tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32568240291910492372024-03-27T18:54:01.059-05:00Backwoods BadgerOutdoor adventures and traditional bushcraft skillsBadger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-72493991254035865562014-02-22T22:29:00.000-06:002014-02-22T22:29:07.236-06:00Recent leatherwork...A little update on some of my leather work…I post the majority of my work on my Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Badger-Claw-Leatherworks/563421383713721?ref=hl" target="_blank">Badger Claw Leatherworks</a>. Figured I would post more here for those folks who are not into that form of social media.<br />
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I will have a video coming up that showcases some of my favorite projects from the last year..but here are a few shots…a mixture of leather as well as some primitive deer rawhide work...<br />
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As always, thanks for looking!</div>
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<br />Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-3062792350056260952014-02-04T22:22:00.001-06:002014-02-04T22:24:24.276-06:002013 deer season in review<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">This last deer season was fantastic! I was
able to put a great deal of meat in the freezer for my family as well as some
close friends. All my hunts last year were in San Saba, TX. By the
end I filled my tag with 3 does and 2 bucks. Mornings, evenings,
clear days, driving rains and even temps in the high teens…I got out as
much as I could and even had my 5 year old son out for his first time. On
to some pictures…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The weather opening day was perfect! It doesn't get much better then hunting among</div>
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the beautiful pecan trees... </div>
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Me and my first buck of the season…</div>
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My good friend Jerry and a buck he brought down...</div>
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No shortage of feral hogs in the hill country.</div>
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Took down this monster with my Marlin lever action 30-30.</div>
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We always eat well at deer camp...</div>
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A month later in the season things have changed quite a bit…rain and mid 30s during the day…</div>
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Had my 5 year old out for his first hunt...</div>
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and we didn't go home empty handed...</div>
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Field dressed this 9-pointer with my <a href="http://new.mpknives.com/" target="_blank">MP Knives</a> "Otzi"…a hand forged, antler handled version of the knife found on the mummified iceman named Otzi (<a href="http://www.iceman.it/en/node/278" target="_blank">http://www.iceman.it/en/node/278</a>)</div>
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And for the final weekend of deer season I had a huge group of guys out to the property for the first of two Hill Country Bushcraft Rendezvous' for 2014. Temps were in the 20s at night but that didn't stop our bunch from having a great 4-day weekend at camp...</div>
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We took 3 does that weekend…field dressed and processed them on site...</div>
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Parting shot…a ring-tailed cat hiding out in the trees….</div>
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Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-61779396712086146402013-12-04T20:58:00.002-06:002013-12-04T20:58:54.065-06:00A relaxing nap and some bannock made over the fire...<div style="text-align: center;">
Got away for the afternoon and had the opportunity to for some relaxing woods-time. </div>
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Weather was absolutely perfect!</div>
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Got out to my usual camp spot and with the fire going I laid out my coffee and bannock fixins…</div>
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With the water on the boil it was time to kick back and relax…</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VXaDgSzUvBw0lZnjPOr7L-9cMmIeM4GWXQCuset2klIurW4POpYhYVmTL4EppDCsP_ajOzPlU2RfoExDJClCFM2E1mcJHrj5M-Mbs1cgdx2ykT4c_miLpvWPNCmmXG5Le-IQUtBM2A/s1600/DSC_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VXaDgSzUvBw0lZnjPOr7L-9cMmIeM4GWXQCuset2klIurW4POpYhYVmTL4EppDCsP_ajOzPlU2RfoExDJClCFM2E1mcJHrj5M-Mbs1cgdx2ykT4c_miLpvWPNCmmXG5Le-IQUtBM2A/s640/DSC_0009.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Also took some time to play with my new Scott Gossman Tusker. This is a serious piece of steel…excellent craftsmanship. Scott builds some serious hard-use knives.</div>
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Glamour shot!</div>
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Time for some bannock! Basic recipe of flour, baking powder, water and i add a couple spoonfuls of sugar and a handful of dried cranberries. In a buttered cast iron pan it came out delicious!</div>
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With a full stomach of warm bread and coffee I laid back to enjoy the peace and quiet…careful its easy to…drift…off….to…..sleep……ZZZZzzzzzzz..</div>
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After a nap I took a walk down to the river before packing up. Needed to let my grill cool down and I wanted to snap a picture of the river landscape…</div>
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(one more bannock picture….because it was THAT GOOD!)</div>
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Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-82388942763194446802013-10-18T22:46:00.000-05:002013-10-18T22:46:17.481-05:00Follow me on Facebook!Feel free to "Like" my Facebook page. I post updates on my leatherwork weekly. Here is the link to my page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Badger-Claw-Leatherworks/563421383713721?ref=hl" target="_blank">Badger Claw Leatherworks on Faecbook</a><br />
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I also do giveaways from time to time...FREE stuff is always good! Thanks for your support!<br />
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-JohnBadger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-69247528969183595612013-08-24T11:15:00.003-05:002013-08-24T11:15:24.585-05:00My Leathercraft...I thought I would post some updated pictures of recent custom leather orders. You can also view more detailed thread on my vendor forum at <a href="http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/forumdisplay.php/219-Badger-Claw-Leatherworks" target="_blank">bushcraftusa.com</a><br />
