Coues 'n' Sheep

Congrats to all of you, Ernie!!! Outstanding first buck!!! I love it!! It is Awesome that your brothers are coming down to hunt with you and that you out there giving back to the next future hunters!! What great family memories!!! Congrats again, Buddy!!

Congrats on a great bull, Steve. I know you worked your arse off on that hunt.... Good for you man!

Guys... get real! This is like a Dodge vs. Chevy arguement.... ... and it is getting really old and repeditive. I truely don't care how any of you hunt, as long as it is legal, and deemed in Fair Chase by the B&C & P&Y.... Period! You guys hunt your way, those guys hunt there way, I'll hunt my way... and successful or not we all share the common bond that drives us to infuse/fund more conservation and industry than all the Aniti's combined. Reguardless of your favorite method of hunting you are very important part of the hunting community spending dollars, creating jobs, helping wildlife conservation, and hopefully teaching children about the outdoors and fair chase hunting. Please consider joining the "Coalition to Ban ALL Coalitions" as Hank JR song said..... "You do your thing and I'll do my thing, too!" We are hunters and and we should all respect our differences as well as our similarities. I hunt with a lot of different folks and honestly many of them like to hunt different than I do, but we still have Helluva good time hunting together! The real issue is that I personally do not want anyone to lose any opportunity to be successfull in the outdoors. Whether you like shooing across the county to make a kill or like to do it at less than 10 yds..... Whether you are a Tri-athlete or in a wheelchair.... Whether your bow shoots 220fps or 320fps.... Whether you are 10 years old or 30 or 75.... a Real Hunt is in the eye of the beholder.... I am not able to judge the quality of any hunt that is not my own. Go hunting, take a child, teach them you very best values, teach them to respect others values, and be happy with that. Do not impress your way on all...or ask that the Gov. impress your way on all.... we all have the right to make our own choices.... many great men and women have given thier lives so that we may choose.... Your way, my way, that other guy's way.... none of them work for everyone... let it ride. Happy Hunting, My Brothers!

Thanks a bunch... Had a great day and don't remember much after the sun went down... soooo I'm guessin' I had a good time, too! Been a while since I drank that many Blackberry Brandies in one night! Thanks again guys!

I'm that guy with the camera.... Trophy photos last a long time and I do my best to show the best of each trophy. For those of you that are askin'.... this bull would gross about 355" ..... and nets are for fisherman!

Great bucks thatnks for sharing them with us!!!

AMEN!! Thanks all.... kinda feelin' old today....

Congrats on a Great Bull!

Yup.... all those are effective. Best of luck on the upcoming season.

Dang Mike!!! You and the Kids had it going on!!! Tell them I know where their hunting hot spot is now!!! HaHa Jarod's pic is a dead giveaway!!!

You are barking up the wrong tree there... not a Rez bull.... So I guess we are back to guessing what unit....

Hey all.... if you are going to be in or even near 23 for the Youth hunts I would definatly recommend checking out Dale and his shop. He and his wife are working very hard to produce first rate artistry at a Very fair price.... and the deals they are offering the youths as well as the "Big Buck Competion" they are having make it very worth the trip to Young (or the camp) to check them out. Good people and I am very happy with the work I have seen in his studio..... Check 'em out!

A huge congrats to Jay and The Cody's, you dang sure had the time spent in there! If it couldn't be us, I'm glad it was you guys! What a fantastic bull! Congrats!

I don't know what you are talking about....... or should I say don't remember????? I remember and I also have those photos of Manny around 10 and also around 1am if you want to see them. Butters, Thank you, your an honest man. Come on Manny "man up"! what happen to you showing up? We all waited for you. Azsagebrush If your talking about back up in 9 yesterday..... you can thank that little guy Crown Royal for pounding on my head when I woke up. I think that was a well earned celebration! Congrats my Friends!! Congrats to Will as well on an Awesome bull!!

Naw.... I'd not waist the time or money.... It is like scout... why bother... just show up and hunt.... shoot the dang thing uyou see and get home and back to work!

Congrats Jason!!!

