Devil Diver Down

PM sent on the Vipers. I'll take them if you're still good to go.

The wife vehemently disagrees: If they fit in the gun safe, it's fine. Anything beyond that is too many. Benelli and the H&R are gone. Two down, 3 to go.

Would you go $450 on the Vipers? Just sold my Benelli for that amount. Cash in hand in Chandler.

Yes, the stock is standard length. Not sure about (or how to find out about) the material of the receiver. If I didn't already have too many guns, I'd look into your idea about a longer barrel, though. Even when these all sell I'll still have 4 shotguns in the safe. Thanks for the input!

The Benelli and the H&R are both Sold Pending Funds. Mossberg and 870 both have interest, but nobody who is ready to buy tomorrow. Thanks.

SuperNova is Sold Pending Funds. I'll update if deal falls through tomorrow afternoon.

PM sent

Why am I not left-handed? I'm left eye dominant, but too old to switch over now. Have you tried posting it on archerytalk.com? good luck w/ the sale!

I have an H&R 20 gauge single shot - well loved by my kids when they were first at shooting age. $100. PM me if you're interested.

Great idea on the donation front, Flatlander! Donation made! Elk: Resident; 4 BPS; early archery bull for units 1, 6A, 8 and 9 Group of 3 residents; 0 BPS; late rifle bull 6A and 8. Antelope: Resident; 7 BPS; archery for units 1, 10 and both archery hunts in 19A Many thanks!

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Would you take $1.75 for that gas? Or a trade?

How much training has he had? Quick, before the wife finds out what I'm doing!

Heck, I'm in the Christmas spirit - I'll go $650!

Great looking buck. Congrats to you and well done Muley224 for the assist! Not many people are going to give up spots like that.

First time drawing a Kaibab hunt in about 30 years (I was 13 last time I hunted up there!) and I've been sidelined with a lung infection for over 2 months, which blew my plans for scouting all to pieces. My dad is in his 70s and has had 2 knee replacement surgeries, so he will be hunting near roads. I'm not looking for honey holes obviously but any helpful bits of info via PM on where the deer move when pressured, good spots to start, etc. is much appreciated. If you take a look at my posting history here, you'll see that I've been willing to help people and give out solid info on elk in 6A (pretty much my only unit with much experience) when I can. Had planned a few days of scouting 2 weeks back but I was hacking up my lungs and no condition to head north. We're headed up Wednesday, so there will be one evening plus a full day of scouting before the opener. Thanks in advance! David aka DDD

Great job to all of you - that's some serious success!

