natureboyfloyd

Congratulations! Give us some story....

You've done more than 10,000 enviros to keep biodiversity real. Since we all eat beef, we need some "thinking apes" to allow the deer a chance...

After returning from the Santa Teresa mountains with a friend new to coues hunting, were we did some scouting (good), I went on to this forum to search for that unit. When I read about the murder of Mr. Krentz, I could "hear" the silence on this forum. It seemed like we'all held our breath, in an internet-forum-manner. I told my left-of-center friends that his death will be a turning point, but "what the heck, what is another murder", was their attitude. I said "something is different...this will count". I seem to be spot on. This bill, the gun law, the opposition to the regressive tax, Prop 100, are backed, IMO, partially by this death. AZ is anywhere from $750 million to $1.3 billion in the hole, every year, from handling this "social issue." Think of lost music teachers, cops, aid to seniors, (a few deer guzzlers) and the sense of urgency felt over this bill is fiscally sound.

The rear sight on a similar Traditions rifle i had "migrated" left or right; been 10 years, and I can't recall how I fixed it, but I tended to move the sight when I carrried the rifle. However, once fixed, the rifle would group well. Great video. Thanks

R.R. Saw desert bighorn up there, near the collection tank in one past October. Took a friend for a hike/backpack, one night...heard a group of "hard workers" coming into the US that night, literally heard the voices, and spent a kinda one-eye-open night. Next morning, sheep. Awesome place. Wife saw a puma, of all things, there.

For what it is worth.... Right at dusk on Saturday, I saw a three pointer right up a doe, at @ 3900 feet, Catalinas. However, the behavior mirrored a spike on Jan 8th, or so, (close enough I sorta passed on a shot as I am chock full of spikes). That day, @ Jan 8th, a more experienced archer said that the chasing isn't necessarily rutting, from the doe's viewpoint. Therefore, I merely relay what I saw Saturday, a buck pushing a doe right where I would've been if the snow wasn't so pretty a little farther up..... Sunday, again 3900 feet, a buck circles around some does in that area, and my stalk ended with a doe busting me at 30 yards, thanks to a lovely swirling mountain wind. Rut? I don't know; I have much to learn, as "me novice" in this regard. I am enjoying this recurve hunting immensely. Good Luck

What do estimate the age of that buck? ( I am reading Whitetail Advantage and trying to guess on the hoof)

Shane, Throw us some story. I am looking at some stick and string action maybe this next year, and I read these stories for content, believe me.

Glad my grandparents died before all this out in the open sexual discussion. Decorum anyone?

What did you shoot him with?

My antler size is going the other direction. I will not contribute to the thread of harvesting Monster Bucks. This is the last-hour-of-the-hunt spike. This spike I shot in 08. After a hard but doe filled weekend hunt, I had some pesonal business that fell through, planned on Wednesday, and thus I drove the dark drive of solitude, and ended up on a sit near some fresh tracks. Earlier, I passed up a 280 plus shot on two bucks, using my pack as a rest from the prone, as I just felt like I could stalk closer (did not...something spooked 'em a little). I played the scenario over and over, but that distance is at the edge of my 30-30, unscoped, and I had not practiced enough long range stuff. However, hopeful with two hours left in the hunt, I still glassed from my sit site. A brief, almost ghost- like shilloutte on a far ridge, and then it was gone. Was I tired and imagining things? I glassed again, and a deer, large at the long distance, was surely there, maybe 3/4 mile or so, and I packed my layers away, walked fast, through some does and then up the ridge. Two does came quick into me, the wind in my favor. I squatted in the grass, rifle ready. I recalled the post about bucks and does getting together, and I thought of the large deer I saw an hour earlier. The does came in, feeding on shin dagger, maybe 25 yards, and one could sorta of sense me. Then, a spike. Oh boy, what a small one, and I witheld shooting until I could really verify. Likewise, he verified me at 20 yards and started to run. My first shot went right over his back, and on making the second shot I took the extra micro second to lead him properly, and boom, the round hit his front shoulder. He hit some brush, leapt up, and boom, I shot again. A small animal, but meat nonetheless. I took the animal gifted to me. I commited mistakes this hunt, and have much to learn. For instance, Sunday, I had an unkown opportunity earlier, making a small fire to warm some coffee after the rain, only to later, an hour or so, read the tracks of how the deer snuck away from my small, non-stealthy brew up. A hearty thanks to all who shared comments. Merry Christmas, and God Bless.

Moral of your story-never stop looking. They there, just got to get the visual. Sweet.

Many can not appreciate the beauty of the plains. A great place to hunt.

Master Sgt., I am an old peacetime vet, a man who had his corporal stripes yanked by a lowlife garrison type (proud of it to this day). Even talking to a demi-god, which is what a MSG was in the 80,s, still kinda freaks me out. I just returned from an excellent hunt, with much on mind that sorta compares to your work in the "Stan." You hunted, persistently, and sat out the does! Me too. Congratulations. I hope the natural world brought you peace. God bless you and your family. The children, the female children, of Afghanistan thank you.

