Coach

Great job - way to get those kids involved.

Nice Rack!

Dang! Nice gun and a shooter to boot! I'm sure it'll go quick. That's a hunting machine, not to mention a beautiful rifle someone will own with pride.

Chris, thanks for bolstering my point, although it wasn't likely intentional. We each get to decide what constitutes "fair chase" and "ethics". Your definition probably won't match the guy or gal next to you. Some people draw the line at radios, others at mechanical heads. To some people shooting a buck at 700 yards with target turrets and a range finder is considered "fair chase" while others think it isn't. You're not going to find consensus on any of the issues that divide hunters - period. The minute any ONE of us starts trying to define ethics and fair chase for ALL of us, we become divided, and weaker. I guarantee there are hunters out there who would be more than happy to point out how much purer their form of hunting is than yours, unless you're jabbing them with a hand-knapped spear while wearing a loin cloth. Just my $.02. Jason

"Take away the trail cams... the bait... " Don't forget ground blinds, compound bows, carbon arrows, high-powered rifles with scopes, range finders, tree stands, binoculars, scent lock clothing... Hey, if you're gonna go anti, may as well go all the way.

I have also had very good experiences ordering from Doug in the past. Definately a good guy to work with.

It really is tempting, but this year $$ is tight for everyone. I'd love to hunt coues in Old Mexico, and one day, God willing, I will. Just not in the cards for me this year. Good luck, and please show us all what we missed out on this year.

No expert here, but I don't think the weather will be a big factor. From what I've seen they stay "close to home" until pressure from hunters or other predators (or lack of water) forces them to change. From what I've seen, they actually LIKE cold weather. Ever find a coues bed in the snow? They don't even melt the snow where they lay for hours on end - their bodies are very efficient that way. Only enough snow to make foraging difficult would get 'em to move out, IMO.

Happy Birthday, Gino! Hope you like Sierra Nevada - it's all I've got!

What a heck of a bull. Congratulations and thanks for sharing the story.

I can't be sure about the unit without any maps, but the area North of Bog Tank (across from Horseshoe) is always a good place to check out. My dad used to get us "affiliate" tags since he worked on the rez. and the elk were always easy to find there. In fact, that is where the Apache G&F posted their checkstation in the old days because so many hunters were coming out of that area with their kill and in those days, you had to check each cow elk for age, etc.. That would be the first left turn after Bog Tank and Horseshoe Cienega on the left if you are heading East on HWY 260 between McNary and Springerville. If the first snow hits up high before your hunt, that area is an elk "super highway" of migrating herds heading out of the pines and into the cedar flats to the North. If that's the case, they'll be moving fast.

That rocks! Great job to the youth hunters. Way to get 'em out there on on animals.

Nice job! That's a great buck - congratulations!!! Now, we're all waiting for the story!

Nice job Clay - shoot a coyote, save a fawn!

"In case nobody told you, it is NEVER a good idea to talk to the police. Period. I was a cop for over 20 years so I speak from experience!" Dang, that's a pretty rough statement. Not denigrating you or your experience, but lots of guys, including myself, try to keep stuff like this "above board". Personally, any time I encounter a "gray area" in the law, the FIRST thing I do is work with LEOs. Maybe I've misinterpreted, but your statement was pretty clear. Why is it not a good idea to talk to the police? If you've done nothing wrong, and have nothing to hide, it seems only logical to keep them privy. I'm just asking here. Is there some unspoken assumption of guilt when someone contacts the law?

Not trying to be contrary, but I've found that for bino's heavier tripods don't buy you much. I'd much rather go ultralight with something like the Sprint Pro than carry too much tripod. If the wind is too much for that tripod with 15x binocs you probably won't see much anyway. Just my $.02

That last buck is solid mid 90's for sure. Hope they're not nocturnal!

Hey Scott. I use a Slik Sprint Pro with my 15's and it works really well. I didn't even buy a head for it because it comes with a ball head that does the job. I might look into that 700rc2 head though - a little smoother head would be nice. Using the Jim White universal tripod adapter I don't think you'll find a lighter tripod setup. PM me with any questions.

Do they need any Cabela's catalogs? Wish I had some magazines to donate. Sounds like a neat program.

The biggest mistake I make is glassing too fast. Forcing yourself to really slow down is key in my opinion. I don't know how many times I've found deer on the "second pass" when I slowed down and stuck to a grid in an area that I thought I had looked over pretty well. When you locate a deer that you don't intend to go after, watch it for a while. It's always amazing what percentage of the time it is invisible or barely visible. I've found this helps reinforce in your mind how easy it is to overlook a deer by not letting your glass sit still long enough to catch a slight movement.

Great bull, and what a neat write-up. It's great to see the whole family out there sharing the experience!

What an awesome bull!!! Congrats to the hunter and to the Mullins team! You guys did a heck of a job. Nice write-up of the story too! Maybe some paragraph breaks next time I can attest to what a difficult hunt it was this year. I tried to help out 2 buddies in 3C and the rut was definately not what any of us expected. The bow hunter ate tag soup despite a lot of help from guys way more experienced than me (passed up several 340 class bulls) and the rifle hunter finally scored today - the last day of the season - on a nice "older" 320's bull. After hunting all week this was the first bull we saw that was really rutting hard. It was his best ever bull so he's tickled pink. Pulling off a 400 class bull this year took a lot of dedication on your part. My hat's off you you guys! Great job!

Wish I was going out. I've used up my "field time" between my hunts and helping friends on elk hunts. Maybe in a couple weeks.

Immediately contact G&F and tell them about the circumstances. Way more often than not, I've found them to be very helpful and understanding. If nothing else, you have involved them and stated your case. You're not trying to push the rules or get away with anything, and I would be willing to bet they will support you for that. The vast majority of G&F employees I've dealt with want to assist hunters in retrieving downed game, and are very sympathetic to fringe-cases like the one you presented. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. IMO, by all means, get G&F involved. If another hunter finds your animal, they will probably assist you in recovering it.

Sorry this particular hunt was such a bad experience. I don't think giving up is the answer, but that's just me. Hold on to your stuff, let some time pass and get back at it. It can only get better!