MT_Sourdough

In the middle of the State (unit 19a) things are drying very fast. Tanks are going empty. Lots of food. Animals are looking good at this point. Long spell till monsoon season.

Please inform me where there is evidence demonstrating interests from the feds to reduce access? I haven't seen anything but conjecture to that point. In fact the feds are passing bills to open up The Grande Canyon to hunting the bison. As I have said, everybody who is pushing the eliminating public lands are trying to suggest that the govt is trying to make our public lands inaccessible. I am capable of walking, so the only thing that is inaccessible to me is everything behind "NO TRESPASSING" signs. No, the inaccessible argument is a political ploy. As far as the Pittman/Robertson Act is concerned, the interesting story on that subject is how the Arizona Game and Fish sent out a notice on it's e-mail list saying the "administration" was trying to redirect those funds towards deficit reduction. The Notice did acknowledge that the language was part of the "Budget Control Act". The Budget control act was authored by Paul Ryan, not the Administration. So right before the election, they sent out misleading information. Do no start entertaining the idea that I am a Liberal or a Dem either, I am the guy in the middle getting assaulted by both sides.

I understand the slippery slope from National Monument to National Park, but in the case of the Grande Canyon, we are about to open up limited hunting in the park for bison. The problem is, there are designs on a "Mall of America" sorta mall built on the south side and a small town to increase from 500 to 4500 people to staff the mall. Plus with the global market for uranium being outrageous, the rims are slated to be turned into uranium mines. That's just one piece of the overall picture. Basically, anybody with money that says I want this or that, instantly becomes a stakeholder. As bad as this may sound, we are probably lucky that the current legislation is a rider on a budget bill that is more of a political stunt and will not likely make it past Obama veto stamp. I am not totally sure on that, but I am hoping. For the future, they are trying to pave the way to end the legacy and heritage of the West. It makes me very mad and depressed.

This is what I have been talking about. When the states take control of our public lands, most will go up for sale to the highest bidder. They want us to think that we'll have increased access. The only ones that will have access are those with substantial economic backing. Get use to the term "Stakeholder". Once it's private, you can bet your bottom dollar that it's going to be graced with "NO TRESPASSING" signs.

Last year, I found an area along the Verde River where hogs had tore up a huge area. I've returned to that area a few times, but there hasn't been any evidence of them since. I think they keep moving up and down the river.

You think they take bets in the office on how long it takes from the time they offer up a bogus answer till it appears at CWT.com?

https://youtu.be/Bxauqa7rJgI?t=22

I really want to get into predator hunting. I bought a rifle specifically for the purpose and I also have an Alpha Dogg E-caller. I have gone out a couple of times and I am learning from my mistakes, but I want to shorten the learning curve a bit by accompanying a seasoned predator hunter for a day of calling. I live in Chino Valley and am hoping there is such a person within 100 miles in any direction that is willing to have a rookie tag along. I'd gladly pay for gas and whatever xpenses might arise. Right now I am setting up in areas (by mistake) that makes it easier for them to see me than for it is for me to see them. Bottom line, as the only thing I get are a bunch of annoyed birds. I can just about alter my schedule to meet anybodies time line. I just want to see some buggers get called in and learn those things that are still alluding me. One more thing, if it matters, I can gladly agree to not return to the places we set up at so a person doesn't have to worry about giving up some spots. I am more concerned with learning how to pick stands than I am about specific locations. Thanks Scott

Limited Opportunity for cow with zero points. WOO HOO I'm in the game.

GET THE HOLY HAND GRENADE!!! Sorry, couldn't help myself

Ya see, now there's some good ol' common sense. If they get too lazy to fetch more firewood, they can just burn some applications. Works for me.

80 oz camelback bladder holds a 6 pack and the beer gets shook up less on your back then it does attached to the bike.

How about a bicycle frame? I have a mountain bike that has euro metro looking graphics and I could love it more if it was a bit more hillbilly lookin.

