Viper

Archery javelina is a blast for sure. I love glassing for them, then circle in down wind, put on the "sneaky feet", then sneak right into the middle of the herd. Their vision is poor, but they can pick up movement, so slow and quiet is key. Once the herd busts, I blow the pig distress call and usually, the boars come charging back, especially if there are little reds in the herd. Makes for some instant excitment We've had a lot of fun on the many junior hunts we've "guided". There's nothing more fun/comical than watching a youngster in the middle of pigs. We've hunted the same herds for 10 years, until a few years ago. For some reason they have become very scarce...drought/predators maybe. This is my younger son's first pig about a dozen years ago. dad & shane.bmp

I don't anymore, except for stump shooting around camp. I started out with traditional gear many years ago. I took a buck and small game growing up back in Indiana. The wide open space and longer shots in the west makes it very difficult. Traditional is a whole new game which requires a higher level of dedication and practice. I thought about hunting javelina with my recurve, but there's always the chance that a nice muley will present a 50-60 yard shot....maybe a bit of a stretch for a stick bow. Don't let it discourage you from trying though. Pick up some decent used equipment to start and go from there. You'll have to practice..practice..practice...and build up those back muscles along the way. I am of the opinion that all new archers, especially kids, should learn the fundamentals of traditional archery before moving on to the high-tech stuff. You will develop eye-hand coordination, learn the trajectory of the arrow, and good form. Heck, if something goes wrong with my high-tech compound in the field, I know I can shoot instinctively, no sights, and finger release if necessary. Good luck and have fun.

I know wild turkey doesn't turn out well when prepared like a traditional store bought one. Any good recipes would be appreciated. Thanks.

So, it appears to be a model 870? 12 ga? What choke?

I have the Minox DCM for my Zeiss scope. Outdoorsmans had a sale on them a couple years ago. It doesn't work very well. It takes good pics, but the magnification is fixed because it replaces the eyepiece...30x I think. It is very difficult to find a distant object on the viewer. You have to target a larger landmark/feature near the object you want in the picture. Maybe I just need more practice with it, but it wasn't what I expected. I find myself using my Flip Video with my scope more than anything, but it is handheld and not HD. I would like to get an HD type and a bracket.

I just saw this message on the Vortex Facebook page. Buyer beware! Vortex Optics We’ve discovered several websites listing our products (as well as other brands) at unrealistically low prices that are fronts for stealing your credit card and billing information. So far the websites we’re aware of have similar characteristics and went online about 3 to 4 weeks ago. They don’t show a phone number, physical address, or email address. Consumers who have attempted to purchase from these websites never receive the product ordered. Please be careful! If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Only buy Vortex from authorized Vortex dealers listed on our website at http://www.vortexoptics.com/content/dealers Vortex Optics - Home www.vortexoptics.com

I purchased some Russel APXg2 stuff last spring. It is similar to the lighter Sitka gear but half the cost...at full retail. I bought mine from Linton Outdoors when it was all on sale. If you can wait until spring, you can get it for 1/2 to 1/3 of retail. I used it on my turkey hunt, elk hunt, and the jacket on my deer hunt. It performs quite well for most AZ hunting. Sportsman's has quite a selection now, if you want to put your hands on it. As far as boots, I bought the Meindle Perfykt hiker from Cabelas....most comfortable, supportive boots I've ever worn, for a resonable cost. The Perfykt hunter might be better as they are a high-top.

I sent you a PM regarding the Vipers. Do you still have them?

The X2 is great! Mine is the older model. The new one is probably better, with the improvements they've made, especially the external frame. Each time I hunt/scout with it, I am amazed at how comfortable it is and how dry my back stays.

The title of the post states they are Doctor 15x60.... Good glass!

This is good info. It all makes sense. Any particular "pack rattle" and "doe call" you would recommend? I have the little coues buck grunt, made in the west valley (don't remember the name). The pack rattle I use is the smaller pack rack by Barnes and Hale... I have tried the bags and I personally have found them ackward to use and hard to "tickle" them together. Using a tickling technique seems to me more productive for me than making it sound like a full on fight. I use a Ridge Runner grunt by Quaker Boy. I leave the expandable tube compressed and not extended much, as it keeps the tone a bit higher. Keep your grunts to one or two in a sequence. I have never heard a Coues rip out three or more grunts in succession. (It may happen, I just have never personally heard it)... The thicker the cover, the more likely they will come into your call... if you are near an opening, most likely they will come only to the edge of the covering and hang up there. Oh, the doe call I use is a small can call, EZ Gravity Bleat, but I have modified it... I took a leather punch and punched a couple of small holes in the center of the orange silencer cap. I always use the cap on it and it produces a nice, softer and quieter toned sound. I will turn the bleat can all the way over for a second or two then turn it back right side up. Dont allow your bleats go too long, it is not a natural Coues sound. I just got all set up to film our hunts. Once the pre-rut really gets going, I will try to get some rattling action on film and post up a link or something, even is we dont kill what comes in... Hope this helps! Yes, that is a big help! I think you ment KNIGHT & Hale....I looked it up online. They make the smaller Pack Rack and the EZ Gravity Bleat. I will check Sportsman's for them. Thanks again!

This is good info. It all makes sense. Any particular "pack rattle" and "doe call" you would recommend? I have the little coues buck grunt, made in the west valley (don't remember the name).

