, but if we can include the family in our hunts, that is goodness all around!

#1)� Wacken em' and stacen em'

After waking up at 3AM to drive to a few of these tournaments, there was nothing more satisfactory than knowing we killed several fish (sometimes up to 30 in a day) with our archery equipment.� Hangin with buds, bustin balls, enjoying the sport with the family......it all comes together as something that is just pure fun.� Get out there and do it.

So what are your questions about getting started in Bowfishing?� Regulations?� Equipment?� Shoot me a comment to this post and I'll try to address your quesitons in the upcoming blog posts.� Get out there and shoot some fish!

Gone,

Aneal

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Getting Started in Bowfishing - The Blog Series

aroney@bowcast.com — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0100

My first introduction to Bowfishing was talking with Mark Land from Muzzy when he was on the show (Episode #67 - Bowfishing with Mark Land).� After a conversation over a beer last year, Matt Hogue and I decided that we were going to dive into the sport of bowfishing and learn everything we could absorb about this sport.

I have also talked to a few BowCasters who Bowfish - namely dustyvarmit, who helped me with some of my equipment choices and tactics.� The purpose of this series is to share with all of you the successes we have had since Spring, review equipment we tested and finally chose, and talk a bit about the tactics for Bowfishing that we learned (which will be centered around carp shooting in the lakes and canals of Colorado).� Here is a rough outline of what I will cover:

#1 - Why is Bowfishing such a great sport (IMHO)

#2 - Equipment - What do you need to get setup for Bowfishing?

#3 - Bowfishing Tactics

#4 - Putting it all together - Bowfishing Tournaments

#5 - Equipment - Review - AMS Fire Eagle Bow

#6 - Equipment - Review - Muzzy Arrows and Broadheads

#7 - Equipment - Review - AMS Pro Retriever Reel

#8 - Equipment - Review - Rests - Muzzy Fish Hook/AMS Wave Rest

#9 - Feeding and Fertilizing - What to do with the Fish you Shoot

Along this journey we also became involved with the Colorado Bowfishing Associating (COBF).� We attended all of the tournaments this year, and the guys running the COBF were an invaluable resource as we tried to figure out how to put arrows through fish swimming in lakes.

And so I start this blog series with the "end" of the tournament season.� The COBF held their last tournament at Prewitt Reservoir last weekend.� The conditions were somewhat adverse (Storms, Clouds, Wind) but the 12 teams still managed to boat 150 fish.� But the day just began for me there.� The COBF and the Wild Animal Sanctuary invited me to join them to see "What happens to the Fish that are killed?".� I got to accompany the Animal Care Manager into the pens with about 30 blackbears and 30 Grizzly bears.� We dumped the carp and stood 20 yards while I filmed and shot pictures.� This is truly a great story!� Carp are an invasive species and there are conservational benefits of removing them from Colorado Lakes (More on that later).� But, the fish are not editable.� So what do you do?��The COBF helps put a dent in the $850,000 per year the Wild Animal Sanctuary spends on feeding large carnivores by donating all the fish to feed the bears.� Just another great example of how hunters help and care for animals.��I gotta admit, it was a little nerve racking being in the pens with bears while they eat, but it was a great experience that I shared with the Wild Animal�Sanctuary, the COBF, and my entire family who came along (but stayed up at the viewing station and watched with binos).

So, what's your take on Bowfishing?� What questions do you have?� What experiences would you like to share?� Post a comment to this blog and I will do my best to answer in the upcoming series.� Enjoy the pics!

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�

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I am thankful for.....

aroney@bowcast.com — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0100

- My Family

- My Friends

- My Mentors and Teachers

- The BowCast Team -�jamaro, Anthony, Launch, JoeC, Mburrows, fatcoyote, Carrie, Dan the Man, South, Submit Ray, D-Brock, �Ray, Devin, and David.

- Every single hunt I went on this year

- Launch's Kansas Turkey that I will inject with marinade� at 10:00 AM tomorrow, grill, and eat with a glass of diet coke and cheap whiskey.

- The opportunity to hunt "Skirkles"

- The Companies in the Outdoor Industry that are "new school"

- My Health

- ....BowCast Nation! - A group of dedicated bowhunters who open their mind, their eyes, their ears, and sometimes even their hearts to make BowCast the #1 community of archers and hunters on the planet!

Happy T-Day B-Nation!� What are you cookin' up tomorrow?

Aneal

[...]