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Hopefully by the end of the year I will have a dedicated web site that will include on-line ordering, a photo gallery, a design area with options and pricing.<br />
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belt sheath for an MP Knives Dire Wolf fixed blade.</div>
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4" fixed blade belt sheath with forged D-ring</div>
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Small axe mask with retention strap</div>
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4 1/2 inch fixed blade "Survival" sheath with additional pouch for folding knife or sharpening stone</div>
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MOLLE compatible multi-carry sheath</div>
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Bushcraft style sheath with fire steel loop</div>
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Tooled MP neck knife sheath with mini BSA fire steel</div>
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Belt axe carrier</div>
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ML Knives belt sheath with braided dangler</div>
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Thanks for looking, any questions don't hesitate to contact me!</div>
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<br />Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-32534518831386135292013-08-12T22:20:00.001-05:002014-02-04T21:28:35.117-06:002013 Hill Country Bushcraft RendezvousThis August a group of us got together in San Saba, TX for a little fun in the woods along the San Saba river. We camped on my in-laws property enjoying the landscape of one of their huge pecan orchards. We started out with almost 30 people. Several could only stay one afternoon, a few more left saturday and a dozen or so of us battled the 100 degree temps for the entire three-day weekend.<br />
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Day started out setting up our "common area" down next to the river. Central location for a fire pit, medical supplies and most importantly...SHADE!</div>
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Next order of business was hanging hammocks and setting up tents.</div>
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New York freelance photographer and woodsman Alexander Yerks (<a href="http://theaxeisboldaslove.com/" target="_blank">http://theaxeisboldaslove.com</a>) helping unload some sycamore that would be used throughout the weekend for carving spoons, kuksas, wood spirits, etc..</div>
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Even though we were basically "car camping" I got the chance to load up my new <a href="http://www.bisongearonline.com/page/page/2957668.htm" target="_blank">Bison Gear</a> pack...I love this thing! Will be my new 2-3 day pack.</div>
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Before the carving could begin steel had to be sharpened. Here another New Yorker, blacksmith Matthew Paul (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/mpknives" target="_blank">MP Knives</a>) works on a small hatchet.</div>
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Alex doing some instruction on the differences between spoon carving knives next to a pile of his hand carved treen.</div>
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Ed working on a bowl at his carving bench Some other talents being shown off.. </div>
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While everyone else sat relaxing at the river, fishing the river, carving and telling lies I snuck off to a little hunting. I had spotted a few Rock Squirrels fleeing the area while i was setting up my camp earlier in the day...sure enough i found them again...</div>
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(picture courtesy of Matthew Paul)</div>
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Rock Squirrel with a little garlic pan friend on my Ember-Lit wood burning stove.</div>
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Had to get creative with my hammock on the second night. Down by the river bank the trees were dense and little air moving through. So I moved up into the orchard where the wind was blowing more constantly. The pecan trees are spaced too far apart in most cases for to hang properly so the front of my truck did nicely for an anchor point.</div>
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One of the guys brought a beautiful canvas tent setup...made for perfect picture with the sun just set and the glow from his lantern inside.</div>
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And of course no trip into the woods is complete with some fine hand forged American made steel...this one is my "Drifter" model by Matthew Paul, MP Knives </div>
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<a href="http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/forumdisplay.php/161-MP-Knives" target="_blank">MP Knives vendor forum on bushcraftusa.com</a></div>
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Thanks to everyone who made it out for the weekend. I wish I had more photos but I spent more time enjoying the company then taking pictures of it.</div>
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And a huge thanks to my family for letting a bunch of hooligans and cooky woodsmen invade your land for a few days. I hope we left it better then we found it...God bless!</div>
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Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-2446424270346161452013-05-20T22:34:00.001-05:002013-05-20T22:37:46.016-05:00Feathers and Fins....San Saba, TX<div>
Took my 7 year old on his first "official" hunt last month. We packed up the RV and headed for San Saba, TX where my brother-in-law works his family pecan farming business. The property they live on sits on just over 450 acres of pecan orchards, with another 2000+ acres spread out around the local area. The orchards are home to beautiful pecan trees, many well over 100 years old. To me its a outdoorsman's dream. The San Saba river runs one border of the farm offering fishing and incredible wildlife habitat (turtles, water moccasins, ducks, cat fish, bass, nutria, toads, etc). The orchards are a haven for deer (i started taking pictures of deer but it literally got old. Easily 40-50 deer every morning and evening), dove, turkey, squirrels and of course the nemesis of most farmers...wild hogs.</div>
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For my son and I our focus was turkey. My brother-in-law had been seeing them frequently in one particular orchard. We had two and a half days to stalk the property, set up some decoys and work the turkey call to coax out some gobblers.</div>
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Shot of what the orchards look like...</div>
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Our "camp" for the weekend (a little different accommodations then my Minnesota trip).</div>
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Once we had the trailer set up it was time to unpack the important gear and start walking the property.</div>
