Science Horizons

One of the most interesting pieces of armor used by the feudal lords of old Japan to protect them from raining arrows of pursuing archers is the Horo. It is made of lightweight cloth presumably silk, worn by messengers of nobility and is strategically designed with large colorful emblems to make them stand out in the battlefield. With the patterns, it is very easy to spot a messenger when they arrive.

Horo means arrow catcher or arrow entangler in English. A lot of men are in doubt of the cloak’s ability to stop a speeding arrow dead on it’s tracks and its reputation as a life saver. Because it is just made of sheer cloth, it is quite hard to believe that it protected the wearer from the raining arrows of the enemy. Furthermore, the large colorful designs must have made the wearer a very visible and easy target.

I was watching a show on the History Channel a few weeks back and the episode was about the Horo. Like the many people with doubts, the researchers were quite suspicious of the capes ability. Based on their research, they recreated a cape made of silk and printed on it a large colorful emblem. They tied it to a dummy, and stood it against a fan to simulate a warrior riding a horse.

The scenes that followed were quite amazing. In contrast to what was thought would make the wearer an easy target was just the exact opposite. When the wind blew against the cape, it made the emblem look like it was dancing. It was a confusing sight and I could imagine that pursuing archers would have had a very hard time hitting the wearer.

The next experiment was proving the cloak’s ability to stop an arrow in flight. When they tried to shoot some arrows at the dummy, amazingly the projectiles were not able to touch the dummy. As it hits the cape, it looses speed and falls off or gets entangled in the Horo.

With the results they have gathered, the researchers wondered if warriors did really feel confident to entrust their life on a piece of cloth. They wanted to test it themselves and feel what it would be like to be pursued by enemy archers. They simulated a war scenario, with one of the researchers wearing the Horo and several professional archers pursuing him shooting real arrows. All of them were on horseback and the arrows were dulled to protect the horse. Amazingly the cape wearer came out of it unscathed.

When it was over, the rider said that he could actually hear the arrows hitting his cloak but he could feel them stop and just feel them fall. After all their research, they have concluded that the myth of the arrow catcher was no myth at all and if they were actual Japanese warriors, they would trust their life on the Horo.

Even though the cape’s ability has been proven, it will still remain as a reminder of the past. Arrows and bows have ceased to be part of warfare. They are no longer seen as a threat to anybodies life so the Horo has lost it’s significance in battle. Although archery has long been dismissed as an effective tool for warfare, the art of shooting an arrow is still very much alive.

In modern times archery is a sport with many enthusiasts. This sport of skill and discipline is one of the favorite recreation of many individuals. I guess man has a constant need of hitting a target.

George Ross Sports archery, armor, arrow, bow, horo, horses, Hunting, japan, leisure, recreation, skill, sport, Sports, warfare, Weapon

The first men to travel across the globe used only what they knew to navigate around. They traveled across land and sea with only the sun, moon and earth to provide a sense of direction. We even used to think the earth was flat. How times have changed.

The invention of the compass changed navigation and made it possible for explorers to always know which direction they were heading in. Maps of the early earth helped us to keep track of where we were and where we wanted to be.

In the 21st Century, we have come so far that all these things can be rendered obsolete. The reason is that information is all saved digitally. There is something called GPS (Global Positioning System) that allows us to connect to satellites to find the exact location of places, all from the palm of your hand.

GPS have been incorporated into the best automobiles as we look for ways to make travelling easier. With a GPS system located on the dashboard, drivers can find their way through street maps easier than ever before. Simply select your destination and be guided there visually and audibly.

Those who have been lucky enough to experience the joys of travelling in a vehicle with GPS will be able to testify as to how simple it makes navigation. When you have a digital map in front of you with the route already set out, you can’t go wrong. With voice commands, you’d have to be an idiot to get lost.

Advancements in important fields like science and technology means human beings are constantly discovering ways of making life easier and more functional. Upgrades of things like computer chips and mobile phones means more technology can be fitted into smaller gadgets. GPS handheld devices are the smallest versions of maps and compasses we can use today.

