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Showing content with the highest reputation on 01/17/2024 in Posts

  1. 8 points
    I drive a Toyota.. No reason for anything more. Lol, I'm actually screwed if anything ever happened!
  2. 4 points
    Story is short and simple. Had a tough hunt, punched my 2023 tag on the last day on a smaller buck, jacked my ankle pretty bad packing it out. Unfortunate, because I had a Javelina tag and a 2024 tag. Fortunately after a few days of rest at camp I was able to get a brace on it and limp around killing my javelina. By the last few days I was able to navigate a little on the hillsides, so I got after the coues again. Encountered this buck the day before I killed him, bumped him with does and really couldn't pursue him where he went. Returned the next day, turned him up around some does, slipped in and had him walk to 12 yards behind a doe. Could only see his head and we were in a standoff. The doe eventually blew, the buck bolted but curled back to look for the doe. Stopped at 27 for a brief moment and I arrowed him....
  3. 3 points
    Old buck. Teeth were worn down almost to the gums. Patience paid off. Past on 5 other bucks before he came to the scrape I was sitting on. Not my best buck to dated but I thought you might enjoy seeing him.
  4. 2 points
    Punched my tag on a good buck a couple of days ago, just thought I'd share a picture since it's so slow these days...
  5. 2 points
    I am going through my tools and such that I carry with me in my truck for off roading/backcountry travel. I have a 2006 F150, lifted, beefy bumpers and winch, shell on back with roof rack. Would like to hear what others use/carry. I have been trying to lean out some tools and such and no reason to bring the kitchen sink. - Pliers, side cutters, needle nose, vice grips, open ended wrench - 3 lb dead blow hammer - duct tape, electrical tape - zip ties in various sizes - bailing wire - screw driver with multiple bits - bastard file - few hose clamps - 3 different sizes of pry bars - 1/2 torque wrench - 1/2 socket wrench with downstep to 3/8 - 1/2 breaker bar - 1/4 small socket set (5/32-9/16 in., 4-14 mm) - 3/8 Metric deep sockets 10 - 19 - combination wrench set 8mm - 22mm - hex / allen keys - gloves - tire repair kit - 6 ton bottle jack from Safejack - shovel, rake, axe - battery pack/jumper - using the anitgravity pack (https://antigravitybatteries.com/productline/micro-starts/) - set of jumper cables - 4 4x4 blocks of wood for chauks or base for bottle jack - fuse/wire connectors Recovery gear: - winch - kenetic rope - soft shackles - tree saver - tow strap - snatch blocks - traction boards Next big buy is a 10lb power tank, and getting impact gun and a long hose to get to my flexbow tent and screw down the lab bolts. Things I'm thinking about - 3/8 and 1/2 impact sockets (probably not a set, but buying offs for the few things like lug nuts etc.) Depending on season ie., winter, I just add 2 sets of chains, snow shovel, snow broom and warm crabbing gloves for clearing snow/chaining up.
  6. 2 points
    I was able to get her an AGFD customer number and purchase a license as well as enter her for elk and antelope. Interestingly when I tried to select bonus point only I got an error saying she wasnt old enough, but I was able to enter specific hunt numbers....thanks all
  7. 2 points
    30 yards from my rzr last weekend.
