This shooting bag is headed to Mexico

[dhaverstick]

I finished this shooting bag Thursday for Jordi Gene, owner of TanKab Outfitters in the Yucatan. A mutual friend of ours, Bill Cooper, commissioned me to make it and it will be delivered Sunday when Bill flies down there to hunt. The two main critters that people hunt there are Brocket deer and Ocellated turkeys so I did my best to incorporate them in the design of the bag. Yes, I know it's not period correct or anything but I think it does capture the essence of hunting in that area. Jordi is a big time traditional bow hunter and black powder shooter and I look forward to meeting him next year when Bill takes me down there on a writer's junket. I hope to kill another turkey with my bow and one with a flintlock smoothbore.

The body of this bag is made from elk hide and the dark trim is bison. The colorful leather is embossed cowhide. I looked at A LOT of leather to try to match the color and texture of the Ocellated turkey's magnificent plumage.

The images of the Brocket deer were a collaborative effort with my niece, Alex Sapaugh. In order to get the images etched onto leather, I need a clean, crisp black-and-white drawing. I couldn't find anything I liked on the web so I found a couple of photos I liked and had Alex do some magical artwork drawing them on a computer. As you can see, the end result is amazing. The photos and the drawings are identical.

The strap buttons and flap hooks were carved out of deer antler and the strap "D" rings were carved out of moose antler. I put some personal touches on the inside of the bag and sewed it all up by hand using artificial sinew.

Darren

[AzShooter]

Love all the work you did on this bag.  Your friend should be proud to wear it and show it off.

 

[Woodienut]

Wow that’s awesome! The new owner will cherish his new bag. I’m in Pátzcuaro if you ever get up in the mountains look me up. Might have to go up to 9,000 plus feet to see a deer, pretty much hunted out below 7,500 ft.

Dale Nielsen