The one I just shot was an average sized sow and with head, skin and entrails all gone, weighed about 21 1/2 lbs.

ok. thanks

OK, I am trying to do the AZG&F on-line hunter questionnaire and I got hung up on the first question. Username. What is the username? thanks

Sunny morning in 19A. Far off slope was glowing in the morning sun. Hiked into a position to glass it and there they were feeding along the slope in the warm sun after two cold and wet days. Several hundred yards stocking through Cat's Claw can seem like several miles. Closed the distance to 100 yards or so. 444 Marlin, with a bullet I designed specifically for this purpose that I call the Chino Valley bullet javelina load, sealed the deal. My first javelina after 3 years of bitter tag soup. Oh', thanks to Jeff for your post gave me extra motivation

OOOH! That stings. I am working 19a and haven't even seen one yet. Great job. I am going out to try to get her done today.

No impact, one way or other regarding wolves. I grew up on a ranch in Montana, 15 miles north of Butte Montana. I know about wolves, mining and dealing with Feds

If, by "Eminent Domain" means protecting the interests of those of us that recreate, hunt and fish on public lands, then I'd say thank God. Without Federal lands, our rights and opportunities as hunters and outdoorsman are lost forever. That is unless you are a multimillionaire and therefor could afford to buy your piece of the "sale-off" of our public lands. You are seriously misguided if you think the Fed's have our best interest's in mind. I will let you in on a little secret ....."They don't" My friend, it is you that is completely misguided if you think protecting our public lands comes down to partisan politics. I am a political "independent" who fights both sides. Simply put, Democrats wants my guns and Republicans wants my public lands. The end of my way of life is lost either way. I don't take sides in political partisanship, but deal with every issue independent of partisan bias.

If, by "Eminent Domain" means protecting the interests of those of us that recreate, hunt and fish on public lands, then I'd say thank God. Without Federal lands, our rights and opportunities as hunters and outdoorsman are lost forever. That is unless you are a multimillionaire and therefor could afford to buy your piece of the "sale-off" of our public lands.

B.S. The Feds aren't "taking over" although the Arizona Game and Fish would impose that rhetorical language. The Grand Canyon is plum full of uranium. A Canadian company has their heart set at getting at that uranium and has been fighting with the Feds to open mines. Right now, there are 39 locations that are targeted by so called "stakeholders" for prospective mines and there is a deep desire by mining interests to explore for more. The international market for uranium has gone up over 800% over the last decade and that has fueled the debate over mining in the areas on the north rim and south rim around the park. The AZGFD is not on the side of sportsman and fisherman with this issue. In fact, when they link this issue with the Utah effort to take over federal private lands for private interests. With the rise in value of natural resources, the pressure will continue to grow for federal land holdings to be transferred over to private interests to "access" those resources. As sportsman, the national monument wont stop hunting or hinder our access. This issue is directly related to the efforts to get at the value of the Natural resources. If access is lost, it will be at the hands of those interests, not as a result of National monument designation. For example, look at the Agua Fria National Monument. We can hunt and camp and do whatever in a national monument. The only limit in a national monument is upon it's destruction. The rise of Asian economies is going to continue and therefor the value of natural resources will rise with them, If the area is turned into National Monument, the result would prevent mining companies of defeating the Feds in the courts in the Feds efforts to prevent the Grand Canyon from becoming a mining operation all around it. The mines wouldn't hire a lot of people and will not have much of a benefit for Arizona's economy, but when big money talks. This is all part of a bigger story. This is a direct challenge to the Feds efforts to maintain public lands in the west. Our wide open public lands are under severe threat in the west. As long as market prices continue to rise for natural resources, and they will, then this is going to be a long fight to preserve the wide open spaces that defines the west. The very lands that we hunt on can be lost to "NO TRESPASSING" signs if we sportsman and westerners fail to recognize what is going on here. Our beloved Game and Fish aren't with us and are using lies and rhetorical language to distort the issue. Personally, I am deeply bothered by Arizona's Game and Fish depts position on this issue. They are NOT on the side of us sportsman. They are, in fact, trying to hide the truth that they are representing interests that are counter to their mission.

Based on what I discovered last year in those units, do not dismiss the timber areas. I saw huge herds in the timber. Them javelina look like little russian boars when they are running through the timber.

I just happened to see two cow elk in there this morning. I frequent the northern area of the unit. The north section has a lot of roads but not a lot of hunters , ATV or otherwise. The problem is, the animals are few and far between, plus the critters have large ranges in that area. I'd post a pic of some cow elk that I captured with a game cam a couple of days ago, but I left my SD card with all the pics in one of my cameras.

Your pics remind me of some pics from this weekend. Buck withright side gone chasing a doe.