lfootmatt

We were down in the NE part of 36B this past Monday. What terrain are the bucks holding in. Only saw one shooter and he was running since the quad spooked him. Pretty low but not completely out in the flats. I didn't get a great look but was a nice rack and still in velvet. Wind got up pretty bad so we didn't see too much. I'll be back out Sunday morning. Optics are hurting us a bit this year. I had some Nikon 18X70s last year. Huge and heavy, but super glass, don't have them this year. Flats or hills for the November hunt???? Later, Matt

I'm hunting 36b again this year. The area I hunted last Dec has gotten more dangerous. According to BP guys I'm talking to the NE part of the unit up towards I-19 and Chavez Siding/Agua Linda/ Arivaca Road has been seeing a lot of smuggling activity. In particular, they have taken a lot more gun shot victims out of the are than in years past. Seems like it is more profitable to rip loads than bring them across in the first place. So don't be decieved by a seemingly lower number of UDAs in the area. I'm going to remain armed and in groups while scouting and hunting this year. Later, Matt

.300 SAUM rules!!!!! 1 fer 1 on Coues 180 Grain Barnes TSX, 65.5 grains R22 compressed load, ~2875 fps does 7/8 inch 3 shot groups at 200 yards and weighs in at around 8.5 pounds w/ scope. Yea I know, it is overkill. I worked up the load for Elk and didn't have time to do one for Coues. Kinda nice when you get a .308 through-and-through shoulder heart shoulder shot and he just falls over dead! I bought a bunch of loading stuff at Jensens the other day (pissed off the wife), all I need now is a RockChucker and trimmer and I'm set. My buddy that was helping me load moved to Guam so I've got to get geared up to hand load! Later, Matt

Jeepguy, Please post or email some pics. I'm interested. Mostly in the rockchucker & Powder measurer. Thanks, Matt lfootmatt@yahoo.com

Dan, How many pounds of pull and draw length. I couldn't find it in the previous posts. Sorry if I missed it I'm a bit fried from being at the range all day. Thanks, Matt

Got pics?

I've used the 60mm ED one while Coues hunting. It was very nice, turned a group of 4 does at 1200 yards into 3 small bucks and one huge 2X2 raking the heck out of a tree! I've been told (by people with them) that the 82mm is even better and not much more weight. Just make sure you get the ED version to get the best optics. Same grade optics that Nikon uses in their high end camera lenses. I've never seen an ED glass Nikon spotting scope at SW, I've always seen the lower end spotting scopes there. I know of at least 2 professional guides that are using the 60 and 82MM ED spotting scopes. Consider the Digiscoping rigs also. Makes some great pics at stupidly long distances. My $0.02, Matt

3 of us put in for 33 & 36b November hunts. We got the 36b hunt! 2nd year in a row for 36b!!!! Later, Matt

CB, That mount rules! Who did it? Later, Matt

Whitetail, 36b, 33 November????????? I'm thinking 33 for 3 of us that put in together!!!!! Buddy called and his CC got charged!!! Good Luck Matt

I got a Rem Custom Shop .204 VSSF-II. Friend of a friend just retired from the Custom Shop last year after running it for several years. It is a beauty, but sadly, I've yet to shoot it!!!! I'm waiting for the new Nikon scopes to come out. I've got 3 yotes that need to pay for spooking my B&C record buck before I could get a shot!!! Now, you've got me wanting to just buy a scope to get the thing shooting. Matt

Sweet mount pics! Those trophy rooms are great. My boys and I have some work to do, 1 get more trophys, 2 get a room to put them, 3 convince the wife that big game huthing isn't a bizzare mental illness related to 60's muscle cars. Just spoke to Tom and Crane Taxademy, I'm picking up my 3X3 Coues european mount on Saturday. Not a toad but is a respectable 1st whitetail. Pics will go up soon after. Later, Matt

why are you selling it??? What kind of groups does it shoot? I've got a Custom shop AWR in plain stainless .300 SAUM and love it! Matt

Take a look at the Nikon stuff. Their Monarch line has some of the best glass in the world. As good a Leup. for a lot less money, and also has lifetime warranty. Glass is the same as in their ED line camera lenses. Matt

Got my vote in. It seems to me to be completely insane to reduce hunter success without first trying to improve the deer populations. Yea, like, let's make Coues deer hunting harder, YEA! YEA!YEA!(just keep repeating that over and over with a good Bevis and Butthead impersonation). Because G&F's idea to make Coues hunting harder sounds like Bevis and Butthead came up with it. I got really lucky with a 36b December tag, and it was still really dang hard to get a deer. Yea, increase my opportunity to go out and have to work even harder!? That rational is about as clear as mud. Please G&F don't do me any more favors if that is what you have in mind. My $0.02 Matt