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The orchards are bordered by higher grasses and a mix of oak and pecan trees.<br />
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Beyond the tree line along one border it drops off into a ravine. Right away i could tell this would be where we would start our evening stalking session. This particular section met up with a section of the river which then gradually led back and opened up at the far end of the orchard.</div>
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The San Saba river...looks pristine from this angle...</div>
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But those are some muddy waters<br />
hiding all kinds of critters...<br />
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You can see the damage the hogs do to the river bank. My brother-in-law uses the river to irrigate so he is constantly repairing and moving his equipment from the damage the hogs and nutria cause. Both animals are KOS at all times.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">We finished off the day with a little archery practice...</span><br />
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...as well as some target practice with the Ruger 10-22.<br />
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Also uncovered some fresh water clams down at the river (actually i think they are classified as mussels)<br />
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Before sunrise the next morning we hit the first area where turkey had been seen regularly. Put out some decoys and threw up a makeshift blind with a couple layers of camo netting against a pecan tree.<br />
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We hung out here working the turkey call for an hour or so after sunrise...but all was quiet. We left the decoys in place and headed across the orchard to the ravine and began a slow quiet stalk. Stopping every 20 yards to let out a few calls. Still nothing but we spooked a few deer out of hiding and found the mother load of squirrels which we returned for later.<br />
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Nasty vultures always looking for a free meal...<br />
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Where the ravine eventually came back up to the orchard we found a few little goodies...a nice shed and some turkey feathers. We would return here sunday morning and try again.<br />
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But until then it was back to the trailer to pick up our fishing gear and hit the river to chase some fins and relax.<br />
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I love photographing old farms. So much history and character on a piece of land thats been worked for over 100 years.<br />
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Sunday morning started off with a proper breakfast...<br />
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Then it was back to the ravine before sunrise for one last chance to find the turkeys. We sat in this spot for some time trying a variety of calls. Twice I thought I got a response but it was tough to tell with all the other birds chirping and the occasional chatter from the few surviving squirrels.<br />
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We decided to head back up to the orchard and circle around to where we found the feathers at the other end. Once there we sat for a few and I decided to throw out a couple short clucks. Immediately we got a response. The loudest gobble i have ever heard. My sons eyes went as big as silver dollars and every hair on my neck stood up. Again i hit the call...GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE came back from beyond the tree line. This went for 10 minutes...back and forth. I knew from where we were laying even if i called him out into the short grass of the orchard I wouldn't have a shot. So we had to move. It seemed like an eternity before we reached a better spot with good cover of tall grass behind a pecan tree.<br />
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Hit the call again...nothing back. Dammit! I had given us away. Hit the call again....GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE! he was CLOSE! Between us and tree line (about 20 yards) was a barbed wire fence and some scrub brush. I needed him to clear the fence to have a clear shot. Suddenly we hear hen clucks 30 yards to the left! Could this get any better?!?!? I let rip a few more calls eliciting a perfect response from both birds each time and they were on the move.<br />
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Then it happened...I repositioned myself slightly for a better look and in doing so rose up to my knees. And there he was eye level with me at the fence! In a split second he was gone back into the trees. I cursed under my breath and looked at my son who had been so quiet and still the whole time. He said two words that almost brought me to tears..."patience, Dad".<br />
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Of course I wanted to shoot that bird and have my son's first hunt put meat on the table. But overall I couldn't have been more happy. We explored for 2 days, had the best father-son time a guy could ask for and in the end had the most suspenseful 30 minutes calling that gobbler in and it won't soon be forgotten. We will be back there before the season is over and next time I will remember my 7 year old's words of wisdom...patience, Dad.<br />
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A few more random pictures...</div>
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Turley Dogwood Creek above and ML Knives custom to the left...</div>
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Thanks for coming along...God bless!</div>
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Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-31390573950561224452013-02-05T22:32:00.002-06:002013-02-06T15:20:09.249-06:00February in the Minnesota North woodsWhen a friend of mine invited me up to Minnesota to join him on a back country trip I jumped at the opportunity. Within days my tickets were booked and I started packing weeks in advance. It had been a while since I'd used much of my cold weather gear. I preformed the usual safety checks making sure everything was in good condition.<br />
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Let me start by saying I grew up in the Cascades in Washington state. I am no stranger to cold weather, rain and snow. However, nothing could prepare me for the extreme cold I was in for. I left Texas where the temps were in the 70's. Landing in Minneapolis the temp was right around 0. Snow on the ground...no big deal, not that cold. The next morning we would wake and be on the road by 4am. The temp gauge in my buddy Ryan's FJ Cruiser read -10 degrees Fahrenheit. Ok, getting a bit colder. Our 5 hour road trip took us to the some of the furthest most Northern roads in the state. Temperature: 22 degrees below zero. Painfully cold for the ill prepared. </div>
