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Trump just declared the cartels a foreign terrorist group, and special forces are not off the table. He said stranger things have happened. Fight fight fight.

Looks like the next 4 years you're going to be really busy. Should probably just rent it out.

CHAMP permit was created for those people who are so severely disabled that they need to hunt and shoot from a vehicle.

Don’t forget Fauci as well. Fauci lied, people died.

I got to Dillons a little late, they were packed earlier

This was the longest four years of my life!

Archery hunting is so tough. Got within 100 yards but his does weren’t having it 🤦🏻‍♂️

A true POS administration is now out. There is now hope for our great country. Eddie

They’re having an inauguration watch party at my local bar and the parking lot is overflowing. Love to see it

But they don't own the animals

This past years rifle season was a challenge for my hunting partner and I but we managed to double up!

Here is a copy of the letter I sent to Game and Fish, the Gov office, my State Senator, Pres of the Senate, 4 diff media outlets, and a couple ADA groups. Please contact Game and FIsh and make your opinion known. Even if you disagree with me, you have an opinion, its wrong 😂, but express it just the same. there are many reasons besides lack of strength to draw a bow that can cause someone to be unable to draw, hold, aim and release accurately an arrow. In my case I have nerve damage/neuropathy, essential tremors, shoulder injuries, and an auto immune connective tissue problem that causes my ligaments and tendons to rip away where they are supposed to be. Its not a strength problems. 3 shoulder surgeries to put things back in place forced me to look at other options. My surgeon at the VA was the person who told me about the program. The VA has been pushing disabled vets to get back to doing what we did prior to our injuries, especially outdoors with our friends and families. It sometimes requires adaptive means. Taking away options because some people have abused it, doesn't seem like a good idea. Go after the bad players. I know its extreme but Lets get rid of all handicap parking because some people inherited their grandparents old placards or lied..... https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYIhOra-8hsDSgR8mjOmG99pSydNfhvrvufWo8B3zbBRfAtg/viewform rulemaking@azgfd.gov Subject: why is AZ Game and Fish taking away hunting opportunities from disabled hunters that are not disabled enough Arizona Game and Fish Department 5000 W. Carefree Hwy Phoenix, AZ 85086 Subject: Opposition to Repeal of R12-4-216 and Advocacy for Equitable Hunting Opportunities Dear Arizona Game and Fish Department, I am writing to express my concerns regarding the proposed repeal of R12-4-216 and the growing discourse surrounding crossbow use in archery-only hunts. As a committed advocate for equitable and fair hunting practices, I believe this change could alienate and disadvantage certain hunters, particularly those with physical disabilities who rely on crossbows as their legal method of take. The argument that crossbow technology has advanced beyond "standard archery equipment" does not hold when weighed against the progress of other hunting technologies. Compound bows to high-powered scopes, technological advancements have benefited all hunters across the board, offering more ethical and efficient harvesting opportunities. Singling out crossbows is an inconsistent and inequitable stance. If technology is a concern, should we not then limit compound bows, inline muzzleloaders, or range finders? Clearly, this approach is neither practical nor fair. Furthermore, statistical claims about the increased number of crossbow hunters are misleading when contextualized with Arizona's growing population and hunter demographics. With a population increase of 9.9% since 2015 and more individuals entering the sport, a proportional rise in crossbow permits is inevitable. The 1.3% of permit holders using crossbows represents a minor fraction of the total hunters and cannot reasonably be classified as a problem. Assertions regarding quick harvests and over-the-counter (OTC) unit closures fail to account for practical realities. Disabled hunters with crossbows are more likely to act on their opportunities due to limited mobility, while other hunters often prioritize trophy harvests, which extends hunting durations. It’s worth noting that nearly half of the OTC units remain open, debunking the notion of widespread closures due to crossbow use. Recommendations: Refinement of the CHAMP and Crossbow Permit Application Process: Introduce stricter accountability for medical professionals authorizing crossbow permits to ensure legitimate use. Transition to Draw-Based Archery Deer Seasons: Implement a system where all hunters, regardless of method of take, compete equally through a draw process for archery tags. This ensures fairness and mitigates concerns about overharvest by a specific group. Public Representation and Transparency: Include representation from crossbow and CHAMP permit holders in stakeholder discussions to ensure their perspectives are considered in decision-making processes. Arizona Game and Fish has worked hard to build rapport with non-hunting constituencies. Repealing R12-4-216 without adequately addressing concerns risks damaging the Department's reputation and undoing years of effort to foster public support for responsible wildlife management. I urge you to reconsider the proposed changes and instead work toward solutions that maintain equitable opportunities for all hunters, honoring the diversity and inclusivity that defines Arizona's outdoor heritage. Thank you for considering my concerns. I am confident Arizona Game and Fish will act in the best interest of all stakeholders. Sincerely, Steve

Keep on him

Sirui VA-5. You can probably find a used one in your price range on Ebay but they are incredible quality for the price. The new model is a lot more than $70. I run one with a slik carbon fiber tripod and absolutely love it.

