Red Rabbit

Slik Sprint Mini Tripod http://www.thkphoto.com/products/slik/slik-ss3.html * gunmetal black color * adjustable leg angles (3) * extends from 14" to 43" * ball head * 1 lb. 10 oz * used on two hunts, almost like new $45 shipped

I am using a Panasonic FZ-20. 5 MP, 12x optical zoom with an image stabilizer. About the same size as an SLR, so not too compact to fit in the pack, but easier to hold. I'd suggest to give Doug at Camera Land a call and discuss your needs like packing size, digiscoping, wildlife, price range, #MP, filters, etc. He could give you good advice and a rec, and is great to deal with. Doug~RR

Chris, with all the rain down south this year, you probably were seeing moss growing on the antlers, not velvet RR

neat story, Kenny.

Way to go Austin! Looks like a familiar crew for success in the last photo. Over a couple of ridges and canyons, huh? Was a road nearby, or did you get to hoof him out? Good luck in 1. Doug~RR

Maybe he is micro-chipped and that would help find the lost owners. RR

Rica, my German Wire-Haired Pointer, and I made a trip to the north rim of the Grand Canyon this weekend to hunt some blue grouse. Stopped along the drive north from Flagstafff on the Navajo Rez to gander at a stone house fixer-upper beneath the vermilion ridge. Got up there Friday evening to be buffeted by horrocious winds. Was so bad on Marble View Point that my ice chest actually blew over. Since, by 3 am, I was getting no sleep in the shuddering camper, I drove back down the road to sek refuge from the wind in the trees. But was to be blocked in by a fallen aspen across the road. Called it a night and said to heck with it; deal with it in the morning. At sunrise, I started to drive back to the point to recover the rest of camp that was blown into the trees. But a covey of grouse flushed from a roadside puddle just after I turned around, so I answered when this opportunity knocked. Rica quickly had a bunch busting out, and a load of 7 1/2's fellled our first ever blue grouse. Three more shells were spent in the timber chasing the wind. We did some swings along the rim edge in the direction they flew, and flushed a few more to the Cocks Combs below. And Rica gives a wierd look and queries "Do we really want me to go after em?" With the aid of a hatchet, tow strap, 4-low and another truck, the aspen was shortened and pulled to the side of the road. Further down the road, another opening with wild berries awaited, but no grouse were pointed. Went on down the road again and set up camp and took a nap. Awoke to Rica greeting the game warden. We talked of grouse and chukar, and showed him the lone bird. He wished me luck and to get two more that evening, but Rica and I could only muster one. We busted a large covey and a mature male returned to mother earth. Sunday morning, we went back to the same berry patch of the evening prior, figuring they would return. They did. Picked up a single. On the third sweep afterwards, Rica got birdy, and her nose which was skimming the ground, led us to the rest of the covey. Grouse flushed in every direction. One tried to fly ten feet directly overhead, Another whirred to the right. A double lay on the ground to be aptly recovered by that wirehair. Twenty minutes after the first bird, Rica had her limit of three blue grouse. As some of you may may recall, Scottyboy, Firstcoues, and I went last year to the Kaibab and got only one bird on a windy weekend. Rica made up for that this opening weekend. Doug~RR

Dave, The game ranger said about 40 were spotted along the 223 road on the west side. Do you have a Kaibab deer tag that you are considering a buff tag? RR

Mr Hoss, Marinated two breasts in garlic, lemon and herb oil dressing, then seared in butter and olive oil, then simmered in merlot. Tasted great, no fir taste, with a texture like Gambel quail. BTW, Rica got to sample the spoils of her efforts. Tony, great story, thanks for the link. Doug ~RR

Here's a link to Slik's website about the tripod. http://www.thkphoto.com/products/slik/slik-pro-01.html

Went out last evening and saw over a hundred elk, including this bull with a deep groan. To all that are lucky to give chase this season, good luck and remeber to save some for us who will be drawn next year. Doug~RR

The Bino Manager's front cover has top and bottom flaps. The bottom flap could still be used on your taller Pentaxs with the ocular lenses not covered. Still way better than the Crooked Horn system, imo. I tried it that way with my Leicas, and saw no problem that way. Doug~RR

Coues 7, I am using the Bino Manager with Leica 10+15 x 50 Duovids. They support the weight much better than the Crooked Horn harness, and as well as the Hang-Tight. The Leicas , which are 7 3/4 " tall, just fit under the chest cover. I would not try a longer bino. Doug~RR

Josh, nice goat and pic. A fun hunt for sure. Were the legs near the carcass? Doug~RR

Looks pretty nice, Scott. Them antelope are beautiful creatures.

Jim, Glad you got a nice moose to cap an Alaskan trip and adventure. Nice pics, especially the dew-covered spider web in the sunlight. At least in the pics, I see no headnets were worn to keep the flying critters away from the face. Just the skeeters around Cascade Lake and up Slough Creek in Yellowstone have driven me nuts. If your group was billed for the new Zodiac, did you draw straws to see who gets to take her home ? Doug~RR

From the Nosler Website: Are Lubalox and Moly the same? NO, Lubalox (CT Ballistic Tip) is an oxide-based coating, which reduces fouling and allows more shooting between cleanings, also Lubalox does not buildup in the barrel and requires only normal cleaning procedures. Moly (CT Fail Safe & Partition Gold) is a molybdenum disulfide coating which reduces fouling and friction. Moly requires a barrel be conditioned by shooting several rounds after cleaning and special cleaning procedures. Accuracy with non-coated bullets may not be up to par in a Moly conditioned barrel.

Bass, You mentioned an old teacher, so don't know if he's hep on hauling an elk on his back out of the quiet area. If so, one thought would be to use a boat to access the quiet area across the upper lake. PM sent. RR

Lubalox is not moly, so you should not have all the problems associated with moly. I don't know what it is; wonder if it is some type of teflon based coating. Sounds like you have a good case for an experiment. Shoot and measure some groups with your regular jacketed bulleted load, clean the barrel, shoot the Lubalox load, then shoot the jacketed again without cleaning for comparison. Doug~RR

Good job! RR

That shifty wind will get ya every time. Good luck on the next stalk. RR

Casey, I camped in the same spot Saturday night as last year. Marble View would be a great spot with a fantastic view... if there was no wind. Met three guys who were camped up the road which you and Scott were displaced from. They had not seen a bird there. I saw only three deer: a doe, fawn, and 3 point. No turkey. Doug~RR

Good luck in December. Nice dream buck to keep you awake for the next two months and two rifle seasons. RR

Flagstaff Airport reported 0.45" yesterday, 9/14. I got about 3/4" in my rain can in Kachina. Looked from the radar that most was in a band that swept through Flag. Tusayan got 0.2" yesterday. Good luck on your hunts up in 9. Look for some active wallows to sit midday rather than sit in camp waiting for the evening. RR

I don't have an archery tag, and it still gets my blood pumping. My first thought after seeing the pic was "Son of Twister" The raffle hunter should be very pleased and I imagine that the story will be out on DVD and published in a mag. TLH, was this the bull you were scouting? Doug~RR