A while back Kathy Andrews from the IDNR contacted me and asked if the Illinois Bowfishers could help her secure some gar scales for a outdoor crafts project in her Becoming an Outdoors Woman program.

You guys shot some decent sized longnose gar for me and I cleaned up the scales and sent them off to her.

She sent some samples ofwhat the class made. They are really cool. The poinsetta pin is perfect for Christmas and I really like thelong dangling earrings.It makes me think I should make a matching necklace.

Thanks to you guys and to Kathy!

How did you clean the scales?

Wow! Nice! I really like the lower set, with the blue. How much would you be willing to take for a pair of those?

For you or Dina?

Fish, it's a trade secret. Like your fish marinade and Duane's cerviche.

Actually, I boiled 'em with an enzyme cleaner.

Dina, but I might borrow one once in a while.

Those are pretty awesome! It's hard to imagine that they're fish scales!

That's some nice looking stuff.
Better than I had imagined, and even cooler that they came from a gar.

It seems to me that Kathy knows what she's doing and I admire her creativity.