Lv2hnt

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/touching-the-wild/touching-the-wild/8679/

Johnny: I was hoping to go after Bull #2's daddy this September, but no tag this year (again). Am looking forward to your pics all through this summer, though. Keep 'em coming ...

SPF to Rage ...

Sold!

IMO, the easiest solution might be to buy a set of Howard Leight "Quiet Band" ear plugs (the orange-colored plugs molded to a narrow head band you can hang around your neck). They are always handy and do the trick (can also use them when out hunting with center-fire rifle). About $7 at Sportsman's ...

V-e-r-y tasty! And no, it doesn't taste a lot like chicken ...

Prdatr: Sent you a PM today ...

The Bernzamatic torch is only $14.95 (without propane bottle) at Lowe's --- bought one the first of the year. Also kills at lighting lanterns instead of the unreliable long camp lighters ...

Call me tomorrow morning (Saturday) --- I could get you in touch with someone if you still would like to make it to the banquet, printer at home or no ...

GREAT organization! I'll be working the event --- hope to see you there. Feel free to call me if you have any questions: (480)760-3868. Hurry!!! Not much time left --- banquet is tomorrow (Saturday) night! Tickets are just $75 per person. Youu can purchase your tickets on-line at: www.adbss.org. --- Tom

Sorry I didn't see your post earlier (out lion hunting all day yesterday), just checking back in. Hurry --- the banquet is TOMORROW night (Saturday)! Tickets are just $75 per person. You can purchase your tickets on-line at: www.adbss.org. You can also call me should you have any questions: (480)760-3868 ... --- Tom

Okay all you CWTers! I realize there have been, and will be, other fundraising banquets to aid the many different big game species here in Arizona. My hat's off to e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e who volunteers or attends those events! I know you've all come away having had a good time while helping raise a l-o-t of dollars to benefit the wildlife of our state. We have the opportunity to hunt most of those wonderful animals as often as the draw (or our personal life) allows. The desert bighorn sheep (and now rocky mountain bighorn) is different in that we may attach our tag to only o-n-e of these animals in our lifetime! There is a group of individuals who have banded together to help bighorn sheep in Arizona --- some have already hunted desert sheep here in Arizona, while others n-e-v-er will have that opportunity (the draw is a fickle entity!). Given that, I find it encouraging that both individuals strive on. The activity probably most noticeable to the public is the water hole projects the ADBSS undertakes across our arid state in locations where no permanent water would exist otherwise. A lot of grunt work, let me tell you! Many more species than just bighorns benefit from that water made available. I was fortunate to have drawn a desert sheep tag this past season --- the most memorable hunting experience of my life! Following up on that, I want to give back. I want to encourage all CWT members (and your friends) to consider attending the ADBSS' one major fund-raising event, its 31st banquet/auction on Saturday, March 15 (I'll be there working, not eating). Although that's less than 2 weeks away, I know some of you could fit it into your calendar (and later be happy you did!) Tickets are just $75 per person. Maybe some of you here on CWT would like to band together and reserve a table for 8? The cost of that table is $700 (and includes $200 in bucket raffle tickets for the table). You can purchase your tickets on-line at: www.adbss.org. You can also call me should you have any questions: (480)760-3868. I'd also be happy to coordinate things if you want to get a group together. I'm a bit late with my involvement with this --- better late than not at all! You can also view a proposed list of major auction items posted in the Conservation Group Events section elsewhere here on CWT ... --- Tom

Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society's 31st Annual Fundraising Banquet & Auction will be held Saturday, March 15, 2014 at Chaparral Suites in Scottsdale, Arizona. Waterhole: 4 pm. / Dinner: 6 pm. Dinner tickets are $75 each; a reserved table for 8 is $700 (includes $200 in bucket raffle tickets); table for 10 also possible. Tickets may be ordered on-line at: www.adbss.org Profile of Major Auction Items: Special Arizona G&F Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and mountain lion tags (2 separate items) Navajo Nation trophy mule deer hunt Official State of Sonora, Mex. desert bighorn sheep, mule deer and Coues deer hunts (3 separate items) Alaska moose hunt Navajo Nation general deer OR elk tag (winning bidder's choice) New Zealand tahr hunt Hualapai Nation management elk hunt Canadian black bear hunt Iowa whitetail deer & hog hunt Arizona mountain lion hunt with hounds Arizona Mearns quail hunt Missouri rifle deer hunt OR archery deer/turkey hunt combo Idaho black bear hunt Florida trophy alligator hunt Wyoming antelope hunt Florida Osceola turkey hunt SAAM Precison & exotic hunt combo Texas sika deer hunt Sea of Cortez deep sea fishing (for 4) Lake Mead striper fishing (for 2) Oregon salmon or steelhead fishing (for 4) Plus MANY more unique and hunting/outdoors related items!!!