BowCast In The Field - Outdoor Expeditions Monster

aroney@bowcast.com — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0100

As mentioned on our last podcast from the field, a monster was taken just North of where Matt and I were hunting.� This is the caliber of deer we had a legitimate opportunity to shoot with Outdoor/Atkinson Expeditions.

One correction - I thought Wes Atkinson was the guide on this hunt.� But in reality he just sent the picture to Miles.� The guide was actually Rob Amidon, and I am sure he is grinning ear to ear.� What an awesome buck!

To get more information on pricing and booking a hunt with outdoor expeditions, fill out the contact me for at the link below:

�http://www.atkinsonexpeditions.com/ContactUs.aspx

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BowCast In The Field - Hunt Day 5

aroney@bowcast.com — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0100

Well, the trip is done and we are heading back home.� We are still working out some video kinks, so stay tuned for video from Day 4 and 5 from the SE Colorado Mule Deer hunt with Outdoor Expeditions.

Matt and I had a couple of hours to talk in the truck on the way home.� Regardless of whether or not we killed, we accomplished some goals we had at the beginning - to learn, see and have a chance at some trophy mule deer, have fun, and kill a big muley.� We accomplished all but one goal - but our appetite is wet for next year.

I want to thank Miles and Outdoor Expeditions who got me the closest I have ever been to Mule Deer of the caliber you have seen on the video.� Total Mule Deer Giants were our playmates for the entire week.

In addition, we found out today that Wes Atkinson guided a hunter on�a property just North of where we hunted, and that lucky hunter shot a 226 inch typical mule deer that had a 35 inch spread!!!� They got to the deer in his bed, and he got up and walked towards the hunter where he put a kill shot into the deer.� That's the luck you hope for!� Well done Wes and hunter!

We hunted hard, and right!� We didn't screw anything up on a single stalk which is a victory in and of itself.� I can't wait to get after these giants again next year!

Thank you all for the blog comments, forum posts, facebook and twitter comments, and you dedicated support in this hunt for Matt and I .� I hiope you enjoyed "BowCast In the Field 2009", and we truly hope we can do this all again next year!

Aneal

[...]

BowCast In The Field - Hunt Day 4

aroney@bowcast.com — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0100

BowCasters,

We are having some issues getting our video uploaded, but that goes with the territory on a "live" update from the field.

What I can tell you is day 4 found me sleeping in, and Matt and Miles getting after it in the field.� Double Drop Tine and Fence Post showed themselves, but when Matt and Miles tried to approach, they got "pinned down" by some does.

In the afternoon, we checked out a property that Outdoor Expeditions has leased that we had not checked on before.� The property showed some good mule deer territory, but we were there in the middle of the day, so didn't see any deer.� In addition, we found fence post and double drop tine again, and tried a stalk but they were having none of it, and they ended up pushing back to where we have been hunting them (to the North).

Our strategy for tomorrow is to actually get in under the cover of darkenss (~4:00 AM) and see if we are in their living room when they wake up.� Stay tuned and we'll get the video posted just as soon as we can!

�In the meantime, check out the podcast episodes for a more detailed review of day 4.

Last day for Monster Mulies tomorrow!

Aneal

[...]

BowCast In The Field - Hunt Day 3

aroney@bowcast.com — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0100

The day was consummed by Double Drop Tine and Fence Post buck which led to an 8 hour stalk.� Enjoy the video from the day!

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BowCast In The Field - Hunt Day 2

aroney@bowcast.com — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0100

A long day.� We caught up with a few bucks we left last night.� Unfortunately we were c-blocked by a fork horn that had us backing out by mid-day to ensure we didn't mess up the big bucks we had spotted in the area we were hunting.

Also, check out tonight's podcast and the video below as we�had our first "kill" of the hunt.� Miles was able to take out a coyote just a few minutes after we arrvied back at the truck for lunch.

The afternoon found us exploring some new properties.� But, we were able to get back to our bucks and put them to bed before sundown.� Tomorrow promises to be an exciting (and early) morning!

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[...]

BowCast In the Field - Hunt Day 1

aroney@bowcast.com — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0100

Excitement, humility, humor, and an all around great time.� Our first hunt day was a ton of fun!� We saw some great bucks, yet gained more of an understanding on why big Mule Deer are some of the hardest big game animals to hunt.� We are having some technical difficulties with uploading pictures, but hopefully we'll get that worked out in the next day or two.

As far as today - the main goal was trying to get on the "Skirkles" buck.� We got VERY VERY VERY close.� but had to leave him with several does and a couple of other shooter bucks.� We'll see what tomorrow has in store for us.� In the meantime, enjoy the video below.

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Aneal

[...]