Seminar Update

Flint knapped projectile points by L. Woodrow Ross



L. Woodrow Ross announced that every registrant for the Primitive and Survival Skills Seminar on October 19 in Travelers Rest will leave with a bow drill, spindle, fire board and hand piece (socket), and the knowledge to start a fire with a bow drill. Fire starting with primitive equipment is a popular activity that Ross wants to share with attendees and make sure that they have the equipment when they leave to practice this ancient method of fire starting.
There will be something of interest for everyone and a lot of material will be covered. Due to the limitations of time, not all subjects can be covered in depth, but Ross has instructional books available on Amazon Kindle that complement the seminar by providing in-depth detail.
In addition, his Kindle novel, " The Night the Mountain Fell" is centered around the earthquake and landslide in western Montana near Yellowstone National Park, created Earthquake Lake and killed 28 people. It is a fictional account of a young couple and how the earthquake and landslide changed their lives forever.
Join him on Oct. 19 and enjoy a day of practicing and learning skills that will enhance your outdoor experiences and last a lifetime.

New book by L.Woodrow Ross and outdoor seminar details

Cover of new Kindle book by L. Woodrow Ross

 

We have been off-line for a period of time due to a very tight schedule. Several activities are on the horizon. We have the South Carolina Outdoor Press Association fall meeting coming up in early November, but prior to that will be in Montana for 10 days for some fall fly fishing and photography of landscape and animals.

 

Bow season opens in mid-September and that will be high on the agenda. The high water will present some problems on the river bottoms where it hunt with my longbow.

 

In the meantime, on Oct. 19, I will be presenting a Primitive and Survival Skills seminar in Travelers Rest. It will cover topics such as fire starting with bow drill, flint and steel and ferro-cerium rods. In addition we will demonstrate atlatls, Cherokee blow gun, cordage making from natural fibers, flint knapping and more.

 

General woodcraft and survival tips will be a vital part of the session and everyone will  have an opportunity to brush up on old skills and learn new ones.

 

For details and registration information, contact me a lross3871@charter.net or call 864-238-1944.

 

Get outdoors and have more fun!

 



Spring means bow fishing

L. Woodrow Ross on recent outing

 

Being on the water is always a good time. As an advocate of bow hunting, it is only natural to try to incorporate that into other activities. Bow-fishing is the natural choice. "Trash fish" species such as carp and gar can be hunted with bows in the spring. Carp come into the shallows to spawn and can be detected by their rolling and splashing. Sometimes half of their bodies will be exposed above the water line.

Bow-fishing requires special gear. Any bow (traditional or compound) can be fitted with a bow reel. This can be a basic, inexpensive spool type where the cord has to be wound by hand around the drum, or it can be a modern reel that can vary from $40 to $100. The line should be at least 80 pound test to withstand the rigors of repeated firing from the bow and man-handling the large fish.

The line is usually nylon or polyester fiber and the terminal end is connected to a special, heavy arrow made of carbon, fiberglass or a combination of the two. It has no fletching and the head is fitted with barbs that will pass through the fish, but not pull out. By twisting the head, the barbs may be released for easy arrow removal. The tip is a screw-on, replaceable point that can be easily changed in case of damage such as hitting a rock, etc.

Shooting at fish on the surface is not difficult, but fish that are below the surface are another matter. Refraction causes the light rays to bend as they pass through the water. This caused the fish to appear to be much shallower than they actually are. Trust me, this can result in numerous misses at targets that appear to be easy pickings.

If you already have a bow, you can get a minimal set-up for about $50.00. If you have to purchase a bow, keep in mind that it does not have to be extremely powerful. Most shots are taken at short range. A friend of mine uses a 25 pound bow to bow-fish. I am shooting a 55 pound Martin recurve that I already owned and outfitted with a basic rig.

The ideal situation is to bow-fish from a stable boat so that the archer may stand in the front as they cruise into likely spots. Many bow-fishermen hunt at night and use bright lighting rigs to illuminate the water. However, you don't have to shoot from a boat. I went a few days ago and waded into water about 3 feet deep and shot at fish as they cruised into range.

