by Tim MacWelch
TAKE SHAPE Put the bottom tip of the bow on the ground, hold of the top tip, and push slightly outward from the belly side of the handhold. Observe how the limbs bend and note any areas that do not bend, then use a knife to slowly and carefully remove wood from the stiff parts of the belly. Remember: Only remove wood from the belly side. The goal is to get the limbs to bend in an even curve; double-check the bend frequently until both limbs are flexing evenly throughout their length.
NOTCH AND STRING Carve small notches on each tip, being careful not to carve into the back of the bow. They only need to be deep enough to keep a bowstring in place. Tie loops into both ends of a nylon, sinew, paracord, or plant-fiber string. You want about 5–6 inches (13–15 cm) of space between the string and the handhold when the bow is strung. Don’t fully draw the bow yet—doing so can break it.
TILLER Hang the bow horizontally on a branch by the handhold and pull the string a few inches downward. You want each limb to bend evenly and symmetrically. This final shaping is called tillering, and it is one of the most important steps. Shave, scrape, sand, or carve the belly of each limb until both limbs bend equally and evenly. Recheck frequently, pulling down on the string a little bit further each time until you are able to pull it to your draw length (the distance between the handhold and where your fingers hold the bowstring when pulled back to your upper jaw).
The tillering process is complete once both limbs flex equally and evenly and the draw weight (pounds of pressure required to pull the string back to a full draw) is at your desired poundage. You need a 25–35 pound (11–16 kg) draw for hunting small game or 40–60 pounds (18–27 kg) for larger animals.
FINISH THE JOB For wilderness survival situations, the bow can now be used as is. If you have the luxury of finishing it properly however, you should take the time to sand the belly smooth and oil the entire bow to seal off the wood and prevent over-drying. Many bowyers prefer linseed or tung oil, but animal fat works, too. To care for your bow, shoot and oil it frequently, adjust the tillering as needed, and unstring the bow when not in use. Your quickie bow has the advantages of being quick to build and ready to use right away, but keep in mind that it won’t shoot as well as a fine bow and it may break or crack after some use.
046 MAKE YOUR OWN ARROWS
So you’ve made a bow, but of course it’s no good without the arrows. Your arrows need to be lightweight yet strong. They must also be straight, well fletched, have the right rigidity (spine), and be the right length for your bow. The arrow is the part of the operation that has to be flightworthy—the bow is merely the springy stick engine in charge of launching it.
COLLECT SOME SHOOTS Collect branches, shoots, and straight saplings that are at least 30 inches (72 cm) long and 3/8–1/2 inch (around 1 cm) in diameter. Take a ruler to ensure you only gather appropriately sized pieces, and trim off the side branches from the wood as each is collected.
If you are beginning the arrow-making process right away, peel the bark off each prospective arrow shaft, being careful not to cut deeply into the wood. After the shaft is peeled, set the wood aside for a few days, if you have time. Once it’s had a chance to dry, sand it to smooth out any knots.
If you are not working on the shafts immediately, bundle them tightly with string and set them in a dry place. Wait one to six months for the wood to dry and harden—this wood will make strong, lightweight arrows. Once it’s dry, peel off any remaining bark and smooth out the wood.
STRAIGHTEN IT OUT Put on protective gloves and straighten the wooden shafts over an open fire by heating the area that needs bending (without allowing it to change color or catch fire). Once heated, the shaft should be slowly straightened and bent a little beyond the point of straight. Hold the wood in the over-straightened position until it cools. It should spring back a little when released, to the desired straightness. It may take several cycles of heating and cooling—it’s far from an exact science.
You can determine whether a shaft is straight by tying a string around the length of the shaft, from one end, around the other, and back. Any gaps in the string will highlight where the shaft is bent. You can also look down the shaft with one eye while twirling it to spot these crooked sections.
CUT THE NOCK Cut a notch about 1/4 inch (6 mm) deep into the end of the shaft to create the nock that holds the bowstring. Cut carefully so as to avoid splitting the arrow. Reinforce the arrow shaft below the cut to keep the powerful bowstring from splitting your arrow upon shooting. String, thread, or sinew can be wound around the shaft and glued in place below the nock to strengthen it. If you’re using cut dowels (instead of saplings with concentric growth rings), cut the nock perpendicular to the growth rings.
ADD POINTS Make simple arrowheads from thin iron or steel, carved bone shards, or chipped pieces of stone. Use whatever tools you have at your disposal to cut or chip the projectile point into a triangular shape of about 1 1/2–2 inches (4–5 cm) in length and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. Add small notches in each side of the arrowhead for the string binding to sit in, and fit the bottom of the triangle into the arrow shaft by means of a notch similar to a bowstring nock—add glue into the notch to help hold the arrowhead before it’s further secured. Wrap twine, floss, dried sinew, or dogbane fiber around the shaft and arrowhead, and seal the wrapping with pine pitch or additional glue to make sure everything stays in place.
