Swivelhead

Older light green SLCs don't have Swarodur which is a hardened coating covering all other coatings beneath. Swarobright is merely a buzzword Swaro came up with for their multi coatings. Swarodur is very desirable as it does protect the coatings that do the work. Swarodur is on all Swaro glass from 2006 on. Fortunately, those with pre-2006 units can get upgraded to new objective & oculars lenses for $300 (so I've heard). SLC NEU should go for $1500 in very good condition, pre-2006, $1300.

Nice! thx for posting

Find yourself a class IV ram. Even if he doesn't score big, he'll be an old warrior who has survived to old age in a very harsh environment. IMO, any class IV ram is an exceptional trophy. I have no experience in the area but from what I've read, access & drinking water is "the" issue. I'd suggest making water cache's on your scouting trips. Depending on a cache could be risky if animals (2 and 4 legged) found your cache and you didn't have sufficient water to make it out. Have a backup plan for failed cache's. Congrats on the tag and good luck on your hunt.

Awesome thread!!!!!

My brother, an old friend I was in cub scouts with and I went to the Kofas quail hunting a couple years back. Enough birds to keep things interesting. We carried on like 14 year-olds. Sadly, it was my last hunt with my brother as he passed earlier this year.

Tonight, I will pray for you, your mom and your family.

62mm Leica APO is a top tier optic. Overlooked by most when shopping for a packable spotter. I have regretted not acquiring one on the used market as they rarely are available.

Point guard cut the cost of "point farming" in half. Likely, more people will do it from here on out. More $$$ for G$F ..... but I'm sure they thought of that when the plan was hatched.

This ^ 15 miles of dirt on the Stoneman Lake road can be a pain with a large/low trailer.

If we're going to have invasive species, let them be chukar & pheasant!

Good job Nick. Gorgeous place up there. Good place to be in July. Congrats.

Keep traditional access roads open. Close the "wildcat" roads created by the OHV crowd over the last 40 years. The anti access crowd has an amazing number of roadless/federal wilderness areas to use. Apparently, that's not enough, they want it all.

I've been told by a friend who is active with land use issues that there is a plan to keep it open. Initially, it will be closed until Congress acts on the plan (yes, Congress). Turns out even the Sierra Club wants it open as the road accesses a number of trailheads. Another giant tract of land that will become inaccessible is between Bartlet Lake and Sunflower. The power line road will be closed where it enters the Mazatazal Wilderness. The only other access to the power line road will be through the Log Corral road which is designated as a single track trail for dirt bikes. Lot of changes, I'd suggest you all study the final draft, its too late for input but at least you'll know what's changing. Link to the map detailing the changes: http://a123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc123/forestservic.download.akamai.com/11558/www/nepa/59232_FSPLT3_3087020.pdf

Good to hear somebody's seen some in that area. Grouse are really tasty.

Used to hunt Escudilla and down towards Hannegan Meadow. Spruce & berry patches were the key, that and 9000+ elevation. My friends in Alpine tell me they've seen zero grouse since the Wallow fire. North rim is likely your best bet.

Cut my teeth on an old .22 Benjamin pump gun. A fond memory. The single cock guns tend to have very heavy triggers, if you go that route, try to get one with an adjustable trigger. Have fun!

A coworker demo'd a set of 8X30 and 10X30's. I checked them out. Seemed to be very well made, the images were crisp, I did not get to use them extensively. IMO, you should do the demo and test them against the "big 3". If they measure up consider a purchase. Bear in mind they will likely not do well in the resale market as the brand does not have a reputation as of yet.

90 in AZ, waiting for: #1 Strip tag #2 Decent buff hunt (don't want to sit in a blind on a fence) #3 5B lope tag #4 Rocky Mtn Sheep (Got a desert 2010) #5 Another Goulds tag #6 " Elk tag #7 Got a few points for Javi & bear Not complaining, just waiting patiently. Had a lot of good tags over the years.

Congrats on pulling the tag. Hope to draw that hunt in the next few years, been waiting a long time.

Nice! Thx for posting the pictures.

Congrats on your tag. The piebald ram in 37A was estimated to be 14 years old last season. Probably not around anymore. Too bad he didn't make it to a trophy room somewhere. This photo, taken by Joe Sheehey, was on the cover of May 2015 Ram's Horn.

For hike in glassing, the walkstool is the bomb. I've used many different seating devices over the years, most lightweight options don't hold up. The walkstool does. A pad is good too ......... if your back can take it for hours on end. Personally, I like the large (not XL) as it adapts to uneven ground better than the taller version.

Fantastic! Congrats on your tag sir.

