Hey folks,

The BowCast team and I are off to Indianapolis for the ATA show.  Because of this, there won't be a BowCast episode this week, but hold on as we have a lot of good stuff coming.  Be sure to keep your BowCast Hotline questions coming as we are going to be answering many of them on the air real soon.

We'll be digging up the 411 on all the latest and greatest equipment at the ATA Show (Archery Trade Association), and will have a ton to share with the entire BowCast community.   In the meantime, if you have a specific question related to a 2009 product or product line, leave it here as a comment.  I'll be checking this post from the road and will try and hunt down an answer for you.  Why?  Because I am a nice guy and like Bowhunters!

So, everyone have a great week, make sure you shoot your bow, and we'll be back in full force next week.  Until then......

I am gone!

Aneal

Tech Vids

I just wanted to do a quick post and let you all know that there are several new BowCast tech videos out there.  Matt Hogue went through fletching arrows and "in season" maintenance, and Anthony and I shared what we do to take care of scent both before the hunt and in the field.

In Season Bow Maintenance 

Fletching an Arrow 

Scent Prevention - The System 

Footage from 2008 BowCast VIP Event 

In addition, to continue the tease we have posted a flashback to July of 2008 and the BowCast VIP Ticket to the World Premiere of FMP's "Proof".  If you were there check out the video and see if you made the cut.  

If you were not there, let us know if you like the video via a comment to this post.  Who knows, maybe BowCast will be doing a similar event - say Summer 2009?

Enjoy the "video digest" and we look forward to your questions/comments on each of them.

Before I begin networking to find a new hunting area, I think about what criteria would make the perfect spot. Of course everyone dreams of finding an area infested with huge bucks, I’m no different. But, I am no Randy Ulmer.

Pick up a pen bowhunting brethren & sistren!

You Need a Firm Goal And a Flexible Plan! What sort of people write down their goals and plan how to achieve them? The Successful Ones! Writing down your goals is the essence of true goal setting! It doesn't matter if your goals are personal, hunting related, fitness based, or perhaps financial related. Goal setting works for individuals, families and companies. Remember - Fail to Plan and You Plan to Fail. It will take you a little time to write your short term and long term goals, but follow these guidelines to insure you set realistic and attainable goals. Make sure to include some fitness goals for 2009!

S.M.A.R.T.

What is SMART? It is a valuable guide to help you with your goal setting. You will find references to SMART in almost all books on goal setting.
• Specific - goals must be specific in their detail
• Measurable - goals must measurable in quantity, time, cost
• Attainable - goals must be achievable within a timescale
• Realistic - goals must be relevant
• Time - goals must have a timescale or deadline otherwise they will never be finished

Common Reasons for Failing to Meet Goals
Failure to meet goals can often be traced to one or more of the following:
• Insufficient time and too many goals
• There are conflicts between business goals and personal goals
• The achievement of one goal interferes with the achieving of another
• Goals have been shared with pessimistic people who have ridiculed your dream. Only share your goals with those you trust - Don't share with anyone negative.

I definitely have a few goals to share with bowcasters...Fill my freezer repeatedly, Get all the necessary points for each state out West, Capture some amazing footage for Sportsman's News DVD, Shoot my bow DAILY, and qualify for the CrossFit Games ...Post a few of yours!

I decided that since I didn't shoot a big buck, that I still wanted to keep the head, but do a European mount on my own.

I started by just picking every bit of stuff I could off of it. Once I got most of the junk off, I salted it hard, and was able to peel away a bunch more of the flesh. In hindsight, I would try and not use the salt, as I think it makes it harder to get the extra to boil off.

Once I had picked it over, and salted it, I put the skull in a pot, and filled water just to the base of the horns. Make sure it is boiling, if it's just hot, you are wasting a lot of time. Get it HOT, and it will go a lot quicker. - On a side note; make sure nobody else is home when boiling that has a weak stomach..it's not horrible, but stinky.

I boiled mine for 1.5 hours twice, in just water...and it pretty much got everything off. You can also help by picking at some of the larger piece still on the skull. Once you are satisfied that 99% of the flesh is off, and right after your second boil, go outside, away from the house, grab the base of the horns and shake it spinal column down...this will get the remaining grey matter out.

After I got the brains out, and had it down to clean, I waited a day and then put the skull in again a pot with water up to the burr. Then add 1 ¼ cups of Arm & Hammer baking soda to the water...let this go for an hour or so. Once it's gone for an hour to an hour and a half, take it out, and wait another day.

Once you have waited a day, put the head in the pot again, putting the water up to where the pedicle rises from the skull, what this will do is ensure that the bases of your horns don't turn white with the skull. Add one cup of bleach and let it go for 45 minutes, if you let it go any longer, it will turn brittle and start flaking. After you let it go for 45 minutes, take it out and put ‘er in the sun and let the bleach work.

I was debating, thinking I would be smart, and use a outdoor paint that would last, but went cheap and just got the cheapest stuff I could find. LAYER THE PAINT!!! If you don't, you will be disappointed, and the paint will looked caked on. I used 4 light layers, and am very pleased.

There are a couple natural holes in the back of head that I tie a piece of leather too, and hang it with a nail. You can also use a piece of wire, just twist some inside so it won't fall out, and make a loop to hang it.

Total cost....less than $8 bucks for one buck!

Keep it in the pocket-

Joe