Red Rabbit

After cleaning with a solvent like Butch's Bore Shine or Shooters Choice to get the powder fouling out, good copper solvents are Sweets, Barnes CR 10 or Montana Extreme 50 BMG Copper Killer. Instead of a brass brush or jag, use a nylon brush or nickel plated jag with the copper remover as the ammonia will react with the copper in the brass and give a false blue reading. Also don't leave the copper remover inthe barrel for more than 15 minutes. WipeOut foam works well also. RR

Jason, If you just dial in the drop, you will hit very high. What you need to do is divide the drop by the yardage (in how many hundreds eg 450=4.5). Say if your bullet drops 25" at 450 yards, you would need to add 5.5" of elevation (25/4.5=5.5) to your 100 yard zero. This post on another site may help (or cornfuze ya). http://24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbth.../page/0/fpart/1 What I do is to zero my rifle at 100 yards, and set the turret dial to read zero. Using the ballistics program, I determine how many inches I would have to set the scope high at 100 yards in order to hit dead on at say 450 yards. I calculate and record these elevations every 50 yards out to however far I want to shoot, and then put this data with wind drift on a card which is taped to the stock. Don't forget to verify your drops at the range. Doug~RR

Bass, I feel that the 270 and 300 WSM are here for awhile. The 7WSM, SAUMs and WSSMs may pass away soon. If you reload, have no worries. The 270 WSM is one of the better coues cartridges. It'll give you just over 100 yards more range than the 270 Win due to the WSM's 200-250 fps MV advantage with equal bullets. Don't foget about the 257 WBY. I wish Winchester came out with a 25 WSM, but you could always have one made. RR

The 2007 edition of the Hunt Arizona book is available online, (as are the fall 2007 hunt regs). It gives survey data, some draw data and hunt results for the prior 5 years. http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/hunt_arizona.shtml I initially thought that the extension of the October WT hunts to 6 days would result in a higher harvest, but in looking at a few of the popular units, the % success and hunter days seems to stay about the same as prior years with the 4 day hunts. Another thing I noticed was the declining WT buck:doe ratio over a period of 50 years Doug~RR

The December 33 odds have been 6-8% for the past 5 years, after the number of permits was cut from 200 to 100. Kinda making me reconsider it as a choice.

Neighbor said last night that a couple of dogs died recently from rattler bites here in Flag. She was talking about a vaccine that you give a couple time a year and it extends the time you have to get the dog to the vet if bitten. She heard this as her Sussex Spaniel was at the vet for an ear infection. RR

Basically, with the regular target turrets, like on some Zeiss Conquests, Leupold target scopes, Nightforce, or with the added Stoney Point, you can use a ballistics program to determine how much elevation you need to dial into your scope for the ranged distance. Ballistic Plex reticles, like the Leupolds Boone & Crockett, TDS, or Burris' use a one size fits most approach, so you need to check at the yardages, and the scope usually has to bet set at a certain power, usually the highest, to work. A past discussion: http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...t=0&start=0

Jason, Stoney Point makes a turret that fits the Vari X II and III's. It replaces the cap. I have them on my Leupolds for elevation. The only problem I have had is an Allen set screw on the dial loosened once. Doug~RR

http://azdailysun.com/articles/2007/04/26/...t%20page_12.txt I had heard about the north rim, but now along the rim?

I shot one in the local shop. Not much kick or vibration, but I did not shoot another bow for comparison that day. The big plus is the weight savings. Draw was different than my LX. I sanded down my grip so it is thinner, less torquey. Lots of comments on archerytalk.com about the Drenalin. Most think the Switchback XT is smoother. RR

I recall Bill Poole recommending the smith out at the Usery range.

Nice pics, Scott. Glad you have the artistic eye rather than just a point-and-shoot perspective. Any word on when we'll pics from MT? RR

When I lived in South Texas, a friend's shorthair got bit in the head one time and the rear flank another. She would go off for a week after being bit, but return with a nasty, swollen, festering open wound. I have had my GWP snake broke (hopefully), and also shock collar reinforced during an archery shoot when a small rattler was located on the trail. RR

Any suit filed against the store which sold the mind-altering chemical depressant (alcohol) to the supposedly depressed, unstable, mentally incompetent criminal? Instant background checks to purchase alcohol? RR

The bases of the Blazer vanes are chemically treated and Bohning doesn't recommend cleaning them. Might try a different glue. Casey, Use some brown vanes and black nocks. Then Gabe can't use your arrow as an aiming point when you're in the 12 ring, or a reference point to find the 12 ring. You can switch to the bright nocks and vanes when archery deer season opens. You can always buy more arrows at the shoot if you lose or break too many. RR

Gabe, This is from the ABA site under triple crown http://www.arizonabowhunters.org/ May 5 - 6 Apache Bow Hunters 7096 S Russell Rd Globe, Arizona 85501 On-site registration begins Fri. May 4th at 12 noon until Sat May 5 at 11 am There will be both competitive and non-competitive courses. All competitors must shoot both Saturday & Sunday. There will be a morning flight and an afternoon flight on Saturday. Sunday everyone shoots in the morning. There will be no afternoon flight. Free parking and camping at McLachlan Range Food concession available for all 3 meals Also a Novelty Course

El Fuego, I agree with Scottyboy that your coues mount looks nice. Who did the taxidermy work? BTW, happy birthday today. If you can't blow your candles out, just hold your cake outside today. Doug~RR

If you still will apply in AZ after you move to NM, have you considered buying a lifetime license? That way you do not have to buy a NR license every year just to apply, and you will be considered as a resident in the draw, but still would pay NR fees for the permit.

