Gary I

I got lucky on Saturday and found the sheds off of the giant buck that Mullins Outfitters hunter killed a couple of weeks ago. I had been hunting this buck for 3 years and never could close the deal on him. I now have 3 sets and 2 singles offf of this buck. I score this set at just over 137 inches. Congrats to the hunter that harvested this giant buck, Truly a once in a lifetime buck.

123456, Thanks for the compliment on the lantern tree. It was an inspiration of mine. Collecting old Coleman lanterns has been a lot of fun. By the way, I'm looking for a single mantle model 200A in the gold bond color they made in the early 70s if anyone has one the want to sell or trade away. Gary

More pix...more years... The best set is currently at mogollon taxidery being mounted with last years archery buck cape

Seldom drawn, To answer your questions, I found the first set of sheds 3 years ago. I showed the sheds off but was very vague about where they came from. I hunted this buck for three years, once in the October rifle hunt and twice in the January archery hunt. All three times other bucks tempted me too much and I came home with them. I only saw the buck alive once for about two seconds. I knew that with cameras being put everywhere it was only a matter of time before someone else found him. I never sold this buck out or even told anyone where he was. I believe the guy that found him found him fair and square like I did. I put well over 125 miles on my boots to collect these sheds and they are some of my best trophies.

**Unbelievable response! All are spoken for now. Thanks so much for the response.** I have some newly cleaned/whitened skulls that I really don't need. These skulls were from a local taxidermist: they weren't wanted when the animals were brought in to be mounted. He was going to throw them away. Since I clean skulls, I hated to see them go to waste. So I took them, cleaned them and would like to sell, trade or even donate them to a school or other worthy cause. I didn't take them to make a profit; even though I have time and some money in them, I just didn't want to see them wasted. They are professionally cleaned, odor-free and ready to go. There are five bears, three javelina, two mountain lions and three bobcats. Make me an offer, let's talk trade or tell me who needs them. Top of my wishlist: an early '70s, original, gold single-mantle Coleman lantern. Call Gary at 928-978-2627, PM me or email me at antlerfinder@hotmail.com

All are spoken for. Thanks, members. Amazing response!

Never thought skulls were so sought after. Only have 1 bear and 1 bobcat left

Kidso. Send me your ship to address and I will ship you bear, lion, bobcat and a javelins for your class room.

Great response. Both lion skulls are spoken for. Thanks, Gary

In the words of the great Frank Barone : HOLY CRAP! Seems to have a blatant disregard for rules and regulations, no matter what they apply to. Including G & F rules, huh, makes you think. Looks like a turd, smells like a turd, might be a turd!

I will take the moose shed antlers. Thanks Scott

My experience on cummins vs Toyota. I am almost embarrased to admit I just went thru this exact thing. After driving and loving my 2006 cummins for 4 years I decided to trade for a new tundra. I found the truck I wanted, drove to salt lake city and bought it. I had immediate buyers remorse on the trip home. Two weeks later I towed a small trailer to Montana with a moderate load on it. My mileage was terrible, 9.5 to 10.5 and the up hill towing was moderate at best, even with the 5.7 liter engine. I have to admit the truck was extremely comfortable and easy to drive though. After having to stop for gas 8 times each way I decided this just wasn't going to cut it. I started looking for another diesel as soon as I got home. Two weeks later I found the truck I wanted in Boise, Idaho. After hammering out the best deal I could it was off to Boise to get the new cummins. The drive home was amazing, all the power I wanted, 560 miles out of a tank of fuel, nice ride for a big truck, and it looks great. To say that trading in my 2006 diesel was a mistake would be an understatement. Sure they cost a little more to drive and maintain but its worth it. It is very hard to drive a diesel very long and be happy going to a smaller truck. Toyota builds a great truck but they aren't a cummins. I have a 1986 Toyota 4x4 for my running around truck and love it. So my advice is to go out and look over that great looking dodge cummins and decide that the best thing to do is to keep it. I wish my 2006 was still in my driveway now. Sorry for the long read but its important to drive what makes you happy, just my opinion.

