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I brought one back from TX. Bought big girl pantyhose and cut them in half and slide it down one leg to keep feathers in place. Recommended by taxi. Then froze solid and put in trash bag inside luggage. Must be solid or they get funny. It was still hard in PHX this was in April.

The G&F told us that CWD spread through baiting and they needed to ban it to get ahead of the problem. LIARS

A lot of the pine folk didn’t want to share there honey holes with the public. I’m sure they Are huntin in their backyards to this day.

That’s coming this afternoon and tonight. Tomorrow morning, the high country will look much different! Lol

Draysen (my son) and I spent every weekend and day off since January 1st chasing deer and javelina with our bows. We had more heartbreaking close calls than I want to think about, but never quite could close the deal. By the time the youth javelina hunt rolled around, we felt pretty dialed in on a few herds and just needed the piggies to cooperate. Kembria's first javelina hunt this past November was a new type of hunting "experience" for me, and tested my patience in ways I had not yet experienced. We had her lined up on so many pigs, so many times at close range, but it didn't work out. I took a lot away from that hunt about what my daughter needed from me to best help her, and about patience. We didn't make it out for the opener Friday morning, but were on road before 4:30AM Saturday morning. We got to the top of the mountain just as it was getting light and were treated to watch multiple groups of whitetail, including some solid bucks, as the sun rose. A little before 9:00 the herd of javelina showed up right about where I was expecting them. Kembria made a great shot from long distance. This particular area was not conducive to close shots. After hiking down to her pig, we took some pictures and I sent Draysen back up the mountain to another ridge to look for another herd. It was his turn, and I knew we would be a few hours field dressing and packing Kembria's pig out. The pack out was ridiculous! By the time Kembria and I got back to the truck with her javelina, it was around 2:00. We got her pig in the cooler and called Draysen to check on him. He had seen deer, but no javelina. So we came up with a new plan. It took him about 30 minutes to hike back to the truck. We jumped in and headed about 45 miles north to check on another herd. As we approached the area, Draysen jumped out with his rifle and pack to head up a ridge. Kembria and I headed about 1500 yards down the road to check out another ridge. We hiked up our ridge and proceeded to glass the area. The afternoon started to grow late and the sun was on the verge of dropping below the mountain. I then heard the gun shot and spun my binos back to the opposite ridge, about a mile away. I looked just in time to see my son holding his arms in the air victoriously. He had found a herd with his ears and had "woofed" them in. By the time he got a visual, this old boar, with teeth ground down to nubs, was at 36 yards for a quick shot. Kembria and I made our way to him, reaching him at the last bit of light. It was a great (and exhausting) day that didn't have us back to the truck with field dressed boar until a couple hours after dark. What a great day, but we are all three feeling the effects of it today! "The Crew" hadn't stopped all day to eat, so a late pit-stop at Taco Bell on the way home was definitely in order.

My daughter killed her first animal this morning and I am one proud dad! She made a great 50 yard shot as it was walking, great job Tourie!