FLETCH YOUR ARROW Collect some bird feathers, but don’t mix and match on the same arrow, as different feather types have different shapes. The feathers also need to be from the same side of the bird (right or left), though they don’t have to be from a single bird. Split the feathers in half and shorten them to about 4–5 inches (10–13 cm) and 1/2 inch (12 mm) wide. Space the split seam of the three feathers equally around the arrow and glue them on, securing with the same cord you used for the arrowhead. Make sure the front of the fletching is covered with enough string and glue so that the sharp ends of the feather quills aren’t poking out, or they’ll deliver a serious scratch. Never use a homemade wooden arrow on a modern compound bow—this can cause wooden arrows to explode.
047 SUCCEED WITH SMALL GAME
You may imagine our predecessors carving huge steaks off big-game animals for their daily meal, but the truth is a little more humble. Most archeologists would agree that small game filled more stew pots than mammoth ever did. Living off small game is really about strength in numbers. You may hunt for days, looking for a large and crafty whitetail buck, and come home empty-handed. Yet in the span of an afternoon, you may come back from a field with several meaty rabbits—each one feeding a person for a day. Don’t turn your nose up at the little critters, because there are a lot more of them to go around. Plus, most are delicious.
048 PLACE YOUR SHOT
So you’ve selected a small-game quarry and a weapon, you’ve practiced shooting and honed your aim, you’ve found the animal—now it’s time to actually take the animal. Even after all these years as an outdoorsman, I still have a mixed emotional and mental reaction to this event. On the one hand, these animals are beautiful creatures living as nature intended; on the other hand, my ancient hunting instincts boil to the surface.
If you need the meat, and plan to use it thoroughly and respectfully, fire when ready. Aim for the backside of the animal’s front shoulder. This area of larger body mass will give you a little room for error if the animal starts moving as you fire or if your aim is off. The lungs, heart, and liver are in this area, and hitting any one of them will take the animal out. After you shoot, give the animal a few minutes to die undisturbed, even if it runs for cover. Chances are it won’t go far.
049 SAVOR SMALL-GAME FLAVOR
Rabbits and squirrels are so tasty, I’d rather have them on my plate than any other meat, wild or farmed. A few other small critters, however, can be more of an acquired taste.
CRITTER
RABBIT
FLAVOR
Tender white meat that can easily pass for chicken
CRITTER
FLAVOR
Delicious white meat, a little tougher than rabbit
CRITTER
OPOSSUM
FLAVOR
White meat that will remind you of pork if the animal has a clean diet
CRITTER
RACCOON
FLAVOR
Nutritious light meat, but handle carefully in case of rabies
CRITTER
GROUNDHOG
FLAVOR
Dark meat, not as tasty as other small game
CRITTER
MUSKRAT
FLAVOR
Dark meat that tastes like a musky rat (go figure); good if spiced
050 SHOOT A LEAD HAILSTORM
Much as I love my grandfather’s old .22 rifle, I’m a sucker for shotguns. Though it’s not a cure-all, the shotgun is a great equalizer for poor marksmanship, fast and unpredictable game, wind, and other factors that contribute to missed shots. If you can’t hit something with at least a few pellets, you need to get your glasses checked.
A great all-purpose, versatile shotgun is the 12-gauge pump action. It can shoot powerful game loads for surprising distances. When hunting squirrels and rabbits, #7 1/2 and #6 small-game load shotgun shells are a good choice. Select a load with larger pellets if you decide to try for game larger than a rabbit.
051 START WITH THE BASICS
Animals need the same survival essentials that we do: shelter, food, and water. Small-game animals find shelter in thick vegetative cover, holes in trees, and burrows in the ground, according to the behavior of their species. It’s usually pretty predictable—they don’t mix it up much, and you’ll never see a squirrel coming out of a groundhog hole. Small-game creatures also need water and food, so you’ll find them where wild foods are abundant and water is available. Begin with these basics, and move forward when you’re ready for more.
SCOUTING TIPS
Use a binocularto look for likely cover, food, and watering spots.
Locate tracks and signs to use for positive identification of the local species.
Sit and wait. Watch and listen. Sneak and stalk. See how close you can get to potential game.
052 READ THE SIGNS
Learn how to read tracks, and you’ll be learning a new language—one that tells you the hidden stories of the animals. Our ancestors had to be adept at tracking to learn about the unseen game animals and predators in their vicinity. Today, animal tracking provides an invaluable service to the hunter, trapper, nature lover, and photographer. Tracking can also be a lifesaver in a survival situation, warning you about dangerous creatures in the area and helping you to locate wild game. Find some clear prints and you’ll be able to read a few pages from the tale of that animal’s life. Find a trail, and you might just find the animal itself.