It’s not only when travelling that GPS can be very useful. GPS receivers can also pinpoint the location of other GPS receivers within a certain vicinity. So next time you go to a carnival with the kids, or to a public place where it could be possible to lose somebody, think about how easy it would be to find each other with GPS handheld devices.

So it would be worth getting GPS if you’re somebody who loves travelling, off-roading, mountaineering or any activity where you might need to know your whereabouts at all times. As a GPS handheld, it makes you geographically mobile. As a GPS system in a car, you’ll never get lost on the roads. GPS can make a lot of things easier to find in your life.

George Prince GPS Boating, Electronics, Fishing, GPS, hiking, Hobbies, Hunting, navigation, Outdoors, recreation, Security, Sports, Technology, tracking

Horo is an interesting form of a armor used by the feudal lords of ancient Japan to protect themselves from the arrows of pursuing archers. It is made of of a lightweight cloth, presumably silk and is worn like a cape at the back of the warrior. The Horo is usually worn by messengers of nobility and is strategically designed with large colorful emblems to make it stand out in the battle field. This way the messengers are easily visible when they arrive.

In English, Horo means arrow catcher or arrow entangler. A lot of scholars are suspicious of the Horo’s capability of stopping a speeding arrow in its tracks and it’s reputation as a life saver. Because the cloak is made of sheer cloth, it is hard to imagine it being able to halt a speeding dart. Furthermore, the large colorful print makes the wearer a very easy target on the field.

I was watching an episode on the history channel regarding ancient warfare, tactics and weapons. On this episode, the topic was the Horo. Like many doubters, the researchers wanted to test the cloaks effectiveness in stopping a speeding dart on its flight. They modeled a cape basing on their studies and dressed it with large colorful emblems. They tied it to a dummy and blew a big fan against it simulating a messenger riding a galloping horse.

The scenes that followed were quite amazing. In contrast to what was thought would make the wearer an easy target was just the exact opposite. When the wind blew against the cape, it made the emblem look like it was dancing. It was a confusing sight and I could imagine that pursuing archers would have had a very hard time hitting the wearer.

The next step then would be finding out if the cape or what looks like a cloak could really stop an arrow. When they tried to shoot the dummy with sharp arrows, amazingly the darts where entangled in the dancing cloak and were actually stopped. The arrow looses speed as soon as it gets entangled on the Horo and falls off to the ground.

With the results they have gathered, the researchers wondered if warriors did really feel confident to entrust their life on a piece of cloth. They wanted to test it themselves and feel what it would be like to be pursued by enemy archers. They simulated a war scenario, with one of the researchers wearing the Horo and several professional archers pursuing him shooting real arrows. All of them were on horseback and the arrows were dulled to protect the horse. Amazingly the cape wearer came out of it unscathed.

After the simulation, the wearer related that he could actually hear the arrows hit the cloak but he can also feel them loose their speed and just drop dead to the ground without touching him. With the results they have gathered, they concluded that the cape’s ability was no myth at all and they would trust their life on it if they were in battle.

Although the Horos capabilities have been proven, still it is only just a piece of history these days. Arrows and bows are no longer weapons of war. They are no longer seen as a threat to lives so the Horo has lost its significance. Although archery has long been dismissed as a tool of warfare, archery is far from dead.

In modern times, archery has become a sport with a huge following. Archery is a sport of skill and discipline and is among the favorite recreations of many people. People after all has a hunter in them and would always love to hit a target.

George Ross Sports archery, armor, arrow, bow, horo, horses, Hunting, japan, leisure, recreation, skill, sport, Sports, warfare, Weapon

Snake boots are great pieces of hunting or hiking gear that protects the wearer from the worst case scenario of a bite from a venomous snake. While turkey hunters in the swamps of the South are probably already familiar with this footwear, many others are not. In fact, it’s not out of line to suggest that the average person doesn’t even know that there is footwear specifically designed to protect your feet and lower legs from venomous reptiles.

