Red Rabbit

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

Bret, Did you get lucky and pull a muzzy carp tag in unit 2? Doug

For the past several years, I have been involved with the tri club scene shoot in northern AZ over the 4th, but this year, the date was moved to June to not conflict with the Sunrise shoot. Will try to make Sunrise this year as I have heard many good things. More info for anyone interested. http://www.sunriseskipark.com/3-d%20shootout%202005.shtml Doug~RedRabbit

Back in the 70's, we would hike down from the pump station and catch lots of fish, many 15-18", biggest was 22". Then, Uncle Bob Hirsch wrote about the Black by the pump station, and the next trip we counted 27 people down river and three of us caught less than 20 fish combined. We have not been back to the pump station since. Bret, Did ya see any rattlers? One trip we saw 4, and my friend actually stepped on one hidden in the grass. I think he did a world record broad jump on his next step. On the hike out , he was about to step on another, but was jerked back by his pack by a third guy. If he got bit, we woulda buried him there, as he would go to the hospital for bee stings as a kid. Doug

YoungHunter, Awesome looking dog . Heidi looks real similar to my female wirehair named Rica. Same uniform ticking, brown head and white blaze on the top of the head. Rica is three years old, and I bought her from a couple in Surprise who got her from some people down from Alaska. Are heidi and Rica sisters? Doug~RedRabbit

I came across this comparison chart for those of you considering a new 2005 bow. http://www.huntersfriend.com/2005-Bow-Revi...ations-main.htm Doug~RedRabbit

The NMGF website says results will be posted by the 22nd. Only a week to go. Patience. I don't do online banking to check the CC, so I will need to wait for the G&F postings. Doug

Normally I hike in about an hour~2 miles. Last season, I only went in about a mile, but still had too many other hunters to contend with, so I guess that was not far enough, as they spooked then shot at a nice buck we were stalking. Doug

I use the Balcom sling. It has a hook that is attached to the cable guard, which hooks onto a string and strap that goes over your shoulder. You can also tie a loop of string to your pack shoulder straps. http://www.balcombowsling.com/ The belt hook comes in handy also. Doug~RR

Welcome, In factory ammo, I would try the 180 grain Nosler Accubond loads by Federal. I think the 150 Ballistic tips may result in too much blood-shot meat due to their faster, greater expansion, especially if you catch a coues at close range. The Accubonds are a bonded core bullet with the pointed resin tip (like on the Ballistic tip). Accuracy with the Accubonds is real good in my 300 WSM's. If you get into handloading, try the 150's in Accubonds, Sciroccos, or Hornady Interbonds, or the Barnes TSX. The 150's will be a little flatter in trajectory than 180's, but drift a little more in the wind. Difference in recoil is neglible (lighter bullet, but more powder and higher velocity). Doug~RedRabbit

Bret, One of my hunting friends is one of those lucky 6 with max elk points. He's counting on the 3a/c early bull tag. Should be a good year for him to draw that tag. Fifteen years is a long time to go without hunting elk. Doug~RR

I have used the DropZone for a couple of trouble-free years and really like it. You could spray the fletching and rest with powdered foot spray to check for contact. Also, check the rest to cable connection to be sure that the arm is rising at the last moment/dropping at the first moment. Another thing to check is whether the cable guard is far enough out. Maybe the one fletching is hitting the cable. RR

Brett, Chatter on MM is saying that NM is hitting the credit cards. I hope that bad feeling is like a dream that passes with the night. Several years ago, I had a dream the night I sent in my applications, that I was canoeing across Canyon lake to go sheep hunting . I awoke the next morning with hope, but never did get to wet the canoe as the pink slip from G&F had no adhesive backing. So much for my dreams . Guess I'll never be used to solve a crime, either. Doug