lancetkenyon

No. Hopefully it is the fact that he has 5 other bigger bulls already mounted, and this one doesn't measure up! Not lack of funds.

Are you crazy?!? You shot that bull and decided not to mount it? Awesome bull, congrats.

PM Sent

My Dad got me into hunting at a very early age. A single shot .22 passed down from my Great-Grandmother was used to take lizards at first, then onto rabbits and squirrels. Another passed down gun from Great-Grandma Bill (I never knew her real name), was a single shot .410 shotgun. Sucker had a hammer I had to wear gloves to cock. I was not allowed to go hunting with it until I could cock it on my own. And I was never allowed to carry it loaded, so it made quail hunting interesting. It also made me a way better shot. Doves came next. Again, that .410 made me a pretty good shot. I also shot archery a lot as a kid. My Dad taught Parks and Rec. during the summers, and archery was on the weekly classes he taught. I used to go with him every week for that class, plus often to just hang out. When I turned 14, my Dad bought me a Mossberg 500 20ga. I started hunting quail and doves a LOT then. It also made me lose some of my shooting skills knowing I had 3 rounds in the gun. My Dad used to bet me on birds vs. shots after that, I and got a lot of the skills back. I still, to this day, strive for a 90+% ratio. Also, at 14, my Dad borrowed a .270 Win from his friend, and took his trusty .30-06 M1917 Enfield service rifle (he shot competitively at Douglas HS & ASU back in the day), and we went on my first ever deer hunt. We did not get anything, but I was hooked. I also got my first used compound bow that year. An OLD Bear. I took my first big game animal the next year at 15. A turkey roosting in a tree. I never realized until about 10 years ago, when I was 33, that my Dad had actually never taken a big game animal. Tons of small game, but nothing big. He had been taking me hunting for about 27 years, and 19 for big game, and always was carrying either a bow or rifle, and never took a shot. Always letting me do the hunting. 10 years ago, we drew a 12AE rifle tag together, and he shot his first, and last deer ever. A very small forkie. My Mom is not into game meat, so I got it all. He spent the rest of the hunt with me, and we had a blast even though I did not take a deer that year. On the hunt, I found a stone arrowhead, and my Dad was in awe. I made a shadow box with backlighting, and gave it to my parents that Christmas. I have only seen my Dad cry 3 times that I can remember. When my Grandparents died, and that Christmas. He taught me woodsmanship, tracking, ethics, survival, geology, botany, conservation, etc. Things I use almost everyday either at work or play. I could never repay him for all the time he has spent, and important things he has taught me. I try my hardest to pass the information on to my children. I have hunted big game mostly solo other than the times with my Dad. My brother has always been into small game and bird hunting, but after this past fall with my daughter taking her first elk and him being with us, he wants to put in for deer with me next year. I will be happy to help him take his first deer if we get drawn. I have learned most of the more recent stuff over the past 20 years by trial and lots of error, and reading just about everything I could get my hands on. My Dad is a great man, and I am thankful I still get to see him every week. I hope my kids look back on me when they grow up and think the same about me. I have some big shoes to fill. Thanks Dad.

It will SMOKE coyotes. I used to run 85gr. Nosler Varmint BTs in mine for coyotes. I also tried some 75gr. Sierra Varminters. Just load some 115gr Berger VLDs and you will have a great backup deer rifle for your hunts. You won't be sorry.

Why just a "close range" deer rifle? These are a hammer on even the big mulies out to 700-800 yards if they shoot well and hit where you want them to. Three weeks ago, I was shooting 1350+ yards with my .25-06 Ackley with regular .25-06 Rem fire firming loads. Very accurately I might add. And hit hard enough to hear the "whack" on impact. I am sure a few others will chime in on their love for the .25-06 too.

Price?

What the heck, it is only money, right? Just ordered: Seekins 1 piece 20MOA Picatinny base Seekins 4/6 34mm .97" high rings (4 screws rear/6 screws front) Vortex 34mm bubble scope level I am also picking up a box of 1000 Federal LR Match primers tomorrow.

