Red Rabbit

What would determine what a "premium" elk tag is? What hunts/units/seasons would qualify? UT has their once in-a-lifetime primo hunts, but has also made it so one can apply for LE elk, antelope and deer species, not just one species as in the past. In that same vein of thought, should AZ antelope permits become a once-in-a-lifetime hunt like bighoern due to their low population and difficult draw odds?

2006 is the year that permit fees increased. In 2007, this was the first year that the elk and antelope draws were separate from the deer. Notice the drop in deer applications, likely due to those having drawn elk permits. The numbers are from the HUNT Arizona 2008 book. The 2009 edition is to come out in May, so the 2008 data is not readily available to see what effect the mail-only apps had. General elk applicants 2005- 64683 2006- 66873 2007- 65190 Bighorn Sheep applicants 2005- 11266 2006- 16332 2007- 10630 General Deer applicants 2005- 83264 2006- 85534 2007- 68625

In what year did online apps cease and mail-only apps rehappen?

m77, iirc, one proposal made to G&F about the time of the USO fiasco was that deer hunts north of the ditch, and quality elk hunts like early rifle and 9 archery be made premium hunts with a higher fee amount. Not sure I like the idea of hunting becoming a richer man's sport. The idea of draw one tag and you are ineligble for other species has been proposed on the www. I think we talked about it here last year. This would allow almost everyone to have a tag of some sort each year.

I had read on another site that the person doing the online data had a family emergency and that is one of the reasons results are not online yet. Hopefully they will be up on Monday. RR

I was able to borrow 300WSM's Bogen/Manfrotto tripod and 701HDV head and experiment some more with the Gun Claw The detachable plate on the Bogen/Manfrotto 701 HDV head is longer and more secure, and did not wobble like the smaller RC2 plate on my Manfrotto700 head. Total weight on the Bogen pod and 701HDV head was 6 lbs, 4 oz. The Velbon EFL 4 and 157Q head was 4 lb 4 oz, both sans plates. When I clamped down all adjustment knobs, I noticed that most of the wiggle seemed to come from the rubber strips on the plate that the Claw was resting on. Perhaps an extra plate can have its rubber strip removed and then the plate epoxied to the Claw and the screw from below tightened with red Loctite. Have the Claw Clamped to the gun before the hunt, and one would be only seconds from sliding the system into the tripod head and be ready to shoot. Again, the use of shooting sticks under the rifle butt did a lot to make a steadier rest. Doug~RR

Chad, If there was a preference system, the average would be 4 years for each tag for all hunts including premium bull to limited opportunity cow. Yes, I doubt 2600 would be holding out for a unit 9 archery bull tag for 27 years, but I bet it would still require one to count the years on their toes before being drawn if a preference system was installed. If one bails from the unit 9 choice for a different hunt, that person would never get a chance to hunt 9. Our present system offers that chance. For every person that changes and applies for an easier draw, the chance to draw the easier hunt becomes harder. Utah has its hunts set up where 50% of the permits go to those with the most BP, iirc. As I said in my post, I would like to see the % bonus pass increased. What is a fair % for those unlucky at the top, and still gives hope for those with few BP? Nevada's squaring of the points tends to make it too much like a preference point system, imo. If this route was taken, an exponent less than 2, say x^1.5 would be better. I think our 20% pass was an attempt to fix a broken wheel, but some spokes still need attention. Doug

Might call the region 2 office in Flag.

These reports may help if you look at the "eye/eyeglass" column. http://www.livingbird.org/netcommunity/bbi...peChart2008.pdf http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds.../scopes/compare Some comments about eyeglass friendly spottters here: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds...copes/sc_review Maybe do a search on birdforum.com or opticstalk.com for those spotters with longer eye relief

DubTee, 10% of the permits are not set aside for NR. 10% is the max they can draw- NR can draw a tag in the draw until 10% of the permits are reached. The 10% may be reached sometime in the 20% pass, during the regular 1-2 draw, or not at all if all permits are issued before 10% are drawn by NR. In the 20% pass, 20% of the permits are drawn by those to those in the top BP group(s). After this draw, new randon numbers are issued, before the regular 1-2 pass, and the 3-4-5 pass. Here is a description how the draw process works. http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/BigGameDrawingProcess.shtml description of bonus points vs preference points: http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/BonusPointProcess.shtml Here are the bonus point analysis reports for the elk & antelope draws, which are by hunt number for the 2008 hunts (last year's numbers). The 20% bonus pass will give you and idea how many BP it will take to be drawn in the 20% pass. http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/documents/b...08BonusPass.pdf The 1-2 pass gives the chances for drawing for each bonus point group, and includes those drawn in the 20% bonus pass. http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/documents/b.../1-2%20Pass.pdf Here are the reports for the deer, which you should find useful before the June application deadline: http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/pdfs/2008Bo...t-BonusPass.pdf http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/pdfs/2008Bo...port1-2Pass.pdf