Forgot that I never updated this - sorry for the wait and thanks again for all those who tried to help with info. As Big Orange wrote, I did kill a buck. Here's a recount of it: Scouting through some of my dad's old haunts in the unit turned up some does, fawns and forkies. Areas nearby turned up more of the same, but in greater numbers. My dad and I strategized our opening morning - he'd hunt draws near the road, while I'd pack a mile in to a pocket that had no roads if I could, inhaler close at hand. My doctor warned me to take it easy, but what do doctors know about watching the sun rise in deer country? Resting on the bench I targeted, I could see deer filtering across 20 minutes before shooting light, without a good idea about their gender or size. A flock of turkeys had dropped from their roosts - clucking and an occasional gobble rose from the draws below. As the morning grew, a group of 9 does and fawns, with a single fork-horn buck fed up a draw within 15 yards of my position. I could've killed him with a throwing knife if I'd wanted. Fawns were as close as 2 yards. I slipped my camera phone out to take a picture, but gloved hands prevented the touch screen from firing. After several minutes of watching this, a kid decked in orange and apparently unaware of this fine scene, came downhill toward us (from upwind, of course) and the deer scrambled past me, some at distances I could've reached out and touched. In the late morning, I had a herd of about 12 or more deer almost trample me in their stampede to escape danger. I was surprised to see a decent 4x4 with does - and coming right at me - but since he wasn't quite what I was looking for on this hunt, he never got so much as a scope check. Pretty much any other hunt and he'd have gotten serious consideration. And maybe a bullet. There had been quite a bit of shooting in that area, but on the drive back to camp at 12:30 a nice 4x4 stepped into the road from a water hole. This was my dad's deer and we both knew it. But somehow even though the buck stopped about 30 yards off the road in the short jackpine, my dad couldn't get out of the truck cleanly enough to manage a shot. This gift from the Deer Gods waited a moment while I tried to direct my dad to hurry, then bounded away over a hill, with a bigger 4 leading the way and a monster buck in the middle - zero shots fired. Day 2 had my dad hunting near that water hole and me dropping into a small canyon that runs west from it. A little after daybreak I caught movement to my right. Eyeballs told me it was a buck right away and binos showed him to be a young 4x4. Not quite the buck I was looking for, but I was hoping he had a partner. Watching him move, he had a severe limp - someone had shot him low on the rear right quarter the day before. I have zero love for coyotes and even less tolerance for animals suffering - even with such a primo tag in my pocket. I sent a 30.06 round through his chest and he dropped right there, but the buck's strong will kept him trying to get up. A round in the neck sent echoes rebounding off the canyon walls and ended my hunt 1.24 miles from my truck. Frankly, my gutless method breakdown of this buck needs a lot of work. It took way too long, with several stops to catch my breath. I hope to get that practice as soon as archery season begins in January. Hopefully the Draw Gods are kind and I can practice on an elk, when my fitness level is better. Rather than pack out to my truck, I elected to go straight uphill the half-mile to the road, drop my gear there and bring my truck closer. Two friendly G&F employees encouraging hunters to use non-lead ammo, saw my purple face and gave me a ride to my truck. They even offered to help me retrieve the rest of my buck, but I declined. Two trips and one tired guy. It's okay to work hard for something, even if you need some occasional help from a little 2 1/2 inch hero. No more than 6 uses per day? What do doctors know about hauling a mule deer out of small canyons? A gimpy guy shoots a gimpy buck. All hail, the Inhaler Buck! Not the buck I was dreaming of tagging, but I know I couldn't sleep at night if I'd let him suffer. I don't want anyone to get the idea I'm not happy with this buck - I'd 100% do the same thing every time, regardless of tag. A little love for my Sun Devils on the way out! Forks Up!!! I was able to help my dad get several chances at very nice bucks up by the burn and down where I killed mine, but unfortunately we couldn't make it happen for him this time. Mother Nature has given him so many positives over the years, growing up in a wild Arizona that will never exist again. Now she is routinely taking back every skill she ever lent him. It was pretty tough to watch him be a step too late or a hair late making a decision on a shot several times. I tried to hurry him along a few times when I felt we were "losing daylight" or letting a shooter buck walk, but finally realized that we were measuring success of this hunt differently and just let things unfold at his speed. We had a great hunt together and that's what it's really all about in the end.

I'll take it - I'm in Chandler area. PM sent.

Anyone looking for Christmas cash have one they want to sell?

Looking for a 12 gauge in good ----> excellenet shape in either the SuperNova or SBE II. My preferences: 26" barrel (would consider a 28" or 24", but not tactical), camo (either pattern) and comfortech stock. Not really interested in pistol grip but will consider it. Cash money.

Starting to think the charges are done, which means my turkey plans are cooked.

Hit for archery pigalina - still hoping for charges for turkeys.

I'm the young half of a father/son combo, also in 12AW, but I'm over 40. Probably not what you meant, lol. We're going DIY and totally whiffed on scouting because of some medical conditions that popped up, but we're ratcheting down our expectations on size of bucks and ratcheting up expectations on a great hunt together. Great hunts to you all!

Thanks all for the advice - it is much appreciated. We were thinking we might check out the burns after the weekend - if we still have tags - because I figure the pressure might be a little less. My dad hunted up in 12A west quite a bit between 1950s and mid-80s and has been sticking with his old go-to spots (Burnt Corral and Big Saddle) for the pre-hunt plan. I pretty much always get one scouting trip in and hate going up blind, but I guess it's like any hunt - the animals are where you find them and when pressured, will become pretty scarce. I'll dive off away from the roads as far as my lungs allow, but will have to work pretty hard to find my dad a shooter closer where he can walk. Thanks!