Dear interested and affect parties, I am writing to inform you that on June 10, 2016, the Tonto National Forest released a Draft Record of Decision selecting a modified version of Alternative C for Travel Management Planning. A draft decision on the Travel Management Final Environmental Impact Statement is important because it changes the way motor vehicle use will be managed on the Tonto National Forest to comply with the 2005 Final Travel Management Rule. (For more information about Travel Management Planning, go to: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tonto/landmanagement/planning/?cid=fsbdev3_018761) The Final Travel Management Rule requires motor vehicles to be restricted to designated roads, trails, and areas as shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). The selected alternative, with modifications, restricts off-road motor vehicle use; and designates: Approximately 3,700 miles of roads and motorized trails open to the public; Eight OHV areas where travel off designated system roads and motorized trails is permitted; Three additional permit zones; Motor vehicle use solely for retrieving legally harvested elk and bear for all hunts up to 1 mile on both sides of all designated roads and motorized trails; Motor vehicle use for dispersed camping on approximately 91 miles of full-sized motorized trails that access nearly 2,750 inventoried existing dispersed camping sites; and The use of motorized vehicles off of designated system roads and motorized trails to aid in the collection of permitted personal fuelwood within the designated fuelwood cutting areas. I realize that my draft decision will not please every member of the public; however, I believe it strikes a reasonable balance that is responsive to the vast majority of public input I received, and is the best solution to achieve the multiple use mandate that is part of the Forest Service mission. As emphasized in the Final Travel Management Rule, my draft decision is not the end of planning for management of motor vehicle use on the Tonto National Forest, but the beginning. Considering the draft decision includes the cumulative input of thousands of comments on nearly 5,000 miles of road, it is likely there will be errors and changes needed due to changing conditions. We may also find out that some of the rules could result in unforeseen circumstances in some locations. It is important that the reader understand that the point of this decision is to provide a starting point for management of motor vehicle use on the Tonto National Forest in compliance with the Final Travel Management Rule. I fully commit to additional motorized route planning and making changes to motorized use management through the National Environmental Policy Act to continue improvement of Forest access, motorized recreation, and the protection of Forest resources for current and future generations. The Draft Record of Decision and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Tonto National Forest Travel Management Project are now available online at: http://data.ecosystem-management.org/nepaweb/fs-usda-pop.php?project=28967. Compact discs with this information are available on request by contacting Anne Thomas, Travel Management Team Lead, at 602-225-5213 or via e-mail at mariannethomas@fs.fed.us. Objections must be submitted within 45 days following the publication of this legal notice in the Arizona Capitol Times, the Tonto National Forest paper of record. The date of this legal notice is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection. Those wishing to object should not rely upon dates or timeframes provided by any other source. It is the objector’s responsibility to ensure evidence of timely receipt (§218.9). Objections, including attachments, must be submitted to the reviewing officer: Calvin Joyner, Regional Forester, 333 Broadway Boulevard SE, Albuquerque, NM, 87102; (505) 842-3173 (fax). Objections may be submitted via mail, FAX, or delivered during business hours (Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Electronic objections, in common formats (.doc, .pdf, .rtf, .txt), may be submitted to: objections-southwestern-tonto@fs.fed.us with subject: Travel Management Draft ROD. At a minimum, an objection must include the following (§218.8(d)): (1) Objector's name and address as defined in §218.2, with a telephone number, if available. (2) Signature or other verification of authorship upon request (a scanned signature for electronic mail may be filed with the objection). (3) When multiple names are listed on an objection, identification of the lead objector as defined in §218.2. Verification of the identity of the lead objector must be provided upon request or the reviewing officer will designate a lead objector as provided in §218.5(d). (4) The name of the proposed project, the name and title of the responsible official, and the name(s) of the national forest(s) and/or ranger district(s) on which the proposed project will be implemented. (5) A description of those aspects of the proposed project addressed by the objection, including specific issues related to the proposed project; if applicable, how the objector believes the environmental analysis or draft decision specifically violates law, regulation, or policy; suggested remedies that would resolve the objection; supporting reasons for the reviewing officer to consider. (6) A statement that demonstrates the connection between prior specific written comments on the particular proposed project or activity and the content of the objection, unless the objection concerns an issue that arose after the designated opportunity for comment (see §218.8©). Sincerely, NEIL BOSWORTH Tonto National Forest Supervisor

Even high end spotters @ higher magnification require a larger objective size to maintain a reasonably resolvable image. IMO, 65mm is the starting point for spotters. Plenty of lightweight 65mm scopes available, the real issue is bulk. A 65mm will take up more space in the pack.