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After unpacking our gear at the trail head I learned my first lesson: If you have a piece of gear that is less than 400 grams of Thinsulate you're in for some serious discomfort. Luckily my more experienced friend had an extra set of liners to wear inside my gloves.</div>
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Our trip would take us North toward Canada following the frozen Sioux River. Our goal was to scout a number of the Boundary Water lakes, hunt some small game and hopefully photograph some wolves.<br />
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My gear setup: Osprey pack and a small sled with additional gear (pack boots, extra sleeping bag, rifle, food, snow shoes, etc). On the river we would cross country ski. Over portages and hunting through the woods we switched to snow shoes.<br />
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The vastness of this country is tough to conceptualize. Over a million acres of wilderness. We started off with Ryan in the lead cutting the trail. The snow was deep making our progress slow. Lesson number two learned: Pay attention to your body heat. Shed layers to prevent sweating. Put the layers back on when you stop. When its negative 20 degrees out and you get cold to the bone it take a lot of calories and time to warm back up.<br />
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We continued several miles up river to our next portage. Less then ten miles from the Canadian border. The sun was dropping fast...so was the temperature. (We wouldn't find out until later that night it was 35 degrees below zero...not including any wind chill factor). We decided to stop and make camp. It was nice being with another experienced woodsman. Right away we picked a spot and without much discussion went to work preparing for the night. We worked together getting a tarp set up to serve as a retreat from the wind. Next Ryan put his Bahco saw and Wetterlings to work getting us a base for the fire and wood. I put together tinder, kindling and cleared a fire pit. With one strike from the fire steel we had fire.</div>
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Our shelter was fairly basic. We draped a tarp over a fallen tree and filled in the backside with snow. The floor would consist of my BCUSA tarp and we each used two Thermarest pads under our bags. With the fire setup at one time we were actually able to raise the temp up to 17 degrees under the tarp.<br />
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Next order of business was boiling snow for drinking water. The cold sucks moisture from your body at an insane rate. Lesson number three learned: Dehydration in these temperatures renders a wicked headache.<br />
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The last couple hours before nightfall were spent warming by the fire, eating, discussing plans for the next morning and enjoying the pristine wilderness surrounding us.<br />
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Later in the evening Ryan spotted what he thought was a wolf about 100 yards from camp. With our flashlights we could make out three shapes, eye shine and pointed ears. But as we made our way toward their location they seemed to just vanish. Clearly just the snow playing tricks on our tired eyes...or was it. We would find out two days later.<br />
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The next morning I crawled out of my down Marmot bag, which I had slid into a larger synthetic bag which in turn was inside a USGI gore-tex bivi. Immediately I realized the top of my down bag was frozen solid. Lesson number four learned: At 35 below zero if you sleep with your head inside your bag the condensation created from breathing will freeze. I would deal with this later. I had more important chores to tend to. Fire, coffee and the sunrise. <br />
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The night before I had put together fire preps and wrapped them in my coat so they would be ready for the morning. A nest of grass, birch bark, jute twine and some kindling.<br />
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My MP Knives Bowie slicing</div>
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through birch like butter.</div>
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Lesson number five learned: Boil water, pour into Nalgene<br />
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Day two: We made the decision to stay in this spot. We had a good camp and cutting a trail on skis through the deep snow all day to reach the lake wasn't as appealing. We had hoped to do some ice fishing but instead we strapped on our snow shoes and headed into the woods in search of small game. I had brought my stainless Ruger 10/22 takedown model.<br />
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Turned out due to the extreme temperatures small game was no where to be found. The entire afternoon we got a few shots off at some Fox and Red Squirrels. Also kicked up a nice grouse but came home empty handed. Nonetheless our 4 mile round trip that day was spectacular.<br />
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We tracked a Lynx just off the river. His tracks ended here where he left his mark...<br />
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Another set of tracks continued through the snow...we were not the only ones on the Lynx's trail.<br />
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A lone wolf with tracks not more then a few hours old. Every five hundred yards he was marking his territory. We followed him until late in the day when it was time to head back. Again the sun dropping fast and this night temps would dip to -40 degrees Fahrenheit.<br />
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Back at camp we had a couple hours before dark. Ryan had brought an ice auger so it was time to test it out. In just seconds he drilled through 4 to 6 inches of ice. Up bubbled the ice cold river water.<br />
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Day three: Pack it up and head home! We woke up to a fresh dusting of snow that had blown in covering our bivys. After a morning feast of bacon, oatmeal, coffee and some random carbs we packed up and headed back. I took the lead this time. The wind was brutal and snow had covered much of our tracks. It was still much easier then cutting a fresh trail.<br />
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As we approached the area where two nights before we thought we spotted wolves we discovered this...<br />
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There had been wolves stalking us. They were using the track created by our sleds to travel up and down the river. Their tracks only left ours to head up into the woods...to a trail that ran behind our camp. They had been watching us all along. They truly are intelligent and incredibly elusive predators. We tracked these three along our trail the entire way back to Ryan's car!<br />