Here are a few recipes I have made over the years. Need to point out that while I skip the fat I make up for it with meat. For instance the Chorizo recipe uses 1.5 lbs meat and .5 of fat, I use 2 lbs of meat. I usually use 2/3 wild meat, 1/3 clean pork, (book calls for pork butt however sirloin is leaner & no bones), and skip the fat completely, whatever fat is on the pork is what goes in the sausage. The key is to keep things cool so the fat doesn't start melting and handle as little as possible. I have a couple stainless steel bowls I use and mix/knead with a potato masher or big wooden spoon before the 2nd grind. I will sometimes grind twice to get a good mix of the spices throughout the meat. If you think the meat is getting warm then put in the icebox and have a beer. When the beer is done the meat should be cooled down. oh - beer works for the liquid also, but different brands add different flavors so use a little at first so you don't spoil a whole batch. Try a teaspoon in a patty, cook it and go from there. My latest change is to mix 50/50 with ground pork from Costco – sure cuts down on grinding & handling time. If you do this 2 grinds is sufficient to mix everything. I also cut my meat into small chunks and mix in spices before grinding, once again cuts down on handling time and gets a real good mix of spices throughout. Chicken & Apple Sausage - I like stuffed, like bratwurst - Cheri and girls like bulk for breakfast w/pancakes or french toast & syrup. I tried this recipe with mtn lion and it was just okay, is a lot better with birds - chicken, turkey (white meat) or quail. Have used ground turkey from Costco, works great, just add spices and mix. I grind the apples thru a #10 hand crank grinder. 1 cup apple cider 31/2 lbs chicken - book says thigh's with skin, but I usually grab breasts, less work and better meat 3 oz dried apples 4 tspns kosher salt 2 tspns freshly ground black pepper 2 tspns dried sage 1/4 tspn ground ginger 1/8 tspn ground cinnamon 1/8 tspn ground nutmeg 1 chicken bullion cube dissolved in 2 tblspns boiling water boil cider down to syrup, about 2 - 3 tblspns, cool & reserve (or use frozen concentrate, easier and quicker because I am lazy). Grind meat with 1/4 plate, mix in spices and liquids and knead together well, then I grind again thru 3/8 inch plate to get good mix. Cook small patty and decide if you want to add anything else. Hunter Sausage - I like to make hash with this one, mix in potatoes and maybe scramble an egg or 2. Book stuffs and makes links, I have made them and they are good too. Good with deer, elk & javelina. 2 lbs pork butt 1 lb smoked bacon - also is good with maple flavored bacon too. 1/2 cup cold water 1 tblspn whole mustard seeds 2 tspns minced garlic 2 tspns coarsely ground black pepper 2 tspns sweet Hungarian paprika 2 tspns dried mustard 1 tspn kosher salt 1 tspn ground coriander 1 tspn freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 tspn ground ginger grind meat/bacon together, mix in spices/water and knead together, then grind again. Cook small patty and decide if needs anything. Italian Sweet Fennel - is real good in spaghetti sauce. Good with deer, elk, and javelina. I have a baggie of these spices mixed up. If I want quick Italian food I just add a couple spoonfuls of the mix to a lb of burger, makes cheap sauce taste expensive. 3 lbs pork butt 3/4 lb pork fat 1/2 cup dry red wine 4 cloves garlic minced 2 tblspns fennel seeds 1 tblspn freshly ground black pepper 4 tspns kosher salt 1 tspn dried oregano 1/8 tspn gound allspice grind meat/fat together, mix in spices/water and knead together, then grind again. Cook small patty and decide if needs anything. Venison Sausage - I didn't have any brandy so I used Maker's Mark bourbon, an extra tblspn or 2 wouldn't have hurt either. Good with elk, deer. 1 1/2 lbs venison or elk 1 lb pork butt 3/4 lb pork fat 1/2 lb bacon 3 tblspns dry red wine 2 tblspns brandy - (and a shot for the sausage maker) 4 tspns kosher salt 2 tspns coarsely ground black pepper 2 tspns minced juniper berries - I bought a jar, but you can get same thing off of the trees out camping 1 tspn minced garlic 1 tspn minced shallots - I didn't have any, (or know what they were at the time), so used diced green onions. 