IA Born

Bump. Tickets still available for these raffles.

I have a Triclawps and love it. You're welcome to borrow it and test it out before you buy if you want. You've always been good to me. My daughter's at UofA, but will be here this week for a few days. I can send it down with her if you want.

This right here. I asked my wife about tickets last night thinking it would be fun if it was within our budget. OP's prices are dead on with how they are selling now. Good luck with your sale!

We spent most of her high school years not talking much unless we were javelina hunting or turkey hunting. Even then, it was pins and needles at times and she was well into the social life. I knew I had to let her go if I was ever going to get her back. Friends of mine with similarly stubborn, independent, strong-willed daughters assured me she'd come back around eventually and I just had to be patient. I asked her every draw cycle if she wanted to hunt and then bought her bonus points when she said no. I also told her UofA is close to several great Coues units, that she has enough points to get a good Coues tag, and that I'd rearrange my schedule to make sure I was available . That peaked her interest. Now to figure out 34B for pigs for her!

Got my usual archery stink pig tag and same for my son's youth sting pig tag. The big one, though, was my daughter getting drawn again. She's a sophomore at UofA and admitted to me this summer she misses hunting and hunting with me. After taking a couple of years away to pursue other passions in life, she wanted to put in for javelina again. She made it clear it had to be close to UofA/Tucson given the time she'll have available. No problem. She got a 34B general javelina tag and I can't wait to hunt with her again!

I keep replaying Friday afternoon, Oct 6, in my mind and am so proud of our son, Jacob. I'm also thankful for the friends (family) that helped make this happen. Grandpa Goose and Christian made this hunt even more special. We were glassing in Unit 10 Friday afternoon, looking for a cow elk that we (Christian) spotted that morning over 2000 yards away bedded between two junipers. A bull bugled to our right down in or across the canyon immediately east of us. We knew he had to have cows with him. While making a plan, I decided we didn't need three people going in. That was too many bodies and, therefore, too many chances for something to go wrong. I stayed back with the gear while Jacob and Christian went in to look and, hopefully, make something happen. I know when it's time to let go and time for someone else to lead him, especially someone I trust wholeheartedly. 10 minutes later, at 4:40 pm, I heard the shot, followed by the wracking of the action of Jacob's 300WM. Then dead silence. Nobody answered my radio or text inquiries. This dad was shaking, but confident. Jacob is an ice-cold shooter. My radio went off at almost 4pm letting me know Jacob hit a cow solidly. She entered a thick clump of junipers and never came out. I grabbed the gear and headed down to Jacob and Christian. I got the full download. Jacob made a perfect 357-yard shot on a slightly quartering-away mature cow. Christian kept eyes on the area while Jacob and I picked our way across the canyon. Christian guided us in perfectly after seeing her fall and tumble down the canyon side. Jacob paid his respects to his elk and helped me drag her 15 yards down the canyon to the wash where we could process her easier. We got some great trophy pics before we ran out of light and began the hard work. Fortunately, Christian and Goose were able to drive Christian's Pioneer right up to the elk. The ride out on the tailgate of the Pioneer was beautiful under the stars. I got my chance to say thanks to all those above who watched over us. That's when my emotions caught up to me. I lost track of how many times I hugged Jacob.

Congrats on a great hunt and hope your father-in-law is doing better!

Not sure how you're first weekend went, but they were bugling for us on my son's hunt last weekend. He tagged out Friday afternoon after getting on a bull bugling like crazy in the canyon off the point we were on.

Smoker sold.

Sold

Can meet up with a willing buyer. Will be traveling to El Paso Oct 12 or 13-Oct 15 and can meet off I-17/I-10. Will also be at McDowell Mt Park Oct 20-22 for a mountain bike race. $2300

Can meet up with a willing buyer. Will be traveling to El Paso Oct 12 or 13-Oct 15 and can meet off I-17/I-10. Will also be at McDowell Mt Park Oct 20-22 for a mountain bike race.

Bike rack sold

I remembered its @rossislider Sean and Draysen Hatch do great work. I didn't know Big Browns did taxidermy. I'd love to see some of your work, @Big Browns! You've always done right by me on this forum and I'd have no problem recommending you, too! I have a great taxidermist here in Flagstaff, but I'm never opposed to branching out, especially when I'm driving north from a SE AZ hunt!

Check out Great Hunter Skullz. I can't remember Sean's screen name here, but he and his son, Draysen Hatch (started it as a teen), do great work. I've had two done by Draysen and he does great work. They live in the Queen Creek/San Tan area. I'll even admit publicly that Sean is a good guy!

wish2hunt is correct!

This right here. 1,000%. Had the same mindset and habits when I wore contacts as a wildland firefighter. I just woke up a little earlier to get them in and get moving. Also had an eye doc up hre in Flag that got me in the ones I could wear for a few days in a row, including sleeping in them. Woke up, put in some wetting drops and was good to go.

General hunts are around the corner. Someone wants/needs a great Coues rifle!

Mike Furr does residential construction, but might have a contractor or, hopefully, know someone who can help in Flagstaff. I don't know if 4M Concrete does that kind of work, but I know they're good with concrete.

I have a mostly-full 1 lb bottle of H4831SC that I won't be usingl (0.988 lbs?). I only used enough for 12 rounds during load development for my rifle. Rifle didn't like this powder and I have no use for it. $45 or trade for similar (mostly full) bottle of RL 23. In Flagstaff, but I might be able to convince my wife to meet when she takes our daughter back to UofA next weekend. They're driving down on the 18th and my wife is returning to Flagstaff on the 19th.

Powder sold

ttt

A little over a year ago, one of my dad's Army buddies from Vietnam told me one of his bucket list things is to learn to fly fish and go to a western trout stream. John and I have always been close since I first met him at his first 173d Airborne Brigade Reunion in Rochester, MN in 1995. I told him I'd do everything and anything I could to make it happen for him. Another of the group, Chuck, where I turkey hunt in TX, was sitting there and asked if he could join the adventure. He was an avid fly fisherman back in the day. Absolutely no problem on our end. They were all together and survived the battle I've described before from Nov 11, 1967. My son, Jacob, and I started making plans. Last Christmas, John's wife contacted me about what all he'd need to get started so she could Christmas shop for him. We solidified the dates this past April during our turkey hunting adventures and I told him the San Juan River, below Navajo Dam was a great place to learn to fly fish. I told the group the San Juan can be very technical, but its also very forgiving and non-technical, which is a great place for a beginner. Somewhere along the way, my best friend of 47+ years, Jeff, invited himself on the trip. No problem and, luckily we have a couple of extra fly rods/reels thanks to my wife's and daughter's set ups. The plan was to meet at Float-n-Fish in Navajo Dam, get waders rented for those who needed them and hit the river for a couple of hours before we could check into our AirBnB. The only complication (or addition to the adventure, I suppose) came when Jacob and I hit Farmington and I realized I forgot to pack our vests and nets. I'll let you all figure out my choice of words, but they were definitely not family friendly. My lovely wife offered to overnight everything to us, but we needed gear to fish that day and Friday morning, with no guarantee of when/if things would arrive in the community of Navajo Dam on Friday. I promised my wife I would replace gear at the bare minimum to be able to successfully fish. We formed a plan and took off Thursday afternoon. It was slow and hot, so we regrouped, got checked into our AirBnB and relaxed for a bit before checking out Texas Hole that evening. I was spending most of my time as the "guide" and my son was acting as my "assistant guide", helping the folks who have never fly fished before. Jacob was great in that essence and I was trying to work a little harder so he could fish. John struck first Thursday night with a great 'bow, after I suggested he hit the seam along the riffle with his nymph. I had barely turned around when I heard that magical sound. Not only was this his first trout on a fly rod, it was the first fish of the trip and he was beaming! In general, mornings were slow and we always ended back at Texas Hole for the evenings. I'll stick to the evening action for that sake. Jacob ended up landing a beautiful bow Friday night on a dry fly, followed by Jeff (very rookie), who landed 3 great 'bows on a dry within 20-30 minutes. We left too early Friday, because the hatch didn't start in earnest until about 7:50pm. Right as we were leaving, I saw it and badly wanted to cast in the low light, but the group was on the move about 5 minutes prior. We had an early supper Saturday at the Sportsman's Lounge, with the idea that we'd stay until we absolutely couldn't see anymore. I'd told them stories about past experiences on Texas Hole when you're struggling to see your fly. I managed to strike first with a very pretty 'bow on a nymph on the other side of the seam John and Jeff caught from. I gave Jeff that spot because I knew where I wanted to be when the hatch started. The hatch didn't disappoint, either. Jacob caught another nice 'bow, I landed three 'bows on two different dries, and Chuck caught the best fish of the trip, a pretty brown on a dry right as light was fading. My last one was in the dark where I couldn't see my fly, but I could see the rises. I cast out and was watching the general area, when I saw a rise. Hoping for the best, I lifted to set and, BOOM, fish on. Everyone was already across the channel, but Jeff came back to help me land in the fast-fading light. I'm counting Chuck's brown as the last official trout of the trip since he could actually see the take. I'm counting my last one (in the dark) for me, because of my friend, a Vietnam combat vet Marine named Bob (like my dad), who taught me that trick back in 2007. And we're talking about a return trip and other adventures. I know how big my dad was smiling down on us this trip. I hate that my computer turns these all 7 ways of Sunday and I can't figure out how to rotate them properly. Walking into Crusher Hole Thursday afternoon View from Munoz upriver Munoz. Jacob in the foreground and John on the right. John on the seam at Texas Hole John's first trout fly fishing Jacob's first trout in just over a year. Jeff's 1st of three on a dry My nymph trout My 2nd on a dry, a #22 midge cluster Chuck's last light brown My 3rd on a dry Saturday night, when it was too dark to see my fly The Gang before parting ways Sunday

Aw, heck, I'll give you any info you want on the San Juan, anytime. Just let me know when you're going. There are 2-3 nymphs and 2-3 dries that are consistent throughout. There are others that work, obviously, but a select few that are consistent no matter what time of year and what hole you're in. I typically only fish two specific nymphs, and rarely branch out beyond two dries.

Maybe we can trade info: CO for San Juan!