Red Rabbit

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions. I am passing them along.

Did anyone catch the aurora last Thursday night? Also, a comet should be visible about 45 minutes after sunset low above the horizon looking west southwest the next few evenings. It should be visible with the naked eye, but binos would help.

Were you able to swap scopes and retest?

Since I was recently in Estes Park, Colorado for an art show, a few days before and after the show were spent in Rocky Mountain National Park photographing the rutting elk. Sometimes the elk cooperated and were close, and other times the bulls and their harems were too far away in the middle of Moraine Park. The Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 adapted to the Fuji GFX 100s was used. Many of the images suffered from often having to use a high ISO of 6400, but the Denoise in ACR did a reasonable job on mitigation. More images may be seen on the website. https://www.plateaulightphotography.com/New-Work/Rocky-Mountain-National-Park

Put the original NF back on and recheck groups. My hunch is that it is the used scope.

He is the one named Split 5. He is rumored to have gotten in a fight one night with another large bull with a drop tine. The droptine had his right beam broken and cows stolen.

Thank you Hector. That top bull (same one in the third pic) was impressive.

Coconino Nat Forest will be entering Stage 2 Fire Restrictions this Friday June 21. Forest roads around the Peaks, south of Kachina Village and south of Walnut Canyon will be closed. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1181869 https://www.facebook.com/CoconinoNF/posts/pfbid0eepCJHYrAbkYDa5D1ZznEq33QnRjzvwkefQ21PT9gury3xJvQVzWXnYFZwwXu1dKl?__cft__[0]=AZVJMhCLhyKEUkUMd4VlzSPUYuM_lkzVSm4CnxGAv8GASIM4j_7tcfaAl-91eeL8KDk4_OQJpcNZ5D6VQHYElsTofh0EabQgZyMEV5Rm12BkxwIlFUzM4RxHIfDG-xULIG474rG8JzsgnY_zOn5ztjaf4ZrFnLp-TvPHuGqoYqupDIyMyA4PfFPeN5oPQu5PASf7EZYfwYsO17PMTFMZeVKY&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

Not many leftover Coues permits. Apps due on/after July 10. https://azgfd-portal-wordpress-pantheon.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/30115100/2023-F-FCFS-Web6_30_2023.pdf

The bonus point report is out for the 2024 elk and antelope draw. You can check how lucky/unlucky you were in the draw by hunt number, and plan for next year's draw. https://azgfd-portal-wordpress-pantheon.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/28135125/2024-Elk-Pronghorn-Bonus-Point-Report.pdf

good to see that they are the headless variety

The elimination of the Nov WT hunt in 6A was noticed. 25 permits were added to the Oct hunt, but that still resulted in an overall decrease of 50 permits to a total of 120. My guess is that the mtn lions and coyotes are eating well on venison.

https://azgfd-portal-wordpress-pantheon.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/27094509/AZ-Hunt-Recommendations-Fall-2024-and-Spring-2025.pdf (I was surprised the search function on the AZGFD website actually worked.)

Here is a link to the 2024 Wyoming antelope permit numbers. These could be factored into what hunts one may decide to apply for considering the permit reductions after the 2022-23 winterkill and the increase in NR special tags to $1200. https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Get Involved/2024 April Regulations/CH-5-Draft-03-15-2024-2.pdf

Whatcha listening to this Friday evening? "David " by Cody Jinks has hit replay several times this evening. Cody Jinks | David | Official Lyric Video (youtube.com)

The NR Special license fee for antelope increased to $1200 in WY. I suspect many, like me, will revert back to the regular license draw. My thought is that it will be the fewer in number bucks that survived the 2022-23 winter will be targeted until this year's fawns grow up a few years in the west and southwest part of the state.

I have 17 BP here in AZ for pronghorn. My app was likely a $13 donation to AZGFD. In Wyoming, I have 13 points for antelope since my last hunt there. Last year's harsh winterkill has me pondering where to apply for rifle, or just another point while the herd recovers. No guarantees that another hard winter will come while it's rebuilding, though.

Still, or again? Sonoran Outfitters to Refund Consumers after Failing to Provide Guided Hunts | Arizona Attorney General (azag.gov)

Some Springbar tents are on sale through Nov 12. https://springbar.com/collections/once-in-a-blue-moon-sale

One of the first places I went when I became serious about landscape photography back in 2009 was atop the Paria Plateau in northern Arizona. After not visiting this location for several years, I ventured back there earlier this month to find that it is still a visual treat. Once the summer rains come and fill the reflection pools, a return trip will be in the offing. My first trip was with a 12MP Nikon D90 and 18-105 kit lens. The recent trip was with a new Fuji GFX 100s 102MP medium format camera. Many of my favorite images were taken with that D90 in the earlier years, and hence I would like to return to some locations to reshoot with the GFX.

A friend and I would like to pursue these critters in the next month. I have only seen these monkey-like creatures once several years ago in unit 29 and really don't know where to go. Have any of you lucky coues hunters run across 'em this past season and would like to point me in the right direction? gps coordinates are greatly appreciated. Thanks. Doug/RedRabbit

From page 58 in the regs: Sep 1, 2023 - Mar 31, 2024 (3,5,6,7,10,18,21,22,23,24,26,27,29,30,32,86,129) Open areas Statewide (excluding National Wildlife Refuges and Units 11M, 25M, 26M, and 38M) Coati Limit is one per calendar year.

Try to get the height without raising the center column as it is a major source of vibration when extended. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1590182-REG/slik_615_931_pro_cf_934_carbon_fiber.html

Congrats on your successful antelope hunt. For field judging antelope, the Grimmetts of Pronghorn Guide Service have a useful video titled "Size is Everything".

A friend and I had December 6A WT tags many years ago. He sat the northwest rim of Fossil Creek opening morning and said there was a hunter glassing every hundred yards. I was in "deer basin" and saw only muleys and elk. Something must be going on in 6A (mtn lions and lack of rain) with the reduction of WT permits.