Pine Donkey

Amanda, the recognition is well deserved. Congratulations.

Looks like the left rear leg is broken. Hopefully nature will mercifully put an end to the suffering.

Somebody has been telling the story of the one that got away. Great picture.

Lets all pitch in to buy Lark a mirror. We have to help him see that the glory days are over.

Mountain lion meat is much like a lean pork. The chops can be thrown straight on the grill with a little seasoning. It is some of the best tasting meat you can eat. In May I made a lrge batch of shredded lion that was very similar to pulled pork. I took it to school for my staff to try. Most people took a small spoonful just to try the exotic fare. Soon they were returning to load up their plates. Admittedly there is a bit of a stigma about eating a cat, but if you can get past that, you will have some excellent meals.

Jim, Thanks for opening your home and allowing everybody to see your increadible collection of antlers and mounts. Although I was not able to stay for very long, I had a great time. I also enjoyed meeting many of the CWT members. Thanks everyone for the great conversation.

I have to be at a 5:00 wedding in Vail, so plan to stop by for a bit before the wedding.

Oh, fart humor, it never gets old. Why do some people think farts are funny...because they are!!!

30B Dec WT. This year I hunt instead of just help during Christmas Break!

Bill Quimby started a topic about wolves he had recently seen. It appears that many people have been seeing an increasing number of wolves in Arizona. The topic of wolf management has been debated before, but I want to open it up again. Below is a letter written by David Allen of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to the Defenders of Wildlife and the Western Wildlife Consevancy. Although this letter is based on wolves on northern states, the issue is applicable to Arizona, and the Mexican Gray Wolf. I am very pleased to see the Elk Foundation go on the offensive against these groups and challenge them to backup thier own actions with fact rather than rhetoric. What are some of the thoughts from CWT members? RMEF_Ltr._Defndrs4.10_1_.pdf

Lark, You need to get past this "beating around the bush" and tell us how you really feel...just kidding Seriously, I agree with you that this is an over priced scam that was doomed before it started due to the fact that the wolves are hybridized. I know one individual who is looking to shoot a wolf, then push the genetic issue in court. He plans to demand a DNA test because you can't be guilty of shooting an endangered species if all you shot was a wild mutt that might have a spoonful or two of wolf blood. I recently read (maybe in the AZ republic) that each wolf now in the estimated population has cost the USFWS $180,000. Thats your tax money at work.

We have a place in Dry Valley, just west of Nutrioso. Large numbers of elk is the norm, but wolves have been pretty rare until recently. We used to see wolves about once a year, now it is once every two weeks. Last week we saw four different groups. One by the cabin. four on road 88 just short of Water Canyon road, two at the end of Rogers lake, and two in the OD's. Some had collers, some did not. The calf drop may be drawing them out, but I think the packs are expanding rapidly.

I have made a couple trips to unit 1. Goats seam to be scattered and the only good ones I found were nowhere near does.

His song, "In Color" has some of the best lyrics I have ever heard.

Nice work!

Thanks AZ, Good luck with the birds.

I hear the roads are open to Big Lake. Have any members had any luck yet? I did not get to make my annual turkey-fishing trip, but plan to be up there for a week beginning on the 24th.

This morning I received a call from a local rancher. She said they had lost a calf to a lion last night and asked if we could try to find the lion. I called Mark at work and called my son Garrett out of class, and we agreed to meet after work/school. It did not take long to find the drag trail the rancher told us about. I immediately was impressed with the size of the tracks along the trail. That is a .243 at the base of the track. Soon we were sitting over a burried kill. I had to leave after about an hour due to an end of the year banquet at school. It took all I had to drag myself away, but I had to go. No sooner had I sat down at the banquet then my phone rang...it was Mark. He told me that the lion had just appeard on the old mine dump across the canyon (109 yards) and her had shot it. He said he hit it hard, and rolled it backward off the dump. Jokingly he said, "I hope there is not a mine shaft back there". A few minutes later the phone rang again. This time it was Mark asking how long the banquet would last because he and Garrett would need help getting the lion out of a mine shaft. It took a few minutes for him to convince me that he was serious, but soon we were making arrangements for ladders and ropes to be take out to them. A couple hours later, we were taking pictures in his front yard. The tom tipped the scales at just under 120 pounds. Not a bad way to spend a spring evening.

Amanda, Here is a cell phone picture of the mine shaft. Quality is poor, but you can see Mark going down the ladder to tie a rope around the cat.

It was dark during the extraction process, and nobody had a camera with a flash. We did not plan that part very well. On a side note, it is a pain in the butt to pack a latter in, but it sure made it east to carry out the cat without damaging the hide.

I am a conservative working in the public schools. (yeah, there are a few of us, but we are hard to find) I find this funny, in a sad way during our current political situation.

My daughter Andie decided to breed our AKC chocholate lab, Winchester to Badger, an ACK yellow lab. Puppies are papered and we have pedigrees on both parents. She had 11 puppies, she has 8 yellows for sale, 5 females and 3 males. they have had first shots, are healthy and very well socially adjusted to other dogs and kids. They are ready to go this week, and will make a great Mother's Day gift. I will be making a trip to the East Valley area on Saturday, May 8th to deliver puppies. Males $350, females $400. 5% of sales through CWT will be donated to the site. For more information send a PM or call 520-255-1368

bump

I have gone through this same thing with my daughter. She started with a Remington .243 at about age 6. It is a great all around rifle, and she took both coues and carp with it as well as a couple pigs. At 11 years old she drew the youth elk tag. I was not comfortable with the .243 for elk, but found the transition to the .308 was very easy for her. She has taken 2 elk with that gun, both on a single shot. I find it a bit funny that you are planning on using this gun for yourself in the future. I had the same naive thoughts years ago. Now she has decided to move out of the dorms, and into an apartment. Not only is she planning on taking "her" guns with her, she has suggested others she "must" have to live on her own. One suggestion I will make is that you buy a youth stock for your gun rather than cutting down the original stock. The fit and balance will be better, and, if she grows up as fast as my daughter, you will need that large stock soon. Regardless of the gun you choose, it is the time spent together and the memories made that will be special. Enjoy every one of them.

How close those little deer look through quality optics, then how far it is back to the truck