Red Rabbit

Coach, Those tiger trout sure have nice markings indicative of their brook/brown trout hybridization. Have you done any fall fishing in the Boulders for brookies? I have seen photos of Kanarra Creek. When I go to Zion, I will need to make the small detour. Put Zebra slot on your list too. One has to have a permit for the Wave, which is as hard to draw as an AZ bull elk tag. http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/arolrsmain/paria/coyote_buttes.html TJ, Thanks again, You can always hit the "buy now" button Doug

I spent some time gathering what I feel are some of the better images I have taken from various locations I have been in the past two years, and placed them in the gallery "My Personal Favorites" of my photography website. Feel free to stop in an view the photographs. You can click on individual images and choose a size to view it. Personal Favorites Gallery Thanks, Doug

Larry, could have been a vortex. I was certainly feeling the energy Or maybe it was just the wind and sand blasting my face

Thank you for looking and commenting. Phil, like you, I did not know about most of these places until I put a camera in the hand and started researching cool locations. Doug

http://www.azdeer.org/Projects/conner%20catchment%202011.pdf Attention Sportsmen – Volunteers Needed! Volunteers needed to build a wildlife water catchment on the weekend of April 23rd and 24th, 2011. The Arizona Game and Fish Department along with the Arizona Deer Association, Mogollon Sporting Association and the Arizona Elk Society are developing Conner Catchment in unit 22, and we would greatly appreciate your help. We will be camped out in the area for the weekend, if you would like to join us please feel free. There will be a steak fry provided Saturday evening and breakfast Sunday morning. If you are interested in helping out or have any questions about the project, please contact Jarrod McFarlin at, (928) 474-7819 or jmcfarlin@azgfd.gov. Please RSVP if possible –Thanks. Directions: From Highway 87 turn west at Mile Post 240.7 (just North of Rye). Turn Right on H Bar Ranch Road and travel .5 miles to Forest road 414. Turn Right on FR 414 and travel 1.5 miles to camp. From camp continue .8 miles (on FR 414) to Forest Road 1549 and turn Right. Continue on FR 1549 to project site. *4 wheel drive or high clearance vehicle is recommended but NOT necessary. Please bring: Food (as mentioned there will be dinner on Saturday and Breakfast Sunday for everyone), lots of water, gloves, and sunscreen. Recommended attire: Long pants, good shoes or boots, long sleeve shirt and hats.

Just a reminder that the draw deadline for Utah is tomorrow, March 3.

Gino, Do you have a link to the proposed wording? At what stage in the rule-making is this? Doug

Dick, that is good news. Doug

Saturday night's quick storm dumped a nice blanket of snow upon Sedona. I made my way down the hill from Flagstaff Sunday mid-morning as the storm was clearing. A trip to the backside of Cathedral Rock was for nought, as the grey clouds gave poor light upon the rock and ugly sky. So I headed to Schnebly Hill Road where the sun was breaking through. Still, it was a struggle under the broken clouds to get light on the rock and not the blinding sun on the snow. After giving in to the poor lighting, I left to have lunch. Afterwards, I found the set of reflection pools above Cathedral Rock that I seen images from but had not been to before. Stayed the rest of the afternoon with a few other photographers, and hoped the clouds would linger until sunset. Doug~RR

That is a nice surprise to look at. Do those mountains catch snow that low maybe once every two years or so?

20% Bonus Pass Caution With the Arizona Elk and Antelope application deadline approaching and applicants may have several bonus points, this is something to know. Some are aware of this, and some are not. An applicant can draw his second choice in the 20% Bonus Pass and thus not have his first choice considered in the regular 1-2 Pass of the draw. There may even end up being leftover permits for the first choice, as this has happened with deer and javelina. How the 20% Bonus Pass works, from http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/BigGameDrawingProcess.shtml "Twenty percent of authorized hunt permit-tags in each hunt number for deer, antelope, elk, turkey, javelina, and spring bear may be issued in this pass. Twenty percent of the total authorized hunt permit-tags (all hunt numbers combined) for both bighorn sheep and buffalo may be issued. Although 20 percent are available, the 10% nonresident caps are still in effect. Each valid application is assigned the lowest random number from those generated for that application. The application file for each species is sorted by group bonus points in descending sequence and then by random number within the bonus point groupings. In the Bonus Pass, the first and second hunt choices for all applications with maximum bonus points are looked at first. If permits are still available from the 20% allocation, then the next lower bonus point category is looked at; and so on, until all of the 20% allocation is issued or until all applications with 1 or more bonus points are read. Applications with zero bonus points will not be included in the 20% Bonus Pass of the Draw. As each application is read, the first and then second hunt choices are checked to see if there are any permits available as part of the 20% bonus point allocation. If there are enough permits available for each applicant on the application without exceeding the 20% allocation or the nonresident cap, the permits are issued to that application. If not, the next application is read and the first and second hunt choices are checked until the entire application file is read. Any un­issued permits from the "bonus point pass" will be returned to the available permits for each hunt. The Drawing will then continue to the next two passes." So, if you do not have enough BP to draw first choice in the bonus pass, you can draw your second choice in the Bonus Pass if you do have enough BP to draw that hunt. So when you apply, 1) Put a first and second choice that you would be happy to draw either way or 2) If you only want to be considered for the first choice in the bonus pass and would not want to draw a lesser second choice in the Bonus Pass, but want to put in choices for 3, 4, 5, put the same first choice hunt number in both the 1st and 2nd choice boxes on the application. This way your first choice may be considered in both the Bonus Pass and the regular 1-2 Pass, giving you two opportunities to draw your first choice. Then you can put choices for 3, 4, 5 (but if you draw one of these, you lose your BPs) or 3) Only apply for one desired hunt until you have enough BP to draw or are lucky in the regular 1-2 Pass. This way your first choice may be considered in both the Bonus Pass and the regular 1-2 Pass, giving you two opportunities to draw your first choice. To see if your number of BP might get you in the 20% pass, you can use these 2 to help: 20% Bonus Pass report for Elk and Antelope (hunt numbers are from the 2010, not 2011, so pull out the old regs you saved) http://www.azgfd.gov/eservices/documents/2...yHuntNumber.pdf HuntersTrailhead Draw Odds http://www.hunterstrailhead.com/huntsearch.php?ST=AZ Doug~RR