I’m on the board for 2025

What a beautiful day it is.

By the time Thanksgiving rolled around we had put in around 12 days of scouting trying to locate mature rams. During November our friends had ramped up their efforts too. We invested several days in the northern part of the unit looking in areas that we’d seen sheep before without much luck.It was weird, places we knew sheep should be just didn’t have them. We turned up quite a few coues deer, and even got some of them to know by name and habits. Coming into the week leading up to the hunt we had shifted further south and started looking in some of the rougher country. One day my oldest son Hunter and I slipped into a spot where we saw some rams years ago to see if we could turn anything up. We found two rams, and one of them looked pretty good from 1.5 miles away. They were remote and in the steepest stuff, but at least we’d found a decent ram. And he was with ewes. So we had hope he might stay put for a while. The day before Thanksgiving Nash had morning practice and then we went out looking at box canyon. It didn’t take long for us to find a ram that Sheldon had found a week earlier. The big chip ram was definitely the most mature we had seen. He was fun to watch, and pretty easy to find. We found another ram high on the mountain that day, and just before dark, one single full curl ram all alone on top of a distant cliff. We had heard reports that a big ram had been seen in that country and we were hoping this was him. We were able to relocate him the next day with the other sheep. He was a beautiful full curl with perfect horns, but probably only 6 years old. We liked him, but were hoping we could turn up something on that next level. Nash and I stayed the night on Wednesday and put in a half day of scouting some of the roughest country I’ve ever seen before Thanksgiving dinner Thursday. Moving around in those mountains is miserable. Roads take huge winding loops and everything is rocky and nasty. We don’t turn up another sheep that day and went back to whip together some turkey and potatoes so Momma didn’t give us heck. On Friday I decided to go check some country we hadn’t been into yet where we used to see sheep. Lots of miles, on foot and in the side by side didn’t produce anything except a forky mule deer and a lot of sheep cactus (barrel cactus that were eaten down to their core, we had actually watched sheep circle around cactus and eat and eat until cactus were just a stub off the ground). On the way home I got a text from a guy who had been helping us out and he let me know that a rancher in the unit had seen 5 rams dogging a ewe back near where we had seen the chip ram. Unfortunately, our current #1 and #2 rams were on the move, the good news was we at least knew what direction they headed. Saturday morning, the day before the hunt started, the crew started rolling in. Gary (Wish2hunt), my buddy Mike, myself all headed out in the AM to find a target for December 1. Mike headed back where we had seen the ram with ewes weeks before. Gary started up Box canyon and I went down to look where the rancher had seen the 5 rams. It wasn’t long before I was calling Gary on the radio to let him know I’d found the rams and could use his help sizing them up. Soon, my neighbor showed up with some of his army buddies and they had another ram located, way up high. Mid-morning the radio crackled and Mike let me know he had a big ram on the other side of the river. He climbed a big peak to get signal and sent a pic of a ram we started calling candy cane. He was a young, thin horned ram with his lamb tips that had to be close to 40” long on one side. It looked like a giant dall sheep. Mike kept an eye on him for the rest of the day while Gary, Jake and the army boys kept track of the other rams. I spent a total of 9.5 hrs watching the group of rams and evaluating each of them. There were two rams that were definitely better than the others. But I have to say that sheep are one of the hardest animals to judge you can imagine. I did my best to figure out what was what and knew that intimately Nash was going to have to make the call. Nash had practice Saturday afternoon so I wasn’t able to pick him up until after dark the night before his season opened. He joined up with Mike, Gary and the army boys in camp and everyone was eager to start comparing rams. Soon Trphyhntr rolled into camp and we had to get some ear muffs for Nash 😆. (Not really, everyone was super cool and treated Nash like a rockstar). We all shared our pictures and talked it over with Nash. By the time we were done we had it narrowed down from 7 rams down to 2 or 3. Opening morning we had more eyes and moral support rolling in. Brandon (Denogean) and his family met up with us and one of our neighbors ditched church to come get in on the action. With 12 sets of glass and expectations maxed out we came up with a plan for the morning. Rich and Gary did a quick run up the canyon to check for any new rams that may have shown up, while the rest of the crew posted up on a couple of ridges where we could get eyes on the high ram and the group of 5 (which was down to 4 at this point). As the sun broke the radios crackled and the callouts started. The group hadn’t moved an inch all night but the high ram was down off the peak into a cliff band. If those sheep worked down through those cliffs they would become very accessible and we would probably need a better look. Meanwhile the other rams were happily munching cactus and lounging in the sun. The world was our oyster. Soon Rich and Gary were back with nothing to report but a couple of ewes. The high ram was moving back up out of the cliffs toward the peak again, which left us with the group from the day before. We were able to identify one of the group as the chip ram that Sheldon had located a few weeks before. He was definitely the biggest body and was starting to get our attention. A plan was put in place to close within 300 yards and put this ram down within sight of our full viewing audience. Mike joined Nash and I while we worked to close the distance. However as we moved in, we heard on the radio that the rams were once again on the move. They started moving to the south and the sitters could only get occasional glimpses of them. We climbed the hill above them and worked down the ridge line glassing the base of the hill below. A mind blowing game of cat and mouse ensued, the spotters were pulling their hair out, telling us the tan was RIGHT below us, within archery distance, but we couldn’t find them. Three different times Nash set up on the edge of the bluffs while we tried to look directly below us, without any luck. We caught a glimpse of sheep moving out from the hill 200 yds down the ridge. One ram dropped into a wash and another moved out into the open. Nash got lined up while Mike and I looked him over. It was a 4 yr old ram, definitely not the chip ram we wanted to shoot. We whisper yell at Nash not to shoot and kept working down the ridge. At this point Trphyhntr has had enough. He grabs his tripod and runs a solid mile around the base of the hill to relocate the rams and help us out. On my way! to find out. The two big rams turned and and had headed back up the hill and were now just 70 yards from us. In an instant, it all came apart. I saw the ram, he saw me and it was off to the races. There was no chance to get Nash set up before the rams were barreling down hill and across the canyon. I felt like throwing up. I was disgusted that we had blown it. Nash just stared. Mike was tracking the sheep in his binos and as they started up the other side says they are 475. The reality of his statement snaps me back into the moment and I get started helping Nash set up. We try the tripod, it’s not working out, so Nash throws out the legs on his bipod and lays down. He has a perfect shelf and I am amazed as he calmly tracks the rams in his scope. There are three of them together and they have slowed to a walk now. I get a range, it’s 542, and dial the scope while smash stays locked in. The first shot connects, but they run and now we are trying to make sure we are on the right ram as the three all change position and move across the hillside. They move about forty yards and I click the scope an extra 1/4” MOA to compensate and tell Nash to send it. It’s just over his back. Bad adjustment, they hadn’t moved as far as I thought. I range again, correct my error and Nash calmly tracks in the scope. The rams stop and he confirms, “the one on the right”, Mike affirms and I calmly say “kill him”. The sound of the bullet connecting with muscle is unmistakable but we can’t see the hit. The chip ram goes 40 yds and falls, struggles to stand and finds his final resting place under a Palo verde tree on a beautiful bench overlooking his domain. It’s not how we planned it, none of our helpers heard it (suppressed rifle) let alone saw it. And it was over before we could even tell them what was happening. But soon, they start showing up on the hill. Each taking his own personal time with the old sheep, and the young boy. We tell the story, laugh, hug and when no one is looking I cry a little as I appreciate the magnitude of the moment. All these good men, here in this place, helping show a boy how to be a man. We hike out together. It’s long enough to make us appreciate it, but we are at camp by dark. We celebrate and meet up with the others. They join us for root beer. Nash calls his mom and his grandpa, and we went home.

