loboscout

I certainly get the DIY perspective, and I was ready to do it DIY, and in fact scouted it with my buddy before opening. My buddy did it DIY for him and his father. He had other people do it DIY, with some information. I love to do as much as I can myself hunting, and even though I suck, I still go out by myself. Its just in my nature. So, I am not saying this as someone who is all about Russ. I was prepared to do it without Russ, and had a negative sort of feeling about the COOP. It just felt weird for a hunt. But, I understand why it works and why it is like no other hunt. For my hunt, the funny thing is, after a hard day of scouting for fresh sign, we ultimately came up with the exact same plan as Russ just gave to everyone. And, I shot my bison in the meadow because of Russ on multiple levels. Day before opening, my guide friend and I had scouted to a salt Russ had out and was less than 100 yards where @Flatlander was set up by Russ. We knew they had been there from the sign and smell and I was going to walk my blind into the location. On opening morning, I was just 5 minutes behind Russ and the coop when they were following the buffalo on foot. I caught up with them, and Russ didn't interfere with what I was going to do, but he did his best to make it a good hunt for everyone. All it takes is one hunter to drive around or walk around and force the buffalo onto the park. I've heard of other things guys try, but really, the options to hunt are really slim if you want to get an opportunity and also have some courtesy to the other hunters. Ultimately, I knew I would be sitting a blind most of the time because I didn't want to be the maverick running around. People that want to be a maverick won't like Russ's coop, and probably won't like sitting in the blind. Now, a really good hunter might be able to still hunt the park boundary, but I'd think twice for lots of reasons. Believe me, one day in the blind was rough enough. But, I would have stuck it out. The second morning, since I was hunting where everyone else was, I went to the Coop, got my radio from Russ, and planned to go sit the same salt. Yeah, it really sucks just sitting, but that is the best chance all hunters have. If you get yahoos running around, then the buffalo just stay on the park. It a terrible way to hunt waiting in the blind, but it is the best for everyone. Ultimately, as Flatlander and I were pulling up to park and walk into our blinds, Russ called and told all of us to head to the meadow. Rather than drive my truck solo into the herd, I asked Russ where he wanted me, and he said jump in with him. I rode up on the bison in his truck. I was asking about when to shoot, and he said, well, you have a suppressor so feel free to shoot whenever you want. I was standing near Russ on the side of the highway, and he was calling out cows trying to get people to shoot. Had it not been for Russ, I would not have shot my bison that morning. He didn't care who was out there on that meadow, and in fact as far as I know, everyone in the coop was told to go to the meadow. His boy would have helped gut and dress her if we wanted, but I had all the help I needed. Yeah, blind sitting sucked. But, my own scouting got me no different information than Russ's coop. And, I had the fortune of an experience Kaibab bison hunter to do the scouting. If you don't know anything and you choose DIY, there is a good chance that you'll be like the guys I saw driving around and seeing nothing because they hadn't participated in the coop. Imagine being those guys, and seeing a non-paying coop participant drive by with a bison head on top of coolers in my truck bed. They didn't get a chance on the hundreds of bison out in the meadow that morning because they were DIY. I don't know if they went to the coop later, because I was only up there for two nights and three days, but we told them about it. Take all that with a grain of salt, but I figured I should share my experience. IMO, if someone chooses DIY, if they don't have significant experience, intel, and understanding, they will be at a massive disadvantage. Talk with Russ and educate yourself before making a decision.

Was great to meet you. Sorry you guys didn't have success. Your story reminds me to get my story written out in more detail. I will comment mostly on Russ here though. Russ was great to me, I rode with him to that first roadside shoot out after you and I drove to meet up and game plan it. I was set up on a cow that was standing, and had time to ID it, but I didn't want to be the one to shoot first. Once the first shot rang out, I missed the opportunity on that cow. What a bummer he wasn't able to get a shot off. It was hard to ID a cow and shoot and they were massed up and moving down the meadow. You made a smart call. I had Russ calling out cows, otherwise I would not have shot as the herd was moving through. The cow that I hit stopped walking and stood there with that look a seriously wounded animal gets. Another cow and calf stood there as the rest ran off. That was the third cow that got shot that morning. The weren't moving all that fast or that far, but they pretty much all moved in one big brown mass. Its funny, on the one day I sat in the blind, same as you, all I saw were chipmunks, birds, and one doe... I was maybe 100 yards further from the park than you in that blind.

Hope you get well. Illness sucks all the way around. I'll share my thoughts on Covid and going to the hospital. During the beginning of the serious Covid maddness a couple months ago, my wife had to go to the ER twice. She was admitted to Banner Desert, which at the time was being converted to handle all the Covid positive cases. She was in the Covid unknown floor with Covid positive patients on it for a couple days. She was moved three times as the Covid wards expanded. She didn't get Covid there, and she has serious immune issues herself. The second trip, we went to a different hospital that didn't have Covid patients on the floors like Banner Desert. She didn't get it there either. The Covid hysteria is a serious problem, IMO. I read a report that more people died at home from heart attacks in a Colorado county than died from Covid over a couple of months. And, the number of visits for heart issues was down in that county, so it looks like they weren't getting treatment from fear of Covid. Personally, I have heard of more people who died at home because they didn't go to the hospital than I have heard of dying from Covid in my circle. I can't tell the future, you might catch all sorts of stuff at the hospital including stuff like RSV, mersa, infections, etc. But, I can't see how the risk of infection from Covid is any different. If you would otherwise go to the hospital for possibly life saving treatment, then I think it is a serious mistake to stay at home instead of going to the hospital because you fear Covid. The risk of the actual stuff you have now seems like all the justification I would need to go.

I am in no hurry, I can PP the money or meet up when you get back.

If you can meet up in East Valley I will do it with the 20 bucks off.

Buds has a stainless ultramag action for about 250 bucks if you join the buds team.

That is a long action and looks like it has an extended bolt stop on the baffle. I haven't seen how the box magazine is inside, but it likely holds the cartridges forward.

I will take it if no one has committed. PM info to meet if its mine.

I will take one. I can meet out that direction.

30-06 ready to hunt shot it a few weeks ago and it was 1 moa Oldie but a goodie. $295 East Valley

Winchester 30/30 $420 East Valley

SPF

SPF

Dup

Sold

Best bombproof and comfortable pack I have owned, except it is a little too short for my long torso. This is an awesome pack, heavy duty, is gonna haul gear snd meat like a champ. I only used it once or twice. I couldn't get rid of it I loved it so much, but its time for you to enjoy it. Pack and the Lid. $150 East Valley

No scabbard. PM me a phone and you can take it at $100.

I am hoping you guys connected on one!

sold

New in box Timney HIT trigger for Rem 700 with straight shoe. Decided to stick with the Triggertech I have been running. $185 east Valley

Bump, $100, lets get this sold.

Bump with price drop.

Mossberg 935 with two barrels, side saddle, picatinny rail, and choke. Will get more details into description. I just don't shoot this one much anymore. $575 east valley

I have my cow bison I need done. The guy I used last isn't taking new skulls. East Valley

@Flatlander might know someone