Snake proof boots might only be common to hunters and hikers at the moment, but they are made in styles that also make them attractive to other crowds. In fact, some snake boots look down right stylish while still offering the all important protection.

There are far more than three good reasons that consumers should look at snake boots. But if this article was going to list every single reason, you could end up sitting here and reading all day!

Out of all the reasons to get snake boots, the first one should be obvious. This footwear protects you from snake bites – whether they are rattlers, cottonmouths, coral snakes, or copperheads. If you live in an area with even a few of these slithery little guys, then you might want something extra to keep them away from your ingredient.

The second reason to wear snake proof boots is to protect yourself financially. Specialty boots like this cost a little more, but in the United States treating a snake bite can cost $15,000 to $20,000, and that’s only if no complications occur. When venomous snake bites are involved, over half the time there are complications. That type of financial hit is way too much for most individuals to handle.

A third reasons for wearing snake boots is for the peace of mind. There are literally millions of people who have an outright phobia of snakes, but it’s much easier to deal with tall weeds by the river when you know nothing can strike out and hit you. The lower leg protection offers that peace of mind which is worth just as much as the actual protection for many people.

There is a wide variety of good reasons for wearing snake proof boots. As this article shows, these reasons can cover a wide array of topics, but the end result is the same no matter what line of reasoning you take to get there. This footwear is worth the small extra cost for the protection provided.

In the end, the decision on whether or not to wear snake boots is up to you. At least with this article you now know that there are some great options in footwear when it comes to defending yourself from snake strikes.

Harry Benjamin Watts Hunting apparel, boots, Clothing, Fashion, footwear, hiking, Hunting, hunting gear, outdoor gear, Outdoors, product reviews, recreation, snake boots, snake proof boots

Texas Tops’ Jeff Austin and I went fishing today and we have been pre-fishing to train further for the Texas Trout Series which will be held this weekend. It had been a tough day for both of us since trout are giving us a hard time looking for one. It?s a good thing we brought with us the Devil Eyes that we were able to do some practice.

The first place we waded (a place I waded the previous day that had action) was pretty dead except for one lonely mullet that only mildly hopped. Jeff was the first to get a solid bite on an Amber Devil Eye w/ 1/4 oz TruLoc but no take. I then got a hook-up but it was short lived and I reeled in an empty Amber. A few minutes later I got a true hook-up on an 18 inch speck. No more bites later and we were on our way to spot number two.

The water was cleaner on the second spot so I decided to use Dark Strawberry Blue Devil Eye. Jeff then made use of the white stink bait and tried baiting. We continued with the training and some more practicing of catching trout away from the boat, but after some time, we got no trout.

We then came to an area that we needed the boat to get to the other side of to continue our wade so Jeff being the good guy that he is went back and brought the boat.

We continued wading through the deep water to the other side. We checked for the right spot by measuring the depth through a rod. Then we were able to find a spot and I tried casting a lure and got myself a fat redfish. Shortly, I saw Jeff casting his Devil Eyes and he got one too. After some time we both got some more redfish.

When the fishing is tough the Devil Eyes are a great go to lure. We used a 10-11 O’Clock tripple bounce with a 5 second pause and just repeated that on every cast. Remember that when the fishing gets tough to use a bait you belive in, form a pattern and your bite will come.

Captain Paul Braly Fishing Fishing, Hunting, inshore fishing, Outdoors, recreation, saltwater fishing, sport fishing, Sports, texas fishing, wildlife

Each season, when Elk Hunting in Colorado,there are hunters that will make common mistakes. Usually, the are mistakes that can be easily corrected. Planning ahead and being aware of these “pitfalls” can stop most of them. Most of these mistakes happen because a hunter did not fully understand what was really important.

