Gr8 White Jr

I don't know the details to any laws as far as this matter goes but if it is illegal to have a camera on a tree and the law give the FS the authority to takes it then I would guess that there isn't much you could do about it. As far as somebody other than the FS who just happens to find another person's camera out in the forest, the legalities really are irrelevant to the issue. Regardless of what the law says you do not have any right to take anything that does not belong to you. What it really boils down to is basic right and wrong and respect for others. If you are even somewhat of a decent person and have any kind of understanding of respect for others then you don't need any law to tell you whether or not to mess with or take something that doesn't belong to you. As far as cameras "disrupting wildlife", your statement screams of your ignorance. I have never put a camera on a waterhole but I assure you that a camera at a water hole WILL NOT keep game from drinking. -Tracy

I sent in both my SLC 15x56's and my EL 10x42's last summer. The 15's were just dirty and I wanted a cleaning. The EL's I had bought used and were in pretty rough shape, broken eye cup and looked as if they had been drug through the dirt for miles. I was honest with the lady at SONA when I called and told her I wanted the EL's completely gone over, cleaned in and out, and the eye cups fixed/replaced. She said they would look over them and then call me and let me know how much it would cost for the repairs. I sent both pairs in (over night shipping) and never recieved a call about any charges. Within two and a half weeks I had both pairs back to me. The EL's had brand new eye cups and both pairs were spotless and looked brand new. Best of all, NO CHARGE! You just don't get much better customer service than that. -Tracy

July 22nd @ 1:13 PM

I have that exact scope on my .300 Win Mag and absolutely love it. I've never had a problem with getting "kissed" by the scope. -Tracy

Outstanding! That is a great mount all around and like others have said that buck adds a nice touch to it. I think you're crazy to have not mounted that buck. Congrats to you on the lion and to your wife on the buck, and kudos to the taxidermist who did the work! -Tracy

Seems like conversation that would be more appropriate for a PM. Just my opinion. -Tracy

I had a Timney installed on my Ruger M77 Mark II. Absolutely a great trigger! I too went in to their shop and picked it up in person and received the same great customer service as you did. I actually brought my rifel down there and they installed it for me. Great product, great people and great company! -Tracy

This is a great post! Thanks for all the valuable info! What exactly is the 'freeze dried' method? Are the velvet antlers just put in a regular freezer for a period of time or is there more to it? -Tracy

+1 Spot Hoggs are the best sight on the market IMO! -Tracy

Great looking bear! Congrats! -Tracy

Great story! My heart was pumping while I read it as I felt like I was right there with you. Thanks for sharing and a big congrats on a beast of a black bear! Can't wait to see the video! -Tracy

http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/Bear-found-in-north-Peoria-neighborhood-121126079.html This is only a few miles from where my parents live. I can't even imagine seeing a black bear walking through town. Poor little guy must have been really lost. -Tracy

Great job TJ! Way to stick it out and get it done when it seemed as if everything was stacked up against you. Too bad Peg had to miss out. We are very sorry to hear about the passing of her aunt! Congrats on a great bird! -Tracy

Two Goulds under your belt? Unreal! Someday, someday. Until then I'll just keep stacking up them bonus points. Congrats on a beautiful tom! What are your plans for the bird? It would make a beautiful mount! -Tracy

Awesome!!!!

A great victory for our millitary and our whole country! You couldn't pry the smile off my face. God bless our country and our troops! -Tracy

Great write up and pics! Hope the hummingbird made it! -Tracy

Great looking mount! Glad to see your dream finally came together after all this time. Well deserved for sure! Hopefully now you can forget about that other bad memmory of a mount. Congrats again on the cat! -Tracy

Woohoo! Way to get it done, Ryan. You guys are awesome! Congrats on a great looking tom. -Tracy

+1 Hahaha! Thats too funny! -Tracy

Great story and great buck! Somehow I must have missed this when first posted because I surely would have remembered it. I love stories like this that make me feel like I'm right there along side of you as it all goes down. Great write up and congrats on an outstanding buck! -Tracy

Wow! I was lost but thanks to that amazing technology now I know right where I'm at. -Tracy

Saw you on Monday parked out front of a house about a mile north of the Loop 202 on Recker rd.

AWESOME!!! I want more! Haha! Great video! It leaves me jonesing for coues country. Thanks for sharing! -Tracy