Contour is a Rem Sendero/Varmint. I also, just now, dropped the hammer on my new scope purchase! Ordered a Steiner T5Xi with the SCR reticle. Liberty Optics will be the first company to receive the new scopes at the end of December, and they will ship out the beginning of January. Good thing about this Steiner model, it is made in the USA in Colorado, but uses German Schott glass. Saves a ton of $$$ on importing it from the Germany factory. MSRP is $2399, MAP is $1999. Liberty has a deal for Snipershide members going on while pre-order supplies last. I am sure I can't state the price, but worth it. I have been calling around, and shopping on line for a Vortex Razor Gen II 4.5-27, and NO ONE has them until April or May. It was a toss up between these two. With the pricing of the Steiner, I could not pass it up. I really like the SCR reticle for windage. I dial for elevation, but the windage is great on this scope. Center X is .2 mil wide (.1 each side of vertical), then a .1 mil gap, then the other vertical tics are at .2 mil apart. Makes it easier to determine holds that the Xs at .5 mil apart. @ 5X @ 15X @ 25X

Brown Santa came tonight....Manners T2A Adjustable cheek Rem 700 SA right hand w. BDL. Set the action in place....

So my brother comes over on Sunday with a gift to Taylor. He made a DVD of her hunt using a lot of photos I took over the course of the summer, and some videos and photos he took while on the hunt. It contains some great memories, some photos that nearly brought a tear to my eyes, some great music, and some comic relief in the form of "twerking". I am uploading them to Youtube as we speak. Part 1 is done, part 2 is almost complete. It is about 22 minutes total length, but it is broken down into two videos. Shows a lot of prep that went into the hunt, and some LR shooting as well. I'll post them up in just a few minutes.

I'll take the Federal LR Match primers, GM210M. PM inbound.

What do you plan to shoot with it (game or target wise)?

Depends on what bullets you plan to shoot. I really like the Sierra manual the best. Even before I shot Sierra bullets much. Now I use a few of their bullets for different loads. I also use the Berger book a lot. But I shoot Berger bullets a lot. They just seem to be on the safe side of load workup. So you need to start at the suggested loads, and work up to see what is safe in YOUR gun. I also have the Nosler, Hornady, and Barnes books. I use them occasionally, but now that I have my loads worked up, they sit most of the time. I also have a few of the powder manufacturers load data, but again, they sit most of the time. Online sources are good for reference as well. I like www.reloadersnest.com and use it quite a bit to get a feel for what others have used. Again, and MOST IMPORTANT, you need to start low and work your way up no matter what books or websites tell you is a maximum or safe load. Look for pressure signs and stopp immediately if you see or feel any. Only you can tell what your gun will do safely. Sometimes it is above published max loads, but I am in no way saying you should try this until you have some experience under your belt and your gun tells you it is safe to do so.

I shoot at Ben Avery quite often. Except for the yahoos that come in and know nothing of gun safety and shooting etiquette, it is OK. I am also a member of Cowtown Long Range Shooters. Love this place. Low membership means a lot of opportunity to shoot. Steel targets from 100 to 1368+ dependent on which range you shoot at. Cost is a little steep though. But it is close enough to the Valley to help offset my drive costs to my old desert shooting location to shoot past 200 yards. I would also be interested in shooting the 1000 yard range at Ben Avery. It would be nice to check groups at 500 to 1000 yards.

In the past week, I have seen numerous herds of does....all alone. No bucks anywhere near the does around the Phoenix and Gila Bend areas that I have seen.

Nice Harley. You will be amazed at how much better they are than a $30 set of glass.

Tentatively sold......

Sold

I have a few Leupold 1 piece bases and rings that have been in my desk. Some are new, some are used. $10 each (one set of rings or 1 base). Rem 700 LA w. rear windage adjustment. Used Mauser 98 LA w. rear windage adjustment. Came off my Interarms Mark X. Should fit Weatherby Vanguard and Howa 1500 I think. Used New in package 30mm High .900 dovetail front, windage rear rings. New in package Mauser 98 LA w. rear windage adjustment. Used 1" Redfield Medium rings double dovetail Used 30mm High .900 dovetail front, windage rear rings Used Rem 700 SA Redfield base w. Leupold 30mm high .900 rings ($20 for set)

Thank you. Enjoy.

Sold

I just thought she looked pissed off too. "Why is this idiot taking our photo? We don't even have antlers....what a moron." Or "It has been 11 1/2 months since I got laid! Come on rut!!!" No harm meant OP.

More Brown Santa gifts today! And some I bought on my own locally. I ordered 10 packs of 20 each, Remington brand .243 Win brass. It arrived today, and to my delight.....there are 21 pieces in each pack!!! So 10 rounds free. I also stopped on my way home and picked up a box of Berger 6.5mm 140gr. Hunting VLDs. BC rating of .612 is pretty good. Once I get load worked up after I am sure they will shoot well, I will grab a 500ct. box. From L to R: .308 210gr. Berger Target Hybrid .264 140gr. Berger VLD Hunting .257 115gr. Berger VLD Hunting .224 69 Sierra Match King