Posts Tagged → kempton gunmakers fair
summertime fun! great ETAR & Kempton shows
Big Jim replaced the arrow shelf material on my bow as only one of the top archery professionals can
The shuttle at ETAR was in constant use this year
Conservationist and outdoor leader Rose Anna Moore gave a fascinating lecture about her experiences as a wilderness survivor contestant and a mom and entrepreneur.
The Eastern Traditional Archery Rendezvous this year was the biggest, most successful ever. The Ski Sawmill location is far superior to the old Denton Hill State Park. Much more flat ground, much easier to access everything. Thousands of archery fiends camped out, and when I left campfires were just breaking out everywhere, their aromatic smoke resurrecting memories from childhood.
First time I have had to park way out on the landing strip, and take the hay wagon shuttle. Lots and lots of people!
Tyler Mazer demonstrating how he forges historically accurate knives from the 1700s
Learning how to boil cow horns in 325 degree lard so you can make a flat powder horn
Colorful character Jerry Heister is a super talented artist who works in all kinds of mediums, including horn, wood, metal, and raucous humor
Jerry Heister’s signature flat “hunter’s horn”
A ton of vendors at Kempton, this is just one room of many
Big vendors were there, including Big Jim’s Bows, KUIU hunting clothing, etc. Big Jim replaced the original arrow shelf padding on my Mike Fedora bow, showing me the advantages of simple Velcro®️in lieu of the original “Bear Hair” that had been put on by Fedora when he made the bow in 2001. Big Jim said he had sold all but a few of the bows he had made and brought with him on just the first day of the show.
At the KUIU tent I yukked it up with the guys and bought an Axis outer shell. KUIU makes their clothing super tight, and I ended up with a 4XL…. 😬. Unsure how to interpret this data. Let’s see how this works in Alaska this Fall, where water resistance if not waterproof is a necessity whenever you are outside. I hunt and fish outside. Especially in Alaska.
I did some shooting, and was generally happy with my accuracy, though I did not take a shot at Bigfoot, who was at least 150 yards out, if not farther. That’s just too far for my ability. Can you find the Bigfoot target in the picture of the archery range?
Saw some friends and acquaintances, maybe even a family member, and soaked up the breezy sunshine surrounded by wholesome families and kids.
Topped it off with a fascinating lecture by Rose Anna Moore, a pretty and down to earth mom and conservation entrepreneur and leader who competed in one of those “survival” tv shows several years ago, and whose body is still recovering. Guess those shows are real, after all…Rose Anna almost died because of her competitive spirit being boxed out by Canada’s ridiculous bureaucratic nonsense. She wasn’t allowed to eat squirrels, or even mice! Not even salmon…guess the producers of these survival shows are not the smartest people. <sigh> city people…
The next day I was at the Kempton Gunmaker’s Fair, where I was able to replace a flat powder horn I apparently left way up on our hillside in Pine Creek. Colorful character Jerry Heister made a new one almost as nice as the one he made me ten years ago.
Checked in with Mark Wheland to see how the 62 caliber BSR is coming along, and met a lot of friends along the way.
Topped off Kempton with a long and really helpful lesson in forging a knife by blacksmith Tyler Mazer.
The summer is going to be over in a few weeks, so you had better get a move on with your own plans. By the way I am seeing hardly any berries left anywhere.
It’s summer, have fun
Good antidote to miserable politics, your garden. On the left are cut up peaches from one of our trees, destined for the chest freezer. On the right are a potful of ripe tomatoes and basil, plucked from the garden this evening and destined to become a delicious red sauce.
Cucumbers and tomatoes and a pile of peaches came in from the back yard tonight.
I agree with you, politics is sucking all the air and happiness out of people. Whether you live in Ireland, where the government is clearly working overtime against the vast majority of the citizens who live and come from the Emerald Isle, or you live in America, where the government is clearly working overtime against the interests of all of the people who grew up here or who immigrated here legally, it is evident that democratic processes in every single democratic nation were used to achieve undemocratic outcomes that favor big money interests.
If you like your democracy, and you want to keep your democracy, it is now clear that you will not be allowed to have democracy unless you become just as ruthless as the evil people who are ripping you off.
Wasn’t the whole purpose of representative government to avoid physical violence for political control, and use voting as a substitute? For the better of us all? I guess that attempted murder of President Trump opened a lot of eyes… looks like some bad people are desperate to keep him from getting into office like The People want.
Well, it’s summertime and despite the scary efforts to erase democracy worldwide, we can and should still have fun. Summer county fairs are a wonderful place to spend a hot afternoon and cool evening, with live music and naughty food. I am looking forward to the Eastern Traditional Archery Rendezvous, which starts this Thursday in Oregon Hill, at the ski place thing. Traditional Archery people come from all around the world to just fling arrows at targets (my favorite is the 3-D Bigfoot at 85 yards), buy new or replacement kit, get a new bow for a special upcoming hunt, or to listen to the archery greats explain their techniques. There’s also trick shooting demonstrations, which really will take your breath away. Serious talent.
And running simultaneously, unfortunately, is the “new” Kempton Gunmakers Fair, in Kempton, PA. This is the replacement for the very long running Dixon’s black powder Rendezvous in the same area. I intend to take some blacksmithing classes on making traditional knives there, as well as check up on how the 62-caliber flintlock British Sporting Rifle is coming along. It’s been in the works for 18 months, so it must be really taking shape. The man making it is a very well known black powder gunmaker. For those who don’t know, these are the kind of guns that require the old fashioned gun powder to be poured down the barrel, and which often have flintlocks with a real piece of flint that makes a spark that lights gunpowder in a pan (“he’s just a flash in the pan” comes from a flash that failed to ignite the main charge of powder you had just poured down the barrel). These are not real dangerous guns. The last time one killed somebody was in 1812 or thereabouts. Although Mark Twain did have a humorous warning about “safe” old guns hung above the fireplace accidentally bagging grandma in her rocking chair. They are not toys, but they are not weapons of modern war, either.
Anyhow, go on an git, git on out to the local county fair, or to some summertime evening live music. Maybe there’s a park waiting for you and someone you care about to go have a picnic. Summer’s just about 2/3 over, and you better git while the gittin’s good.
I have been enjoying working in my garden and fruit trees, when I don’t have to share them with swarms of vermin. Today I watched birds eat four beautiful peaches, despite my attempts to drive them away. The squirrels are on temporary hiatus, probably scheming to come grab everything tomorrow morning before I wake up.