February Free Time Fillers

[Sawtooth]

With big game seasons over and upland season coming to a close, what type of activities do you enjoy until Spring arrives?
Fly tying, rod building and reloading takes up much of my February free time. Here is a crappie rod I finished this week. Since all our crappie lakes are found in Chukar country, I added a few Chukar feathers to the rod to jazz it up. Have a 4 wt. fly rod and several hundred round to reload to keep me busy until the kokanee and crappie start in March.

 

[TexanSam]

I plan on doing some repair and refurbish to my bass/crappie boat

 

[rjthehunter]

I build ice fishing rods when I'm in need of more! I spend most my off season ice fishing but due to the ice being sketchy because of the 2+ feet of snow, I've spent equal time coyote hunting and fishing this year.

 

[duckhunt]

I used to make my own walleye jigs. Still have all the equipment but havent done that for a few years. Now days I just try to catch fish through the ice.

 

[devon deer]

Excellent work there @Sawtooth the wraps look great.

I only do fly tying as when I need to these days, just to replenish my fly box replacing the patterns my clients have lost over the season.

I am full on deer stalking at the moment, 1 roe, 1 fallow so far this week, and a red deer hind will never know how close she came tonight to being hit by a 100 grain bullet!

I might have a bash at making a knife this year.

Cheers

Richard

 

[Sawtooth]

Excellent work there @Sawtooth the wraps look great.

I might have a bash at making a knife this year.

Cheers

Richard

I have thought about giving the knife building a try as well. Are you going to buy a blank and build the grip or do you have someone who can lead you though the forging process as well? Either way it should be fun. I am sure you will have a roe buck or red that will be willing to donate one of his antlers for a grip.

 

[devon deer]

I have thought about giving the knife building a try as well. Are you going to buy a blank and build the grip or do you have someone who can lead you though the forging process as well? Either way it should be fun. I am sure you will have a roe buck or red that will be willing to donate one of his antlers for a grip.

I have bought 2 blanks but it isn't as easy as they make it look on Youtube!

 

[Ben Lamb]

After a 25 year hiatus, I've picked up pottery again. I was fairly surprised with how well I had retained the skillset. I'm nowhere near where I was in college, and throwing anything larger than a serving bowl or small platter is very difficult, but hopefully I'll have a 16" platter, baking dish & a set of nesting bowls by the end of this class, at the end of February.

 

[rwc101]

I've build a few rods, but I don't think I'm on your level. How did you do the feather inlay?

 

[rwc101]

After a 25 year hiatus, I've picked up pottery again. I was fairly surprised with how well I had retained the skillset. I'm nowhere near where I was in college, and throwing anything larger than a serving bowl or small platter is very difficult, but hopefully I'll have a 16" platter, baking dish & a set of nesting bowls by the end of this class, at the end of February.

I always thought that looked relaxing, but never found the time/place to learn.

 

[Sawtooth]

I've build a few rods, but I don't think I'm on your level. How did you do the feather inlay?

Put down thread wrap on rod. Use small paint brush to brush Flex Coat Color Preserver and Thread Sealer on to feather. Lay feather down on thread and spread out to chosen design and let dry. Flex Coat acts as an adhesive when dry and will hold feather in position when you put on your Clear Coat. It is not too difficult to do. Hardest part is brushing out the wet feather into its natural shape once it is on the rod. The feather fibers will want to clump up like all wet feathers tend to do.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Every emty hull and piece of brass is reloaded in my house....I am now looking for something else to do.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I always thought that looked relaxing, but never found the time/place to learn.

I learned at Casper College. Did a semester or two of it in Laramie as well. Not sure what that facility is like at UW now, but we were in some old barracks & it was a cool studio. They may have some community classes that you could take there. Casper College though, was amazing as a place to learn.

 

[DouglasR]

I’ve been lying about my age and sending some freaking heinous V2’s up at the local crag, bruh.
Only been a couple times. Not sure how to feel about it yet.
It’s not trail running, it’s definitely not cutting pow, but it beats being trapped in the house.
You can do this weird thing called social interaction there too. It’s kinda fun

 

[elkantlers]

I do a little silversmithing. Not very good but its been fun learning. Pretty much everything I've made has been for friends and family.

 

[TheBenHoyle]

I've got a lot of woodworking to do. And if I am really good, I will tear down my shed and rebuild it in a new spot. I'd love to do some coyote hunting but I don't have a place nor do I know what I am doing.

 

[sbhooper]

I cut and haul firewood this time of year. I do a lot of cutting on state land and cannot do anything until the late deer season is over. Now til March 15th, when turkey starts, I can haul wood.

Some of the nice days are spent on my shooting range sometimes. I spent today cutting some tall, dead, red cedars and shoved them out onto the ice on my lake. Since it was over 40 degrees and no wind, it was a good day for the dogs and me to be out soaking up some vitamin D and building fish habitat!

 

[Sawtooth]

Every emty hull and piece of brass is reloaded in my house....I am now looking for something else to do.

Hopefully this thread will give you some ideas.

 

[rjthehunter]

Every emty hull and piece of brass is reloaded in my house....I am now looking for something else to do.

Must not be married? If by chance you are, don't let her see this comment!

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

Beautiful work, Sawtooth. Is that the Rainshadow?