A Day with the Hustons

[Wolf Watcher]

When I got home from the Classic I had a bad infection in my left elbow so with the bows I came home with there was no way to shoot them.  The sleeved bow that Pappy rebuilt, my new James Parker Vagabond, an unfinished David Knight class bow, and three others of his that I traded for!  It was Tyler Huston's 18th birthday and Hawk was home from his Texas job.  Stacey's folks were there and one of Tyler's buddies.  We rolled out one of those big targets I bought at Twin Oaks and started shooting each bow.  The idea was to try each one so that, unbeknown to him, Tyler would have his choice of one of them.   Now this took some time as each bow was shot many times by Hawk and Tyler.  Josiah was shooting the kit bow I gave him from last year's Classic that he finished.  The bows were in various stages of being finished from done to just shootable.   In the true Huston form, he choose the yellow bellied, stout, barley worked one.  Next out came the Pappy bow and the Vagabond (the one I had never shot )  You just have to take my word for it, that sleeved bow preformed better than either of the two bows it was made from.  So with Hawk headed back to Texas with offers to hunt hogs we made a pact that the "Joe Hawk Bow" that Pappy rebuilt would be Hawksfor the first year and mine for the second!   Then came the Parker bow.  Not being able to shoot it and watching the Huston's punch the heart out of the target was like watching some
fellow kiss your girl friend  Stacey had a big pot of her famous wild meat chili and a couple of cheese cakes for lunch.  We talked about the pictures she has on her web site and her article in the next PA magazine.  Lots of hooten and laughen and I sure am going to miss them this summer!   Texas will never be the same! 
Almost forgot, I delivered the two neck knifes that Dana had sent with me for the boys.  The fruits of the Classic are spread far and wide and are enjoyed by many brothers and sisters of the bow.   Oh, I let them LOOK  at the cane arrows that Chris Cade made for me!  Joe                     

[Ranger B]

Sounds like a great time. I'd love to have been there!!!  Next year bring that pack of Houston's with you.

[El Destructo]

Are You going to make the Trek back again Joe? I sure hope to see you once again at the Classic....Sounds like the Boys had a great time...and make sure that You post some Pictures too! Especially when Tyler gets that Yeller Bow finished and ready to show off

[predatorcaller]

wolf,
sounds like you brought back lots of goodies from the classic.Tell the Huston,s we said hello.Hunter-Trapper didn,t get the job in Yellowstone.They said they got flooded with applications and did a lottery.He,s got a lead for something in Colorado and I,m waiting to hear from a guy near Fairbanks ,Alaska
for something for him.We hunted birds the first Sat here in Penna.Packed in Friday night-got to a spot around 11;15 pm and crashed(I was beat from roofing all week)woke up with 2 birds gobbling right above us.Worked those birds 3 times but no luck.We had 1 at 35 yards but that,s not within our bow range.(no shotgun hunters here lol)Headed back up this Thursday for a couple days to try.HT graduates in 2 weeks;Take care and have a great day-Lloyd

[Mechslasher]

nothing better than a day of bow shooting.  how did those cane arrows fly?

[Wolf Watcher]

Chris:  You must be kidding!!  I let them look at them at a respectable distance so as not to have finger prints and drools on my new Yukon arrows!  You have to be there to see the competition and all the arrows in the air at the same time.  I used to think that Hawk would shoot a little wide sometimes to let the boys win but thats not the case cause those boys don't need the help.  Josiah finally has a bow that he can pull under control and he actually had more arrows in the two inch sticker than his dad or brother. 
LLoyd:  Sorry to hear about the Yellowstone job falling thru.  Has he applied with the Forest Service?  They always hire young people in the summer to clean trails,etc!   
El D:  am not sure about next year.  Its a 3000 mile round trip which means several days on the road and fuel is expensive.  Also I hate the trading thing trying to beat up on everyone!  Easy to say now that I am home with all the good bows, arrows, points, knifes, etc.  The only reason to attend the Classic is all the great people there and that makes me want to come back.  The time of year is not great for me also.  I will worry about that decision all year! 
Ranger B:  My one bad heartbreak over the classic is that I never made it home with the book you signed for Eloise.  I think its on the shelf to the left just inside the cabin door.  Have asked Greg to look for it for me!  I really enjoyed meeting you.  Not often an old Sgt. gets to set down with a ranking officer and swap stories!  Joe

[mullet]

 Joe;

 I hope you are coming back next year and bringing your lovely wife and the Houston's. I'm starting to think Mike is all talk. I quit trading after the first time I came up. Now I just bring lot's of stuff for my friends and if I get something in return I feel gratefull. I really think this was probally how it was done in ancient times and why we see the same style of points  all across the North American continent.

 James' bows shoot real nice, don't they?  Glad you made it home safe, my friend and hope to see you next year.

[Wolf Watcher]

Eddie:  Really would like for the Hustons to be able to attend the Classic so they could meet all of you.  Timing is not good as Hawk is usually in the mountains that time of year with Ditch the bear dog and his mustangs horn hunting.  He will use any excuse to head for the hills. This year found him on a new job in Texas. The whole bunch is headed that way for the summer as soon as school lets out.  Its going to be a long summer without them!  a/ho Pokie

[Pappy]

Great to hear the bow done OK,I shot it some and it did shoot very good.I know you will miss them.
I also hope you will make it back, and bring them with you ,I would love to meet them in person ,always a pleasure to visit with you and feel sure it would be the same with them.I will look for the book,I have the key to the Cabin.
       Pappy