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And every once in a while they left us a present...<br />
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Even though I didn't get to photograph any wolves I am not disappointed one bit in my trip. I learned a lot from Ryan about surviving in such an extreme climate. I saw some of the most beautiful land our country has to offer. And I gained a new respect for you that live your daily lives in the North woods of Minnesota...your'e a hearty breed and I tip my rabbit fur lined bomber hat to you!<br />
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Some more random pictures...thanks for looking and God bless!<br />
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And best of all....</div>
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Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-73215531710378794192012-11-21T16:02:00.001-06:002012-11-21T18:04:38.874-06:00Lost Maples Hike. Field Test: EmberLit UL StoveNovember rolls around and here in south Texas we have a major changing of colors in a few parts of the hill country. Lost Maples State Natural Area is home to a very uncommon growth of Uvalde Bigtooth Maple trees. Late October through mid-November the foliage makes a spectacular change painting the valley with reds and oranges. This was my second trip through the park with my oldest son, last year's trip being his first overnighter. The weather was perfect...afternoon temps in the high 60's to low 70s and night time lows just below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the park rangers we were about a week too late to catch the best of this year's change. We still were blessed with some fantastic scenery and photo opportunities...<br />
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We set camp at the farthest point of the park's backcountry. Nice and quiet and off the beaten path. </div>
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After camp was set first order of business was getting my EmberLit UL stove fired up. Here are the specs straight from the EmberLit website: <a href="http://www.emberlit.com/" target="_blank">http://www.emberlit.com/</a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: white;">The Emberlit-UL (Ultralite) Stove. Weighing in at less than 6 oz (170 g) the Emberlit-UL stove caters to those who pay special attention to the weight of their gear. Made of pure titanium, the Emberlit-UL is just as strong and impervious to corrosion as its stainless steel brother but at half the weight. With use the individual panels that make up the Emberlit-UL may take on a slight warp. This is normal and doesn’t affect the assembly or durability of the stove. Likewise it comes with a lifetime guarantee… you’ll never wear this one out either. Despite the extra difficulty and expense of working with Titanium this stove is PROUDLY Made in the USA!</span></span><br />
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I ran this stove for well over 12 hours. Assembly takes less then a minute. It gets extremely hot extremely fast. 10 ounces of water boiled in about 4 minutes. I was burning primarily cedar and some oak. Being titanium it is not only light weight but after use it cooled down and was ready for disassembly in no time! So if you were on the move and wanted to stop for a quick cup of coffee and needed to get back on the trail...this stove fits the bill.</div>
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Order one up and throw it in your pack, you'll be glad you did!</div>
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Want to roast some marshmallows? The EmberLit has you covered!</div>
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Bacon? Oh yeah...there's always room for bacon!<br />
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Another piece of gear I brought along was my recently purchased BCUSA 10x7 UL tarp in multi-cam. When packing up I realized in the supplied stuff sack the tarp fits perfect in my Mors style bush pot. Here is the info from Bushcraft Outfitters: <a href="http://www.bushcraftoutfitters.com/UL-Multicam-Tarp-10x7-tarp-10x7-mc-ul.htm" target="_blank">Bushcraft Outfitters (BCUSA)</a><br />
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<div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This rip-stop fabric is very lightweight with excellent tear strength and NanoSphere® liquid repellency. The fabric has been processed to reduce air permeability, which creates excellent wind-break properties. The NanoSphere® repellent finish is applied to the face side. This product is typically used for outerwear and tents due to its strength, light weight and packability.</span><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></strong></span></div>
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<li style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">40x40D Ripstop Nylon</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">NanoSphere® Treated</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Tabs are mil-spec Coyote Brown</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Thread is mil-spec Coyote Brown</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Stuff sack included</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Stuff sack cordage is 550 paracord with a USA made cord lock</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Tabs: 12 perimeter and 1 additional ridge line (3 total with edge tabs)</span></li>
<li style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Weight (includes stuff sack): 13.5 oz</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">All components of this tarp are 100% made in the USA.</span></div>
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Luckily we only had a few drops of rain all weekend but it was nice to have the tarp up just in case. The wind was coming in pretty consistant from the East so it made a nice wind block as well. The tarp is exceptionally well constructed and is a new permanent part of my gear.<br />
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For two and three day outings I would generally use my Frost River Isle Royale Jr. With no water sources in this part of the back country we had to pack in all our water. Therefore, I decided to use my CamelBak Mother-Lode with its 100oz bladder. I forgot how comfortable this pack was. I probably had room for another two days worth of food and water. In a different environment where I could filter my daily water needs I could easily use this pack on a five to seven day trip.</div>
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Do more with less!<br />
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Fire prep for the weekend was a handled once again with my MP Forged Hatchet. </div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">The "Beaver" makes quick work of oak and cedar...from feather sticks to larger kindling.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Here is a shot of my oldest son and I with some great color in the background. All in all it was a fantastic weekend. The gear I brought along to test preformed flawlessly but more importantly some great memories were created for my son and I.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">As always, thanks for coming along...your comments and questions are always welcome! Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless...</span>Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-88472935181565022732012-11-16T16:50:00.000-06:002013-01-12T21:54:39.092-06:00Fire prep and little hot chocolate...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