Bow-fishing in a unique sport and allows you to be on the water and sharpen your archery skills at the same time. If you are an archer, give it a try. I think you will enjoy it. Maybe I'll see you on the water.

Calendar of Events for Outdoorsmen

Saturday, March 29th was a good day on the river. We got a late start and didn't hit the water until 10:00 a.m. Nymphing was slow and then the fish started rising. I had only caught one 11" rainbow and then hit a period of activity around noon. I picked up one more rainbow, one brook trout and three browns. One of the browns was 13".

It was a good day on the North Mills River. Nothing great, but a lot of fun and some action. My buddy caught 5 trout also.



   

Gene Cunningham playing trout

13" brown trout caught by L. Ross

 

Upcoming outdoor events

 

Apr. 11 - Ducks Unlimited Oyster Roast and BBQ Banquet at Anderson South Carolina Farmer's Market at 6:00 p.m. Call Oscar McCurry at 864-225-8704 for ticket information or purchase online at www.ducks.org/SouthCarolina/events. Cost $40/single. Music by Eric Scott Band.

Apr. 20 - ABA American Fishing Tour, division 25, Lake  Russell, State Park ramp . For details call 404-392-0034, 770-900-5034 or 706-202-5541.

Apr. 21 - - ABA American Fishing Tour, division 25, Lake Hartwell mega ramp (Old Gum Branch old 29 ramp) . For details call 404-392-0034, 770-900-5034 or 706-202-5541.

Apr. 25-28 - 14th Annual Flintknapping and Primitive Arts Festival, Cartersville, GA. Open daily 8:00 a.m. Free admission and parking.

May 17-18 - Southeastern Fly Fishing Festival at the Ramsey Center Arena at Western Carolina University, located in Jackson County, home of the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail. Complete details and registration information at www.SoutheastFFF.org.

June 8 - Upstate 3-Gun competition at Clinton House, Clinton, SC. Cost is $75 per shooter. Presented by Palmetto State Armory. For details call Mike at 864-833-0274.

July 18-21 - National QDMA Convention in Athens, GA. Call (800) 209-3337 for details.

< Contact Ross at lross3871@charter.net or (864) 238-1944 with outdoor news or calendar events.

 

Calendar of Events

The outdoorsman never lacks for engrossing activities. Here are a few that you might wish to enjoy. I will post the calenday periodically for your information. Please feel free to contact me with items that you feel merit inclusion. I will post at my discretion.

Good luck in all your outdoor endevors.

L. Woodrow Ross

Mar. 16 - Foothills Trail Conference hosts Bell Fest, tours of Oconee Belle Trail, 10-4 p.m. Call Devil's Fork for details at (864) 944-2639.

Mar. 16 - ABA American Fishing Tour, division 25, Lake  Russell, State Park ramp . For details call 404-392-0034, 770-900-5034 or 706-202-5541.

Mar. 16-17 - Columbia Gun and Knife Show at SC State Fair Ground, 1200 Rosewood Drive, Columbia, SC 29202 (9-5 Friday, 10-4 Sunday).

Mar. 17 - ABA American Fishing Tour, division 25, Lake Hartwell mega ramp (Old Gum Branch old 29 ramp) . For details call 404-392-0034, 770-900-5034 or 706-202-5541.

Mar. 22-24 -  29th Annual Palmetto Sportsman's Classic at SC State Fairgrounds, 1200 Rosewood Drive, Columbia, SC 29201.

Mar. 23 - Artifact Identification Day at Laurens County Public Library by Tommy Charles and Dr. Christopher Moore, 9:30 - 1:00.

Mar. 23 - Primitive Craft/Survival Skills Seminar by L. Woodrow Ross at Saluda River Archery, 521 McNeely Road, Piedmont, SC 29673. Contact lross3871@charter.net or 864-238-1944 for details or registration.

Mar. 29 - NWTF Foothills Chapter annual fundraising banquet at Anderson Civic Center, doors open 6:00 p.m. For details call (864) 444-5601.

