Red Rabbit

It's going to be a busy fall. Drew 36c Nov coues and unit 9 rifle elk. Add those to the New Mexico Nov coues in unit 23, and Utah archery muley, and the gas bill at $2.50/gallon will require a second mortgage. Congrats to those who drew, I'll have a beer(s) in sympathy for Allen, and let's all enjoy our hunts, successful or not. See you in 36c, Ernesto. Let the Scoutin' begin! Doug~RR

I remember a spot in the Superstitions where it looked like someone had target practice. The moonlight caught the casings as it shown the hole in the rock. I think they were some weird chambering from Holland.

Next Friday, 5:01 PM, at the Bowhunter Happening, we'll all be walking around with cell phone earrings.

Scott, Let's forget about the Grouse. Rica just pointed 3 mallard ducklings in the backyard. Gently caught and mouthed em. Momma's having a conniption flying around the neighborhood. Think we'll take a hike on the north side of the Peaks tomorrow and scout for grouse (and deer). RR

Blue Grouse season opens Sept 9, the same weekend that archery deer on the Kaibab opens. Are you thinking N. Kaibab or SF Peaks? A fall fishing and grouse trip to the White Mountains sounds inviting also. A friend and I are going to Utah for a week of archery deer, connected with the Labor day weekend. I am trying convince him to schedule it for the week before Labor Day, but we should finalize it after the AZ draw comes out. Doug~RR

Scott, I hunted up on the north rim two years ago for a day after I first got Rica, and we got one. The guys went last year, but said it was real tough/few birds. Gotta go early before the berries shrivel up. There are grouse on the peaks by Flag, but are real limited in numbers, I'm told. AZYOUNG- About how many birds have you come across in a day? Doug

I like the part about having paid with a CC

Casey, Hope you make it a good one. May your folks reimburse ya for all those bullets we put in the cinders...Doug.

Got the calendar blocked out for a unit 23 coues hunt, Nov 5-9. Casey, are ya free to pack out my buck? Anyone else get a coues tag? Doug~RedRabbit

How do you choose your hunting partners? Do you share a camp because he/she a long time friend, immediate family member, relative? Do you hunt with the person(s) because they have the same drive, or hunting tactics, or tell good jokes? Would you choose to hunt with a new person to expand your horizons and maybe learn or be exposed to something new? Do you hunt alone for the freedom? Have you felt hog-tied because of the obligation of long-time partners? Do you hunt with someone because they asked you, or because they have a lot to offer you in terms of experience and knowledge to share? Do you hunt together throughout the day, or just share the camp and go separate ways during the hunting day? Do you hunt with someone new to hunting and you want to share your techniques and ethics? Have you asked your neighbor and his kid to join you on a hunt?

Casey and I were out this morning testing some handloads for our WSM's. After, we set out the target stand with an 8" Shoot-n See stuck to some fresh white paper. We guessed the range to be 300-350 yards, as we had no rangefinder. Shot half our shots off shooting sticks and the other half prone, over the daypack. We shot 19 times, hitting the spot 9 times, and 6 others being 2" off the perimeter. 4 out of 19 would have been misses or wounds, and those came off the shooting sticks. Shooting prone off the daypack almost seemed like cheating. Both of us were not using select handloads, but factory or hand loads that gave 2"-4" groups off the bench at 100 yards. Soooooo..... has anyone else been out practicing lately and learning abilities, cuz we all know we drew drew a December tag.

Ernesto, I was archery deer hunting for coues in 6B a few years ago with a friend. He was sitting a trick tank along the rim, and along comes some hippy long-hair... nekked as a jay bird . He was the guy that manned the fire lookout a mile away. We have called the tank Naked Boy Tank since. RR

Bass, I will sell ya my leafy wear scent lock suit for 10 cents on your dollar- only $900 . I would imagine that a lot of our scent comes from our breath, and this would be difficult to contain. Not to mention that those suits are hot and make one sweat more, even just sitting in a blind during early archery season. As an aside, there is an effective deodorant called Pit Stop that is applied as a thick paste and lasts several days. Doug~RR

Unlike many of you, I have not grown up hunting with my dad. He would be sure to plan family camping trips that were near trout waters when I was young, but he never had an interest in hunting or fishing. His dad, my grandfather, always took me fishing during the summers in Wisconsin to catch bluegills or bullheads with worms we dug up from his garden. I did not start hunting till after college in 1980 when I lived on a ranch in south Texas, and just about all I know has been self-taught through reading and experience-no mentor. Those of you with knowledgeable hunting dads and uncles are blessed. In the last 25 years, my main partner has been a friend from high school. We have shared many hunts together in AZ and CO and NM. I have shared a couple of elk camps with him and his dad too. My friend and I have similar techniques, although we sometimes share a camp, we most often hunt in separate directions to cover more terrain. About half of the hunts, we put in together, but we sometimes have differing desires about when ad where. I also have a friend whom I enjoy sharing a camp with, and hunt with a couple times a year and shoot 3D. Although we do not put in together, we often choose the same units. Along the way, I have hunted with another archer who I will probably not again due to his drunkenness and swearing and loud arguments with his girlfriend and shooting at ducks without a stamp. To share a camp and hunt, I personally would not choose a person with an Alpha personality as I am rather low-key. I think that half of my hunts have been by myself, due to the freedom afforded. Hunting alone has advantages and disadvantages though. When by myself, I definitely miss the camp comraderie. Hunting with others has benefits and risks, also. Doug~RR

Muskeg, glad you had a good backpack hunt, but when ya slept, didja sleep in a Holiday Inn Express? Unit 23...er 24... should have lotsa deer this year as they fled the fires in 21 and 22 and WMAT and ... Good luck in this year's draw for that deerless unit. RR

Deerslam, Those four days will come in real handy. Sounds like you are doing some good background work and talking to the right people. If you have not already, try terraserver.com for some aerial photos. Good luck on the hunt. Doug~RR

PM sent

Scott, Good Looking pup! I'd name him Canaan; the hard K and long A sound will carry farther when you call him. Sonoita or Montana, here he comes. Doug

In Flag today we had 32 mph winds with gusts to 41, so the fire probably spread quickly today. I am trying to keep track on the maps posted on http://fireteam-sw.com/whitney/cavecreek/ A long-time friend asked me to put in with him for unit 21 coues this year. He's a little bummed right now. I had some good archery pig hunting and quail by Red Creek Ranch 3&4 years ago. I hope most of the critters can escape the flames. I heard some talk about the horrible squalling and cries from elk caught in the Rodeo-Ched fire. RR

Bret, I had been putting in for unit 11 antelope till this year when you could not choose a unit. Do you think those muleys will still be in velvet near the end of Sept? Have a fun hunt. Doug

A new blade the local shop is high on is the Shuttle T-lock. They few like field points and gave much better penetration into the new yellow jacket target than any other broadhead they shot. 0.041" thick blades. I picked up a pack of 100 grainers to try. http://www.tightpoint.com/t-lock.asp Doug~RR

Scott, I tried to email you through CWT, but it came back permanently rejected. Doug

Scott, Congrats on the tags for you and your son. Maybe I'll get the chance to bump into you over there. Doug~RR

Lark, sounds like a great place to be be invited into. There is a gentleman in Flag who has shot all of the North American big game animals with his 30-06 (a necked up .270). His trophy room is pretty impressive and I consider it a treat to see it. I was surprised how yellow the hair was on his polar bear. Doug~RR

Travis, I have heard that there is a lot of private property to contend with regarding access issues. I assume you will be contacting the game warden for that area, and maybe he can tell you what ranches allow access. Terraserver.com can show you topos and aerial photos of the region. RR