Not sure if there is any interest in this machine this time of year or not but thought I would throw it out there. Winter will return someday. I have a 2003 Arctic Cat ZL 600 snow machine. It only has 335 miles on it. This thing looks and runs like new. Blue book on this is a little over $2200.00 assuming normal condition and milage for the year. This is in better condition and has less miles than assumed normal. I don't know a lot about these things, I bought it from a neighbor that needed space in his garage for other toys. I really thought I needed it at the time. I would like to get $1500.00 for it or trade for something of equal value. Arizona does not title these machines so a bill of sale will be provided. You can contact me through CWT or at 928-951-2627 text or talk. Thanks for looking, Gary

This was the SS model. I sold it on Friday though. Thanks for the interest.

marvin, I don't mean to hijack Dave's topic her but I have a question for you since you seem to know the rules well. What would be the book position for an animal that would make it have to be panel scored? Is it top 10, top 20 or what? Just curious at this point. Anyway it was never brought to my attention that my buck would need to be panel scored to be recognized. It was presented to me as an option as a way to credit the life of the animal. I fully understand the need to keep the top layer of the records as accurate as possible, just wish it would have been explained a little better at the time. It is what it is. I also agree with Old Buck, I wish I had gone to the convention. I will more than likely never get another chance to go under the same circumstances.

Congrats on taking a buck worthy of being honored like this. You are absolutely correct in that it is all about respect for the animal. I too wrestled with the decision to send my buck off to the convention without being able to go myself, but eventually made the same choice you did. As far as my buck getting there and back, all went very well, no problems at all. However, I was very disappointed in the results of the panel scoring. After having the buck officially scored here twice, by official measurerers, with the same results, it was panel scored and the buck lost almost 3 inches. If the buck was a contender for a world record I could see the need to panel score just to be sure. What good is it to have official measurerers if they are going to be over ruled later. The result was that my buck went from being number 5 in the book to number 11. If I had known that there was a chance that things would have turned out like this I never would have sent him in and his first official score would stand forever. I feel that after Pope and Young accepted the first official measurement and my money to enter him in their book that that should be it. I don't think I would ever send another animal in to be panel scored again. I don't mean to sould like a whiner but the buck should get all the respect due to him, wether or not my name is next to him as the hunter. I truely hope that your experience is everything that it should be and the scoring results are favorable. Congrats again on the buck of a lifetime.

I can hardly wait to get these kits on my truck. Been wanting to do this for a long time.

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Did a 12 mile solo backpack hunt into the Mazatzal Wilderness area in the third week of the January archery deer season. On Sunday afternoon, I caught a buck circling a hot doe and was able to sneak in fairly close. I got lucky and he walked straight toward me and emerged from the trees at 20 yards, broadside! I pulled my bow up, put my 30-yard pin on him (!!!) and watched my arrow sail harmlessly over his back. I could have kicked myself, sure the hunt was over. However, the buck ran out to 40 yards and stopped to look back and see what spooked him. The second arrow was already on its way. I watched the arrow pass through him, but thought the shot was low. When I went to retrieve my arrow, I was was pleasantly surprised by a great blood trail. I only had to follow it 40 yards to find him piled up under a cedar tree. As it turns out, the shot wasn't low, after all. Then came the work: he was a large-bodied deer. I boned him, bagged him and spent the night in the wilderness area. The next morning, it was a grueling pack back to the truck. I weighed my pack when I got home and it was 93 pounds. He was a hard-earned trophy but worth every ounce of effort. He scored 97". He has six points on the left and five on the right.

