Red Rabbit

Mike and Devin, here's my opinion, feel free to agree or disagree . Quality and accuracy together? I like the warmth of pretty wood and the grip of nice checkering. Wood stocks can be sealed in the channel, action, checkering and under the grip cap and recoil pad to combat the little rain and snow AZ receives. On the basis of quality, I would rule out the Savage, Tikka, Rem SPS and other rifles with injection molded stocks and plastic parts . Chambering would range from the 270 to the 300 Mag. I have used the 260, 6.5 WSM, 270, 280, 7RM, 300 WM , 300 WSM on coues hunts, While my elk have been mainly with a bow, I used the 300 WM and 300 WSM successfully on a few hunts. The 270 and a good bullet will work on elk. My taxidermist has used the 270 and 130 Core-Lokts on many elk. The 7 Rem Mag offers longer range capability for coues and good bullet/ammo selection for coues and elk with tolerable recoil- a top choice for the question posed. I like the ergonomics of the Kimber 84 and 8400, but find the recoil a little much in my Kimber 300 WSM with 180 grainers. Kimber accuracy has also been hit or miss. For factory rifles, I would consider the Cooper 52, Nosler Custom, Sako, Winchester Super Grade (will like to see a new one out of SC) to satisfy the quality and accuracy requirements of the original poster. For just one rifle to cover coues and elk, I would likely choose the Cooper Model 52 Western Classic chambered in 280 Ackley Improved. A classy, accurate rifle with case colored receiver and octagon barrel in a cartridge that provides 7 Rem Mag performance. Nosler offers both brass and loaded ammo for the 280AI. http://cooperfirearms.com/rifles.php?rifle_name=wc http://www.nosler.com/index.php?p=11&b=3&s=148 http://www.nosler.com/index.php?p=11&b...s=&t=Custom My 2 cents (well, closer to 4 grand) RR

Jay, Good deal! Looks like from the pics you were as close to having a unit 9 tag as it gets Doug~RR

Congrats! Nice looking Montana antelope. Also looks like you were hunting in scenic country. Was this spot and stalk? Doug~RR

Cody, Congrats on a fine bull! Sounds like you have been practicing a lot. Did you go to a bunch of 3D shoots this summer? RR

Good job Tyson. Glad to hear that they finally cleared their throats to sing for you. I was out in 8 this weekend helping a friend Sunday morning. They were bugling just outside of camp all Saturday night. A sweet sound. Was pretty quiet Saturday morning around Amanda's camp. Hopefully the choir boys will start for her soon. RR

Can I vote?

No biggie Casey. I'm already looking at new rifles for next summer's Kudu hunt. If you plug in those coordinates, it'll be where I tried to get you and Gabe to go last year. RR

thanks for sending me to algeria red rabbit, I'll keep that hunt in mind for next year. In the hot summer, I plan on taking my first red rabbit i can find there Rookiehunter, If those coords took you to Algeria, you might need a new Garmin . But is you are offering to take this red rabbit hunting in Africa next summer, let's go a little further south than Algeria

This might be worth checking 31* 22.986' N 111* 10.099' W

Tim, Congrats on your string of draws and getting a tall character buck! "Also just to set the record straight. We did not use walkie-talkie radios on this hunt, but we were listening to the satelite radio when we found him. I hope that doesn't cross any ethics barriers." The satellite radio may give you an unfair advantage over "those" walkie-talkies. I know that you can get a signal with the satellite radios almost everywhere, but with the FRS walkie-talkies, a small hill will block the signal. Also, the music background of the satellite radio my lull the antelope like when the NM wind "sings" through the telephone wires. A distinct unfair advantage to stalk lulled antelope. Whereas the background noise of a walkie-talkie is more like the static of an electrical storm and puts the antelope on edge thinking they will be started by the flashes on booms of the thunderstorm. Yep, those satellite radios provide an unethical advantage and I'm aghast your truck would even be equipped with such a device. Doug~RR

http://www.livingbird.org/netcommunity/bbi...peChart2008.pdf

There is no camping along Snowbowl road itself. To be in the aspens, you could camp off of Hart Prairie Road FR 151 which is past the snowbowl turnoff on Hwy 180. There is some private property around Fern Mountain. The side road around Hochderfer Hill (FR151E) or up to Bismark (FR627) would be nice with aspens. If you drive up to Lockett Meadow by the Inner Basin on the north side of the peaks, it is prettty, but you have to stay in a developed camp site.

Sounds like that NM antelope hunt was a nice hunt for a youth, considering the abundance of game seen stalk opportunities and high success rate. Brock will likely remember it well due to the broken arm and cast. Good luck to him on his elk hunt. What were Brock's first thoughts when he realized his arm was broke? Doug~RR

Have you considered a snake avoidance session with a dog trainer who uses real rattlesnakes?

Joe, Congrats on a nice bull. Sounds like you were having good vocal interaction and changed to a successful strategy. Opening morning must have been real exciting with all that bugling around you. Doug~RR

Jack, Way nice buck and the brief morning hunt as told sounded quick but fulfilling. Congrats! With a buck of that caliber, did you have any competition from other hunters? RR

That goat-sucker rifle is off to a good start! The fox hide should adorn nicely on the wall next to the lion. Doug~RR

Dodgerboy, Welcome! Nice color on your bear, and congrats on the spot and stalk archery coues. Doug~RR

Stan and Chef, Hopefullly I will be able to go out one morning on Amanda's hunt (after my legs recover). Surely I will stop by her camp one evening. She said that you were helping this weekend and really enjoyed your company and assistance. Doug

Rugerman, Thanks. Tim Rajsich is doing the taxidermy art. He has TR Taxidermy here in Flagstaff, and has been mounting my trophies since I moved to Flag in '91. A good friend he has become. Doug~RR

Chris, I threw the flower pic in just for you. The longhorn is for Scottyboy so he doesn't get homesick RR

Stubby certainly is awesome character to view wow! Congrats to Boone and you. BTW, I don't see any houses in the pics? RR

When I had a 6a tag many years ago, many hunters were along the west edge of Fossil Creek off 260, and near Casner Mtn on the north side of Wet Beaver Creek. Good Luck on your hunt. RR

Eric, They were probably thinking how they wished they had worked on their stalking and shooting abilities more. More likely they were cussing and thinking they had the buck shot out from right under them. Do you know if they ever saw you and your folks? Doug~RR

Went from the southern boundary to the northern edge of the unit for the first scouting trip which covered over 700 miles this weekend. I have never hunted unit 18A, so this weekend was to see the unit, lean some roads, and maybe find a nice buck. No pictures were taken of the 3 biggest bucks seen, as they were on the run or at a long distance. A friend has an archery tag for 10, 18A, 18B, so Friday afternoon was spent in 10, but only 4 does were seen. Bluestem Pricklepoppy was blooming on the tank berms. A gate to nowhere The setting sun poked through a hole to shine upon Unit 10 Oh yes, the antelope. This buck skylined itelf about 200 yards out. Another had hooks that swept rearward right above the prongs. A third roamed the center of the unit One definite shooter buck was located, but hopefully a couple more trips will reveal some other bucks to consider focusing on the first morning of the season come September 12. Doug~RR