Stay the course, my Friend! You are a very tough man... and I know there is much tug-o-war in your life with the physical He!! that you endure. Hang tough.... our prayers will be for you during this tough time and in your special hunt.... I only wish I could be there on opening day to see you hold that big bull! Find the strength to trudge forward... embrace you your family... and challenge your fears. God Bless.

Congrats my Friend! I am so glad that my Pard and I were able to accompany you and Mike on the recovery! It was very special to get to share that time with such a deserving and compassionate hunter! You earned it, CONGRATS Buddy!! Best of luck on the 11th.... I'll be rooting for you!!! If you shoot as well at your bull as you did that buck.... .... it will be a short recovery, again!!! Good luck and Congrats again, Bro!! BTW.... Remember.... that X-bow is not a "Black Mark".... .... It is a Badge of Courage that you earned... in service to us all.... Seeing you with that X-bow makes me well up with pride.... it is the tool that still allows you to do what you so dearly love! Thank You.... and enjoy every moment.... You Earned It!!!!

OUTSTANDING!!! Great pics! What a Picture Perfect buck! Congrats reguardless of score!! ....and congrats on the score, too of course!

Thanks Clay!!!!!! How about someone starts another post to debate cameras, guiding, outfitting, Mossback, Mullins, etc.... Let's talk about THIS BULL!!! He's a BIG one and sincere CONGRATS to the hunter!!!!!!! S. There will be no "Attack of the Clones"..... if there were any such animal. Well Said, Stanley! No matter how many times you mumble "445.... and change" it just sounds amazing!!! I am certain this hunter is on a high like we can only hope for in our life time.... cuz there be Monsters in them hillz!!

Congrats on a Fantstic Buck!!!

Thanks for posting the pics! I like cub pics... I think they are way more interesting than "your average bear"!

It is not a matter of "If"....... it is just a matter of "WHEN".

Go South, Young Man..... Go South! I'm not laughing at you Beau.... I'm laughing with you!!!! On a Serious note...... Looks like you guys did everything right and recovered a FRICKIN' FANTASTIC BUCK!!!! Congrats to the Guide and the Hunter!!