You Need To Be In Condition – You will be hunting in the Rocky Mountains – that is very rugged terrain. Elk Hunting in Colorado requires you to be in good physical shape. The 4 remaining Elk breeds in North America have survived so long because of their ability to move through the mountains will skill. You will have to actively track them through the mountains at high altitudes before you will be able to take a shot. It is not uncommon for an out of shape hunter to have to cut their hunt short due to lack of strength.

Elk Bugling – Bugling is a learned skill that must be practiced over and over. While you are Elk Hunting in Colorado, is not the time to start to learn this skill. Elk Bugling is something that needs to be practiced before you go on your elk hunt. Elk bugle often and bugle loud. They will bugle loudest when coming into close range of another bull. If you are the “other bull” – get loud and challenge.

Get a Quality Pair of Binoculars – Elk Hunting in Colorado or Elk Hunting in general is an expensive hobby. Most of us hunt with a budget in mind. I understand that and costs need to be managed. Buying cheap binoculars is a bad investment. As much as everything else cost, do not sell yourself short by not being able to spot the Elk you want to track. Elk are stealth and crafty – they can blend in behind a twig. Your goal is to find them and track them from the start. Your scope will not suffice – get really good binoculars.

Do Not Set Up Too Tight – You know you need to be 100% about a shot before you take it. Well, you can’t take a perfect shot if you are cramped into a spot that you can’t move in. Your arms and legs have to have room for movement to set your shot up. You might have found a perfect spot to watch from – but it might not be the best spot to take a shot from. Try your stance out first.

Elk Are Smart – Never Underestimate Your Competition – that is a quote all Elk Hunters should know. Elk know a lousy elk bugle, or the smell of you Axe body wash, or the sound of a truck door slamming – they have survived by being smart. Don’t underestimate their intelligence while Elk Hunting in Colorado.

Colorado Weather – The weather in the Rockies can change on a dime. It might be a perfect day in the morning and turn freezing after the sun goes down. Make sure you have a thermal blanket in your daypack and a reliable way to start a fire in case you need it. It is one of those “in case” things that you might need.

Just Stay Home – You will never bag a bull sitting in your living room – I don’t think they can ring the doorbell. I cannot promise you that you will get the big bull if you go elk hunting in Colorado – but I can promise you that you will not bag an Elk if you stay home – Go Elk Hunting!

Elk Hunting is Super! Before you plan to go Elk Hunting in Colorado check out Mike Boone’s Elk Hunting Blog at ElkHuntingGuide.net for more Super tips.

Mike Boone Hunting colorado elk hunting, Elk Hunting, elk hunting in colorado, elk hunting tips, Hunting, hunting tips, Outdoors, Sports

PSE Archery has always been the favorite brand for most avid sportsmen of archery – bow shooters and bow hunters alike. It has the widest choices of the most advanced and superior compound bows in the market today. Being one of the first archery manufacturers to machine bow risers out of solid aluminum using their four stage forging process, it made today’s compound bows lighter yet stronger than other bows.

PSE compound bows all come with standard and original features that make any archer make faster and more on-target shots. These standard features sets PSE bows apart from their archery counterparts in the form of their custom-made bowstrings, grips, cables, vibration dampeners, larger cams, pivoting limb pockets, and side-locking tabs.

One such of these is the PSE compound bow called the “Brute”. It is the embodiment of power never before seen in a bow of its class – it exudes immense, unmatched power without sacrificing accuracy. Once the archer draws back and takes aim at the target – be it a moving big game buck, or a stationary target, the difference can be suddenly felt and without fault. It’s the ideal bow for all archers – beginners and experienced.

The PSE Brute, weighing at a mere 4 lbs., it features a more lightweight riser, with a draw length that can be easily adjusted to anyone’s specific or preferred requirements. It has a slim low torque grip and a built-in backstop that ensures all shots to be perfectly vibration free. Its parallel limb design has been engineered to perfection, resulting in more efficient and easier archery equipment that is much more of a delight to use. It has multiple sight mounting holes the gives the archer the entire configuration figures for flexible adjustments as needed and when needed, without taking out performance concerns.