End of the week, time to make good on my promise to take my youngest son for a little dirt time. It was off to our favorite spot for a little fire prep and something hot to drink. Once we arrived at our "camp" my 4 year old went to work gathering twigs and I put my new Adventure Sworn Bushcraft USA knife to good use. Any review you find on an Adventure Sworn knife will tell you these are serious tools. And they are. I couldn't be happier with feel and balance as I made quick work of some cedar into a pile of shavings. </div>
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Mother nature provided some handy tinder. I need to research and find out exactly what this plant is but the extremely dry, fluffy, feather-like ends remind me of thistledown. <br />
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A small handful should do the trick...<br />
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After the tinder and shavings I let my MP forged hatchet (which I have code-named The Beaver) handle the processing of some kindling. <br />
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A few minutes later...<br />
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This is the first time I've actually used this stainless steel cook pot made by Stanley. It comes with a plastic tab on the lid which I replaced with a large split ring. The single walled stainless preformed as advertised. Once up to temperature and the water boiling the folding handle was barely warm. For $14 at the local bog box store I think its a great piece to have in your kit. It also come with two heavy duty plastic cups that nest inside. Badger approved!<br />
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Waiting patiently....<br />
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Stanley Adventure Camp Cook Set...$14<br />
Packet of instant hot chocolate...$.99<br />
Spending three hours in the woods with my son...priceless.<br />
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Thanks for joining us!<br />
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<br />Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-20142212141342892172012-10-29T21:23:00.000-05:002013-01-12T22:12:45.080-06:00Forced patina using mustard...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">I decided to try my hand at putting a basic patina on one of my fixed blade knives. There are several different ways to do this. A lot of people use vinegar. Basically, any carbon steel blade will develop at patina over time from daily use. The gradual change in colors and markings adds character to the blade giving it an old-world look. I decided to speed up the process on my Blind Horse Knives Brumby-Lite</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">model and do a forced patina using good 'ol yellow mustard.</span></div>
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Here is the before picture...</div>
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This is after about 20 minutes of the mustard being on the blade. You can see the acid already at work. I smeared on the mustard then used a piece of paper towel and my finger to smudge it around until I had what I thought would look good. I really had no idea what to expect being my first attempt.<br />
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After a total of about 50 minutes on each side here are the final results....<br />
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Overall, the O1 tooled steel is slightly darker then it started and the random dark patina spots give it a look I'm happy with. This was less then an hour of soaking in the yellow mustard. I think I will put another coat on to darken it a bit more.<br />
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Here is a parting shot with a custom sheath I finished for it this week as well. Thanks for looking!<br />
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<br />Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-31760400999572453942012-10-09T21:41:00.000-05:002012-10-11T18:21:00.449-05:00Cool weather rolls in...time to hit the hill country<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Occasionally this time of year in South Texas we get a couple days of cool weather...early morning temperatures in the 50's and a slight breeze out of the West. It's heaven while it lasts but usually just Mother Nature teasing us as humid summer temps will return for one last run. My wife and I were celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary at a bed and breakfast set back on an 85 acre ranch. I was lucky enough to get out and do some bushwhacking and exploring in the hill country while she enjoyed some of the amenities back at the main house.</div>
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Sun setting over the valley this ranch is nestled in. Typical Texas hill country scrub cedars and a variety of oaks.</div>
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Like a lot of current day ranch property remnants of the past in the form of old live stock fencing litter the valley. <br />
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We have more deer in Texas then people...or so it seems. Take a couple hour drive just about anywhere and you'll see the small brown white-tails alongside the road, grazing in pastures by the dozen, even moving through the manicured lawns of sub-divisions eating Mrs. Jones' prized roses. But something changes in a man when you get back in the hills, off the main roads and you start seeing signs of deer. It must be the primal hunter/gatherer instinct in us. I started seeing old droppings and old prints. Then stumbled upon some fresh prints...very fresh. The hunt was on. Although on this day I was not hunting with rifle or bow but with my Nikon. I was determined to stalk this deer through the valley or up the hillsides and capture him/her in my viewfinder.<br />
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Heading to the lowest part in the valley I find a dry creek bed opening up to a nice watering hole. Seemed like a fine place to sit, wait and watch.<br />
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I wasn't the only one hanging out around the standing water. These little scrub jays constantly scream at you as they zip from tree to tree in a nervous fret.<br />
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Exploring further up the hill I stumble upon a den with an elaborate network of holes. This particular passage had considerable fresh dirt strewn about the entry. I considered setting some snares for the weekend to see what might be using this hillside, but I was already on a mission and needed to stay focused on my deer.</div>
