Foundry Man

Thanks Bro!!

Well, I am just doing the finishing touches to this sculpture. Here are some picts...... Here, I am just touching up some welds. I am just inspecting the Patina. It turned out pretty good. This is the custom wood base I made. It is from a gnarly mesquite stump that my buddy gave me. He has a ranch at the base of the Burro Mountain foot hills. I thought that it would be fitting to use mesquite as a base to hold a bronze coues deer.>>Jason

I have a Kodak "easy share" 5.0 mega pixel camera. I use a Vanguard tracker 2 tri-pod. My spotting scope is the Zeiss diascope. I also have the Zeiss camera adapter. This set up takes some pretty awsome pictures.>>Jason

I got this picture with my digi-scope outfit the other day. I know they are carp, but it's kind of pretty.

This is a cool topic!!! Here they are..... Mesquite coals.... Meat......Beans.......Heaven!!! Tucked in, dreming about tomorrow. A worn out, stinky, ditching school to coues hunt, happy kid!!!!! ...JASON

Here are a few pictures of the my Bronze Pour, in which I poured the sculpture for the buck contest. I should have pictures of the finished product in a few weeks. I'll get ahold of Fatfootdoc, Brushbuster and Jamero (Silver City Dudes), to check it out, in person and give me any last suggestions (on the patina I use). Crazyaboutcoues, (Tommy) has already seen it (in the wax form) before I poured it. I think he liked it. Anyway, enjoy these pictures. It is something you won't see every day.>>Jason Burning the wax out of the mold (this is where the term "lost wax" comes from) Getting ready to pull the crucible out of the foundry (the crucible is the pot that holds the 2000 degree bronze) Here is me in my space suit pouring the bronze into the Coues Deer mold. Here is a close up of the pour. Sexy Huh!! Next to putting a thumping on a Coues deer, this is my next favorite thing to do!!

Well, the bronze came out good. I broke the ceramic shell off of it, and I am happy. the only glitch is that about 1/4 inch of the 2nd point on one antler didn't make it. But, I can weld that and fix it. Other than that, it's pretty sexy! Here are some pictures. I will also show you a picture of an elk I just finished. The Coues Sculpture will have a similar patina (just to give you an idea of what the thing will look like). this shows the shell just coming off. this shows how thich the shell is. It is as hard as concrete, and a pain in the butt to get off. This is shows the antler that didn't quite make it. Some fancy TIG welding will fix it though. This is one of the elk I just got done. What do you all think about the patina (color)

That is a beautiful deer man!! Congrats!! It makes it all the better that you smoked him with yer bow!!

Once you've had glass, you never go back!!!!

Well, I just finished the Rifle hunt in there last month. I'll let you know what I think. The archery hunt is the hunt to have. I think the rifle hunt is a tad bit over rated. I did see one huge buck while scouting in Sept. It may be the biggest buck I have ever seen. But the area is so thick, good luck ever seeing him again. I tried to find him, but couldn't. Ended up killing a beautiful, but "average" 3 pt. deer. I don't think I would ever put in for that hunt again. I would do the Jan. bowhunt though.>>Jason

I know dude, the focus dials on my scope keep getting stuck! So, was santa nice to you and bring you new binocs or what??

Ha, Ha ,Ha, I am laughing my butt off right now!!! It sounds like a 3 ring circus. Big hunting camps are fun, but you are into a stage where your kids getting a deer is ALOT more important that your buddy getting one. You need to put in for a different hunt than your kids, then focus on them. Jacey is going to be in hunter saftey, and I am going to put her in. I dang sure wouldn't have a crowd around. Talk to me dude, maybe we can do something. Oh, by the way, I have a Zeiss scope!. >>Jason

This is the mold after it was done being dipped (about 2 weeks of dipping) you can kind of see the head and antlers we load up the furnace with the molds..... This is the mold being "fired", there are holes I drilled into the mold, the hot wax is pissing out of the mold and therefore is "lost" (hence the term "lost wax" bronze). The mold will then be hollow. The molten bronze will then go in and fill that negative space. HOPEFULLY, that is. There is alot of room for screw-ups. So, keep your fingers crossed........... To be continued...Jason

Well, here are some picts documenting the progress on my, or, I should say, your bronze....... After the sculpture is finished, all of these wax "gates" and "vents" have to be welded on. They give the hot bronze a place to flow through with minimal cooling, while it fills the mold. they also provid a place for the gasses to escape, out of high spots (i.e. an antler) this was you dont get a air bubble and no place for the bronze to go. this is the first "dip" into the ceramic slurry mold material. To be continued.........................