It has a sleek Oak tree-stand finish, adding more than a touch of class to an already classy bow. It has a brace height of 8 1/8, factory installed and configured Vibracheck hush kit, and an asymmetric idler wheel. The PSE Brute offers great value for your money that is guaranteed to completely satisfy an discerning and critical archery buff.

With the PSE Brute, it firmly validates and shows the world and industry of archery how seriously involved PSE Archery is in making the sport of archery grow, grow, and grow, and at the same time contribute to improving all facets of all individuals archery expertise.

Bart Icles Hunting Hunting, pse archery bow, pse archery bows, pse bow, pse bow sale, PSE bows, pse bows home page, pse compound bow, PSE compound bows, pse nova bow

People involved in birding, hunting, security, nature sports, and other outdoor recreation need a way to clearly see things that are a huge distance away. Spotting scopes give people this ability in a portable, easy to use method. These small devices are usually mounted onto various objects, or held in ones hand, so that they can see something far away; whether it’s a beast, a criminal, or a beautiful landscape.

These gadgets are different than telescopes in that they are small and not conducive to viewing planets and space. Also, these scopes produce an upright image – telescopes, on the other hand, use a series of mirrors to reflect and refract light; sometimes the images in a telescope are actually upside down. Furthermore, a spotting scope is known to be used during daylight, while a telescope is not. Although a spotting scope isn’t perfect and subject to interference and reduction in effectiveness, they can be a big help in viewing things at a distance.

These tiny, powerful tools can be used in daylight for a number of different things. Most people employ the use of spotting scopes in activities like bird watching and scoring targets for target practice. Spotting scopes are preferred over binoculars in many functions because they are stronger and magnify objects greater than do binoculars. Most spotting scopes can provide 60 to 80 times magnification in daylight. Not only can they provide this power of magnification, they do so with crisp, sharp imaging.

Spotting scopes are subject to interferences that bring down the strength of the magnification. Things like wind, atmosphere, dirt, and air patterns can affect the ability to see things at further distances. Using a spotting scope in moist, non-mountainous climates affect the device, where using the spotting scope in a dry, mountainous area yields sharper images. Also, shifting in wind patterns and other conditions can hurt the clarity of this instrument when used.

With this instrument, like any other instrument, the price varies. However, it is suggested to spend a lot more and get something that cannot yield the results that you want. The reason is that top-end scopes produce clarity as magnification gets increased. The less expensive models tend to come with less capability as the magnification can be lower. Although a reduction in cost is attractive, and because of portability, they do not provide the same abilities as the ones that are more expensive. This is usually because of the glass in the objective lens. Basically, when purchasing a spotting scope, you get what you pay for. And, most of the time, size indicates the sharpness and clarity.

This kind of scope can provide the ability to see objects from far distances away. Because they are able to fit in ones pocket, they are portable and can be brought along with other equipment. But, most of the better ones require mounting of some sort. It is also suggested that you mount the scope for a reduction in moving when the lens is focusing in on the object; this will yield a much better view.

Jim Samposzi Hunting bird watching, Hunting, Nature, optics, spotting scope

A hunter using a rifle can effectively shoot his target from a range in excess of 200 yards or 180 meters, whereas a bow hunter is limited to within only 20 – 30 yards. Bow hunting greatly depends on the archer’s ability, the type of bow used, and weather to determine the effective distance to squarely hit a target. Bow hunting has been used as far back even before the Roman Era, and saw its gradual decline when firearms appeared. With the invention of the compound bow, the sport of archery was revived – especially in game hunting and backyard shooting.

Compound bows gave the avid archer and game hunter a new and challenging way of target shooting and hunting game hunting. Any hunter who favors using the rifle when hunting can learn a thrilling thing or two with using a compound bow. Modern compound bows are more advanced with its technical leverage system and composition makes the equipment itself suitable for hunting in many harsh conditions easier on the hunter.

