Hiking staff's

[COUESAZ]

If they are not indangered they sure will be after we all make a staff right . I do not want to incourage any poaching And did not know it was against the law. Anyways the ones I make are from the ones just after the rains I let them dry out a bit in my yard after they are blown over by a strong wind of course.

 

I sure hope to find a few more blown over next year too. I do know a guy that grows them in his nursery and get some from him too. If I could get my picture size down I would post some of the ones I have made.

 

I used a dark stain on the ones in the picture.

[COUESAZ]

Here is one I made for my mom to use on her walks and short hikes in the mountains. It is nice and thick with a slight handle carved out for her hand.

[.270]

i've always done the yucca pole truck myself. cheap, easy to find. i have a swiss army knife that has a little saw in it. works great to saw off both ends. sticks are real handy going downhill. i don't have an acl in my right knee and sometimes it'll just pop loose, especially when in steep downhill country. a good stick makes things a lot better. another time they're real handy is when you have a heavy pack on. a tripod is more stable than a bipod. Lark.

[crazyaboutcoues]

Funny that this topic has come up. I've been talking with Fred from Morenci, he's the guy that builds the staffs that Scott and I use. We're planning on marketing these staffs in 2005. I'll post pix of what one looks like soon.

 

There is no way that I would ever go out scouting, hunting without my staff.

[COUESAZ]

I think there is a picture of scotts sheep heerder staff on here someplace.

 

I hope you don't mind me reposting the picture scott. But I think you have a cool set up with your gear and goats.

[crazyaboutcoues]

AZ Guide...That is the exact Staff (Western Walking Stik) that we will be marketing in 2005. There's just a few more things to work out and we should have them available to the public.

[crotalus]

Az guide those are some nice poles. I do the exact same thing to mine except without the nice handle. What do you use for the "wrap"? Splinters are a problem if they are not preped right or at least wrapped. May have missed your note from above as to what ya use. "Crazyaboutcoues" can I make a suggestion? Make your staffs unique, burn some design on them or burn a nice picture of a coues on it. Otherwise why would anyone buy something they can get in their own backyard. Hook up a nice story to them about how Az hunters wouldn't be caught without one or some personal story on how it saved many a Az hunter from an unfortunate fall, how the Apches may have used them in past history, use real coues buck skin to wrap them, etc.... Use ya marketing skills. Wish you the best in your new venture.

Ernest

[COUESAZ]

Yes you just sand them until the splinters are gone. I use a dremel tool to make the handel. I saw some one say to use the sports wrap for rackets. I am going to look into that a bit. Other than that mine is just bare wood.

 

I think those staffs will sell just fine. You would be shoked at how many people are looking for something like that. I think you will do well with them up around utah lots of guy's use pack goats up there. I do think a red hot stamp with a coues buck would be a very nice upgrade. I like the look of the burned in names or figures of animals.

[ScottAdams]

Hey I remember that photo!! Yea, I'm like Tommy, I have to have that stick with me when I go out. I like a stick that's the same height that I am. That way when I'm standing on slopes it's still high enough for me to prop my binocs on to steady them. I also like the cane style top. The curve works perfectly for cradling my binoculars over and is a great handle on the steep down hill hikes when my pack is extra-heavy. It also makes a great hook to snag a goat saddle if the goat gets in front of me instead of walking behind.

 

Speaking of goats, here's a photo I took of my biggest goat last weekend. This big brute will carry 50 lbs. all day long!! Probably weighs in at over 250 pounds. He is SOLID!!!

 

[.270]

ok, ok, i give up. been bitin' my tongue all mornin' since seein' the sheepherder cane and thinkin' of about a hunnerd different jokes about it. now we got goat photos? pack goats? is this for real? i mean i use horses, mules, donkeys, my kids, etc. to pack with. seen some guys with some llamas once. spitting suckers! even seen folks with pack dogs. but goats? i'm about the best pack saddle maker i ever knew. ain't never had nobody axe me for no goat saddle. i ain't even a little interested in usin' em, i have a couple o' them stupid pygmy goats and that's all i ever wanna deal with, but do pack goats (i can't type them 2 words together without laughin) really work? how many you gotta take? aw man, i hate to be joker here, but this is sorta funny. pack goats? for reals? guess if ya run a little low on supplies you can always have a barbecue. and if it gets cold you can always pull up another goat. sorta like "3 dog night". sorry about the ribbin', but this sorta hit me in a funny spot. Lark.

[ScottAdams]

You're killin' me Lark! Oh well, I'm used to the jokes, comments and insinuations. Yes people do use goats to pack. They actually work very well. They're cheap to buy, cheap to feed, easy to haul and they keep you warm at night . They will go just about anywhere you can go on foot. They can climb mountains like... well... like a goat. Even follow you like a dog.

 

[Coozdeer]

I'm sure they make good lion bait too. Have you ever had an issue w/ predators?

[ScottAdams]

Not yet, but you never know.

[More D]

I would be concerned about some of the bozos the Ernesto ran into recently! I have heard of some Wackos that shoot at anything that moves then go see what it is that they killed!

I see in the photo that they are easy to see.

 

I bet it would make for more of an "adventure" to hunt with the aid of goats!

 

 

 

[More D]

One question!

Do the goats mind carrying your Coues or any game for that matter, does the smell bother them?