Darren, For perspective, a general bull hunt in Colorado, or general deer hunt in Utah, will show how relatively uncrowded the AZ elk hunts are. I think that we all would like to have the whole woods to ourselves to hunt, so to speak. Rather than stop hunting, better would be to scout for an area with fewer hunters. As one person's tagline says "I find that if I go the extra mile, it is rarely crowded" To tag on to what Bill said, I think another reason for the decline of hunters is the urbanization of America. The lifestyles of rural America are fading. 123456, Glad you took the hunter ed class. Besides a bonus point, you undoubtedly received other benefits. Good luck in the next draw. Doug~RR

Scott, How much of a fresh layer of vanilla frosting did you get this past weekend? Flag got about 18" Doug~RR

Scott, have a good one. Doug n Rica

National Wild Turkey Federation Banquet Saturday, March 5, 2011 Doors open @ 5:00 p.m. * Dinner served @ 6:30 p.m. At the Elks Club 2101 N San Francisco, Flagstaff, AZ We have a lot of fun at this banquet. Come join us! Ticket information $80.... Regular NWTF membership and Dinner $90.... Couples -1 - 1 NWTF membership and 2 dinners $285... Sponsor (includes 2 tickets to the Banquet, $200 raffle tickets, and several other special benefits. $30..... Membership Only (cannot attend banquet) $25..... Jakes meal and membership (17 & under) $100.... Big Spenders Raffle (get $180 worth of raffle tickets) For additional information: Michael Higdon 928.527.0047

With the pleasant 70* temperatures and some high clouds, Rica and I ventured to Sedona Sunday evening. Guess the weather will change later this week and some white stuff will replace the rays of sunlight. Doug~RR

From page 13 in the general regs Tag Transfers Under Arizona Revised Statutes and Arizona Game and Fish Commission Rules there are ways people can transfer big game tags to children. A parent, grandparent or legal guardian holding a big game tag may allow the use of that tag by their minor child or minor grandchild pursuant to the following requirements: • The minor child is 10 to 17 years old on the date of transfer; • The minor child has a vaild hunting or combination license on the date of transfer; • A minor child less than 14 years old has satisfactorily completed a Department-approved hunter education course by the beginning date of the hunt; • The parent or guardian must accompany the child in the field or, if a grandparent allows a minor grandchild to use the grandparent’s permit or tag, the grandparent, parent or the child’s guardian must accompany the child in the field. In either case, the adult must be within 50 yards of the child when the animal is taken. Once a tag is transferred at a Department office, the original permittee may no longer use it.

Chris and Dan, Don't let the wax drip on the frosting HBD Doug

So that explains where all the Mearns quail went this year Cool video of the lion taking the deer at water ambush.

I have not met Mike, but pray that his family has faith and strength to cope with their loss. I have listened to this song by Alison Krauss many times, and last night saw this video. Life challenges us with many difficulties and He is there to help. For Mike's family, friends and us:

Bill, You might plant some alflafa and tulips, although their presence won't force any timed viewing period, and the tulips' bloom is short-lived. The electric feeder may be a good option, but you may have to enclose the spreader under the storage bin and put some apron/cones on the poles to keep squirrels, coons, and birds away. Part of the problem I see is that you are trying to change the nocturnal pattern of the elk to daytime, which may be difficult.

Welcome. Good choices would be the Jim White head http://www.coueswhitetail.com/bookstore/tripods_tripod_heads.htm the Manfrotto 700RC2 http://www.cameralandny.com/tripods/bogen.pl?page=bogen700rc2 and the Outdoorsmans http://shop.outdoorsmans.com/product.sc;jsessionid=3D147479ED3898715E104482012E2DAF.qscstrfrnt01?productId=5&categoryId=2 Doug~RR

The lettering with a dark background has always been more difficult to read, even with young eyes. I prefer the lighter, light grey background of this basic version, even over white as it is not overly bright. I hope if we receive a PM, that it will pop up in the middle of the screen like with the old version. We may not notice the "notifications" tucked in the corner. Doug~RR

All entries for the 2010 Coues Buck Contest are due Tuesday Feb 15- only one week left to submit your entry. There are plenty of great prizes to be given away. Check the thread of contest entries to see if I have your entry: http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21778 Contest rules: http://www.coueswhitetail.com/Coues_Buck_Contest_2010/coues_buck_contest_2010-11.htm Doug~RR dkoepsel@aol.com

All entries for the 2010 Coues Buck Contest are due Tuesday Feb 15- only one week left to submit your entry. There are plenty of great prizes to be given away. Check the thread of contest entries to see if I have your entry: http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21778 Contest rules: http://www.coueswhitetail.com/Coues_Buck_Contest_2010/coues_buck_contest_2010-11.htm Doug~RR dkoepsel@aol.com