What has been keeping me busy

[Boerrancher]

Yeah I know it has been a while since I have posted I still pop in from time to time to try and stay up dated. Between putting up hay and working on the equipment that actually does all of the work I haven't had much time for hunting, casting, or shooting, or even fishing. I have had time to knock out a few of these:



Also a few weeks ago I found this little guy at the end of my drive way. His mother had been hit by a car. Now he is part of the family. He sits in my lap while I watch the morning news and give him his bottle. Same thing with the 10 pm news before bed. He has become a part of the family, and is actually house broken. I will have to neuter him before long as he loves people too much to trust him when he gets older. I can't have him getting dominate around the family when he gets to be 300 lbs and has 10 to 12 points. Don't laugh at the name Bambi, because my 4 year old named him.


This little guy takes up a good deal of time. The arrow heads are nothing I can pop out a nice 1.5 inch point in less than 15 min, and the 3.5 to 4 inch spear points take around twice as long. Finding good material to work with and keeping the deer antlers shaped up are the most time consuming part of making points. Yeah I know I could use copper, but I just don't like the results as well as antlers, too many hinge fractures with copper.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[DLCTEX]

Nice work. I've always thought knapping was something I'd like to do, but things eat my time. The fawn is something. I guess he'll never grow antlers if you neuter him. Too bad it wasn't female. Where do you get the obsidian? Don't think it's found in your area. We have chert here, and some things left by glacier melt, but never see any obsidian.

[454PB]

Ain't he a cutie?

Your state laws must be different than ours. It's illegal to even feed deer on your property in Montana.

[Boerrancher]

Nice work. I've always thought knapping was something I'd like to do, but things eat my time. The fawn is something. I guess he'll never grow antlers if you neuter him. Too bad it wasn't female. Where do you get the obsidian? Don't think it's found in your area. We have chert here, and some things left by glacier melt, but never see any obsidian.

Dale,

I buy my obsidian. I like knapping it from time to time. I prefer flint but good flint is not easy to come by in these parts but every once in a while I find a good nodule of it.

[Dale53]

There used to be a young fellow in this area that was a terrific knapper (he was only 17 years old). I was particularly intrigued by his near perfect points of MILK GLASS. Yep, MILK GLASS. They sure were NOT traditional but were absolute works of art.

Dale53

[Boerrancher]

Ain't he a cutie?

Your state laws must be different than ours. It's illegal to even feed deer on your property in Montana.

There are no laws against feeding deer, but you are not suppose to keep one with out a permit. The permits are $500. The conservation wants you to call them and turn in fawns so that they can destroy them. I could not see leaving him next to his momma for both of them to become coyote bate. The wife just turned off the TV so he is now wondering around them house because he is bored, no more magic box with people walking around in it. He loves his TV.

[leadman]

Nice arrowheads. I used to have some I found when I was a kid in Michigan. My boys took them to school and I never saw them again.
I'll keep my eyes open for flint when I am in Michigan in a week or so. If I find some I'll send it to you.
You probably will have your hands full when that little guy gets to be a big guy.

[Boerrancher]

You probably will have your hands full when that little guy gets to be a big guy.

That is why I will neuter him. It will cause his antlers to be deformed, but I will never have to worry about him going into rut. He is very sweet and too use to people to allow him to ever go into rut. Hormones, and the agressiveness that goes along with it, and a lack of fear of humans is a bad combo.

ßest wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[dromia]

Yep chop them off, when I kept the odd Red a mate of mine got one and wouldn't get it disconnected.

He got one hell of fright when it came into the rut, he turned it into freezer filler after that.

[Echo]

Joe, you get a big Way To Go, both for the knapping and Bambi.

[waksupi]

Good idea to cut him, Joe. Friend of mine in Iowa raised a buck from a fawn. Dang near killed my buddy when it got to be around 2 years old.
Doing good on the points!

[PatMarlin]

Awesome ...!!

[Hardcast416taylor]

I know they are cute little rascals when they are babies. Just remember they are a wild animal with instincts that arise when they get older - fixed or not. Is there a game petting zoo you can donate him to in your area. I would hate to have the "caring DNR" take him just to destroy him myself.Robert

[MtGun44]

You ever read "The Yearling" ?

Cute as hell, and I'd never have the heart to leave it either, but they can be
touble as the grow up. Best possible luck!

Awesome points.

Bill

[Boerrancher]

Thank you all for compliments on the arrow heads. I started making them when I was a small lad. Unlike most boys who's parents bought them a bow and arrows when they wanted to start bow hunting, mine showed me how to make my own. My first were quite crude but worked well for rabbits and the occasional squirel that got too close. I gave up on knapping for many years but started back again because the Doc said I need to work on my fine motor skills with my right arm. It seems to be working.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch

Joe

[Big Boomer]

If I attempted to make points like that, I WOULD be busy! Nice job!

Where I was reared in Ky., we used to find a lot of arrowheads and spear heads. My father found one near our old house (now gone) while plowing the field for gardening one spring day. While most of the visible stone and rock in that part of Ky. is limestone, there is a good bit of flint to be found. My brother and I used to chip pieces off for the purpose of attempting the making of a fire. Not too successful, lacking patience.

Hope all turns out well with the fawn. 'Tuck

[Firebricker]

Nice arrowheads ! I have a friend in Knoxville that knaps them he made me a small one out
of obsidien similar to the one in the left of your pic for me. Like you he will only use antlers and traditional methods. Your new roomate might help keep you knapping tools stocked lol.
FB

[TCLouis]

Nice Points. You are quite good at knapping.

[Boerrancher]

Thank you all for all of the compliments on the points. It is raining today so I get a short break from the hay fields today. I am really looking forward to winter time so I can go back to hard core hunting, shooting, and casting. I have cut back a good deal on my shooting because of the lack of primers in the area, and I am not going to pay $100 a thousand for those that can be found. I do have many thousands in stock and will start shooting them regularly when I can replace them. I shoot just enough to stay familiar with my pet rifles and hand guns but no load development for now. I shoot a few rounds a month of what I know works and that is it.

I can't wait to have time to get back into the chat room as well. I have met lots of great fellas there and have learned a great many things. Take care everyone and look for me when the days get short and the weather turns cold.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe