IA Born

I have a Mk II bull barrel that was my dad's and is almost as old as I am. I love that thing. My kids love it, but its also quite a bit heavy for them. After a couple of years of shooting it, my daughter saved some money and bought herself a Mk III 22/45. She absolutely loves it and so do I, especially since I shoot mostly 1911s, but I will be the first to admit that it needs a new trigger. I've shopped around and there is a replacement for about $100. The trigger is my only gripe on that pistol. My son really has his heart set on the 22/45 Lite, but we're not ready for him to have that at 9 years old. Maybe next year. I'm guessing it has sucky trigger, too, but I could very well be wrong on that one. As for ease of taking them apart and reassembling, I'm the wrong person to ask. I need someone to teach me!

Any non-turkey tag drawers interested in a trip to NM late April/early May? I have a limited window and am doing my best to not miss turkey season. My backup plan to head to KS with a buddy in Pratt isn't looking good.

Nine years ago this Christmas Eve, I was blessed with the absolute best Christmas gift ever. Our son was born at 0830 on Christmas Eve morning. We had to tell his older sister (3 back then) that Santa promised to make a special trip back to our house since we wouldn't be home on Christmas Eve. We came home and celebrated Christmas a day later, on the 26th, when my wife gave me my custom muzzleloader. He was three weeks to the day early. Nine years ago, Jacob was born on Christmas Eve. A year later, Christmas Eve fell on his birthday. We've been very good at keeping the two separate and I've made it clear to family and friends that I have zero tolerance for a combo gift. Our Christmas' will never be the same and, like you, Explorer, I cherish every minute now that he is finally showing the strong interest in hunting. A couple of weeks ago, we gave him his birthday present a month early. He's been begging me to get him out shooting his new 7-08. We're supposed to be taking him fishing on his birthday in Cozumel this year. He'll also be joining me on my archery javelina hunt this January, and he'll be one of my students in a Hunter Ed Class in February. With his older sister, its also like you, in that I end up getting them better gear and equipment than I have. We do what we do to make it fun, exciting, and enjoyable for them, right?!? My daughter had an MRI this morning after busting up her shoulder six weeks ago yesterday during keeper training at soccer practice. We finally get solid answers and a solid path forward in a couple of hours. Two weeks after her injury she said to me: "Dad, I'm going turkey hunting this spring, no matter what. You'll back me up and support me, right?" How could I not? Christmas Eve 2007 Nov 2016

I've got an old Easton Game Getter Stabilizer that has been sitting on my work bench in the same spot for a few years now. I can get pics up later tonight when I get home. Yours if you want it.

That one will be too high for her when shooting prone, but I might end up with it for me! I'm considering the Triclawps because I can take her binocs off and mount that on her tripod while I keep spotting through my glass. I hadn't thought of the crossed sticks under the butt, though. I have a set of shooting sticks that will work perfectly. Thanks!

By when do you need them? I'll keep an eye out for stuff in the mail.

Thanks, guys! I was looking at them on Midway yesterday, comparing prices to Cabela's. The more I look at it and research brands, the more I realize that Harris is the way to go. There was one on Midway that was half the price and had great reviews, but I keep leaning towards this and something I read by Cactus Jack in another post: "I try to follow the buy once, cry once rule." Pretty sure if I couch in terms of it being for the kids, my wife will understand. She wants to see them succeed!

Great looking buck!

My life story, but you never know!

I posed the Zeiss vs Swaro 15s question about a year ago and got a mixed bag of answers. I was looking at those two because of my pro deals with both brands. I don't have a Leica pro deal or they would have been in the running. Zeiss was a better price but, in the end, I went with Swaros because I'd used friends' in the field. No regrets at all.

Congrats to you both. I took my daughter on the early youth hunt up there two years in a row and they are, by far, my favorite hunting trips. I can't wait to get my son up there after he turns ten a year from this month! Congrats again!

That's probably it. I'd have to go home to confirm on mine, but all the way down into the third spot is where it should be so you can have full motion of the bolt. You might have to do some work on the stock right there to get the lever all the way down.

I was actually surprised to see that many Peaks Hunts. I was talking to a friend at AGFD at last spring's youth tag and there was talk about either removing them completely or cutting it down to two cow hunts. This is all because the last several years of this particular hunt have done what USFS and AGFD wanted, which was to cut the elk population down after it exploded up to 10x normal levels after the Schultz Fire. The elk population got so high that they were exceeding the carrying capacity and not letting the natural regeneration post-fire to proceed. Elk are great animals, but they can be absolute heck on a landscape and these particular ones were contributing to the major erosion issues that have been happening. These hunts were originally intended to be short-term hunts, anyway, using hunters as the management tool to reduce an overpopulated herd. Frankly, I was surprised to see four cow hunts up there, but not surprised to see the number of tags cut. I think leaving the four hunts was AGFD's compromise to allow hunter opportunity. Had they followed good science and management principals, everyone would have been in an uproar over lost hunting opportunity.

TTT since Vowell was asking the other day.

Exactly!

Marco Polo ram at 14,000 feet in the Kyrgyzstan is on my bucket list! Sweet and congrats!

It's a little too much for my 9-year old son, though. With the money from this, I can get him a decent, yet simpler scope, especially using my pro deal! I have a Zeiss 3.5-10×50 MC for sale. The ad is in here, down a few pages. I'm on my phone, or I'd paste the link here for you. Great scope in great condition. Only been on two hunts and had been a safe queen since about 2010.

Selling the scope that came on my son's new rifle. Its a Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40 with BDC. I wanted the rifle, but not the scope since I had a good Vortex ready for him, but it was a package deal. I was going to mount it on his .22 for him, but realized the BDC reticle is too much/too busy for a .22. I don't really have any other need for it or justification to keep it. Its never been in the field or even the range. No shots fired from rifle yet. I don't have a picture of the actual scope yet, but I can get one. It comes with the weaver-style rings and bases, though, since I don't use that style. I will get updated pics up tonight after work, but the pic below is from Nikon's website. I don't have the Nikon scope box since it came mounted on the rifle, but I think I have an extra scope box from another scope to ship it in. If not, I'll box it up good in something else. Asking $150 obo for scope and rings. Willing to ship, but trips to the Valley are known to happen (mtg at AGFD on Dec 3 for sure). Will get actual pics tonight.

Scope is SPF. That didn't last long. Now if I can just get my Zeiss sold!

I'd take it so my son and I can load for my M1 Garand, now that he loves doing that with me. But I'd feel better working out a trade or paying you.

I could see it for a 22 mag, but for a 22lr? Are you going to make me rethink my choice?

When I searched what I thought was a fair price for a brand new, albeit mounted, scope, I forgot about the rings and bases until I was typing the rest. I don't really have a need for them, so you can either sell them or give them to a friend who can use them or we can talk. Its still a fair price for a new scope. I've posted updated pics, too. Let me know.

If you're taking the 535 off of 89A, it can be tricky and rough in spots if the weather gets wet. A better way would be to take Woody Mt Road (231) to the junction with 538. 231 is almost always in good condition. Some of the back roads can be pretty tricky with moisture, but you are usually good with a camper within 1/2- to 1-mile from the 231. Of course, if the weather stays on the current course, all roads should be pretty good throughout the unit.

I just realized that you'll have someone else to help you haul your elk out now! Just kidding, buddy. I'll be there!

Congrats, Mike!! I don't miss the diaper days, but I do miss the smell of my kids when they were that young. Another hunting buddy on the way!!