knothead

I'm not good enough of a bowhunter to pick one animal and only hunt it. I usually choose a location and method that will give me the best chance to be successful. If I'm gun hunting then I will hunt a specific animal.

I have an antelope hunt this year so I have cameras out right now. Two of the Three cameras consistently get antelope pics between 10:30 pm and 3:00 am. This kind of surprised me too because I have always heard to put antelope to bed and they will be within a couple hundred yards when the sun comes back up next morning. All the pictures are bucks and no does.

Since your family has been here so long, I imagine you are related to the Arnold's pickle family? I used to rope with some of them back in 70's.

Oh my gosh! All you guys that live in places I would trade my left nut to live at and you want to move?! Payson is in my top two or three places I would like to move to. What Yotebuster said about taking all the public land for granted we have out west is no small thing. I never really knew until I moved to Texas how much free land we have to roam in here in AZ. Seriously, you don't know what you got until it's gone. Now that grand kids are starting to be born, I don't think there is anyway I am going to get my wife to leave the valley for a small town some place in AZ. Probably die right here in Peoria.

I am always skeptical of anyone with less than 50 posts. I may read but will never respond. The OP only has 4 posts on CW.

The grass is rarely any greener on the other side. You like the western lifestyle and you live in Wickenburg! What could be any better than that? I was born and raised here but I have lived in NM and TX and the entire time I missed AZ. That being said, AZ used to be a great place live and raise a family but now everybody is from someplace else. When they come here and make their living here their loyalties remain where they came from. Have you ever noticed these people start every sentence with "Back home......"? If back home was so great why did you leave? I agree AZ is becoming more and more like SoCal by the day. California is like a cancer as far as I am concerned. Where ever these people go they try to change it to be like California. Stay in AZ, just don't live in the valley. Don't forget to buy your lifetime AZ hunting license before you leave. My two cents. Sorry for venting but I feel a little better now. Good luck on whatever you decide.

cozy camper canvass. The lady works out of her house and is very professional and prices are great. 75th ave and Peoria area. 602.486.3322

If you could sit down with the decision makers at AZGFD what recommendations would you make to improve things for the wildlife, hunters, hunting and the department without breaking the bank or impacting their generated funds? This is where I would start: 1. Make the application process less redundant. Why do we have to list our personal information every time we apply for a different species? Other states have figured out how to do this why can't we? 2. When applying for hunts, give the option of listing a 2nd credit or debit card in case the first card is rejected. 3. If the person who turns in or donates tag using point guard is the highest point holder on the application then in order to keep bonus points if they bought point guard 1.) everyone on application must turn in their tag or 2.) the person turning in tag does not get to regain all their points. If the person turning in tag is not the highest point holder on the application then they can keep their points and has no effect on everybody else on application. This will help with reducing the bonus point farming by allowing point farmers to use points one time instead of two. This should also help reduce or slow down point creep. 4. The archery deer hunts that you must get drawn for should be placed with the elk/antelope draw. This will allow the successful applicants have time to schedule time off work, scout, search for a guide etc. 5. Game camera season on public land (not private property). I know some people are really passionate about this topic but cameras would only be allowed from Feb 1st to August 15th every year. This still allows people time to use them but also give the animals a break. 6. Right now virtually every season ends on a Sunday. If a season ends on a 3 day holiday weekend that is a Monday, allow the season to end on Monday & not Sunday. What else?

Does anyone have the be the decoy antelope hat and shirt they want to sell? Large or extra-large shirt would be what I prefer and I wear 7 1/8" hat but I imagine it is adjustable. Thanks John 623-680-4458

I'm not going to use it during my hunt but before the hunt when I am scouting. I have been watching some YouTube videos and it looks like a lot of fun. I might even try filming some of it. I'm also going to hold onto it for the next time I hunt Wyoming with bow and arrow.

Can you be more specific or are all of them bad ideas in your opinion? What if any, are the good ideas?

I agree and I am guilty of this myself. I have never stood before the board and talked myself but I have written to them many times and submitted formal documents. When I started this thread my intention was just to see what other people are thinking and what ideas they had. I learn a lot from others and many things I never even considered until I heard someone bring it up. It was also meant to be a barometer for support or lack of support for the ideas.

1. Kind of like putting toothpaste back in the tube. It is out now and they ain't going back in. Looking back, I believe this is a mistake G&F made. It is hardly a primitive weapon anymore. This is why game and fish needs to be proactive with regard to crossbows or crossguns. They should never be allowed during an archery hunt. Muzzy or rifle season yes but not during archery season. Arrow needs to be held back by human power 100% of the time and not allowed to be in a locked position. Too many people are already abusing this rule already. 2. Ding Ding Ding We have a winner. I could not agree more. 3. some tweaking but not a complete overhaul could help reduce point creep. 4. Always can use more law enforcement. 5. Definitely room for improvement here. Serial or multiple animal poachers need much harsher consequences such and lifetime bans. In the very least fines should be multiplied by a factor of 10. 6. Education is always a good thing.

I agree. A lot of people fail to take into consideration numbers of people we have today compared to decades ago. In 1965 AZ population was 1.6 million and today just shy of 7.3 million. We are supposed to grow by another million by 2030. With the advent of social media and lots of online resources NR's are definitely venturing out of their home states.

Not trying to be argumentative but why a separate season for primitive muzzy hunt? You can hunt any style you want on our current muzzy hunts and our rifle hunts. As it is right now the critters get almost no time to relax and live like normal animals from end of August to end of January. There is practically a hunt of some sort going on every weekend in the fall.

Unsure what you mean by this. Could you clarify with specifics?

If you think this is me being disgruntled and I have a case of sour grapes then I did not do a well enough job explaining the meaning of this thread. To the contrary, this is probably my most successful year ever in the draws. Keep things the way they are and I will still do quite well but I still think there is always room for improvement.

where are you located?

I'm old school and in many ways do not care for change but G&F makes me look like Elon Musk with regard to streamlining draw and making application system less cumbersome.

I have 6a but I am a little leery about using it. I will be hunting with bow and arrow on a gun hunt. Not sure if it is real smart because we all know gun hunters aren't real selective as to what they shoot at. Thankfully, there are no power lines within miles of where I will be hunting. I just ordered a long sleeve tan t-shirt and will get some white dye and finish the ensemble. I figure I can always use as a costume for Halloween. Thanks for the words of encouragement.

I found one. thanks

I was at chevelon lake years back on memorial day weekend and the cicadas were every where. I always thought the hatch varied. I am seeing them around the valley right now.

I got a 55 qt for fathers day a year ago and I just don't get the hype of these high end coolers. It's an ok cooler but I can't say it is any better than Extreme 5 day or 7 day cooler.

Hey Bob, sorry they did not work out for you but if you check the text I sent you before you came over I gave you the measurements. 72" X 40". They worked great for my polaris sportsman. Free bump for some good ramps.

Next time put your application in a large bright pink or lime green envelope with some cool stickers on back. Report back after next years leftover draw and then you can thank me.