Red Rabbit

The one with the biggest body

Kohl, Congrats to you!

Ventured to Red Rock Crossing to see if there was to be colorful sunset upon Cathedral as the storm front passed leaving a few clouds. A drake wood duck was in the pool of Oak Creek, along with a mallard pair. Not much of a sunset though.

Amanda fixed the reply function to this forum section.

I will see if he is hanging around the pool this afternoon when I go back to Cathedral for the moon rising right before sunset. Hopefully I can get a closer photo of the woody without having to crop so much and loose detail. Wish I had a 400mm lens, as I don't see too many wood ducks around here. Doug~RR

Is there an RV park in Arivaca that his wife would allow? http://www.universalranch.com/

The Initiation: My First Coues Whitetail Hunt A long time friend convinced me to put in for a December whitetail hunt in Unit 29. I was teaching in Texas at the time and this hunt would be on the trip back to Phoenix to see family over Christmas vacation back in 1982. I had not been to Skeleton Canyon and Geronimo's Surrender Sight near Apache, AZ before. A day before we were to hunt, I arrived after dark only to find the creek at the canyon mouth swollen due to 5” of rain that day. Not wanting to venture across the creek which I could not see its depth, in a 2wd S-10 towing a boat to be used later at Lees Ferry, I waited to cross until morning. My friend drove down from Phoenix the next day. We set up camp and took a scouting ride so I could see some of the area before we hunted the next day. At the time, I had only been hunting for a total of one year. I had never hunted Coues before and asked what a nice one was. He said they were small, about 100 pounds, and with 3 points on a side. If it was big enough to see antlers, I should shoot. I envisioned something like a small, basket-racked, Texas Hill Country 6 pointer (eastern count). The next morning in a light, short-lived rain, we set out together up a draw. When the draw split, we decided to go separate ways. While my friend continued up to the right, I went up and to the left a hundred yards from the juncture to glass the opposite slope. Quickly I spotted a buck and could see antlers, but I lost him when he walked behind a juniper tree. Frustrated after not being able to relocate the vanished deer for several minutes, I decided to journey further on up the left draw. After walking a hundred yards or so, I told myself, “This is stupid to be walking away. The buck has to be there. It didn’t just disappear.” So, I hiked back and started to look again through my Bushnell 7x35 InstaFocus binos. After a few minutes, the buck was located near the same spot I had lost sight of him originally. To get closer to for the shot, I went on the backside if a curvature to hide me, down to the bottom and maybe 50 yards up to a boulder. I could rest the rifle on the rock as I shot uphill at the deer. When the buck stepped into a clearing, maybe 150 yards up the slope, I sent a 150 grain CoreLok from the 7mm Remington Express to the lungs. The buck dropped instantly. I went up to him, looked at the small 8 point buck, tagged him and proceded to field dress him. Looking back down the draw from where the buck lay. Rather than going back to camp for the frame and pack him down the hill, I decided I could ride the Honda ATV up the hillside and bring him down the easy way. After walking back down to where we left the ATV that morning, I drove up the creek bottom and up the hillside to the buck. I needed to traverse sidehill about 30 yards to go over to the buck. I traversed about 10 yards of it before gravity and slope decided that I had overcome the center of gravity. The Honda rolled over, with my body cushioning its first rotation against the ground. Fortunately, the seat was the part that pressed down upon my back and head, and not the handlebars or racks, or footpegs. I looked down hill to see it rolling over and over and over, bouncing each time it hit a tire, and with flashes of red flailing outward on each rotation. I envisioned a complete loss of the plastic fenders. Picking myself off the ground, I walked down to the Honda, noted the red was the red straps and not busted fenders, rolled it over from its side, cranked on the starter a few seconds to hear the sound of the dependable Honda. I drove straight up to the buck and tied it onto the rear rack. The first attempt at turning made me notice that I could not, as the handlebars had been bent down to thigh level. A couple of upward yanks on the bars and I was on my way back to camp. My friend returned to camp that evening having walked miles up the right draw and only saw two muley does. He asked how I did. I pointed to the buck in the oak tree. He remarked, “Geez Koepsel, that’s a nice one.” Doug~RR

Chris, Have you had a chance to evaluate the Kaibabs yet? Doug~RR

If you are glassing from below, it is easier to look beneath the trees to spot a bedded buck. But from below, the curvature of the hill may hide the upper slopes if you are too close to the base.

