metau

Access sucks, but there are still a few spots you can get in closer. Get away from the roads and you'll find deer. I backpacked in last year (not very far even) and saw deer every day. Tried to get in on one decent buck, but never got close enough to feel comfortable taking the shot. Read the AZGFD "Where to Hunt" section, then do a google search on this site for "32" followed by another one for "Galiuro" (don't forget all the ways to misspell that too) and enjoy the reading that is there. Use google earth to help scout out spots, and then I recommend spending one of your scouting weekends actually doing an overnight. You may also want to pack water in. That terrain can be dang near vertical, and thick, but there is a ton of wildlife in those hills. Don't forget your lion tag.

Just got back from 9. Bugles were minimal after day 6. The rain and snow on Wednesday shut everything up. Did not fill my tag, but had several opportunities at smaller bulls. PM sent with where I had found the best activity.

I'll be at the base chasing deer and javelina with my bow. Make sure to bring a lion tag with you, I've seen tons of sign the last two January's I've been down there.

The money is in the lenses, which is where it should be. I personally have a D7100, great body for a crop censor, but I am sure you would find plenty of reasons to go with the D3300 or D5300 that have already been mentioned. Also, don't be afraid to snag up a great deal on a manual lens. My go to lens for wildlife is a Tamron Adaptall 400mm f/4. I'm also a huge fan of prime lenses. Also, don't be afraid to use a full frame lens on a crop-sensor body.

Until I tag out, minus a day back here in the valley to go to a court hearing. Will be there through the end of next weekend at a minimum, even if I tag out opening day.

May have to push back my departure to late Wednesday. Did finish pre-cooking my dinners for quick heating the hunt, but still need to double check my packing list, pick up a few things from sportsmans warehouse, and shop for perishables on Wednesday morning.

Plan to head up Wednesday morning.

I'll be solo in 9 the whole hunt. If you need a hand, send me a text and I'll respond when I get service. PM sent.

What are the overall dimensions of the table, with leaf(s)?

Sportsman's Warehouse or Cabela's would be the closest to you. It's worth the drive to Desert Sportsman or the Orvis Store if you're headed into town. I would also suggest checking out www.azflyandtie.com. You can get a ton of info there if you use the search tool, and then order what you need to online. Do know that you're likely to get 10 people on here to give up a honey hole for hunting before someone from there gives up a honey hole for fly fishing.

I've known several snake bite victims. Getting to anti-venom as quickly as possible is what you should do. Preferably without the venom reaching your central organs. Best bet is to avoid the bite in the first place, hence snake gaiters or chaps. If you hunt or hike into areas where its would take several hours to get to a hospital, or would need to exert tons of energy to get out of, then you need some sort of PLB. Not trying to sound like a worried parent, but y'all are grown adults and know dang well what can go wrong in the backcountry. What's your life worth, be it to you or your family? On the cost side, most jurisdictions do not charge for SAR operations, though some do. Some PLB's offer SAR insurance at an additional cost, or you can buy your own.

Took a nap in a blind in unit 21 during the August hunt many years ago. Woke up to a baby rattler crawling over my shins...

I actually looked into that ranch in Cali several years ago as my former brother-in-law was extremely interested in hunting, but lacked pretty much every skill needed to hunt, except he could shoot decent. I think an operation such as this would be perfect for such a situation, as well as younger kids who can not yet hunt big game, or folks who moved here after the draw but don't want to miss out on hunting that year, etc. As for the guys operating it, I have no clue who they are, but I do wish good fortune upon anyone starting their own business.

It's a square-ish chunk of land. Not sure where he came up with 2.1 miles worth of river, unless they have leased land from neighbors, which is entirely possible, and beyond my researching skills while on break at work.

Just south of Woodruff. Parcel # 110-09-001S, Navajo County, 519.24 acres. Not my cup of tea, but best of luck to the guy in his endeavors.

The old Vasque Sundowners are by far the best boot I have ever had. I'm currently on year 8 for my Kenentrek Hardscrabbles, and the soles are just about done. They've been a dang fine boot as well.

While I will likely settle for a meat bull the last two days of the hunt, the first twelve days will be dedicated to getting the most out of my unit 9 tag.

I'm familiar with both of those units. Are both their hunts at the same time?

NeoAir Xtherm if you have the coin, or a Z-pad if you have the space. All the Kuiu stuff is online. I would suggest finding someone that has what you are looking for and ask if you can try it on first.

For a backpacking trip that was 7 nights in the field, my clothing list would look like this. 2x Merino Boxers 2x Merino Long Sleeve Tops 1x Merino Bottoms (depends on temp, could swap for a pair of the boxers) 3x Merino Hiking Socks (4-5 pairs if weather is supposed to be wet) 1x Merino Beanie 1x Down Puffy Jacket 1x Windproof Outershell Jacket 1x Wind-resistant & Abrasion-resistant Pants That's really about it. Depending on the weather/temps, I may also bring appropriate gloves (with or without liners, or just the liners), a Merino neck gaiter, and boot gaiters. For rain, I treat the seams of my windproof outer layer clothing and that handles the light stuff that happens most of the time. For heavier rains, I always have my tarp, gutted 550 cord and trekking poles. As far as brands, for the Merino wool I like First Lite, Kuiu and SmartWool. For the puffy, I would suggest any reputable mountaineering brand you can find on sale. The jacket and pants you will need to research on your own. Also keep in mind that when it comes to shaving weight off your back for a trip like this, ounces get expensive. Look at your heaviest items first and see where you can save the most amount of weight for the least cost. Water is also a huge factor. Being your hunt is in unit 36C, I would not count on any water you stash prior to the season still being there, unless you bury it. If you pack water in during your hunt, it gets heavy quick. Splitting shelters and food among multiple people helps. Look at calories per gram/ounce when meal planning. Dehydrated meals are great if you have a water source, not so much if you don't. Gear, food and water for backpacking for a week can get a bit heavy, but once you add optics, tripod, rifle, rangefinder, etc. as extras for hunting, the weight goes up fast. I would recommend keeping a spreadsheet of everything you have for your trip and seeing what your total weight will be. That will also let you research individual items to replace and do a cost analysis to reduce weight for the least amount of cost. You should be able to easily get under 50lbs total weight before water for that type/duration of a hunt.

Steve Chappell CD in the car for your commute every day. You'll have it down in 2-4 weeks, depending on your drive time, and your wife won't be plotting your demise.

The Bubonic Plague has existed in the US for decades. It is in fact carried by the fleas that are found in some prairie dog colonies. An ex of mine did a two year study on the issue for the BLM in Colorado. I was able to assist in the study by going PD hunting on one of the affected colonies and then doing carcass observations of predation/scavaging. There are also other scientific studies that have been done on these colonies. I highly suggest researching these before freaking out over what the news says, you would be quite surprised by what has been documented...

#6 bait hook with a 6" piece of red yarn on it, just like you would a worm, fished through the piles of salmon stacked up in the river. Did that every fall on the Gunnison right in town if I wasn't out hunting.

Also, October/November is when Roaring Judy fish hatchery, just outside of Gunnison, processes the Kokanee and you can get the leftovers. All you need is a one day fishing license and room for several potato sacks full of freshly milked salmon. I did once when I lived nearby, and had over 400 salmon to process.

Don't overlook Blue Mesa or Ridgeway, two of my favorites. Lake San Cristobal, Taylor Park, and Ruedi have always been amazing trips for me as well.