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You've all heard the saying; "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade". Well, I have a bit of a lemon in my hand. My left elbow has been a mess since July. I have very little strength in it most days, and a good deal of pain to go along with it. I hurt that elbow in 2003 while getting myself together to shoot the IBO worlds and it has given me grief off and on ever since. This last round however has really been far worse than any other. It has never really kept me from shooting much until this year. Since July, I've been able to shoot 3 times, there simply isn't enough strength, and it hurts too much to try. Most days I can barely straighten it out. Fortunately, I still have movement and strength to curl my arm up, so fishing is good most days! The doctors do not think there is anything to be done about it aside from pain meds and rest. With bowseason coming in, I'm looking at the first time in over 30 years I can't shoot!
With this being a bit of an aggravation, there is light at the end of the tunnel! I bought an Excalibur last year about Christmas time for Mason to use. I enjoyed shooting the thing so much I considered that I may use it this season. I didn't give it any thought that I may not have any choice in the matter. At this point, I'm really glad to have the thing, and the option to use it. I've never considered using one seriously before, but there have been times I thought if I could position myself in certain places in cut cornfields in a prone position with a crossbow, I'd have it made. There are lots of areas that deer habitually travel in flat agricultural areas I often hunt that have no trees. Ground blinds of the pop up variety are useless in the area as I know they avoid them. I need a way to be invisible while laying in the wide open. So, with the thought of using a crossbow this season, and no need to get vertical to shoot, I figured I'd make up a ghillie suit. I looked at a bunch of them online, but I didn't see any that I liked. I knew I'd be customizing any that I bought anyway so I figured I'd just do it from scratch. I'm not 100% with this thing yet, but I'm sure when I add natural vegetation to it, it will work well in CRP edges, and cornstubble. Though I may not be able hunt as I am used to this season, I think I'm still going to have a whole lot of fun!
My bride snapped this picture of me trying out the suit on the back porch. She mentioned something about me being an idiot, but I was having a good time with it!
With this being a bit of an aggravation, there is light at the end of the tunnel! I bought an Excalibur last year about Christmas time for Mason to use. I enjoyed shooting the thing so much I considered that I may use it this season. I didn't give it any thought that I may not have any choice in the matter. At this point, I'm really glad to have the thing, and the option to use it. I've never considered using one seriously before, but there have been times I thought if I could position myself in certain places in cut cornfields in a prone position with a crossbow, I'd have it made. There are lots of areas that deer habitually travel in flat agricultural areas I often hunt that have no trees. Ground blinds of the pop up variety are useless in the area as I know they avoid them. I need a way to be invisible while laying in the wide open. So, with the thought of using a crossbow this season, and no need to get vertical to shoot, I figured I'd make up a ghillie suit. I looked at a bunch of them online, but I didn't see any that I liked. I knew I'd be customizing any that I bought anyway so I figured I'd just do it from scratch. I'm not 100% with this thing yet, but I'm sure when I add natural vegetation to it, it will work well in CRP edges, and cornstubble. Though I may not be able hunt as I am used to this season, I think I'm still going to have a whole lot of fun!
My bride snapped this picture of me trying out the suit on the back porch. She mentioned something about me being an idiot, but I was having a good time with it!