I've got the mind set, but finding the time to practice and develop my skills to an acceptable level of proficency is what currently holds me back. I've got some friends that are firefighters. They get a bunch of practice time in at work. My boss won't go for that!!! 6 yards! That is just sick! I can't wait to show my boys(8,6,15mos) your bull, they will flip. Matt

Littlebear, I've been thinking of taking up bow hunting (compound) as a way to get better hunts. However, after seeing that monster you took, may be not. I think I'd pee my pants if something that dang big got that close to me That must have been a serious rush to call that monster in close enough to stickem with a longbow! What's next? I don't remember seeing a USMC survival knife season for monster bull elk in Arizona. Must be an over the counter tag. Or are you just going straight to wrestling, winner take all. You guys doing the bow stuff are real hunters! My hat is off to you! I'm trying to figure out where to fit the time in to gain a confident level of proficency to take a shot. Matt

AUDSLEY, Where did you grow up at in MO? I also grew up hunting all small game. Except that one year my dad and I got deer tags and sat in a field freezing our butts off all the while not quite knowing what to do! Ha, what a good time! I grew up in Gladstone/ Kansas City North and also spent a lot of time at my Granny's place in Lee's Summit, MO. You are right, there just weren't any deer out there. Now they take tons of big bucks every year, and the Dept. of Conservation pratically begs people to take more. I stand corrected on the money thing, but I'll still hold to the fact that if this stupidness is coming from the top down, then it is only a backhanded way of making hunting less desireable in AZ. That leads to a smaller and further politically marginalized hunter population. Good ole Janet N. is no friend to hunters! She will use these subtle ways to damage hunting until she gets re-elected. Then the gloves will come off and the environmentalists who have her ear will do all they can to eliminate hunting all together. It will start with the predator hunts. They will be the first to go, then they'll say we have plenty of predators so mankind doesn't need to hunt anymore! The slippery slope I tell you!!! As dry as it has been, I'm thinking of sitting on some tanks to try and get a shot at a mountain lion while I still can. Did you say 1/20th of a cent? It's too bad a 1/2 cent isn't in the works. MO did and does such wonderful things with that money. With the huge tax adverse retiree population out here I don't think 1/2 cent would go. It sure would be nice to see the kind of improvements that could be made with that kind of money. Like you AUDSLEY, I'm very greatful I've discovered AZ hunting before it was too late. I only wish I'd have gotten that 105+ buck I stalked, but my 85" one will have to do for now. Later, Matt

People need ot speak to their connections w/in AZG&F and see if we can get any direct feedback on her. Certainly not much experience. Sounds a bit fishy to me to give out such a high level appointment to. What NGOs did she work in/with? Has she ever hunted in her life? NRA Member? PETA Member or worse?

These policies seem very short sighted. Instead of enacting policies to increase game species populations, reduced predation and improved habitat, that all would lead to long-term game species population increases. Long-term, these policies would lead to more tags (and money), and an improved hunter experience. If the state truly wants revenue increases for the state it should look at hunting, habitat and game populations as an investment in a renewable resource. Lets face it, everyone here spends stupid amounts of money to hunt. I grew up in Missouri and attempted to deer hunt in the early 80's when deer populations were decimated and you couldn't even hunt turkeys. The state invested in policies to improve habitat and now have huge populations and produce prodigious amounts of trophy deer. I'll be traveling back there this year if I don't get drawn out here. A former co-worker invited me back to hunt on his 2000 acre ranch that's routinely producing 160-200" bucks. That is in a state that has invested huge money in its outdoor activities, from lakes and fishing to public access and hunting. They took the long-term approach. Less than $200 to hunt out of state, I'm in. It isn?t Coues hunting, but it beats the sidelines. OR:(the dark side of the equation) In the short term, increase revenue going into an election year by offering lower quality tags and killing less deer due to crappy hunts, increase hunter dissatisfaction, push more hunters to other activities and further marginalize the shrinking hunter population in Arizona. The only people helped in this equation are the politicians who are pushing an animal rights agenda, and the animal rights people. The animals will lose along with the hunters. The tree huggers will not do a thing to improve or protect wildlife habitat. That will only come from us and AZF&G. No controlled burns, no reintroduction of threatened species, nothing. Want a mountain lion or bear? better get it soon! In Colorado they have already lost some of their predator hunts, spring bear is gone and trapping as well. If these bad, short term policies age coming from the top down with no input from the actual game managers, then it is coming directly or indirectly from the Governor?s office via her appointees. My $0.02, Matt

"hick the bucket"? Dude, you been drinkin?

