Red Rabbit

Sehr Gut!

Chris, I didn't know the Mearns grew that big down in that country. Really is a pretty feathered bird and congrats on a nice specimen. I have seen turkey tracks while Mearns hunting down there, but no actual Goulds. Doug

Brian, Gorgeous bird! The white feather ends really provide contrast. Congrats on filling a premium tag. Doug~RR

The one camo that has caught my attention is WLGore Optifade. http://gizmodo.com/5053754/optifade-digita...ious-deervision http://www.optifade.com/ (see all 3 chapters- click on 3 lower right pics 2$3 are on camo and deer vision) http://www.optifade.com/SpotTheHunter/ http://www.bowhunting.com/blog/post/2009/0...-Marketing.aspx http://www.huntinglife.com/blog/detail/opt...nitial-thoughts Sitka Gear is to be the exclusive supplier and to be available in June.

From the photos taken at a distance, Predator does very well. I think most camos are too dark for AZ, especially MossyOak Blackout (eerr Breakup). Best is wind in your face, not standing on the skyline, and walking behind the treeline.

The antelope mount from my 2008 AZ Unit 18A hunt was completed recently. TR Taxidermy in Flagstaff did the work. Tim Rajsich has done all of my mounts since 1992. Here is a field photo taken the morning after the evening kill. The mount. I will now have to make the habitat for this wall pedestal. Doug~RR

The youth still have the javelina hunts . The Junior Javelina hunts are on pages 27&28 of the regs, in the Youth Hunt section.

The 243win, 300WSM will be suited for a short action. The 270Win and 300RUM will need a long action. If you are buying a factory rifle, the appropriate action length will be used by the manufacturer for the chambering.

The higher BC bullets will be longer for caliber. So without seating them deeper and infringing upon powder space, one may need the longer magazine afforded by a long action, a deeper throat, or the clearance of the long action to eject a loaded case.

A quick look at the online regs gave me a surprise. I was thinking that the first coues hunt in October would have much higher success than the two November hunts, due to first chance at unspooked game. But the hunt success between the first 3 seasons is relatively close. RR

Wikipedia on Fluoride glass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorozirconate_glass Wikipedia on low dispersion glass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_dispersion_glass

Well, If there are 6 reproducing does/square mile and 1000 sq miles, then there would be 6000 does. The fawn:doe ratio is like 35:100 If each drops one fawn, and 1/2 are bucks, then about 1050 bucks are produced every year to replace those lost to hunting, predation, disease and old age. THe decision to increase or decrease permit numbers is based on buck:doe ratios, fawn:doe, population trend, hunt success levels. See page 8 in the hunt guidelines. http://www.azgfd.gov/pdfs/h_f/huntingrecom...tGuidelines.pdf At the public hunt input meetings at the regional offices a month ar so ago, these were discussed (at least in teh Flagstaff meeting it was)

For the bonus pass data, the "Total Success" column tells how many tags were issued for each of the bonus point groups. If the total success number is less than the total applied number, it means some that applied 2nd choice received their first choice for another hunt in the bonus pass.

From the article: "an overzealous hunter shot his partner" This might infer they were together, but never know about accuracy of the press.

What did Jon say it was like to be closely surrounded by the bulls? What is the story how the A-Bolt came with a take-down stock? Exciting tale so far! RR

What was the distance between the trail cam and the shed drops? Was he seen during the rut? If so, how far apart from the cam and drops?

Quickly did 36B. 2006 = 550 2007 = 516 2008 = 591

Bill, I read that on AR. The charge and shot seemed to happen very quickly (3 sec?) as told by the police reports and video time. Doug~RR

I come up with 654 killed in 2007, for the 3 hunts (#permits x %). 620 vs 654 may be due partly to those having a permit and not hunting. Success in 2007 was 38%, 36%, 66% In 2008, was 44%, 36%, 33%, 75% Early hunt success was about the same % on average, so increased harvest likely due to increased tags overall, and maybe an increase in 1 1/2 y.o. bucks from good moisture 2 years ago.

Tim, The HD designation is for fluoride-containing lenses. Other makers may refer to them as ED or XD. It is not a coating. The HD/ED/XD lenses have less chromatic aberration, hence give sharper images with more contrast. Usually it is just the objective lenses that are HD/ED. I believe the eyepieces are the same for the HD/nonHD spotters. Looking on BearBasin, the Kowa Prominar 77 with 20-60 is $2465, and the Swaro HD STS 80 w 20-60 is $2828 Either way, Kowa or Swaro, you will get top tier optics. Doug~RR

RoughCut, From the Hunt Arizona book, I added 620 WT killed in 2007 for unit 33. Multiplying the permit numbers by % success, I get 765 killed in 2008. What numbers did you get? If the coues density is about 10/sq mile, and the buck:doe ratio is 25:100, there would be about 2 bucks/sq mi. How many square miles is unit 33 coues country? to determine about how many bucks there might be in 33, and compare to the harvest. RR

I believe everyone with a tag was sent a survey card. Return rate is something like 35%. Those that are successful are more likely to return the card. But some may indicate unsuccessful so that the hunt success % does not look high and maybe have less people apply next year for their unit. I think the published rates reflect a fudge factor based on studies. Even with mandatory reporting, hunters that are successful could lie if they were not checked by a WM, did not use a game processor or taxidermist.

unit: Oct, Nov, Nov, Dec 6A: 26, 17, - , 61 29: 18, 30, 21, 53 33: 44, 36, 33, 75 34A: 30, 26, 24, 40 36B: 27, 23, 23, 74 36C: 28, 30, 25, 62

http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/documents/A..._Regs_09-10.pdf

Curious why Katich did not accompany or drive Hedger out in the vehicle.