Flatlander

Are you in ABQ?

A suggestion for folks considering donating tags. If you’d like to find out how the organizations do with converting the tag into a meaningful experience for the recipient you can call some of the common outfitters who help out. Some organizations do a great job of sending helpers, providing transportation, meat care etc. Others are less involved and leave most of that up to the recipient or an outfitter who has volunteered to help. Many outfitters are happy to assist, but they also have a business to run and clients to serve. This and the number of tags being donated can leave some of them with a lot on their plate. That may translate into a less than ideal situation for the tag holder. I know from personal experience that OE4A will not issue a tag unless the proper resources are available to help. They are very careful with the logistics of the hunt and the needs of the hunter. I have also seen AES hunts for heroes in camp assisting their hunters. Tom goes on as many of those hunts personally as he can. When he can’t be there, he makes sure someone capable will be. I have also seen a tag holder show up in camp completely unprepared and without a capable helper. Although there was an outfitter available to assist, he also had other paying clients who he had an obligation to. Fortunately there were folks in camp who were able to help that hunt workout. It takes more than a tag to make this program work and actually provide the intended outcome. Some orgs are better than others at making this happen. My experience is limited to only a few. I am sure there are many who take the time to do this right but like anything else, there are also those who don’t put the work in.

Stan, please tell her thank you from all of us. It’s got to be incredibly taxing putting yourself in that environment.

I mean, yes and no, you still have to get to the camera to check it, which to Fred’s point isn’t any different than checking physical sign. But not knowing exactly when they were there, if it was 1, 3 or 50 animals. Bulls or cows. Which direction they came from, how long they hung around etc. definitely makes it tougher. That being said, the areas I have seen that Buffalo are hitting hard are pretty obvious. What will definitely be tougher is hunting big solitary bulls out of the rut. I don’t know Buffalo sign well enough to tell a bull track from a cow track, let alone a big bull track from an average track.

They leave a lot of sign, but that only tells you part of the story and has strong recency bias. For DIY guys showing up before a hunt they could easily have cameras in half a dozen spots and get the story from the past few weeks. Now, they’ll be limited to whatever they can pick up by dropping in on a spot. Which will probably have a hunter sitting on it.

Will you sell them to a Sun Devil?

I look for hunts at times that they can dedicate time to the hunt. In the spring we apply for hunts during summer break. In the fall we try for fall break. If you are doing the 12AW hunt you need time. Preferably a couple of weeks. Without being able to run cams, this will now be a much tougher hunt for DIY hunters.

Del, Hoghntr and Biglakejake. Definitely one of the great ones.

I went, never fired a shot. Never had to wait for the fog to lift on a dove hunt before.

All understandable points. If you notice in my recommendation I suggested that they either remove crossbows from archery seasons OR tighten the requirements for obtaining one. If I could think of a way to keep guys from shooting 100 yds with compounds I would be all for it. I like the Colorado muzzleloader requirements. But even just limiting scope power to 4x would do a lot.

It’s likely that what you experienced in CO will be similar to the plateau in October. Be prepared for rain, snow and ice. But it’s likely you will have bluebird skies and highs in the 60’s. This is not an exceptionally rugged unit. Most of the roads are pretty darn good and there are tons of them. If you’re smart you’ll be glassing and that isn’t terribly different than sitting a stand until you close the distance. Don’t let it psych you out. It’s just hunting.

Have fun.

Man, that’s a tough call. I hope you get the miracle and get back in the field with a bow. If you turn the tag in you might consider one of the charitable organizations that can get it to a kid or vet in need. Below are a couple of good ones. Eddie Corona OE4A +1 (480) 529-8340 Tom Wagner Heroes Rising (480) 760-3868

Woody, give me a shout. PM sent.

Find a drafter for a fraction of the price.

Very nice! How was the bullet performance on the 25?

While I do not agree with the trail camera ban, although I hate what trail cameras have become in this state. Seeing a dozen or more cameras at a water hole disgusts me. The pictures of outfitters with their prized collections of hundreds or thousands of cameras makes me want to vomit. However, AZGFD doesn't have the authority to resolve this issue. The rule as currently written is ridiculous and unenforceable and will make the problem worse, not better. It has made a criminal of a father who puts out 2-3 cameras with his kids prior to a hunt while leaving a litany of loopholes open for those who are commercializing hunting. I am interested in your comment about hunting around water. I am not aware of that rule being in place anywhere other than the Big Bo ranch, where it is a ranch rule and not an AZGFD requirement. However, with the increase in OTC tag sales and the improvement of many other hunting tools and methods, not hunting water is a tool we may want to consider more. I heard someone once state that we cannot continue to improve the pump without also improving the well. In the case of hunting, so many advancements have been made that increase efficacy (trail cameras, optics, rangefinders, etc) that increase in harvest is inevitable. Because the # of deer we have in this state is not increasing at the same rate that harvest is, we either have to limit efficacy or reduce opportunity. With so many deer being harvested over water, one option for maintaining OTC archery opportunity might be to disallow hunting over water instead of converting the archery hunt to draw only. This would preserve opportunity while also reducing efficacy. Would you rather give up sitting water or have OTC hunts converted to a draw?

Always been positive for me.

Is this dude from Heber? Sounds like he poached a bunch of stuff and used it to get on magazines. They busted him with this one because of his beard. https://www.eastidahonews.com/2021/08/local-man-faces-felony-charge-in-alleged-poaching-case/

For real though, too many tags, too many fires, too many side by sides. I'd be looking at 9, 10, 23.

Shhh

Well if you need help getting the cargo trailer home let me know. I will be in Show Low next weekend.

I will take some. Sending a PM

I have to drive to U of A today. Work tomorrow. Lame. Remember, pics or it didn’t happen.

Harris Automotive on Old Linden took care of me when I lost a pulley and radiator on an elk hunt one time.