If the rancher had control of the property then he is within his rights to allow hunters on the property. Also how is the property posted? Unless it is posted in a very specific way, AZ G&F regs state that it is allowable to hunt on. Minus the actual owner specifically prohibiting someone from hunting on his property I don't think TBEV has a point. "A.R.S. 17-304 Prohibition by landowner upon hunting; posting; exception A. Landowners or lessees of private land who desire to prohibit hunting, fishing or trapping on their lands without their written permission shall post such lands closed to hunting, fishing or trapping using notices or signboards. B. State or federal lands including those under lease may not be posted except by consent of the commission C. The notices or signboards shall meet all of the following criteria: 1. Be not less than eight inches by eleven inches with plainly legible wording in capital and bold-faced lettering at least one inch high. 2. Contain the words ?no hunting?, ?no trapping? or ?no fishing? either as a single phrase or in any combination. 3. Be conspicuously placed on a structure or post at least four feet above ground level at all points of vehicular access, at all property or fence corners and at intervals of not more than one-quarter mile along the property boundary, except that a post with one hundred square inches or more of orange paint may serve as the interval notices between property or fence corners and points of vehicular access. The orange paint shall be clearly visible and shall cover the entire above ground surface of the post facing outward and on both lateral sides from the closed area. D. The entry of any person for the taking of wildlife shall not be grounds for an action for trespassing unless the land has been posted pursuant to this section." And in another place in the regs: "Access to Private Lands You must have written or verbal permission from private property owners for use of their legally posted private lands for any purpose including crossing these lands by foot or vehicle to get to public and State Trust lands not accessible by public means. The private landowner who has given you permission to use the property may not mind if you bring a friend or two along. But you may destroy your welcome if you arrive with a carload of companions. Developing person-to-person relationships with private landowners is another key to having more access available for wildlife recreation. Sportsmen who get to know a landowner and who stop in after their stay are almost always welcomed back. By treating the land as if it were your own, and by showing consideration and courtesy to the landowner and the property, a sportsman will always have a place to enjoy wildlife. Never forget that you are a guest when using or crossing private lands, and this access is a privilege, not a right. Your actions may be the determining factor in anyone else accessing these lands. Be aware that in some areas gaining permission to hunt one particular species may be nearly impossible while gaining permission to hunt another species is often easy. For example, some landowners may not let you hunt big game on their property, but would let you call predators or hunt small game. Be aware that sometimes the landowner may grant access to those who ask to go by foot or horseback versus vehicular access. Don't assume, unless told otherwise, that permission granted one season means you automatically have permission the following seasons. Situations and ownership change, and permission should be requested each season." So unless it was PROPERLY POSTED LAND, the complaining hunter(s) don't have a point. And if the rancher gave them permission, qualified or not, then they could be there as well. As a mater of fact, other than basic niceness, I don't think TBEV and his sidekick even had any legal authority to tell anone to leave the land unless one of them was the land owner. Even then, if it isn't legally posted even the landowner can't restrict hunting. My $0.02, Matt

I'm not a bow hunter, but what you are experiencing is an over reaction to the stress of the situation. This is similar to the high stress reactions law enforcement officers experience when involved in shooting incidents. You probably have narrowing of your vision (tunnel vision) and your hearing will even taper off to nothing, and things will go into a slow motion. I didn't even recall the recoil or report of my .300 on my deer this year. there aren't many ways to deal with it other than praticing so much that your actions are automatic, like driving a car. Mentally you need to try to visualize every pratice shot as if it is the real thing. Deep seated visualizations have the same effect on the brain as if doing the real thing. It's just that most people don't achieve the level of concentration needed to get those visualizations. Another trick is to artifically introduce a level of stress. We use exercise to simulate the stresses involved. After shooting for a while, run, do some pushups,and situps. then with your muscles burning, heart pumping and sucking air, immediately go back to shooting while visualizing that it is a real deer. This won't make the stress or excitment go away, it will just better prepare you to perform and enjoy the rush rather than let it ruin your shot. Think of it as muscle memory with stress introduced. My $0.02 Matt

Yep, That's the exact area I was talking about. It's a shame to see it get developed, but according to my buddy it may have changed hands again recently and will begin development soon. All I've seen over that way was a couple of spikes, but the terrain seems pretty good so there must be some good bucks around. I just hope the ranchett owners like us better than the UDAs, cause they are going to have plenty of those to deal with. Matt