by David E. Petzal

Pro Tool, which makes the Woodman’s Pal combination tool, and master outdoorsman and writer J. Wayne Fears have designed three new knives that bear his name (top to bottom): the Ultimate Survival Knife, the Ultimate Outdoor Cook Knife, and the Ultimate Deer Hunter’s Knife. J. Wayne knows about everything there is to know about hunting and staying alive in the wilderness, and the knives show the input of someone who knows what the hell he is doing.

All three are made of 1095 cutlery steel, tempered to Rc 54-56. This steel makes a blade that sharpens easily and takes an edge like a razor, but usually requires a fair amount of resharpening. However, these hold their edges like Grim Death itself. Out of curiosity, I cut the top out of a steel acetone can with the Survival Knife. Its edge needed a little retouching, but otherwise it didn’t seem to mind.

Because tool steel rusts, the Deer Hunter’s Knife and the Survival Knife have their blades and tangs epoxy-powder coated. The Cook Knife does not, and if you leave it in your kitchen knife drawer you must stress to all who may use it that if they put it in the washing machine, they will be stabbed with it. Repeatedly.

by David E. Petzal

A little while back I spent an hour at the range helping a friend of mine mount a scope and get a rifle sighted in for his young son. Everything worked, and dad took the boy to Pennsylvania to hunt deer. As it turned out, they didn’t get one, but the father was nice enough to send me a photo of the kid in his stand, and the expression of joy on his face is unmistakable. I e-mailed my friend that whether or not his son goes on to be a serious hunter, that deer hunt will be pure gold for the rest of the boy’s life.

Small contributions like this can make a very big difference. If you are a hunter/shooter with some experience, there is a beginning hunter/shooter out there who can use your help. These are not easy sports to break into; there is an immense amount to learn. Questions lead to other questions, and the number of people who have the answers is shrinking.

by Phil Bourjaily

The Field & Stream head office (Dave Hurteau) sent all us field editors an e-mail telling us to be sure to hunt our designated “Best Day of the Rut” – November 12. Since I have not bowhunted since 1989 I planned to call my cousin Shaun to tell him to go deer hunting in my place and report back.

Before I could call him, he called me and asked if I would come help him find the deer he had just shot. We found it only about 100 yards from where it had been hit. The long, lumpy gray muzzle makes me think it is an old buck.

What makes the story even better is that Shaun made the bow in the picture. It’s a self bow, meaning it’s made from one piece of wood – in this case, osage orange. This particular style of self bow is an “ambush bow” -- a 65 pounder with a fairly compact 58” knock-to-knock length. In fact, Shaun had just finished it that same day, made a string, took some test shots, went hunting and killed a buck with it.

He named the bow for a friend who had recently died in an accident, and painted it in Lakota fashion as a tribute. The red to starry black represents the transition from Warrior Path to the Star Path.

by David E. Petzal

See You Later, Kene-Gaiter*

My eyes are not as blue as Paul Newman’s were (in fact, they’re not blue at all) nor am I narrow at the hip like Robert Redford. I don’t give a damn about the eyes, but being wide in the waist at my height (5’9”) gives me problems with hunting clothes, and in particular rain pants. If I buy them big enough to fit over heavy wool trousers, I end up with XXL, which means they’re cut for someone who is 6’8”, and that they flop around on my boots, collecting mud and tripping me up.

The elegant solution, which had been staring me in the face for years without me seeing it, is gaiters, and in particular those made by Kenetrek, maker of terrific hunting boots. They come in two camo patterns, plus black, in sizes to fit anyone. There’s a hook to anchor them to the laces, plus a strap that goes under your boot, plus lots of Velcro. They go on quickly, stay in place, are quiet, and you tuck your damn rain pants into them and they stay out of your way.