i disagree with your quote as most 370-390" bulls never reach 400". when these bulls, "top end bulls," are consistently taken out of one reasonably small area then the genetic potential of the area has to suffer. there are not 400"++ bulls behind every tree, even in unit 9. When these bulls are killed they no longer pass on their genes and 370" bulls breed. although they are not small, they are not top end as the top end gets killed every yr in the same area. last yr. for example, there was not one 400" bull taken out of unit 9 in the archery, early rifle, or late hunts combined. it was an average yr. or better for horn growth and yet no 400" bulls. they have been getting hammered hard in that unit and two 400" type bulls, "top end bulls," out of the same areas year after year affect the areas potential to consistently produce these giants. no problem with the gov. tag, outfitters guiding them, hunters, or anything associated with the tag or hunt, just a simple observation. Hmmmm... So what you are saying is that all you Mossback guys are soooo worried about the elk in unit 9 that you are going to pull all you cameras out of the unit.... stop lobbying for SR and Auction hunters with pics of bulls that you guys have gotten on TC's in 9 over the last 2-5 years???? I think not..... I am pretty sure there are people with masters degrees in Wildlife Biology that have little better understanding of carrying capacities that will detremine what the herd can take.... not an open forum fired up by elk hunters that are not getting paid to hunt with the Big Dogs this year and therefore must remain on the porch..... Furthermore it has only been the "Bad Cop/Worse Cop" Routine between obvious Team MB guys that even brought up what unit the bull was from and Allegedly what part of that unit he was in at the time the Dirt Nap was invoked. As we all know.... when the bulls rub they move... and Wilbur could have been 30 miles away by then..... I mean seriously, if he was that easy to kill and he was the only bull they were hunting do you think they were camping for 9 days and decided to walk out and kill "the bull" on the 10th??? On a completely separate note.... comparing elk to sheep is like comparing cedar trees to century plants..... .....And for those of you that are doubters.... I underjudged a coues buck my buddy killed last week by 18"! I saw the TC pics and he said he thought 105"... I said 102"+ and the buck was taped at 121ish by a P&Y measurer....... I also have been looking at the scouting pics of Wilbur for months and had him at about 410ish.... I am told that many other VERY Qualified elk hunters mis-judged this bull on the hoof, and it is not the first time that has happened. I am quite sure that the Gentleman that tagged this bull does not give a Rip if anyone is "convinced" that the bull is that big....he wanted THAT BULL! The fact is the SCI score sheet is done and headed for the book.... I'd bet you can check it on line in the weeks/months to come if you really have to hold on that tight to the concept that "Team Mullins is Lying about the score!" Better yet, lets stand up and applaud what a great week this has been for the elk all over this state! If I am not mistaken this is one of the largest, if not the largest Auction bull ever taken on Public Land in AZ. A bull of this size taken on public land, will keep funneling those much needed $$$$ back to elk habitat in this great state for years to come!! I'd like to thank the man who purchased this tag, and I pray the tag goes for more $$$ next year! I think rather than turning this thread into a boo hoo, Bitter-fest..... maybe we can get back to the deserved congrats to the Hunter, his amazing Bull, and the great bunch of guys that helped him ground check that Bad Mutha!! A Huge Congrats to "the Guys" and to the very happy man that set his cap for Wilbur 2 months ago!!!! Here is a pic of Wilbur on the hoof.... he is a PIG! (I actually have the Green Light to post it up! ) CnS, This is Chad Rhoton, and yes I do guide for Mossback here in AZ. I am not sure what all you are referring to in your post, but let me get a couple things straight.... First off, I could give two cents about the bulls in unit 9.. While there are some great bulls to be had, they are not the biggest bulls around... In fact , the biggest bulls are more in your neck of the woods, but they can be a little tougher to get. There are big bulls all over this state, and those who scout hard can attest to it, not just in unit 9. Secondly, this bull was more popular than Michael Jackson. I know so many people that knew of this bull it was crazy.. I am sure you saw the fence sagging due to so many tc on it!!!!! Thirdly, those are mossback pics, that leaked out, not sure by whom but it is what it is, I dont know who biscuit is, dont really care. The video pics are from some amazing video I have of this bull. I watched this bull with my 4 yr old son for over an hour. We glassed him up and took off to get a better look. We snuck in less than 100 yards and just watched him and videod him, and the look on my sons face when he was sitting with me was awesome... Fourth, I never in a million years thought this bull was as big as he is.. I saw him and put him at 390's, i recently saw him, and he is much bigger than that.. I will say, the pics do not do the bull justice. I have never seen such a discrepancy between pics and the real bull. While I dont know how it was scored, and it doesnt matter... The hunter was pumped to shoot it, he is the one that bought the tag, and he hammered it. Congrats to the mullins and the hunter on an exceptional animal. Fourth, it is ok for people to have opinions,,, some like to be very fact based.. Some hate velvet scores, some dislike SCI, and some B&C and some dont care. Personally I am all about dipping the animal in water and having a universal scoring system. Lastly your comment about not being paid to hunt with the big dogs, I really dont care.. We have found PLENTY of BIG bulls for the average joes to go hunt, it doesnt hurt my feelings. We scout just as hard anyways, just ask Jim and Matt. Chad, Although no one was watching.... I was nodding my head in agreeance as I read your post.... I am certain my post was read as an attack but it was nothing more than an end to bad direction. I know you guys are out there workin' hard, too..... And you are right there are big bulls all over... but as long as there are 420-440 type bulls coming from places like 9, 10, 8, 3a/3c, year in and year out it is safe to say that the herd can handle it. From what I can see there are pleanty of Big Bulls to go around this year... A Giant like this is a fantastic way to open up the year and get everyone's juices flowing! I am very glad that you took the time to get over to the Taxi and hold the bull for yourself. This is about a Victory for AZ public land elk/habitat and a Very happy hunter.... bulls like this Prove that the management and habitat improvements are alive and working in this state! As you mentioned, everyone has a scoring system they like/dislike.... it does not matter how or who scores it, or where it ends up in any of the books.... what a Bull! Best of luck on the regular season.