Engineering advances have made bows as functional as possible with its ergonomic designs. Compound bows are relatively easier to carry, being made of light weight materials, compared to rifles which are a burden to carry especially in long hunting trips. Bow hunting brings back the thrill of stalking and shooting game that was lost long ago. A bow hunter must get a close as possible to a prey by using stalking skills to get a good clear kill shot.

Training on how to properly use a compound bow cannot be hurried and accomplished just as easily with a rifle. It’s challenging at the most, but will be worth the effort once it is learned. If it was fun learning how to use a rifle for hunting purposes, learning how to use the compound bow for hunting is much more fun and rewarding. Even if you didn’t hit your intended target right away, the excitement in itself will be your reward. With constant practice and determination, like you did with the rifle, you can master the bow as many have already done in the past.

Besides bow hunting, there is also bow fishing to preoccupy any avid hunters time when deer season is over. Bow fishing has its modifications and additions to the compound bow to make it suitable for hunting fish game, with the common additions of a line attached to a spool or reel, as well as using some specially designed arrows. Bow fishing also demands a new skill for a hunter to learn such as taking into account water refraction, still hunting, stalking, and ambush.

Bart Icles Hunting a, archery compound bows, B, best compound bow, bowtech compound bows, c, compound bow, compound bows, e, h, Hobbies, Hunting, m, martin compound bows, o, outdoor, p, pse compound bow, PSE compound bows, r, Recreation Sports, s

The American Cocker Spaniel is a medium sized breed of gun dog that developed from the same family as the English Cocker Spaniel. This breed originated from England and originally hunted woodcock and this is where the name cocker was derived. During the 1940s, the cocker was introduced and developed in the US and this new breed was named the American Cocker Spaniel.

For the Americans, this breed is just Cocker Spaniel. In Canada and Europe, it is called the American Cocker Spaniel. This breed was primarily intended to become a gun dog, hunting games such as birds but today it is well known as an adorable and loving house pet.

Spaniels that came to England were actually brought in from Spain and then later on developed to become good hunters. In the early days, a Spaniel’s litter was composed of a cocker spaniel and a Springer spaniel and these two were only segregated in to types when they grew up. But with the help of the English Setter, a different breed for the Cocker Spaniel has been developed.

To know the difference of an American Cocker Spaniel from an English Cocker Spaniel, the size of the former is relatively smaller than the latter. The American version also has a long and low set coat while the English one has a shorter coat. The head of the American Cocker Spaniel is dome-like and the ears are floppy while the English variety has a rectangular head and shorter ears.

The standard height of the American Cocker Spaniel is 15 inches and any dog taller than this is considered disqualified for shows. The weight should be 25 to 35 pounds but the males can be a bit heavier. The average life span is up to 12 years while the English Cocker Spaniel is 13 years.

The fur of this breed is especially given attention to because of its importance during dog shows and so it is groomed and maintained regularly. This coat is silky, dense, long, flat and double coated. The coat colors are listed under categories: Black, ASCOB (Any Solid Color Other than Black), Tricolor, and Parti Color.

Describing this breed as a pet, one can say that it is affable, sweet and cheerful. As a gun dog, it is an eager worker, an obedient companion and a courageous hunter. This dog is noted for its gentleness, devotion and sensitiveness that’s why harsh reinforcement is not recommended.

To maintain this dog’s energetic and cheerful self, it should be taken out for a daily walk or run. To maintain its beautiful coat, it should be shampooed and brushed everyday. Nail clipping, coat scissoring and eyes cleaning are also necessary to keep this dog clean and groomed.

Meredith Blake Pets and Animals american cocker spaniel, american cocker spaniel breeders, american cocker spaniel club, american cocker spaniel for sale, american cocker spaniel grooming, american cocker spaniel puppies, Animals, cocker spaniel, dogs, Family, Home, Hunting, Pets, Pets and Animals, Sports