  8. 1 point
    For years I had been saving points for an archery AZ Strip hunt. I already had a decent mule deer on my wall, but I wanted a true monster. In early 2023, I began to hear stories of how much more difficult the hunts were becoming without the use of trail cams on the strip. Additionally, I also heard that the Kaibab had seen some great antler growth in 2022. Although the forecast for 2023 was slight lower, antler growth was still expected to be well above average. I ultimately decided to bail on the Strip (which was still a few years away for me with point creep) and go all-in on an early Kaibab rifle hunt. After finding out that I had indeed drawn a tag for the hunt, I spent four days up on the west side of the Kaibab in July just to re-familiarize myself with the roads, watering sources, etc. I didn't see many deer, but still considered the scouting trip well worth the effort. By the end of my second scouting trip, I was gradually coming to realize that finding bucks would not be a problem. But finding a true 180+" trophy was going to be more about luck than preparation. After some late nights and serious soul-searching, I decided to raid my Big Horn Sheep fund and hire a outfitter. It was a tough decision to make, but even with 32 points I knew that statistically I was still several years away from drawing a sheep tag in a 'second tier' unit. On the other hand, the Kaibab tag was in my hand and the prospect of a giant was very real. I did a lot of searching on line and asking questions of everyone I new about some of the better-known outfitters on the Kaibab plateau. Although I was able to narrow it down to four outfitters, the name "Shadow Valley Outfitters" (SVO) kept floating to the top. I ended up having a great six-week-long dialog with Pat McCarty, one of the owners of SVO. Their focus on the client and depth of bench when it came to guides finally tipped the scales in their favor. I could spend pages describing the hunt, but that is best left for another time. The hunt itself was an epic adventure filled with emotional highs and lows. Travis Lyons was assigned to be my guide for the week-long hunt. What I learned from him alone about deer behavior and migration movement on the Kaibab was worth the price of the hunt. By the end of day two, I had become convinced that had forgotten more knowledge about finding and hunting deer than I had accumulated in my lifetime. He could spot deer so much more quickly than I could and his ability to judge racks was incredible. We had several close encounters with some 180+" bucks, but we either couldn't get a shot opportunity or mother nature was working against us. On the second morning of the hunt, I had a 180+" buck in my scope at about 410 yds. How Travis ever spotted this guy in a dense stand of jack pines was beyond me. The problems I encounted with the shot were: 1) the sun was just peaking over the hill and was directly in my eyes, so I could only make out his head and top line of his back through my scope; 2) there was a tree trunk covering his vitals; and 3) there was a full value wind gusting from right to left at 15-20 mph. We elected to pass on that shot, thinking we could move around and get better position on the buck's vitals. The buck didn't care for that plan and took off at a dead run away from us. That one will haunt me for the rest of my life. On the final day of my hunt, I told Travis that my expectations for a buck had dimished considerably. I told him I would take any buck with a gross score of 160 or better. We had planned on going back to the same valley where we had seen that 180+" buck, but didn't even get to the spot. As we were driving in, Travis spotted some does with a buck hiding out way in the back. I could only catch glimpses of him, while Travis was describing his rack in great detail. Travis felt very confident he would go at least 160". After some discussion and agonizing decision making on my part, I went with the old "bird in th hand' analogy and the stalk was on. The buck gave us the slip and did a large buttonhook run to reunite with his does. It was thick forest, but Travis found him back with his does in the opposite direction from where we were first looking. He was standing broadside at a mere 80 yds, but once again - an obstruction was covering his vitals. All I had was a neck shot, but unike last time, there was no hesitation. He dropped at the shot from the 160 gr. Matrix bullet out of my 6.5 PRC. As we hiked over to him, Travis smiled at me a said "I think you're gonna like this buck". After skinning and quartering the buck, Travis again told me that the buck was definitely going to score in the mid 160's. When several of the guides finally put a tape to him, he ended up with a gross green score of 170 & 3/8". Not bad for a last day consolation buck. I couldn't be happier with the hunt, the trophy and with SVO.
  9. 1 point