Mar. 29 - B & T Good Friday Open Tournament at Broyles Ramp, Lake Hartwell, safe light to 3:00 p.m. Entry fee $60 per boat (includes big fish pot). Pays one place for  every 7 boats. Information at 864-221-2081.

Apr. 20 - ABA American Fishing Tour, division 25, Lake  Russell, State Park ramp . For details call 404-392-0034, 770-900-5034 or 706-202-5541.

Apr. 21 - - ABA American Fishing Tour, division 25, Lake Hartwell mega ramp (Old Gum Branch old 29 ramp) . For details call 404-392-0034, 770-900-5034 or 706-202-5541.

Apr. 25-28 - 14th Annual Flintknapping and Primitive Arts Festival, Cartersville, GA. Open daily 8:00 a.m. Free admission and parking.

July 18-21 - National QDMA Convention in Athens, GA. Call (800) 209-3337 for details.

< Contact Ross at lross3871@charter.net or (864) 238-1944 with outdoor news or calendar events.

 

Winter Camping

   

 



Winter camping is always fun, but a combination camping trip and scouting for turkeys is even better. It was the last week before spring and with a few sunny days for a change, it was a chance to get to the woods and enjoy a few days.

 

Prior to this trip, I was reading J. Wayne Fears books about building cabins and outdoor cooking and he mentioned using a reflector oven. Not having any first-hand experience with them, I went online and did some research. I had some aluminum flashing and put together a crude oven with pop rivits, threaded rods and some stove bolts. I made a trial run in the back yard at home prior to the trip. I cooked a pan of biscuits and the results were amazing.

 

During our camping trip, we cooked biscuits and blueberry muffins and they were great. I would recommend anyone that is interested in outdoor cooking look into a reflector oven. Finished ovens are available from several suppliers, but half the fun is building your own. Flashing is a little flimsy and had to be re-inforced, but works okay.

 

I plan to build another with more rigid  aluminum sheeting and hinge the pieces so that is may be folded and packed for easier transport.

 

About the turkeys, we staked out a few likely locations and we'll see how that works out in April. I'm sure the reflector oven will accompany us on any combination camping/turkey hunting ventures.

 

 

 

The Night the Mountain Fell

L. Woodrow Ross in Charleston, SC

Major geological events often have a drastic effect on mankind. Floods, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, forest fires and earthquakes often disrupt patterns of human activity. In addition, they often threaten human life and when a major event takes place, it captures national attention in the news media.

Such an event occurred on a Monday, August 17, 1959, at 11:37 p.m. Not far outside the boundaries at the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park in the Gallatin National Forest, a massive earthquake occurred. It was one of the largest ever recorded in North America and was recorded at 7.5 on the Richter Scale. The earthquake caused a landslide and millions of tons of rock, soil and debris crashed from a mountainside on the south side of the Madison River. The slide covered the river and inertia carried it several hundred feet up the mountain on the north side of the river.

The result of the slide was that 28 people died on that fateful night. Nineteen bodies were never recovered due to being buried under the million tons of debris. The slide blocked the river and in three weeks Earthquake Lake was created. It is 190 feet deep and 6 miles long. Today it is an attraction for anglers fishing for trout. A visitors center was created there as a memorial to the event that took those 28 lives.

This novel is a work of fiction centered around that event and how it affected those that were left  behind. It tells the story of a young couple from Charleston, SC, who were in the campground when the slide occurred. The prelude to the tragedy tells of their marriage and early successes. The actual night of the event records the terror and how they were ripped apart.

Over the next 2 1/2 years, the story records the convoluted series of events as they struggled with the aftermath and how it affected their lives. In the end, they never gave up and their love for each other overcame circumstances.

Join Daniel and Jessie (Jay) Gray in their journey as they pit their will against tragic circumstances. You will see that character and integrity will prevail as old friendships are tested and new ones are made. It is a journey with twists and unexpected turns that will keep you involved in the plot up until the last page.

© L. Woodrow Ross, January, 2013

Available on Amazon Kindle