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Tough to tell how this buck met his demise. Majority of the bones were still in the immediate area. Vultures probably had a nice feast. Larger predators, like a big cat or coyote, would have drug off most of the carcase. <br />
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A short while later my patience and slow stalking through the cedars paid off....GOTCHA!<br />
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In a flash she was gone. She was bed down in a thicket of cedars and suddenly bolted out in front of me. Her dull brown coat blending in perfectly. They move with amazing speed through dense brush and barely make a sound.<br />
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Thanks for coming along...<br />
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Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-1019097938317023732012-09-19T21:57:00.001-05:002012-09-19T22:00:07.737-05:00Fun with photo editingBeen playing around with some basic photo editing on the MacBook.<br />
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This year in South Texas the acorns are plentiful. Limbs and branches on the oaks sag considerably due to the extra weight. Years like this are called a "mast" year when there is such an abundance of crop. There are a lot of theories of why one year can be so significantly different then another but currently there is no hard evidence or ways to predict which years will result in a mast year.<br />
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"Antiqued" and took the background out of focus on this picture of a cluster of acorns during a rain storm. I like how you can see the water pooling on the leaf on the left...<br />
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Tweaked this picture as well. This is a small primitive neck sheath I made from vegetable tanned leather and a piece of tanned animal hide of unknown origin. The knife is an original Turley model 23 that I wrapped with jute twine to further the rustic look and functionality.<br />
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Have a few more random pictures I am working on...check back soon...thanks for looking.Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-31603880047149398302012-09-09T11:58:00.000-05:002012-09-23T20:42:31.052-05:00Tending to the garden...Didn't make a whole lot of progress in the garden this year. With such a hot and dry summer it was enough just to keep what we had growing watered and protected. Why more people do not dedicate a small portion of their property for growing vegetables and herbs baffles me. With the same amount of effort it takes to manicure, fertilize, weed and landscape your average suburban backyard you can have a nice size garden and provide your house with fresh food that you know exactly what went into making it grow. If done right a modest food producing garden can be part of your existing landscape and not even take away from your yard. Its also rewarding to spend some "dirt time" in the garden and away from the television and internet (of course I say that as I'm posting this on an internet blog...but i think you get my point). <br />
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With less water then you might expect cucumber do fantastic! In just a few weeks after sprouting...<br />
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Eventually to these beauties....<br />
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Last year had a couple of great melons to harvest. Unfortunately some rodents got to enjoy them before I did. I will be cutting it close this year with this one...hopefully get a couple small melons before winter.<br />
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The herb box is nearly out of control. Thyme, chives, spearmint, oregano, chocolate mint, sage, rosemary and lavender pictured here. Four or five mint leaves steeped for about 7-10 minutes makes a great tea. My other favorite is the lemon verbena which is growing in another box you can see in the background.<br />
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As always plenty of these guys keeping busy in the garden...<br />
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Southwestern Ironclad beetle...<br />
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<br />Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-21238182716937742902012-08-28T22:29:00.000-05:002012-08-29T20:24:43.236-05:00A walk in the woods...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Got out early this morning with my (almost) 4 year old son for a little walk. We have a place not far from the house that is a couple hundred acres owned by the San Antonio River Authority. They claim it will be turned into a park someday...for now its a great place for a morning of tramping through the woods. I was hoping to harvest some prickly pear cactus fruit and a stalk from a sotol cactus. I have heard the dry stalk from the sotol is great for making fire with friction so I want to give it a try for myself. A few pictures from our walk...</div>
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Leaving the open trails we head into the thick cedars...long pants were a necessity for my little guy. The tall grass is full of things with thorns, needles and stickers.</div>
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This area used to be ranch property long ago. We stick to the animal trails that cut through the cedars and oaks. If developed properly it should make for a nice park area. Hopefully it takes the city another decade to get around to it.<br />
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And here was the find of the day. Probably the largest shed I've ever found, especially for our little Texas hill country deer. I've got a few special projects in mind for this one.<br />
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Generally for short day hikes I carry my Finnish gas mask bag. I've added a shoulder strap pad from a Maxpediton pack and a loop on the side for a knife sheath. Inside we have water bottles, a couple snacks, my usual PSK (which I'll detail in a later post) and of course my MP Woodsman.<br />
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My older son and I started clearing an area for a simple bush shelter last winter. Most of it was still there including an area we spread strips of cedar bark over for my yellow lab (Mac) to lay on. Much more comfortable then laying on a bed of rocks.<br />
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And finally the sotol cactus I had been in search of. The stalk growing out of the center of this one was huge. Close to two inches around toward the base, extending to about 10 feet in length. Native people had many uses for this plant (commonly mistaken for a yucca). The "heart" was dried, baked for up to 48 hours and made into an edible cake, apparently a good source of carbohydrates. The sawtooth leaves are excellent for weaving and basket making. <br />