    4 days before the start of this hunt, Eddie Corona at OE4A contacted me about donating this hunt to me from a very generous person who was unable to hunt. I'm a double amputee combat vet and a diehard bowhunter. Immediately I got to planning. I knew nothing about bison and about bison hunting. Luckily I got connected with Russ and Laura Jacoby. They are bison whisperers. I can truly tell you that I would not have been successful on this hunt without them. Their logistical expertise is on par with extremely complex military deployments that I've been a part of. It's amazing to see what they do. The conditions this year were tough. There is still a ton of snow on the Kaibab. 4'-7' drifts are still present up there. Without a snowmobile or UTV with tracks, it was impossible to reach the blinds and salt. And the road leading in to the north rim is closed until June 2nd. I'm not convinced that the snow will be fully melted in time to get access with a truck. My hunt ended June 6th, so I definitely hired Russ/Laura or else I wouldn't have been able to access the hunt area. As most people know, this particular hunt means you have to sit in a blind, 14 hrs a day for an average of 14 days before you harvest a bison. You have to wait for them to come off the park. I mentally prepared myself for this. And I knew I was going to take the risk and try with my bow. It took us many hours just to reach the spike camp deep in the Kaibab using UTVs with snow tracks. It was slow going, like 9mph for 12 miles slow. After we finally arrived at the camp, Russ sent us 3 hunters out to hunt half a day while he set up the camp. Myself, Randy and Dave set out on the 90 minute ride to the hunt area. Randy and I dropped off Dave and then parked the UTV to begin our mile long walk into the blind. We hunted our way to the blind and as we approached the blind Randy spotted bison already at the water source. We quickly set down our gear. I grabbed my bow and Randy grabbed his rifle. Randy was able to take a quick couple shots and down went one of the bison. One bison ran away into the Grand Canyon park and the other waited by the bison that was laying on the ground. At that point I was able to slip in to 28yds and put an absolutely perfect arrow in the last bison. I shot another arrow and hit low in the sternum, but it wasn't necessary because the first arrow was a kill shot through both lungs. He fell and was dead in 30 seconds. We were ecstatic. We celebrated, hugged, cried and shared our viewpoints on what had happened. It was absolutely amazing! I couldn't believe I had snuck in with a bow, on the rim of the Grand Canyon and perfectly shot a bison!!! It took us long into the night to cut up the two bison and load them on to the snow machines. We used Russ's winches on the UTVs and portable winches to hoist the two bison into trees to make the work easier. Another 24 hrs later we were finally back at the main camp. After our goodbyes I drove home and got to contemplate what had just happened. I think I'm luckier than I should be. I never even stepped foot in that blind. I can't wait to try the bison meat from this harvest and sharing it with friends and family! Other than that...all I can say is that I am so blessed and thankful for OE4A for what they do.
  10. 1 point
    good call on jumpers, I do have cables and the battery pack that I have used a few times. I tried to air up truck after it was fully loaded with a 12v and wouldnt air up, too much weight, had to run to Discount Tire and have them fill me up. Hence my next buy is the Power Tank. I added the updates to my list. The big lesson I learned was not to keep my kit all the way in back of truck with all coolers and camping gear packed in front. Was the biggest cluster to unpack and repack just to get to tools. Now I keep them in the back seat, where it is super easy to access now.
  11. 1 point
    That’s a loop hole fix. Stops people from gathering bp starting at birth
  12. 1 point
    Awesome buck! Congrats!
  13. 1 point
    She can complete the hunters safety at 9 and also enter the draw at 9 with hunters safety certificate as long as she turns 10 before the start of the hunt.
  14. 1 point
    Yes. If she draws she will need to be 10 by opening day
  15. 1 point
  16. 1 point
    Gonna hunt mornings and fish reservation in the afternoons. 6 nights at Edelweiss in Greer. F roughing it this time. Gotta charge me batteries
  17. 1 point
    Got some space on the deer wall freed up to hang up this weirdo.
  18. 1 point
    I’m sure he has whatever we need 🥸
  19. 1 point
    16 days to go till the first early bird draw! The muzzlebreak came back from cerakote last week for the 308 and now matches the action . See the contest& giveaway section for updates. Thank you cwt member Michael Fernandez for donating the work . You guys needing cerakote or other work I've got his information in the contest and giveaway section .
  20. 1 point
    NFL has more integrity than CFB now. Any program that shows a sign of being good will be poached... with NIL players move and they could move during the season - just crazy. Its a 1-2 year stability at best.
  21. 1 point
    This is incorrect. You do not need a guide for unit D
  22. 1 point
    Lacey was able to harvest her first deer with the gun she won in the youth raffle. Day 1 - glassed up some does, but noticed that all deer were heading to water around 9am. Day 2 - glassed until around 830am, then headed to a water tank and sat in a blind that we had built the previous afternoon. About 930am, two bucks came in and she was able to drop this one with one shot at 100 yards. It went about 15 feet and expired. Her little sister opted to use the raffle rifle on the remainder of the hunt as she could shoot it better than her own. She had a shot opportunity on the last day at a spike but didn't connect. The girls and I had taken the gun out to practice prior to the hunt and were able to shoot a 1/2" group with the Hornady Precision Hunter ammo. The adjustable stock and muzzle break were a perfect combo. Thanks Crazymonkey, for putting this together and to all that contributed.
  23. 1 point
    Don't you just love it when people have nothing better to do with their lives than to crap on other people's posts?
  24. 1 point
    Does your WIC check not cover click click rifles ?
  25. 1 point
    Im blessed to be able to roam gods country on my mule following my hounds. I run into these kills probably more than the average hunter. Here are a few from 2020-2021 for you Coues nuts.
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