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That’s a lot of cope. Edit: also, he must have lived an extraordinarily blessed life if not having a deer tag is considered a “tragedy” in his family

Just playing devil's advocate... 1. Don't apply with 3 other people. He blew up his odds of drawing a tag by doing that. 1 or two people draw and everyone can go. 2. Plenty of "opportunity" to glass from a hill and share in the camaraderie with an OTC tag. Better yet go volunteer to help on a JR deer hunt. 3. Sure sounds like he's been making recommendations for managing wildlife based off of a personal agenda of "opportunity" and not science. Trying to guess the minimum number of bucks that a deer herd needs to breed all the does is wild. 4. Pushing his agenda makes him no different than anyone else (including guides) pushing their agenda - And I strongly dislike guides. Should have stopped the AZGFD from advertising to nonresidents. That's where a lot of the leftover tags went.

The last of my summer art shows in Pinetop, Arizona was held this past weekend. On Saturday evening, a sunset was promising as the western horizon was clear and rain clouds were moving in from the east. Goldeneye flowers still rimmed the lake. After the most colorful part of sunset left, I was packing up the gear and noticed the late evening blues and purples coming on, so I quickly set up again and caught this shot. I can say that the sunset was better than the sales at the art show.

This is what Jim Heffelfinger posted on Instagram: Tragedy has struck the Heffelfinger household as we have come up empty-handed with no deer tags this year. None. As in, you can’t go deer hunting this year at all. Maybe a year from now. I spent almost a quarter of a century as a regional game biologist trying to maximize hunting opportunity so things like this wouldn’t happen to families who just wanted to hunt together. Our application this year included my dad (88 yrs), myself, and two sons (18 & 24 yrs). We’re not looking for trophies, just some quality 3-generation time spent on a hill somewhere glassing for deer and sharing the camaraderie of a simple deer hunt. When guides and outfitters petition the Game and Fish commission for less overall opportunity so their clients have a chance to find more mature bucks, it just doesn’t resonate very well with me. I won’t be deer hunting this year with my dad and sons. When people ask the game and fish department to manage for a higher hunt success and higher buck to doe ratios and an older age class of bucks, that comes at a cost. That cost is borne by the average hunter who just wants to get out with family and friends and spend some time at camp and enjoy a deer hunt. If you live in a state with the opportunity to hunt deer every year, don’t take that for granted.

We actually have 3 jr tags to fill, my two kiddos (son-has only killed 1 deer and daughter-has killed 5 deer and 1 cow)and my daughters best friend who hadn’t filled any tags yet. So the plan is daughters friend first, followed by my son then my daughter. Like you said, being there and watching them is an absolute blast and memory maker. Reminds me of when I was there age with my dad. Rifles are dialed in out to 500yds, but hoping to get within 100 yds or less. This was my daughters 80yd shot same unit 3 yrs ago.

If you aren’t dialing, Leupold 2x7 or 3x9 will be perfect. They have the same no-fault warranty that Vortex does, you just never have to hear about it.

I'll be there Saturday morning

Drove up to 6A/5BS yesterday to get some last minute intel for the Oct 8 jr elk my kids have. Saw 3 different herds and got within 44-133 yds of these different groups. Pretty excited, but also saw the mother load of herds congregating in the middle of Mormon Lake. Had to have been 300+, counted at least 37 bulls. Actually had a lady hunter tracking them with a cow decoy, she had hit one and was tracking it across the lake. We sat there and watched it hobble across until about 6:20 before we left. This morning the same group of hunters were still looking for the bull in the lake area, hopefully they were able to locate it. Also found someone’s arrow, it was busted and no blood on it. I can only image, if this hunter was after the bull we saw in this area is cursing themselves for missing because it was a monster. We got 3 jr tags, hopefully we can make it happen.

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Well crap that was expensive

Great picture. Glad to see water back in the lake.

Great photo ! Wish I was up there myself.

The best part of the wood is the 2 pics of each side of the butt to show the ribbon in the wood and the rest pretty much like dark walnut. set trigger is click trigger forward and it’s under 1lbs , shoot regular at around 3lbs

The fires have done a number on them

Flatlander, "Consider splitting archery elk hunts into 2 separate hunts, 1 week each, while maintaining overall permit numbers in lieu of the current 2 week season structure. (I.e. A hunt with 100 tags would now be split into 2 hunts, each with 50 tags). This will result in increased revenue for the department..." How does selling two hunts with 50 tags each going to bring in more revenue for the department than one hunt with 100 tags? Also, you must really feel strongly about the antelope proposals, since you list the same full list of suggestions two different times!

I had the same concern a few years ago and found this on their website https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/content/Owners-Manual-6086.pdf “In soft sand or snow, use a dead-man anchor. Bury a horizontal piece of wood approximately 12 – 18 inches deep with a guyline connecting to the stake loop. Make sure that the anchor is secure”

I have from game. But not antelope. It’s too precious.

If this were really their concern they would not have gone to online only applications

Based on today’s commission meeting it seems that mandatory reporting is gaining some traction.

I like it…gives the adult bonus point seekers an alternative so they won’t fill up the classes that benefit youth more.

Wtf am I reading

Yup, mandatory harvest reporting is a MUST. Don't complete your report, you do not get to apply for the following season. If you get caught lying on your report, 1 year revocation and 5 year hiatus from applying for big game. I am confused on why Game and Fish is so against Mandatory harvest reporting. The burden on the hunter reason does not pass the smell test.

Another week getting bigger by the day. Chased bulls all morning sunday then lifted at the local small town gym, nothing like the sound of metal plates clanging after using rubber plates at commercial gym for years. The gym bathroom lighting was absolutely sick, would go back just to flex. cream of rice, so easy to make with a jetboil while out in the woods. for your time IMG_8781.MP4

Restrict this, restrict that blah blah blah. Here we go again with restricting everything some of us feel is unfair. Keep pushing restrictions and see where it gets you. If your going to restrict things might as well throw in the optics and rifles allowing people to shoot 1000 yards and more. Oh wait, no can’t do that cuz it gets into your wheel house. Keep up the restrictions bandwagon, soon it will be something you love to use. What a freaking JOKE!

1. Tangent Theta 2. Hensoldt 3. Premier (but now discontinued, bought by Tangent Theta) 4. ZCO 5. Schmidt & Bender