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Roy Keefer
HUNT SPONSORS: THE WRAP UP The hunt is over and I can take some time now to evaluate how it went. Obviously I am tickled to death over the results. I set out for a bear measuring at least eight foot square and exceeded that. The brownie’s skull will easily qualify for Pope & Young’s record book which is an added bonus. But there were other significant moments to measure and remember. Shelby and I shared camp with some wonderful people. The Randall family, which owns Afognak Wilderness Lodge, is outstanding. The patriarch of the family is Roy. Besides having a great name, he is a great person. It was a real delight and pleasure to have him share his forty plus years in the wilderness with us. We did an hour long video with him and I hope to write it down one day to share with you. Shannon Randall who sees that everything gets done timely and properly is a seasoned veteran at running a hunting camp. She knows what needs to be done and sees that it happens. Luke, our guide, was more than I had hoped for in a guide. He’s the kind of guy you like to share camp with, he truly cares about your needs and concerns. I couldn’t have asked for more. It’s a safe bet he’s one of the few guides I would like to hunt with again. I hope he knows how Shelby and I appreciated his efforts and his attention to our needs. He’s someone you should hunt with sometime. Now let’s talk about
equipment. Several companies were kind
enough to supply us with some outstanding equipment for the hunt. Each of them told us to use and abuse their
products and then tell you how it performed.
My comments are honest and not intended to be a blanket
endorsement. If it didn’t work, it
didn’t work, but none of them failed to live up to their advanced billing as
being good products. Here’s how it went. BowTech Patriot dually bow. This was my first time using a dually but it won’t be the last. The bow performed flawlessly. It was easy to set up; light to carry; and durable. Bouncing around in the boat didn’t change its tuning or do any damage to it. Thanks BowTech for a great product. I’ve used New Archery Products for years. The Thunderhead broadhead has helped me to take many animals over the years. It’s a winner as is evidenced by the many years it has been on the market. Kudos to the people at NAP. I previously told you about the Arizona E-Z Fletcher, a great product. I no longer use a single vane/feather fletcher, the E-Z Fletcher is the one for me. Spot-Hogg sights have traveled with me around the world. Its one piece of equipment I need to be able to rely on and the Spot-Hogg fills the bill. You don’t have to worry about it breaking or coming loose during a hunt. The people at Spot-Hogg have it right and are my choice when it comes to sights. Until last year I used aluminum carbon arrows, not anymore. The Carbon Express Maxima arrows are very tough and straight. My bear fell on the arrow and it didn’t break or crack. I like the camo finish and performance this arrow provides. Innovative Designs Inc. supplied my outer wear. Just like they promised, it was light, quiet, warm, waterproof and withstood the abuse of the hunt. You should check out this product, it’s an up and comer. Simms Vibration Labs (Limbsavers) has been a part of my basic equipment for many years. You can’t go against a winner. These guys know what they’re doing and I use their products with confidence and pride. I practiced a lot for this hunt
with broadheads. The American Whitetail Target stood up to being sliced and diced and is still in good shape. I especially like being able to pull out the
arrow easily while the target maintains its integrity. You’ll score a 10 if you use their targets. Since we were video taping this hunt, I wanted to be able to see the arrow in flight. The Easy-Eye arrow wraps helped us to do just that. They were easy to install and stayed put throughout the hunt. In addition to that, they’re just plain pretty. As I’ve said before, the Wolverine boots are tough as the name. No leaks and no bruises or blisters with these boots. Shelby and I used them and were glad they were there each morning to give us sure footing on the wet, slippery footing along the coastline. Dr. Bill Connelly keeps coming out with truly useful and innovative products like the Venom peep and the Rotaflex. Keep those inventive brain cells going Dr. Bill. The Venom is more than advertised. It is easy to pick your target and gathers light. The Rotaflex won’t replace a fully equipped gym but it comes awful close. One final comment. I want to thank Rich Walton and Robert Hoague for allowing me to put this on the internet so you could share the hunt with Shelby and me. Thanks to Shelby for putting up with me and supporting me every day of my life. She’s a winner. We have blacktail deer and shire moose hunts scheduled for later this year, maybe we can share them with you. © Copyright 2005 by Bowhunting.net |