The G&F Department is to recommend to the commission the changes that the youth hunt have 800 permits over two hunts in Nov (700 more than last year), add 400 to the early 12Awest for a total of 900, and add 150 to the early 12Aeast to a total of 300, and moving the season up two weeks to the middle of October. The Kaibab is under an Alternative Deer Management Plan where it is to be managed for a harvest of older age class animals and reduced hunter densities. The objective buck:doe ratio is to be a min of 20:100, and a 60+:100 fawn:doe ratio. Harvest of bucks is to be 55-75% 3+ year old bucks and 20-30% 5+ year old bucks. Concerns by some outfitter/guides is that the increased number of early tags will result in a harvest higher than the department predicts of 30-35%, and killing many of the younger more vulnerable age class bucks still near summer range (more in the open pines), which would severely impact the number of older bucks in a few years. They advise against the increase in tags and the earlier season. Last year the number of youth tags was reduced to 100 through the effots of the ADA. This year, in spite of an ongoing study and mention of keeping the Kaibab "status quo", the number of doe permits is being increased to 800 to occur in two hunts. The department says the westside herd has doubled in the past few years and the reduction in deer and breeding does is needed to protect upcoming habitat projects. A couple years ago, two winter rangeaerial surveys produced a population of 3800-6300 and, G&F reset their models, and now estimate 8000-9000 via the computer model. G&F estimated 4800 in 2002 and 6800 in 2004. No actual/real current population data is available. The fawn:doe ratio has been published as 76, 46, 65, 103, and 86:100 for the years 2001 to 2005 respectively. Buck:doe ratios have been 19, 18, 24, 30 and 23:100 for the years 2001 to 2005. Some ADA members recently surveyed the winter and transition range. They found it to be in better shape than G&F says, with water catchments full, good greenup occurring, and few deer now on the winter range. Some 14-16" leader growth was reported on cliffrose, and less than the 60-70% useage (6-7 out of 10 stems nipped) noted by G&F. G&F just completed a study this week, but no data is available yet. No data was given on how far the cliffrose stems were browsed back, though. As no detrimental impact to the winter range was observed, some recommend that the number of junior permits be reduced. They are in favor of youth hunts, but not at the expense of the Kaibab deer population. Since G&F and ADA are in the middle of a multi-year study, I'd recommend against changes until the results of the study can be evaluated and objective changes implemented as deemed necessary. While current observation shows less need for herd reduction than suggested, no one can predict the weather in the next years. If protective changes are indeed needed, special management hunts can be implemented by the department. As sportsmen and outdoorsmen, become involved and express your views to the department and commission via the website, surveys and at the various meetings (as in Saturday's commisioners meeting) in a polite, informed and persuasive manner. Doug~RR

Keith, Thanks for attending and speaking this morning. Did you go order Russo's book. I'm unqualified also. I would think that the best determination of the habitat might be made with a reasonably constant population, and not add another variable into the study of an increasing population. The moisture fluctuations can be big enough of a factor. Doug~RR

From this morning's portion of the commissioners' meeting, three major hunt items were addressed resulting in the following: 1) The number of youth Kaibab doe tags was set at 400 and one hunt was set from Nov 9-12. 2) The early rifle hunts in 12a and 12b will be moved to Oct 26- Nov 4. 12ae will have 175 permits, 12aw will have 650 permits and 12bw will have 175 permits for the early season. Late hunt permit numbers and dates remained unchanged from the recommendations. 3) The archery deer season is to begin one week earlier and end the Thursday before archery elk opens; Aug 24-Sept 13 for those units with archery elk seasons. 4) The remainder of the the deer recommendations were approved as recommended bt the department. I did not stay for the afternoon session. I surmised that the archery turkey and javelina seasons will be moved to agree with the new archery deer dates. The item of having the lion season closed for 3 months was also to be addressed. I sensed that the commission wants to let the Kaibab herd grow more slowly so as to not dramatically impact the habitat/winter range and to allow for completion of the west side study before any major permit number changes accur. The west side habitat study director was aked if any changes to the permit numbers would invalidate the study data and results, and she said that they would not. They currently estimate there will be about 4000 does, 1700 bucks and 3000 fawns for this fall's hunt on the Kaibab. Doug ~RR

Tony, Your cortex must have a lot of convolutions to hold all those hunting memories associated with each mount. Nice collection. Some remind me of some older mounts that a friend had Sievers do back in the 70's. Doug~RR

I was told by a G&F manager a few years ago that the USFS has regs against placing salt in the national forests (albiet not strictly enforced). I have not checked to see them in print. RR

The hunts are over and time to reflect and plan for next season. What have we learned and will do different next season? Any new techniques and tips that can help others to be more successful? What did you try that didn't work? I used to have a good recipe for pink slip broth, but with the internet rejections the last few years and no draws this last year, I have not come up with a tasty way to make electron stew. The only thing I have learned this year is to realize that a desk job can kill ya, and that one needs to make a commitment to work on conditioning everyday, especially with the aging process working against some of us. Doug~RR

Upon what are they basing the success rates or numbers? Do they actually have any numbers that indicate the number of deer arrowed over salt, versus at a water hole, on a trail, stalked, or called in? What about the use of salt on the Kaibab and by elk hunters and mule deer hunters? RR