1 tspn fresh rosemary or 1/2 tspn dried. cut meat, fat, bacon into 2 inch pieces and mix in lg bowl with spices & liquid, marinate overnight. Grind twice, mixing in any juices from the bowl. Cook small patty and decide if needs anything. I only marinated 5 hrs first time I made this, kids came back for seconds so guess it was okay. Smoked Country Sausage - makes wonderful biscuit and gravy meat, is Cheri & girls 2nd favorite behind chicken & apple. Good with deer, elk, mtn lion & javelina. In addition to brown sugar we add in lots of honey. You have to watch the heat when cooking though because it is easy to burn. 1 1/2 lbs game meat (nice, clean meat - no wild fat) 1 lb clean pork (I use pork sirloin if possible, not too fatty) 3/4 lb pork back fat (I ask butcher at supermkt to save for me) 1 tblspn brown sugar or how we like it add 3+ tblspns desert honey 1 tblspn kosher salt 1 tblspn paprika 2 tspn red pepper flakes (cut back if not into spicy stuff - like my daughters) 1 tspn ground sage 1 tspn dried tyme pinch of allspice 1/2 cup cold water (may use little less based on moisture in meat) - is also good to use 1/4+ cup water & couple few tblspns brandy or sweet whiskey - wild turkey, southern comfort, etc. Once again it is some for the meat and some for the maker...... grind meat & fat together into bowl, then mix in all spices/water, knead together and then grind again, depending on how well things mixed you can grind a 3rd time. Chorizo - this is what I turn my javelina into, yum, yum. Have used deer & elk too. I have also made this using a 50/50 mix of game and 70/30 hamburger, gives it a different flavor. Different vinegars add different flavors also. I have used white & red rice wine & red raspberry vinegars and been pleased with the results. 1 1/2 lbs pork butt - I use 1 lb wild meat & 1/2 lb pork sirloin or other boneless cut 1/2 lb pork fat - I have butcher at our market save for me 1 bunch (4 to 6 oz) fresh cilantro, chopped, about 1 cup – I have used 2 - 3 tblspn dried also 1 fresh serrano or jalapeno or other hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1/4 cup red wine vinegar - I have used red wine, rice wine & red raspberry vinegars, each adds it’s own distinctive flavor. 1 tblspn New Mexico or other dried chile powder 1 tblspn sweet Hungarian paprika 2 tspns kosher salt 1 1/2 tspn whole cumin seeds 1 tspn ground cumin 1/2 tspn coarsely ground black pepper 1/2 tspn ground cayenne pepper 1/4 tspn ground coriander grind meat/fat together, mix in spices/water and knead together, then grind again. Cook small patty and decide if needs anything. If you want to add more bite leave the seeds in the peppers. I keep a bag of all these spices mixed, minus fresh peppers & cilantro, that I use for all my Mexican food. Throw in a couple spoonfuls with a lb of burger and you have taco meat, thin slice a roast or chicken breasts and you have fajita's. I use dried jalapeno's & dried cilantro in my spice baggie. Iowa Farm Sausage - Here is a recipe I really like. Have used deer, elk, javelina and mtn lion. 2 1/4 lb pork butt or sirloin (I use 1 1/4 lb game and 1 lb pork) 3/4 lb pork fat 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1 tblspn kosher salt 2 tspns ground sage 1 tspn dried tyme 1 tspn dried basil 1 tspn red pepper flakes 1 tspn coursely ground black pepper 1 tspn ginger 1/2 tspn minced garlic 1/4 cup water I dice my meat into small chunks, add the spices & liquid and mix good then run through the grinder once. Book says to grind first then mix spices in, your choice here, I like double grinds and my way cuts down on handling time. Also, if you can get ground pork I mix 50/50 game to pork, for this recipe I would use 1.5 lbs game to 1.5 lbs ground pork. I grind them together so the meat mixes good, chunk of game and chunk of ground pork with the spices already mixed in. Bratwurst - Have made this with elk & javelina, pretty tasty. 1.5 lbs game 1.5 lbs fatty pork butt 1 T kosher salt 1 T coursely ground black pepper 1 T coursely ground mustard seed 2 t minced garlic (I like fresh but have used dried also) 2 t sugar 1 t ground mace 1 t dried sage 1/2 t ground nutmeg 1/2 cup water I dice my meat up into 2" chunks, mix in the spices and water and run thru the grinder with the 3/8" plate. This mixes things pretty good, then I may grind again, depends on how well the mix looks. Don't over-grind or the meat comes out like hot dogs. I stuff into hog casings, tie into 4" links then hang them in my meat locker (old refrigerator on the back porch) to let the casings dry. This recipe needs the fat or the links come out pretty dry. Recipes are from the book "Bruce Aidell's Complete Sausage Book" - ISBN # 1-58008-159-2. Published by Ten Speed Press - www.tenspeed.com and available at Barnes & Noble or Border's Books.