Looks like WFG's winner buck from last year. http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...c=11499&hl=

3950 acres on this morning's post. Expected containment Nov 4 20-30 mph winds from the WNW today

Congrats on a nice buck from "wherever" you ended up playing it by ear. Did he have a point broken off on the right side? Looks like a well-placed shot. Be sure to email me your best field photo and gross score for the contest. Doug~RR

That's a good sight. We have brown ground and clear blue skies here in Flag this morning.

Have you called/redialed some of the numbers on the phone to see whose it may be? Or call you own phone to see if a name pops up on caller ID.

Good hunt with an XP. Congrats. What kind of muzzle velocity are you getting? You said only 4" of penetration? Where did it impact on the antelope and what kind of tissue damage? Pic of recovered bullet? I thought the A-max was being used for LR to open at lower vel and have high BC to help retain vel and trajectory. Doug~RR

MR NICE frame. Act fast. Put a load sling on it and you are good to go. Belt size not specified in ad though. http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/u...ame#Post3425492

Load up the backpack and go. You may wish to stash some water at the intended camp during a scouting trip.

Was told over the weekend that AZ state lands/forestry was only budgeted $2 Million for fires. That is less $ than their lowest year spent.

Not that there is a good time of year for human-caused wildfires. Seems that fall hunting seasons coincide with desired temp and moisture for controlled burns. Archery elk season is always smoky in places. The South Kaibab is still currently doing controlled burns near Tusayan. Coconino has been doing some burns around Flag recently. Sure hope this front tonight drops some badly-needed wet stuff tonight and tomorrow.

Sasabe weather calling for SW-SSW winds 20-30 mph today, gusts to 40. Not good.

what I could find: http://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/predictive/intel..._news_notes.htm

Here is my master checklist. A little longer than Casey's but can delete some depending on hunt For rifle carrying on the pack, I like the Kifaru Gun Bearer. https://www.kifaru.net/gunbearer_hunt.html Hunting Daypack Checklist: GAME DRESSING __ knife __ caping knife __ saw __ sharpening stone __ latex gloves __ nylon cord __ trash compactor bags OPTICS __ binos __ bino harness __ tripod __ tripod adapter __ lens cloth packets __ lens brush __ digital camera __ extra camera battery __ range finder __ black head cloth/drape FIRST AID KIT __ aspirin __ decongestant __ Benedryl __ TUMS __ Kaopectate tablets __ scissors __ tweezers __ comb __ band-aids __ wrap __ needle and thread __ gauze __ tape __ super glue __ mirror __ molefoam/moleskin __ + 2.5 reading glasses EMERGENCY __ space blanket __ matches __ Bic lighter __ fuel tabs MISCELLANEOUS __ cell phone __ topo map __ GPS __ compass __ Petzal headlamp __ Luxeon flashlight __ FRS radios __ extra batteries __ foam seat __ extra lashing straps __ hiking staff __ TP __ Wet Ones __ chapstick __ flagging tape __ hunting license, deer and lion tags CLOTHES (depending on weather) __ rain jacket __ rain pants __ extra socks __ jacket/vest __ beanie SHOOTING __ rifle __ sling __ shooting sticks __ ammo pouch __ Al rod, jag w/ patches __ electrical tape for end of barrel __ Allen wrench & screwdriver ARCHERY __ bow __ release __ Allen wrench set __ Balcon sling __ Bear feet FOOD __ water __ Cytomax/Gatorade __ lunch __ snacks __ gum

Congrats Scott! That one calls for a prickly pear margarita. Good luck on the rest of the hunt. Doug

Jody and Devin, Congrats again on another nice looking buck. Doug~RR

Hopefully first light is being welcomed with the reports of a few rifle shots. Good luck to y'all.