After receiving a lot of help glassing on my sheep hunt in December, I decided to give back by helping out on some Az. Desert Bighorn Sheep Society work projects. The latest one was this past weekend at the base of the mountains across the highway from Picacho Peak, improving/replacing the original water retention tank built in 1966. Key aspects to the project: - Reseal and paint the existing cement apron. - Muck out and reseal the existing cement tank. - Replace the existing barbed wire fence with an improved pipe-rail fence. - Replace the deteriorated fiberglass trough with a state-of-the-art composite drinking trough. - Remove PVC plumbing that connected the tanks and replace with overflow plumbing. - Remove the metal ring tank and line and replace with a new fiberglass ring tank (5,700+ gallons). - Remove the wood frame and corrugated tin apron and replace with a metal frame and R-panel apron. (Note: the tank should be good for approx. 40-50 years; the walk-in drinker should be good for approx. 25 years) It was good to see the work project garner some press for public awareness: www.wafb9.com/story/24797000/volunteers-redevelop-water-source-in-picacho-mountains (copy and paste to view) The really neat thing was seeing a dozen teens from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa travel out to our state to help work on the project. They put their muscle to good use for two days of hard work. Most had never been to Arizona and stated they found it hard to believe animals could survive the harsh desert conditions (s-o different from the woods "back home"). Check out the video: www.dropbox.com/s/pbf9ordoka900q9/2014%2C Pichaco Project%2C Feb.mp4 (copy and paste to view)

I may stand corrected, Tony ...

FYI, I'm pretty sure the pic included at the start of this thread originated on the shore of one of the lakes NE of Phoenix, and is an archived photo from the past, NOT of the 13th lion-killed sheep ...

So now an entire 1/3 of the desert bighorn sheep released in the Catalinas have died. A 2-3 year old ram wandered off from the group of 8-10 sheep he'd been a part of --- a sheep doing what sheep do (who knows why ...?). It was determined yesterday that the ram had been killed by a lion. The tom who killed the ram was tracked today, and killed mid-afternoon. Some bad news: 2 of the ewes killed early after the release were pregnant (one just a few weeks pre-delivery). The good news: 2 lambs new on the ground since the release. Hopefully some more to be seen shortly. It's good that 3 male lions have been killed; too bad those lions weren't females. Too bad lions had to be killed AFTER the fact --- MUCH too bad that pre-emptive measures weren't exercised BEFORE the sheep release! My thinking: the entire operation NEVER had a chance at succeeding with the restrictions that were/are in place. With each lion killed in the Catalina Mountains since the sheep release, the indignant posturing of the lion huggers makes itself known more vocally to any who will listen. Their reasoning: "If no sheep had been re-introduced, there would be no lion-killed sheep, and therefore no lions dead on the ground." The thing is, they have no clue as to how many lions actually are alive in the Catalinas --- but be sure, all those cuddly lions need to roam, and multiply, "unmolested.". My concern isn't just about the loss of 11 bighorn sheep. It's much larger than that. The REALLY bad thing about all this --- the lion hunting ban now in California is at our doorstep right here in Arizona. I truly fear the Catalina sheep release fiasco is the first step down a very scary path! The wolf's existence in our state is one thing --- can you picture the state of our big game in Arizona without our being able to control mountain lion numbers? If we don't remain vigilant and VOCAL?

To add to Amanda's Pusch Ridge Restricted Hunt Area boundaries description ...

Sweet! Fear the arrow ...

I had to replace a couple tires during my sheep hunt exploits. You might call Discount Tire in Yuma, (928) 344-4600 --- ask for mgr Luis Sanchez. Between the Border Patrol, the dunes, and everyone else, they sell more tires than any other DT in the U.S. Am confident Luis' knowledge would be really helpful (they deal with a TON of creosote-punctured tires) ...

For the record, I've never been in the pro-Catalina Mountain sheep release camp. You're mistaken if you think this lion controversy will go away quietly --- talking about it here on CWT isn't driving the issue. it will continue in the public media because the antis (some of whom I believe are on the Catalina Bighorn Advisory committee) want it there. Please re-read the last paragraph in my initial post to this thread. A point of information --- Quote: "Over the past ten years in Game Management Unit (GMU) 33 (which includes the Catalina Mountains) we have seen an increase in lion observations and harvest. This corresponds roughly to an increase in whitetail deer numbers after the Aspen and Bullock fires. Since 2003, the annual harvest of lions in GMU 33 has increased steadily from 7 lions in 2003 to 22 lions in 2012, again suggesting that we have an increasing population that is in congruence with the increased availability of their primary prey, whitetail deer." Although no one knows how many lions there actually are in the Catalinas, the lion density there might just be the highest in our state. They can't be pursued with hounds in the sheep release area, though. Hey, if you want to kill a lion in the Catalinas, go get after it!

Just sent you a PM ...

It's got 1 double bed & 1 table/double bed combo, plus a pull down up above. See pics in ad. Call him ...

Sold!

Some more info on the Catalina bighorns project: http://adbss.org/2014-01-19Cat_BHS_Update_01192014_FINAL.pdf