My son has been granted a rare opportunity to participate in the Kansas Governor's One Shot Hunt in a couple of months. This past weekend we were able to meet with some of the great people who put on the hunt. We mentioned to them that we are considering doing full body taxidermy on a bird, if he gets a good one, to remember the occasion. I asked about taxidermists local to the area of the hunt, but she recommended having a taxidermist back home do the work due to shipping risks and costs. I have a few questions for anyone with experience transporting a full bird on a plane: How did you transport it? Cooler- How big does it need to be and any issues with the airline? How long would an average sized eastern bird be when frozen? In a suitcase? We have access to a freezer and should be able to freeze the bird before coming home? Would we be better off freezing, wrapping in blankets, and placing it a suitcase? What else should we know and consider? Thank you in advance for your help.

Skin it and salt it roll it up put in a air tight bag , sould be good, ill check for you.

Any of the guides or you competent enough to cape it out? Freeze it and bring back as carry-on in soft cooler.

I’d freeze that sucker solid and put it in a yeti/rtic/canyon cooler as checked luggage.

Never done it. Those canyon cooler back packs are slick. Carried my fish home from Mexico in one with no issues.

nothing walks away from a 7mm

There’s still a decent snowpack up on the rim. I drove from Flagstaff to Mesa via Lake Mary road and SR 87 and there was a decent snow pack from town all they way to the edge of the rim as you dropped down into Strawberry. The last warm storm on Thursday didn’t help, but some good snows forecasted this week. These next few storms will just add to it. Might be a good year to get an elk tag!

Lots of moisture, just warm on the front end. More, colder moisture to come.

Go figure, California would do something like that. California's influence on AZ has led to Coconino county proposing a ban on all predator hunting in the entire for county for profit. Were not far behind California, everyone better get involved or live with the results.

G&F makes rules all the time and then hide them in that confusing mess they call regulations. I have noticed that reading comprehension is weak among some. So, G&F you need to rewrite regulations for elementary readers. 😉 You have to use synthetic deer urine found at Sportsmens in AZ. It probably works about as good as the real stuff. When a buck is in rut he will sniff any old thing.

Sounds like a great deal to me! My 2006 660 has 1620 hours.The odometer keeps resetting so I,m not sure of the mileage, I'm estimating 19,000 to 24,000 miles. It still runs like a champ and I don't think I would sell it for $6500 unless I had to. Good luck with your sale.

Met a kid on a unit 1 bull hunt in 2013 who put in during the 2 day extension. He was drawn with no points. Been skeptical ever since

Just like a crossbow as archery. All because you got a boo boo and your DR signs a piece of paper. Alot of this going on.

Ooohhh hehehehe!!

By no means do I consider myself an expert. I've been chasing this guys for 3 years and it finally came together for me on Monday morning. Double lunged at 20 yards, then fell over about 10 yards later. Bear Marshall bow with 100gr G5 Montec.

And the first time your foot slipped off the kick start and drilled you in the shin. And the first time you get your calf burned by the pipe

A little late but it's been a busy stretch. My daughter turned 10 this year and drew a few tags for the fall break. A lot of built up excitement (mostly my own) over the years and it came and went in the blink of an eye. We started off with a southern deer and javelina hunt. Fortunate enough to have the help of my Dad and friend Nate. Opening morning started with a close call on a good buck but after watching Marissa handle the pressure and miss like a champ I knew she was going to do just fine as a young hunter. Later opening morning we had pigs bedded and the stalk was on! We closed the distance and patience paid off with a perfect heart shot that dropped her first kill ever! Watching her reaction afterwards was priceless and easily one of the greatest experiences I have ever had! We headed back to camp with her confidence sky high. It was already a successful hunt and my Mom's birthday was on Sunday in a couple days so the plan was to head home early for that. Little did I know that Saturday morning she wasn't done. We had some other close encounters and as the morning hunt dwindled, Nate spotted a spike across a canyon. We made a stalk and got above the buck who was bedded deep inside a juniper. The wind was blowing pretty strong and Marissa struggled identifying the buck. After some more patience she finally was able to pin point him. The buck was now on to us and once again, under pressure as a first time hunter, she executed a great shot and the buck went 10 yards! Another priceless moment! Fast-forward to the following weekend and we are now on her final hunt for the fall, junior cow elk. Opening morning we had some bulls talking but nothing coming in. We decided to head back to the same canyon for the evening. As we hiked in with Nate we spotted some elk moving away below us. I tried getting them to slow down by calling when Nate whispered to us to look up. Coming in to the call was a young antlerless bull. We hurried and get her setup and she was a seasoned vet at this point. The young elk dropped in it's tracks! More excitement, hugs, celebration, and the trifecta was complete. Marissa was a bit skeptical going into the season but grew confidence in abundance and learned to trust herself and appreciate the sport. From campfire talks, quad rides, watching wildlife, seeing the diversity and beauty of the outdoors, to all aspects of the actual hunt, I could see her enjoy something I've been so passionate about my whole life. Passing this on and building a future with her as hunting buddies is about the greatest feeling there is. It has been a great start and I can't wait for the memories to come.

don't forget your flat brim hat and plenty of mountain opps