Yes, there still is a lot of pigs in that area. We got into a decent size herd last year. It's just that we like the Tiger Mine area due to the big muley bucks in there and the possability of getting a crack at them while hunting pigs. We've been seeing whitetails there too.

Anybody know what is happening to the pig herds in the Tiger Mine Rd / Tucson Wash area in 37B?! We have hunted there for 10+ years. We took pigs every year for the first 7 years straight, then the last few years, the pigs have been real hard to find. My buddy went scouting down there two weeks ago, for the junior hunt, and saw very little sign. There used to be several herds and a lot of sign all over the area. Four or five years ago, we heard of a dysentery type disease going through the pigs in that area, but never could validate it. Anyone else have the same experience in this area?

Thanks for the tips. Been huntin' that way for years. I remember seeing a huge herd several years ago, but not since then. A good indicator of the numbers of pigs in the area is tracks in the washes. This year, very very few. A lot of the big trees in the washes are dying off. It seems to be drought related.

PM sent

Which reticle?

Great buck!! WOW! Most of us can only dream of tagging a buck like that. Great job at doing your homework on an unfamiliar area. I seriously suggest you send your story to Eastman's Hunting Journal. They publish these tough DIY hunts in their magazine each month. If they do, you get a nice gear package. Yours definitely qualifies! Brad

I am also torn. It was nice to have two weekends, and maybe cooler weather in Nov., but I like the better odds of getting a tag every year. The October hunt is usually warm, but we've had pretty good luck with that hunt. As long as you can take time off during the week, after the weekend hunters leave, it is a good hunt. I gave up on a Dec. tag after the change. At least we still have archery.

I finally scored on a nice 100+ buck. We saw him twice before the season, once in velvet and once after he rubbed off. I was blessed to find him opening morning. I shot him with my .270 at 160 yards, from a cliff edge down into a very steep canyon. It was a straight on shot in the chest. Dropped in his tracks. His buddy 2x3 stood and stared at him for several minutes before running off. I shot him at 9:00am and got him to the Ranger at 1:00pm....4 hours. My hunting partner, Bill, was able to drive his Ranger to within 1/2 mile. I met him there and we had a snack, hydrated, slipped into are pack frames....I said "don't forget your walkin' stick, you're gonna need it". He was a heavy deer (The processor estimated him at 140 lbs) so the packs were heavy. This was definitely a "poor man's sheep hunt" experience. I haven't taped him yet. What do think?

My hunting partner has Doctor 15x60 he is thinking of selling. Probably in the $600 range.

Check out Strelok. It seems pretty good. You can save various rifles, along with scope brand and reticle. It will give you a graphic scope picture showing you where to hold based on distance, angle, wind, etc...

When I originally posted this, I had no idea this many incidents would surface, just within this forum....that's spooky. As stated before, mine is a 2006 XCR model with the newer trigger. I am now confident it wasn't a defective trigger, but a defective trigger adjustment....done by the previous owner who didn't know what he was doing. Since the gunsmith reset and locktighted the set-screw, I have not had another incident. Bottom line: If you buy a used 700, or any model for that matter, have it checked by someone who knows what they are doing. Always think SAFETY...SAFETY...SAFETY. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, and do not have a round in the chamber until you are on target and ready to shoot. When you are pre-season shooting, make sure the safety mechanisms are doing their job and there are no accidental discharges...before the hunt.

This is rather long, but I thought I'd post for those that have limited experience with trigger assemblies and adjustments, and may have/had a similar experience. So, I had a scary experience with my Rem 700 (XCR model in .270) this past weekend. History: I purchased this rifle a couple years ago from a craigslist add. The guy was thinning out his collection. This rifle was his Father-in-law's, who bought it new from Cabelas in 2006. "He died and didn't have a chance to shoot it". The rifle looked very clean and no evidence that a scope had been mounted. Still had the box with a 2006 ship date. Last year, on a couple separate occasions, while shooting, the gun discharged when I clicked off the safety. I had to question if I hit the trigger somehow. This year...same thing on a couple different occasions. Now I'm certain I didn't hit the trigger. Last weekend I am shooting, and I figure I will not work the safety...just get on target, jack a round, shoot. Well, I jack a round and BOOM...gun goes off. WTF!! Then, It happens again. My huntin' partner is freaking out a bit, so I pack it away. I am well aware of the bad press these rifles have gotten over the years. I've read a ton of forums/posts. Monday I took it to Mesa Gun Shop to have it looked at. I'm thinking the chance of getting it back before my Oct 21st hunt is slim. The Gunsmith called me yesterday saying it is ready for pick up. I have limited knowledge of trigger assemblies, but apparently, the trigger had been adjusted and the set-screw was not lock-tighted, so it eventually backed out and was about to fall out. The Smith adjusted it and lock-tighted the set-screw, also cleaned the assembly. He says I shouldn't have anymore trouble with it. I will shoot this weekend to be sure. One day turn around for $65...not bad. So...his input on the Rem 700 trigger issue is that nearly all malfunctions are due to inexperienced adjustments and poor maintenance of the trigger assembly. I guess the message here is, if you're not an expert, don't mess with it. Take it to someone who knows what they're doing. Any thoughts?....experiences? Brad

My first mount is a 70" buck. Not my first couse, but my first 3x3. It is a beautiful mount. When I look at it....instant flashback to the hunt. Keep in mind, you only put down a deposit. You have nearly a year to come up with the rest of the $$.