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Asking about the best tires is like asking what is the best beer, you will get lots of advice. But since you asked....... after having a lot of front end problems with my 2006 Dodge I took several people's advice and bought a good set of tires (among other things) I did a lot of research and finally ended up buying the Toyo Open Country HTs. In the 10 ply version a couple of weeks ago. They are a mostly highway tread but with a little aggressiveness. These tires are giving exceptional milage under the diesels (in excess of 70,000 miles), are very quiet and have a very smooth ride. My truck has 17 inch rims so I opted to go with the 285-70-17 size. The taller tires look a little better under the truck. I got the set of tires with the road hazzard warranty for 1200.00 OTD. I just put 3000 miles on them last week and am very happy with them. Just a little other advice from one dodge owner to another. After putting the leveling kit on buy a good adjustable trac bar for the front end. I put on a BD Performance Diesel trac bar and it made a ton of difference in how it drives. There are a bunch of other good brands too. Another thing I found out the hard way is that stock length front shocks will not last very long with the leveling kit. I bought all new bilstein shocks made for a truck with a leveling kit on it. They are a little spendy ( around 320.00 for all four shocks) but oh so worth it. Last but certainly not least, put on the best steering stabilizer you can afford. I again went with the Bilstein for this. It does not seem that just putting a leveling kit on these trucks will make much difference in how they drive but it does. Everything changes. I love my Dodge and like the look with the leveling kit on it, it just takes some time and money to make it drive like it should. Good luck with finding the tires that make your truck look and handle the way you want it to. Gary

It always amazes me how many people I talk to that used to live in or know this area well. Noxon and Trout Creek are such small towns, but a lot of folks have been there. I too have spent a few dollars in the Trout Creek bar. Nice place to have a burger and a cold one and look out over the lake. I usually manage to make 4 trips up there a year. Normally I drive it 3 times and fly once. Some of the hunts are open in October up there. If you end up guiding up there this year look me up. I usually make a trip in late October. Let me know, maybe I will be there. My place is almost exactly between Trout Creek and Noxon. I can see the train trestle over Swamp Creek Bay from my house. Gary

Responding to a couple of comments here, To BML, I agree, I think caster adjustment is a good inexpensive way to solve the problem. I am replacing parts that I actually see wear to. I plan on having this truck a while and want it to be in top shape. I plan on having the caster adjusted to the max next week. What 4 wheel shop did you use for your alignment? To jwdodge01, I have checked the ball joints and they seem to be good. The two places I've had the truck to agree and say they are fine. I know they wear out on these trucks pretty fast since I had to change them at 30000 miles on my last Dodge. When I do replace them in the near future I will be buying good quality joints, not the OEM ones for sure. To Snapshot, I am going to Montana to check on my house and to relax for a few days. 6 years ago we bought 20 acres of lakefront property by Trout Creek, Montana. took me 5 years to get a house built on it. (1245 miles from here) We are 20 miles from the Idaho border on the highway going to Sandpoint, Idaho. The lake we are on is Noxon Resevoir, 24 miles long and the premier bass lake in Montana. Many professional bass tournaments are held on this lake. My wife and I will be up there from June 23rd thru July 10th. If it so happens that you are going to be up there at that time let me know, maybe we can get together and cook some steaks and have a couple of cold ones one night. Nice to have guests. Take care, Gary

I am not running BFGs on this truck. I had BFGs on my last truck and they wore out so fast I would never use them on a diesel again. I have a set of the factory Michelins for the truck and another set of cheaper tires that were new on the truck when I got it. I was hoping to wear them out before buying new tires but I think I will bite the bullet and get a new set. Nothing like the feel of new tires anyway. I like the idea of having a road pressure balance test done on the tires but I don't think they are worth it. They really are cheap tires (Kumho brand I believe) After lots of research and time I think I am going to order a new BD Track Bar and Bilstein steering stabilizer tomorrow. I am also going to have the caster set at 5 degrees when I get it aligned with the new tires. I hope I can get everything in and on the truck before May 1st when I am supposed to leave for Montana. Any suggestions on tires? I like Michelins but they are a little pricey. I will let you know if it works out.