Barry Willis

This is what I've been putting up with since Saturday night. -14 at 5:00 this morning Two years ago this happened in September, the snow came and stayed. Not that it's a bad thing really. My wife and buddy and myself are heading out hunting next week on horse back and Argo to get us back in the foothills at the base of Black Rock Mountain in the Rockies where we will set up camp, can't wait, and conditions should be perfect. Wish me luck, I need all the help I can get. I've harvested 39 white tail bucks and some very respectable ones mostly with the bow, all clean shots, (pics to come) if I'm not confident I won't take the shot, and I want number 40 to be something special. So I've decided to leave my rifles at home and just go with my bows. I've turned down several nice bucks in the past five years waiting for Mister Right, so hopefully this will be the year. Might be MY last year as I'm not some young whipper snapper anymore Haha. Unfinished antler mount of my favorite mule deer harvested with PSE bow.

Hi Lew, how ya doing there young fella? I don't know that I still do but at one time I had the largest collection of antlers in Canada and parts of the US. Just shy of 400 whitetail antlers, about 200 mule deer antlers and a combined of about 100 moose and elk antlers. These were all, as most call them shed antlers, I call them drop offs. I was one of the first to go out looking for drop offs and only drop offs. Almost twenty years ago we were moving and I neglected to lock the back gate and while we were at our new house someone entered the back gate and stole most my antlers (my favorites of course) that were packed in two custom built tool boxes that go in a truck box behind the cab. Every chance I had since 1981 I walked countless miles for years to find all these antlers. I think someone knew that they were there and obviously wanted them for bragging rights or to be ground down into who knows what. One day I'll send an off topic pic of what I have left and some other interesting ones from other parts of the world that I hope you and some of the other forum members will enjoy. So long for now.

Hi Spiel, it's been a spell. I'm not sure if I was to comment on this and I don't expect I am about to mention anything you don't already know but here goes anyway. I've done a lot of work with antlers and the only way to avoid it at least somewhat is to just do a bit at a time and then let it sit for a while to prevent it from heating up. I know it's a pain and very time consuming but the warmer it gets the worse the smell. At least that's what my wife tells me, she would know, I swear she has a nose equal to that of a Blood Hound. Many times when we've been Elk hunting she will smell them long before we see them. My kind of hunting partner. Haha. Not that it comes as a surprise, your pics, illustrate very nice work as always, second to none. Thank you for sharing them. Cheer's - Barry.

Good going,very nice. I've been using mepps spinners for over sixty years and still do to this day regardless of what I'm fishing for. There's a reason for it. They work!

Hey Rick, I can relate, I've seen it more times than I care to think about, and not just salmon, rainbow and brown as well.

I know you asked for five but Ill give you one, the only one my Dad would use on Manitoulin Island and Georgian Bay over seventy years ago. K-B, It had to have been a foot long or more, thick and heavy. At one time the top of the small end was painted red but was scraped off from big Muskie and Pike teeth. I remember as a kid sneaking it out and admiring it still in the original cardboard box it came in from the factory. It was covered with tooth marks. If you are curious as to what it looks like I found a picture of a nice shiny one without the red on Ebay. Due to my lack of computer abilities I couldn't figure out how to post it on the forum. I clicked on the not so shinny ones on Ebay at the top left of the page and it came up.

Missed the ones of the bear.

The camera got the curiosity of some moose, Brown color phase (not quite cinnamon) of a two year old black bear and some respectable whitetail bucks. The camera took 3159 pics, about three thousand of them were cattle such as the east end of the west bound one at the end. Hope you all enjoy.

I know this is off topic but upon the request of some of my fellow anglers here are a few pics from the past month. The ones of the pair of Sand Hill Cranes and the Whistling Swan are not not very clear as I was using my hand held camera forgot my tripod

Awesome Freshtrax.

Darryl lived just down the shore from me.