BEAVER
Castor canadensis
It’s easy to spot a beaver’s tree-felling work at a distance, but it’s harder to find its prints. Inspect areas with gnawed trees and check waterway banks for a beaver slide (a well-worn, muddy run leading to water). The rear beaver foot is unique, with five long toes and signs of webbing. Front prints are about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long, while rear can be more than 6 inches (15 cm). Beaver can be found in the continental U.S. and Canada.
EASTERN COTTONTAIL RABBIT
Sylvilagus floridanus
The eastern cottontail rabbit lives in the open, seeking shelter in the brush rather than a den. Because rabbits primarily gallop, the prints you’ll see are due to two large rear feet hitting the ground in front of the tiny front feet, the trail resembling a series of Cs or Vs. Snowshoe hares and jackrabbits have similar trails. A cottontail’s front feet are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long and their rear feet are about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long.
RACCOON
Procyon lotor
A raccoon’s front and rear prints both resemble a human hand—look for five toes that point forward on each foot, nearly parallel. This helps differentiate from the wide-splayed toes of the opossum and the rarely imprinted fifth toe of a muskrat. Raccoons move in a diagonal track pattern, like deer. The front feet measure 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm), the rear 3–4 inches (8–10 cm), with a longer heel on the rear feet.
GRAY SQUIRREL
Sciurus carolinensis
Squirrel sign (chewed nut shells or holes) is often abundant, but clear tracks are rare. When you do spot them, you’ll see that squirrels gallop, like rabbits. Their patterns show the rear feet preceding the front, with more symmetrical track patterns than rabbits. Like other rodents, they have four toes on their front feet and five on the rear. Gray squirrel prints are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, with a sometimes longer hind heel pad.
COYOTE
Canis latrans
Coyotes, found throughout North America, favor open plains, brushy areas, and woodlands, but can live anywhere. Their four-toed tracks look a lot like a dog’s footprints, but upon closer inspection, you’ll notice the coyote’s tracks are farther apart, and where dog trails wander and are whimsical, coyote trails are straight and purposeful. The front feet are larger than the rear feet, and roughly 2º–3 inches (6–7.5 cm) long.
RED FOX
Vulpes vulpes
The red fox is one of the most elusive canines in North America, so use your ears—if you hear a yelp in the woods on a spring evening that sounds like a woman yelling “help,” it's probably a red fox. Their front prints usually measure 2º inches (6 cm) and rear prints around 2 inches (5 cm). Foxes are diagonal walkers, and they place their rear feet into the front prints. Their trails often reflect their punchy little steps and quick feet.
BLACK BEAR
Ursus americanus
Identifying a black bear’s tracks is important for your safety, as bears can be very dangerous. Though generally shy, a 200–400 pound (90–180 kg) bear will defend itself—with speed and strength—if threatened. Black bears leave large tracks; their front footprints average 4 by 4 inches (10 by 10 cm), and the rear feet average 3–4 inches (7.5–10 cm) wide and 6–7 inches (15–18 cm) long when the heel pad is imprinted.
BOBCAT
Felis rufus
Bobcats, found in most of the lower 48 states, spend most of their time alone, except during the midwinter mating season. Bobcats are diagonal walkers, with a pattern so precise that the rear feet land in the front footprints (like foxes). Bobcat tracks are about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, with front feet slightly larger than the rear, and resemble those of a small dog, but with a small notch in front of the heel pad.
WHITE-TAILED DEER
Odocoileus virginianus
White-tailed deer, found throughout central North America, are easier to track than most animals. Their small, sharp-edged hooves leave distinct impressions, and they leave plenty of sign, from bedding-area ovals to scrapes and rubs. Find a single, heart-shaped track, and you’ll likely find many more. Whitetail tracks average 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) in length, and though the deer are diagonal walkers, they’re not as careful, so look for smaller rear feet hitting near or on top of the larger front foot prints.
053 STUDY THAT SCAT
Scat is a commonly used technical term for droppings, leavings, and, well, poop. This animal evidence is often more obvious than tracks, and it gives us great clues as to the identity of local animals (as well as proof positive of their diet). Don’t get too involved with it, as you are at risk of contracting some pathogens. If you accidentally get scat on your hands and then eat something later, you could potentially catch a disease. Some pathogens are also able to go airborne. With safety in mind, just look at scat—don’t interact with it.
FOX
Tapered ends and full of hair. Fox scat may also have seeds, feathers, and small bones. Often deposited on prominent spots as territory markers.
RACCOON
Blunt-ended and uniform scats, often reminding trackers of a Tootsie Roll (that’s where the comparison ends). These scats can have anything in them, but crayfish parts are an especially good in
dicator of raccoon.
OPOSSUM
Variable and sometimes runny. These scats may contain hair, feathers, seeds, insects, or berries. Typically smaller than fox scat and differently shaped from raccoon.