If any of you had tags for the general javelina hunt last weekend then you know that the poor weather made for a difficult hunt. Last year the weather was very poor as well for the general javelina hunt and after hunting two straight days in the rain my girlfriend Angie and I were unsuccessful at filling her tag. Being that Angie’s hunt turned out so poorly last year, this year we were determined to hunt hard, rain or shine, and find a javelina for her to put her tag on. Do to us both having to work on Friday we had to miss the first day of the hunt and weren’t able to make it out until Saturday morning. Saturday morning we were up early with high hopes but uncertain expectations with the projected weather reports in the back of our minds. Rain and snow was in the forecast but that wasn’t going to stop us, not this year! After making our routine stop at QT to get coffee and snacks we were on the highway and on our way. By the time we reached our turnoff we were being blanketed by a steady shower of rain as we started our long drive down the dirt road. When we got to our parking spot we had a short discussion about the rain and decided not to hike up to our usual glassing point since it is a rock outcropping with no cover. Instead we decided that we would hike up and over the ridge and find a nice juniper tree that would offer some shelter from the rain so we could sit and glass. After getting settled in under the chosen juniper we spent the next couple of hours doing our best to glass through the nonstop rain. We weren’t having any luck finding javelina, or any game for that matter, and we were getting pretty wet sitting there anyway so we decided to go for a hike and go check some mine shafts a few canyons over. After hiking all over the countryside in the nonstop rain, stopping occasionally to glass under a tree and checking the mine shafts with no luck we made our way back to the truck. By the time we reached the truck the temperature had dropped and the rain was slowly turning to snow. We were SOAKED and very cold. The day had come to an end so we headed home longing for a hot shower and a warm bed. Sunday morning the alarm rang early and I was honestly not so enthusiastic about getting back out in the cold rain and snow. Again the rain was falling hard on us as we headed up the highway but thankfully by the time we reached our parking spot the rain had stopped and there was a only a very light snow falling from the sky. We put our packs on and hiked up to our usual glassing point up on top of the rock outcropping. As we set up our tripods my confidence started to soar as visibility was the best we had seen on this hunt. I started glassing the hills I usually find javelina on about ¾ of a mile out. As I was glassing I kept hearing rustling and twigs breaking but I could not tell where it was coming from. Not sure if I was really hearing something or if it was just my ears playing tricks on me I pulled the hood on my jacket off of my head and lifted my beanie up exposing my ears. I continued glassing for another five minutes or so and then I heard it again, twigs braking, and it sounded like it was coming from below us. I looked down below us and couldn’t see anything with the naked eye so I spun my 15’s down toward where I thought the sound had come from. When I put my eyes to my binoculars, there in the center of my field of view was a javelina tearing apart some prickly pear cactus. I couldn’t believe it! I scanned around and saw that there was a whole heard feeding around about 200 yards below us. I turned around to Angie who was sitting about 5 yards behind me and told her to very quietly and very slowly get the rifle and come to me. Her face lit up as I told her there was a herd below us. When she got to me I showed her where the herd was and I told her to keep her eye on them while I set the rifle up and got everything ready for her to take a shot. As she watched the herd I grabbed my rifle and jumped down off the rocks to a flat spot that was perfect for Angie to shoot from in the prone position. After moving some rocks around I got my rifle set up on my pack and on the bipod and told Angie to come down to me. She layed down, settled in behind the rifle and found the herd in the riflescope. I asked her “do you see that big, old pig that looks really light grey, almost white?” She answered “yes”. I said “that’s the one you want to shoot”. I told her to wait a minute being that there was another pig standing directly behind it. When the other pig took a few steps forward and moved out from behind the one Angie was going to shoot I told her to go ahead and shoot. I was telling her to slowly put pressure on the trigger, “remember to just squeeze it, don’t pull it” I said. BOOM! I watched her pig drop at the report of the rifle! I was so excited but I kept perfectly calm and showed no sign of any emotion. Angie looked at me and very excitedly asked, “Did I miss?” I told her to calm down as I kept looking through my binoculars. Angie asked again, “Did I hit it? Did I miss?” Again I told her to calm down and to give me a minute while I kept looking through my binos. Angie was on the verge of freaking out being that I wouldn’t tell her whether or not she missed. She kept looking back through the scope trying to find her pig again. I told her to hold on and then I said “Wow, there are quite a few pigs in that herd!” I started counting out loud, “one, two, three, four, five, six…….should I count the dead one that is laying on the ground?” I asked her. Not realizing what I had asked her she said, “I don’t know” as she kept looking through the scope. I looked at her and said, “Angie, did you not hear what I just asked you?” She took her eye out of the scope and looked at me with confusion. Her facial expression changed as she started to realize what I had just asked. I was smiling really big as she started asking very nervously, “I hit it? I hit it? Are you serious? I hit it?” I gave her a hug and said “congratulations, your pig is laying dead down there in the cactus!” She was so excited and so happy and called me a few “choice words” for messing with her and leaving her in such suspense for so long. I know, I know, it wasn’t very nice letting her sit there so nervous not knowing whether or not she hit it, but it sure was FUN! HAHAHA! We watched the herd continue to feed around for a little while before making our way down to her pig. It was a big old sow and very old. Its hide was very silver and very unique looking. The pictures just don’t do it justice! She made a perfect 196 yard shot hitting it right behind the shoulder. One shot, one kill! We took pictures and tied the javelina up in the Badlands 2200 pack (which is the absolutely perfect pack for hauling out javelina) and hiked our way back to the truck as the snow started to come down. What a perfect morning! My “city girl” girlfriend has done it again! This is Angie’s second javelina and we already can’t wait for next year. Thanks to those who took the time to read my story and as always thanks to Amanda for this great site where we can share our experiences with each other! -Tracy Under a juniper trying to stay dry. Angie behind the glass. Out in the rain and snow. Ready to shoot! Pigs were where the red arrow is pointing. Angie's trophy! Angie sporting the CWT shirt. Shot placement. Angie pretending she is going to pack out her trophy. Me, the actual pack mule. One more pic of Angie sporting the CWT shirt.