Haha, I just thought of another one, my Dad and a couple of his buddy's showed me and that is - Chain Pickerel.

There are still some anglers that call Walleye, Pickerel. I remember back in the 60's my Dad showing me the difference between Pike, Pickerel and Walleye, and yes he did call the hammer handles Grass Pike.

Great idea misfish.

Goofing around during off season boredom a while back.

Very nice TJQ.

To quote my friend Crowman, rivets are the way to go. I hope I am not steering you in the wrong direction or contradicting any one else's comments and I know there is an abundance of sealers available but I discovered a sealant in the sixties called seal all, comes in a red and yellow tube at automotive stores. The stuff is amazing. Water proof, gas and oil proof. Our old rusted out 62 Mercury Comet developed a bad gas leak at the bottom of the tank, without even trying to dry it off I just put some on and the leak it stopped immediately and out lasted the rest of the car. Another time about ten years ago I got some bad gas at the pump in my 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited so much water I had to have it towed home. Crawled underneath drilled a hole in the gas tank and let it drain, cleaned it up and put three thin layers of seal all over the drilled hole and beyond and it is still holding today. So if it sealed them and you are concerned about the seams etc it should water proof your boat. It's reasonably priced and easy to use.

Black Gnat is my favorite, especially for Brown Trout and Grayling.

I know exactly what you are saying. I've been there. With your talent misfish have a few sips of that cold one to shake the nerves and just impress the H~ll out of everyone. I know you can. Just do it Man.

He's a very happy boy now. Thank you.

Yeah he's very happy now thank God. When I got him home here if I picked up my gloves, a stick, anything be would run to the farthest corner of the yard and cry expecting a beating. It was especially bad when I grabbed a broom or the snow scraper. Once he realized I wasn't going to beat he was happy as can be. Once he knew I wasn't going to beat him with snow scraper he joined me by my side all excited every step of the way. Still does it.

Hey Doug, I appreciate your input. You put my thoughts into perspective. I have never given any though to guilt and regrets being bad for one. You have given me something to ponder and digest for sure. It's just been a thing with me. I do love eating fish and know they are good for us. A couple weeks ago I was sitting in a Drs. office and they had a video playing and it is now recommended to eat fish especially the fatty ones such as salmon, etc. for omega three as you know three times a week rather than the recommended once a week from years ago. Thank you.

Congrats misfish, I am not a bit surprised having seen your work if I may call it that as you obviously enjoy and take great pride in it. You deserve it Man.

I expect you guys have had about enough of my best buddy Trooper. just an update, a story and some pics of him all healed up now. I went with my neighbor when he bought Trooper (eight weeks old) and then he realized he didn't have the time for him so he let him go to a farm. Four and a half years later word got back that Trooper was being beat and abused and had been for the time they had him. So we jumped in the truck, drove out to find him tied up just outside the patio door with a six foot extension cord, no food, no water, no shelter. I was fit to be tied. I didn't knock on the door as there would have been He%$ to be payed. He recognized me right away (dogs don't forget) and almost went nuts. I released him from the extension cord. He knew exactly what was going on and made a bee line for the truck and couldn't get in the back seat fast enough. By this time the farm owner realized what was going on and tried to chase us down even driving through fields, that's where he wrecked his truck Haha. He's very lucky to have gotten off that easy. Some of you may have seen the pic with his face all buggered up, any way he's all healed up now and has a very happy home and we love each other to death. Thanks for reading.

I know what you mean Lew. That's a nice musky. I would have put it one the wall back then as well. My walls are covered with fish from back then. Fifty years and more ago no one at least where I fished released any thing. Not to brag or throw flowers at my self but I caught so many big rainbow up to 18lbs that I filled my mom and dads 23 qubic foot freezer and they had to buy another one and I practically filled it. I feel really bad, sad and sick now for keeping them all. For about the past forty years or so I've been fishing barbless and releasing everything. I've kept a couple and felt bad and guilty.