Coach

Nice bull, Shane. You guys did well.

Not liking a bunch of AK wannabe's shooting off 30 rounds. Hunting is a dicipline and a sport. I'd put my support behind OSOK mentality ahead of this.

Amazing bull, and I really enjoyed the story. It's like we were right there along with you. Nice job, and huge congrats!

Welcome to the best hunting site in the West. There have been so many great replies, and if you could take them all to the field with you, you'd already be in great shape. My best advice to you, find a long-term member here in your area and ask them to tag along. There is no better way learn how to hunt coues deer, from scouting, to glassing to field dressing than to rely on experience. And in your neck of the woods, there are plenty of knowledgeable members. Once your buck is down, proper field care is essential in ensuring that you get the full experience.

Double Lunger, your truck looks great! Nice job! Chef, if you want, shoot me an email @ jason.jones@sage.com. BTW, I LOVE the way you had your Taco set up - looks like what I'm going for. My truck is the double cab with the offroad package. It has done really well stock on some pretty rough situations, but it's just too low to the ground. I don't have a heavy bumper or anything like that. I've seen all the cheap $300 spacer lifts, but I don't want to compromise too much. I'm hoping to spend around a grand for the lift and get some good tires and wheels. I'm looking at the 33" Toyo Open Country or Goodyear Wrangler MT/R Kevlar (285/75 R16). The best all around lift I've seen so far is the ToyTech/Old Man Emu with good coil over, bilstein shocks and upgraded rear leafs. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and getting me headed in the right direction.

I like it !!!

A well tuned bow will shoot through mesh as if it weren't there. I only have experience with fixed heads (muzzy) so I can't comment on how expandables work with mesh. Good hunting.

That is a fantastic bull. Huge congrats to the hunter. Unit 1 is only going to get better over the next few years.

I'm totally against the new "travel plans". It just feels like big government up our backside at every turn. Particularly, I hate the camping restrictions. Everyone I know leaves their campground cleaner than they found it. Most pick up beer cans and other trash they find while out along the roads. There are always the few dumb jerks that decide to dump their black tank as they pull out, or even worse, right in the campground they were just in. I don't want to be penalized for what a few idiots do. Back to your question: As for myself, I'll begrudgingly in accordance with the laws – knowing my luck any infraction will haunt me. I could start a whole new post on feeling singled out by the Feds. I’ve had them ruin my campsite on multiple occasions. If I could choose, I’d rather deal with state and local guys than the federal agencies. Our local AZGFD does a great job. I’d rather see a grey truck pulling up than one of those pale green ones any day. The fed guys are not nearly as supportive of us hunters as the local state wardens, imo.

My hat is off to you, sir. You followed the letter of the law and proved that ethics trump compromise when no one else was looking. Your actions are to be commended.

Same in 3C. They'll be really hot in an area one day, almost nothing there the next. They seem to really be on the move, but they do come back. Some of the biggest bulls are still hanging together. I'm hearing about big herds with small herd bulls, and groups of bachelor bulls (the big guys) running together.

Love my Taco, but it isn't the same truck Toyota put out in the 80's. The stock ground clearance for an "offroad" package is very poor. The body panels are made out of some kind of "crumple" foil steel, waaaay too much plastic... But I love the reliability of the engine, drive train, the electric locker is solid. I took this truck up a really nasty trail not long after buying it that I didn't think a stock truck could make. This truck isn't even paid off yet and it's been beaten up. I bought black, that was a huge mistake, shows every scratch like a battle scar. At this point, I want to lift it 3" probably with an Old Man Emu lift, put some good tires on, and just Durabak the whole thing. I've durabak'd a 4Runner from inside out and you couldn't scratch it with a nail.

Ya know what stinks? On lots of forums there's a habit of trolling and just trying to stir up controversy for fun. People come on this site looking for real advice, and most of the time they get it. They bring up REAL hunting questions and get useful responses. By the poster’s own admission, he was just bored, stirring the pot. Make your own choices, but I, (aside from this digression)I refuse to feed into this. It does nothing to further our sport, it does nothing to help fellow hunters, and in fact, it can only serve to divide us. Out – Coach.

WOW + 100, That's a super bull! Huge congrats! Thanks for the story and pictures! His tops are absolutely amazing and but his fronts are unreal. What a perfect bull! Nice job!

Nice job, Brian! What a great looking bull. Love those fronts!!! Congrats.

That bull is GIGANTIC! Great footage - I'm just blown away. I sure hope to see some ground pix - what do you think he scores?

Man - those are some great bucks. I hope you get one this year! Good luck choosing which to shoot! I'd take that big typical 3, but I'm boring that way! LOL. Thanks for sharing.

I was finally able to break away and try to help some buddies out in 3C. Last night I set up high and glassed up some really nice bulls getting whipped into a frenzy. Spent the night with them in the wall tent, and went back out this morning. The bugling was insane, and everywhere we looked we found bulls. The bull/cow ratio was nuts - we saw way more bulls than cows. One bugle kept getting our attention and we kept working toward it. After crossing a deep canyon, we got a little split up. As soon as we broke over, the one guy with a tag had gotten separated from us, but only by about 50 yards. A huge, low, growling bugle lit up just in front of us. We hit our knees, and I looked back and asked if anyone knew where our buddy with the tag was - just shoulder shrugs. We could see the bull raking a tree about 75 yards off, and it was clear he heard us coming up and thought we were elk. I had a video camera in my pack but didn't have time to pull it out, so I just sat tight watching the spot I knew he would walk through. A few seconds later, he emerged, looking for the source of the noise, not more than 35 yards off - a huge 7x8. All I could do was look back at my buddy and his son like - "DID YOU JUST SEE THAT"??? Unfortunately, not shot on him for the shooter, but he knows where this guy is hanging out. What an unbelievable year it is for the archery hunters this year. Everyone seems to be on huge bulls, the rut is phenomenal, more potential for huge bulls than I've ever seen up here. Good luck to all hunters out there this year. Make the best of it, and try to really soak in every second when you're out there on the stalk, bone rattling bugles from all sides. 99.9% of the population never has the chance to experience awesome bull hunting in the prime of the rut.

Wow - what a brute!!!

Wow - Doug, you are a true artist. Thanks so much for sharing here. I can't get enough of your photos.

Great goat! I'm glad to welcome you aboard. I really think this is the best hunting website on the net. I can't wait to see more of your hunt stories and pictures.

I carry Swaro 10x42 SLC around my neck, Swaro 15x56 SLC in my pack for detailed glassing. A Pentax PF 80 ED spotting scope. I use a Slik Sprint tripod for the 10's and sometimes the 15's. A Bogen 3221gn for the 15's and spotter.

This is shaping up to be one of those years people will talk about for a LONG time. The rut is in full swing, late rains could not have been better, and the tops on these bulls are definately showing it. To those of you with tags, take your time, be picky - this is the year to land a bomber bull.

The .270 WSM is just an awesome all-around gun. I got one in partial trade from Gino a while back and made a youth gun out of it. This one is just a Howa, with a cheap stock and decent scope. With handloads, even despite the poor trigger, my kids can group well out past 300 yards, and they don't practice as much as they should. 140 Grain accubonds, H4831sc or IMR 4350, it shoots amazingly well. I can only imagine what a Rem 700, Tikka or even Savage 114 medium countour can do with this bullet in experienced hands.

Best rut we've had in years, and from what I've seen best antler growth too. You're in for one heck of a hunt! Good luck!!!