With all that cleaning ahead of you, consider the Ultra Bore Coat http://www.ultracoatingsinc.com/products.html

GH, The display pair of Kenetrek Hardscrabbles was a size 9- just my size. But no, I did not test fit them. I have a pair of Lowa Tibets, so not needing boots at the moment. If I did, these would be a strong consideration. They look to be very well made. Was also told that the new Vortex Kaibab 15x56s should be delivered to the store in a few weeks. RR

I was in Bull Basin Archery here in Flagstaff. They stock Kenetrek boots, and have the Hardscrabble Hikers, Mountain Boots, Pac boots and gaiters.

With about 80,000 people applying for 20,000 elk tags, hunting elk once every four years on average is indicated. That WMAT cow tag that Casey mentioned would be a good alternative to consider. There is OTC elk in Colorado.

Here is a spot that I looked at a few years ago, but did not hunt. Let's start with the assumption you have the first rifle hunt in October. How would you hunt this drainage? Where would you expect the bucks to bed? feed? Where would set up first thing before dayllight, move to in mid-day, evening? Why are you making these decisions? The photo was taken looking east from about the yellow diamond on the map.

Dick, That sounds like a great fall for you in that you finally got that 7E tag. You will have a couple of superlative hunts to start retirement. Doug~RR

no elk or antelope tags this year , so I will save the vacation days for the sheep hunt Even though the recording says not available, enter your data to get the mid-winter draw results.

Are you finding the bucks bedded under that rimrock ledge along the side of the ridge seen in the last photo?

I read that in the AZ Daily Sun this morning. A few people will likely be getting rabies shots. So a bobcat walks into a bar ... Friday, March 27, 2009 COTTONWOOD (AP) -- Three people in the central Arizona community of Cottonwood were attacked by a bobcat, including two men who were bitten by the animal after it wandered inside a bar. Officers called to the Chapparal Bar on Main Street arrived to find the bobcat in the parking lot, and they shot and killed it. Tests were ordered to determine if the animal was rabid. Cottonwood police say about an hour before the bar attack the animal attacked and scratched a woman who had gotten out of her car after thinking she had hit it. A short time later, police got a report of a bobcat acting aggressively toward a woman outside a Pizza Hut. About 11 p.m. came the call from the bar that a bobcat was inside attacking people as patrons climbed atop bar stools to get away. A more detailed story here: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/200...catbar0327.html

Many numbers have been thrown out that the permit application numbers are down, like 27%, 40%, 50%. Tony was kind enough to post these numbers on another website. Looks like the poor economy has not had a significant effect on hunters' hopes and aspirations. For all the speculators, here are the TRUE #s on AZ apps. There are a mere few percentage points differences from 2008 and 2009 with slight increases in BP only apps. 2008 Elk apps -- 81,212 Rejected -- 3,765 BPs only -- 6,262 2009 Elk apps -- 79,056 Rejected -- 3,536 BPs only -- 7,174 2008 Pronghorn apps -- 22,696 Rejected -- 998 BPs only -- 5,024 2009 Pronghorn apps -- 20,883 Rejected -- 941 BPs only -- 5,876 Total Apps for both species 2008 -- 119,957 2009 -- 117,873 So it looks like about a 2 percent (just under 2,500) drop in total apps from 2008 to 2009.

I'll stick with black coffee and Diet Coke and water in the dog bowl for Rica. RR

A different kind of hunting for "wife beaters" in that song, but I do hear she likes to hunt. Tracy Byrd also hunts and does better country than today's pop. Who are some country stars that are against hunting or second ammendment? Reba has her gun exchange for concert tickets, even though she portrayed a gun-toting woman in a few films.

Not including the rejected applications (which might be considered as "attempted" applications), there were 2385 fewer elk apps, or 2.8% less. If one is curious, one could look at which groups had fewer applicants- residents, nonresidents, archery, rifle, bull, cow, youth. RR (edited some numbers)

They are still giving the spring turkey results. 11:12 AM

Don't you just hate it when your credibility is on the line?