The coues do dissapear; to be honest, it can be intimidating to see a hillside, and not really know that you can find all the deer ( the Army should adopt that grey color camo the deer wear) And I have a hearing disability. My wife hears them walking. My goal is to one day stalk one in the bed. And, to the more at hand task, kill a buck before the season ends. And, like you, to stay warm....I squated a half hour or more while the doe I recognize as a bit more smarter than the rest tried to make me out, and I shivered so hard my teeth chattered. Congratultions. Next year, the big one....

The Galiuros, in Unit 32, can tear you up on the west flank. I tried a hard way up after a longer trek across the valley. The missus wondered where the bruises came from, literally, until I showed her the torn, bloody sunshirt. Last time a family member of mine was up in terrain like that, he had a flamethrower (WW2). Cowboy movies about the Apache Wars need to be filmed in tough terrain like that, IMO. Why 32? Every time I get there, I see great bear scat, and big deer. Some of those out of the way ridgelines.....

Coues Archer, 3 hrs on the high and low crawl, that is the kind of stuff I want to see on VS this fall when I am downing the cup of coffee!

However, it was Reagan that allowed an excemption to wilderness Bill, giving Nat'l Forest in the Eastern states, including Missouri, the 5000 acre or less Wildernesses. I cut my teeth in one of those. With Republicans that can not and do not speak from the heart of the "wilder" areas and their value, I am tired. Trading an Obama for a Mealy mouth Newt doesn't seem like a deal anymore. I want Teddy Roosevelt back, or some form thereof, someone who understands and speaks frankly of all the reasons we hike and camp and hunt and when is the last time any one but Palin did that? Educate me, please, while I await opening day.

Sometimes you can be so out of fuel you can not take another step....I know. Rough country and all the better for it. Do you hear of stories like yours in Iowa? No way. When I think of where to hunt, I am more concerned about hauling out the meat (hopefully) than getting in to Onga. Your safety ( and that is your own call) overrides protecting a carcass.

Wasn't James Watt appointed by R. Reagan? In other words, I would not be hunting this year except on a game ranch.

I hunted 30B, camping in the backcountry; spent a morning in the the Pedro. Killed my first coues deer there, and I like the lay of the land there as well. Met a rancher family, who said, of all things, that illegals do come across in great number. I am hoping I stay out of the main routes, save for the Pedro valley. This year, I plan to really scout that unit, because the coues tags are a sure thing. These scum Mexican trafickers, well, I will cross that road when I get there. Still, I am leary of the whole south part. I will stick to the north part of 30B.

Missed the meeting due to work... Keep the thread going with your thoughts for many of us new to Arizona; I am here only 6 years (love it). Wilderness designations...exactly what is the issue? I get the Grijalva Freedom Trail (Tucomcari Wild.) problem down south, but many of us newbies could learn from your thoughts. Thanks Natureboy

What are the important things to look for in this position? Thanks for the heads up.

What makes your post such a great read is all the decisions you make, with imperfect information available. That is what hunting is, at times, a hunch. Ever get tired of the light trigger, try my Marlin 30-30; my mantra when squeezing is "break the steel bar, break the steel bar, break the steel bar, break the steel bar, com'on, break the....boom!

three things: 1st, defend yourself in Pima county, and isn't Isabel Garcia the public defender? Objectively, that can not be a plus in your favor. 2nd, re: the hypothetical...Hammy hit the nail right on. How exactly do we tell, without fail, the bad guy from the good guy. Recall the idiot brothers that held a family of Americans, who happened to be Hispanic, at gunpoint when the folks were hunting on state land. Even if I get the details a little off, the gist is BE CAREFUL. Half of all the youngsters I see eyeing rifles in gun stores are "other-than-white", and since I and others do not always hunt in head to head camo, well it is reasonable to maybe approach two guys who look like trouble, with what appears to be AK series rifles, or AR series, in working clothes, and you begin to really start thinking about how careful we need to be. 3rdly, Who really can hit a moving target? Probably our recent combat veteran members could, and if the drug runners you happen across practice alot, they might, but I miss a lot of doves.... In the 101st, decades past, we did live fires on pop up targets with full auto. Results were not impressive. To brag, I hit my target, but only because the other 8 guys missed in front of me. In fact, and I digress, a 1st Sgt. placed human shaped targets in all manners of clothing all over the "kill zone" of a live fire zone, at night. Three platoons, @ 25 guys each, firing at a Mule (utility cart) pulled by a jeep, firing basically huge shotgun shells callled claymore mines, firing several mags. each and belts of ammo, STILL did not touch a few of the targets. @ 75 trained men, thousands of rounds, and I recall at least two targets, standing up, were untouched. Think on it. If no one is in danger, get yardage and foilage between the drug runners; just get that extra 10-20 yards, and I bet darn near all of us would live another day, and not have to face a hostile jury. (And, without a doubt, most of you guys and gals are accomplished marksmen.) I'd rather face two AK's than one seriously motivated hunter with a bolt gun or lever rifle. See above) P.S. Read The Reaper's Line, for the correct attitude to adopt when facing criminals from the Republic of Mexico.