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Thanks for looking...</div>
<br />Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-40155164014162810312012-08-18T19:16:00.001-05:002012-08-18T19:52:40.920-05:00Woodsman's Pal Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I recently picked up this Woodsman's Pal at a local gun show. These tools have been around since WWII and were carried by our soldiers for clearing dense brush in the jungles. They are a hefty tool and made in the USA (which i really like). This particular model is the "Classic" and came with a thick leather sheath. It weighs in at 25 oz which is considerably more then your average machete or kukri. But with a thicker blade they claim it's "The machete with the power of an axe". I decided to see if that was true.</div>
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I started with some pieces of old cedar fence post and a couple 2x4s splitting them into kindling. Cut through like butter...not even worth taking pictures. So then i decided to move on to something a little more robust. Grabbed a 5 inch round hunk of oak that has been laying in a brush pile for about a year. This was by no means a sapling. This oak is old, dry and hard as hell...here are the results...</div>
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With very little effort the weight of the blade cut right into the oak. You can see the sickle looking hook at the end of the blade intended for clearing vines and brush.<br />
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The handle is plenty long enough for large hands and wearing gloves. The hardwood ash handle seems a little slippery at first. Once you settle in and let your hand take advantage of the design of the handle its quite comfortable to swing. I never felt like I was out of control if I wanted to swing with more force. From the manufacturer it comes with a nylon lanyard which i swapped out for leather.<br />
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The photo below is after roughly 60 seconds. The Pal chewed into this oak with ease. If not for the 98 degree heat out today i wouldn't have even broke a sweat.</div>
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And after another couple minutes here is the final result. The 1/8" thick carbon steel blade wasn't phased a bit. Could I have been more efficient with one of my axes of similar size? Probably. But as a multi-purpose machete style tool the Woodsman Pal is extremely capable and can handle much more then just brush, vines and small branches.<br />
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They make a few different models of the Woodsman's Pal. All reasonably priced for very well built tool that appears will be serving my family for long time. For more information <a href="http://www.woodsmanspal.com/" target="_blank">Woodsmans Pal's website</a><br />
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Thanks for looking...enjoy your weekend outdoors and God bless..<br />
<br />Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-36421814751916650692012-08-15T17:36:00.000-05:002013-05-20T23:46:38.910-05:00Leather Projects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You can view all my recent custom leather projects on my vendor forum at BCUSA: </div>
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<a href="http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/forumdisplay.php/219-Badger-Claw-Leatherworks" target="_blank">Badger Claw Leatherworks</a></div>
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I really enjoy working with leather as a hobby. Most of my work is custom to a specific item. If someone wants a custom sheath I need the knife in hand to ensure a good fit and proper retention. But now I'm also working on a few patterns for commonly carried knives so that I can put them up for trade or sale. Here are a few unique pieces I have completed. Your comments are always welcome!<br />
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<span style="color: white; font-weight: normal;">Mask for my Norlund Hudson Bay axe</span></h2>
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Wet-formed and hand stitched belt sheath</span></h2>
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<span style="color: white; font-weight: normal;">Belt sheath with fire steel loop</span></h2>
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<br />Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-73741077334752516842012-08-14T21:09:00.001-05:002012-08-15T22:15:25.072-05:00MP Woodsman As you will come to find out I'm a bit of a knife collector. I have been fascinated with edged tools for over 25 years. It all started when I was barely 10 years old and my favorite uncle and I would spend weekends hitting garage sales. We'd find knives of all kinds from junkers to collectables. I didn't care, I was happy with whatever we found. My uncle Cy was a WWII veteran and what I consider a true woodsman who spent decades living in the Alaskan bush with my aunt. He could craft anything with his bare hands and a good knife. My fondest childhood memories are their summer visits. I still have boxes of old knives he and I would get at garage sales or ones he would bring down from Alaska. We'd sit and clean the rust off and he'd teach me how to sharpen them. There was a story behind each one it seemed. I will never forget those days, never forget my uncle and rarely does a day pass where I'm not reminded of the times we had. Miss you Uncle Cy....Semper Fi.<br />
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In my adult life my collecting of knives continues and like most little boys I can tell my two sons have the bug as well. This is my latest aquisition. It's called the Woodsman from maker Mathew Paul up in New York. To date this is probably the finest blade I own. It's a true work of art and a beast in the hand. The handles are red oak, the steel is forged 3/16" 1095, 5 1/4" blade and brass hardware to finish it out. Mathew Paul's work is second to none. The sheath pictured is one of my creations. My leather working skills are getting better and I have a new design for the Woodsman in the works. For now it rides in this either on the belt or with a dangler.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">You can learn more about MP Knives on his sub-forum at BCUSA:</span><br />
<a href="http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/forumdisplay.php/161-MP-Knives" target="_blank">MP Knives</a>Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3256824029191049237.post-4249291231388284052012-08-14T13:33:00.001-05:002012-11-19T22:03:21.461-06:00Welcome to my fireI hope to keep this blog alive and growing by sharing my love of the outdoors and the activities enjoyed with my family. Feel free to comment and thank you for looking....welcome to my fire!<br />
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<br />Badger Clawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17113286148382334265noreply@blogger.com1