I do have a new rule when it comes to answering dms on spots to hunt. If I have seen a thread with your handle then yes, I will send you a spot to start upto a hot spot. Too many times, I have sent someone a really good spot and never heard back from them on their success/failure.

6a has some giants, and 22 has pockets for sure. But you got to want it. I go out of state , ill use a guide or bug the crap out of the game and fish. To each his own. Game moves with pressure.

If you aren't going to eat it then don't kill them. You can stalk them but use your camera or don't hunt them at all.

Me. If you don't obviously know, then you are ignoring the facts. I'll tell you my selfish reason for not wanting crossbows in the archery season... the quotas. F&G said that if you exclude crossbow kills in the August/September season... every single unit would have been open for the December hunt. Before the quotas I didn't care one bit about crossbows in the archery seasons. This is F&G's screw up for allowing them in the first place. I personally know of three able guys who abused the crossbow process... and shot forkys in August. One of them recently shot a javalina with a recurve. All 3 are just lazy and want easy. Ed F

I sent mine too. Ed F Good job AZGFD. You have finally done something that made sense... identifying that crossbows are not archery equipment and that the current system was abused by many. Now... get busy on fixing the quota system that you haphazardly put in place.

It’s to bait them into litigation. Sadly too often the officers are used to people forfeiting their right so when some one actually knows their rights they loose their cool. I say this from a Leo family/household with plenty of IA experience.

Well, I decided to avoid the season opening crowd, and went out to 20c to my favorite spot today. Spent a couple hours glassing..nothing. Started getting windy so I headed down into a sheltered area where I have seen them crossing through in past hunts. Less than 10 minutes after setting up, I heard footsteps in the leaves-lots of cottonwoods around, and 5 came through. I took a shot at the last one at 20 yards and my hunt was over. Got to have an easy hunt once in awhile.