Well, here is the story--- The 1st couple days were tough. I only glassed up 12 does and jumped one buck. He was a forky that gave up his lungs at about 75 yards, but I let him walk. Then yesterday, we went out and were set up before sunrise. My 7 year old, Parker was with me, along with my buddy Wayne. Well, I glassed up a few bucks as the sun was breaking the the horizon. They started sparing, so I put Parker behind the scope to watch the show. He LOVED it. I was watching through my binocs, when I noticed another buck. I took a look through the Zeiss, and figured he may be a shooter. Parker went and got Wayne. We watched them for 15 to 20 minutes, and debated the situation. With everything considered, I decided that I better shoot this buck. I had wanted a bigger one, but I didn't feel it happening. We were in some BIG country that swallows deer up. Plus, I wanted Parker to be a part of this, and he had to be in school the next day. So, I put on the radio and ear peice, and took off. I got up about 400 yds from the deer, and called Wayne. He guided me into the deer. Two of the smaller bucks (a small 3pt. and a nice 2X3) came out of the ravine and fed in the open 200 yds away for about 15 minutes. Wayne then called me and told me that my buck was coming out. I called him and told him to get Parker behind the scope and on the deer, which he did. The buck walked up the hill across from me, turned broadside, gave me his goodies, and I put the smack down on him. It was sweet. The best part, was that Parker was there. He called me on the radio and said "good job dad! you got that buck!" The deer may not be 110 inches, but I could not have been happier! It was one of the best days of my life. So, here he is.... This IS what it is all about.... Parker was looking at a coatamundi.... I CAN"T wait till next year!!!...... Later>>Jason

Here is a litttle set we found in New Mexico while hunting this weekend. I found the first one. My son Parker said "dad lets find the other one". I told him that small bucks like this don't drop em by eachother usually. Well, he started looking around and, well, he made me eat my words!! He found it and yells--"yeah right dad!!" The kid is only 7, and already a smart a--! It was way cool. Fun times!>>Jason

Well, if you are new to coues , and you killed a pretty buck right out of the chute, CONGRATS!! These little suckers are addicting bro! You screwed up when you killed that deer. Now you will be hooked for life. >>Jason P.S.-- check out the photo section. Lots of pictures, and most have scores. May help.

rgonz8, hey man, I hope your hunt goes good. These tags are few and far between, so it's not like I am going to be hunting "my" honey hole year after year. But, a good buddy of mine showed me the spot where I killed my buck, so I can't give exact locations (out of respect to him) but I could tell you this, if you want open country to glass, hunt the north end of the unit. It is remote. I did not see another hunter the whole time I was out. Never heard a shot either. The areas north of saddle rock would be a good place for you to start looking. It will be easier for you to find deer in Jan. when they are moving more. It was warm on my hunt, and it was kind of hard. PM me if you have any other questions. I'll be glad to help you out. You may want to check with Tommy at Gila Wilderness Hunting. (see his addd on this site)>>Jason

You can't put a number on beautiful. All I know is that my buck looks cool. (80 inches )

The kitchen had too many cooks in it, so I decided to check in. Happy Thanksgiving! Who is having Coues back straps today?? GO Packers!!>>Jason

Thank-you all. I have been showing Parker all these replies. He is stoked. He thinks we are famous. Everyone who has kids needs to get them out to the woods and have them ingest a little campfire smoke. If you happen to catch a limit of fish, or tag a deer, that is all the better. We are all so lucky to be able to do what we do.>>Jason

Where are you coming from? How do you like to hunt? (sitting water, treestands, spot and stalk, ect...) Have you been to this area before? The reason I'm asking, is that the area is so diverse. I just killed a coues buck in there yesterday on the rifle hunt, and could throw you a (very general) bone or two. There are open areas you can glass, and thicker areas where you can sit in a tree. So, how are you hunting?

Well, I am leaving this morning for my NM, Burro Mountains Coues hunt!! I hope this cool weather hangs around! WE have seen a few good ones, I hope we can pull it all together and dump one.>>Later--Jason

Well, I'm back. It was a pretty tough hunt. It wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be. But, I was able to put the smack down on an "all right" buck. Not the deer of my dreams, but the way it all happened, it was awsome. My 7 year old son watched the whole thing, so that made it special. I'm happy. I'll post pictures soon.

Come on Brush buster, why don't you post a picture of that deer??? >>Jason