lancetkenyon

That is a BIG cat! Good job on taking out a deer killer.

Older Hoyt UltraTec, but still works like a champ. Used to be my 3D bow, but works so good, I usually use it for hunting now too. My Dec. 31, 2013 buck (and a nice Coues pick-up rack that was half buried in a wash upside down in some mud).

I have been deer hunting for...holy crap....30 years in AZ. It took me a few years to get my first deer, which was an archery kill. Not sure if there are more or less deer in most units. Seems like I see more in some, less in others. I do know that in 12A, it seems like there are quite a bit fewer deer than 20 years ago. It was common to see 10 mature bucks a day easily. And at least one monster every other day. Now, not so much. I hunt pretty hard, and in 2012, got lucky and got my buck opening day. Last year, it took 5 days of hard hunting to find a mature buck! Money talks. G&F needs it just as bad as everyone else. More tags=more money=more pressure=less deer.

National forest lands... Coronado nat' forest... The Canyon used to be(20+years ago) open hunting anywhere, except for the 1/4mile from a building rule, then it was closed to be 150yards from paved surface, now closed 1/4mile from all paved surface(10+years)... One of these blinds is in a location that has brought AZG&F 1000's of dollars in fines and cost "hunter's" years in licence revocations... As guy's drive into the Canyon to the trailheads, Coues Deer/Bear are seen down lower, in super prime terrain, near oaks/water/etc, so instead of doing things CORRECT, well, as we all know... There are those among us who only care about "getting their's" and screw the laws... Yes, I know AZG&F, Forest Rangers, etc read these forums, They know who I am(hint: in early 2015January, while the road was closed due to snow, I walked a Fed. Game KNine LEO to a where a treestand was hung 75yards off the road)... It is NOT my Job to enforce any laws, but when things of this nature happen, I will say something, either to a persons face, or report to LEO's... Thank you for the clarification. I applaud your efforts! Seriously. I have turned people in to Operation Game Thief on a few occasions, or directly to LEOs/G&F if they are available. It goes a long way in keeping the hunting traditions open for future generations. A thief is a thief, whether it is taking game illegally, stealing a car, or some 2x4s from a house under construction (there is a house under construction across the street from me, and I stopped some would-be thieves on Sept. 1, 2014. Dove opener had me up at 3:00AM, and two whistles had them running for their truck empty handed.).

As with archery, the key to LR shooting, whether it be at game or steel, is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!! Also, as with archery, is performance of your projectile on game at distance is very important. I routinely practice my LR shooting out past 1400 yards with a rifle. But my own limits vary with conditions. High winds? Maybe 500 yards. Calm, high altitude, cold weather shots? Out to 1000 depending on rifle being used. I would also have no problem letting my 12 year old daughter shoot a deer or elk at 800+ with a rifle if conditions were good and we had time to prepare for the shot. I have shot coyotes out to 1326 yards, and passed on deer at only 350 yards due to my own hesitation of taking the shot at a bad angle. I have also passed shots on deer at less than 200 due to poor shooting conditions. I would think 80% of hunters would have taken the shot, but I did not feel comfortable with it. Archery? I used to be very proficient at 100+ yards. Now, not so much. Why? I used to shoot 200-400+ arrows a week, and a lot at long range of 100+ yards. I took a deer at 96 yards with my bow back when I was shooting competitively. Now, 60 yards would be my max range. I do not hunt Coues very often, but for my muley hunt in 2014, we practiced a LOT prior to opening day, for months, in anticipation of a long shot presenting itself. I almost took a shot at 688 yards with a mild crosswind, but the deer was not what I was looking for on day 3. On day 4, I wound up taking my buck at approximately 150-160 yards, off hand. I think that shot was just as difficult as an 800 prone shot in my opinion. Was it ethical? The buck jumped a bed and stopped on the opposite canyon slope. I felt comfortable I could make the shot, with no time to sit down to get a better rest. The deer went all of 10'. I feel pretty proud of that shot. Just as much as if it had been a bedded buck at 800 after taking 5 minutes to settle in and work up my ballistics. So LR is all in the eye of the beholder. 100 for some is the same as 1000 for others. Just as 10 for some with a bow is as easy (or hard) as 1000 for others with a rifle. It is the people who do not practice nearly year round and take a medium distance poor shot on game that gives LR hunters a bad name. Same with archery and guys that pick up a bow 2 weeks before season opener. I would think that 90% or lost game is from poor shot placement due to poor marksmanship and practice in the off season. But for someone to say it is unethical or unsporting to take a deer at 1000 yards after years of practice is just poor sportsmanship on their part. It is not for everyone, I get it. But respect the guys that CAN do it ethically.

http://www.reloadersnest.com/frontpage.asp?CaliberID=183

Can't wait! Looks like a great list of components.

Just a question: How is it legal to close hunting within 1/4 mile of a paved surface? Is it FS land? National Park? Wildlife refuge? I understand no shooting "knowingly from, onto, or across" a road or railway. I also understand "no discharge of a firearm with 1/4 of an occupied structure or recreation area". And lastly, "from a vehicle or boat under power".

I hope to give this a try this fall!!! Thanks for the tip.

No experience with the Veracity, but Burris was bought out by Steiner. I know that has been a good thing for Burris. I just got the new Steiner T5Xi 5-25, and it is great. Let us know your thoughts on the scope.

.30 Rem dies. http://shop.rcbs.com/Products/Dies-by-Category/Group-D-Bottleneck-Rifle-Cartridges/Full-Length-Die-Set-Group-D-Bottleneck-Rifle-Cartr.aspx What SPBTs were you shooting at elk? My daughter shot her bull with 175 SMKs, and the elk did not even twitch after the shot. DRT. I also like the Berger HVLD and 215 Hybrids. I like 69 SMKs and 50 V-max out of my .223 for yotes. Both stop them fine. The SMKs make less of a mess, but they go a bit.

What tag, and how soon is the hunt?

For most big game, I could not agree more. The two pigs we took last year were close enough to the truck that they were brought out whole, and gutted at the truck. Much nicer when you have water on hand to help clean up at the site of field dressing.

North valley, about 1/3" of rain. Supposed to hit harder today.

I have been REALLY lucky. I have only had one stuck case....knock on wood. A .223. Yes, a real PITA to get them out. Knowing the cases are .300WSM, I would think you could get 5-10 years out of them, if you shoot them as much as I shoot my .300RUM. I shoot it about 20 rounds per year. If you got more than 20 for the $30, you are doing pretty good. I wouldn't worry about it.

I actually do carry a scale with me! I use my bow scale in the field for pigs/turkeys. I also have a fish scale on my boat. So when I say my daughter caught a 4lb. 8oz. largemouth, it is an accurate reading. Not for deer or elk of course. I am too short to hold those up off the ground. And I have a scale at my house where I skin/butcher my pigs too. Deer and elk are usually cut up in the field, as I am never lucky enough to get one close enough to a road to load it whole. Like I could be so lucky. I read a ton of articles/threads where people state live weight for the deer they shoot. Especially the bruisers from the mid-west, down south, and north of the border, but out in the west too. Always talking about deer that are 250# on the hoof (or live weight). A lot of times it is accompanied by the approximate score as well.

I am most definitely talking about live weight being higher than meat weaight, and what everyone states. Just like with fish. You weigh a live fish and post the weight, not how much the fillets weigh. Or live weights of deer or elk. We got 410 pounds of meat from my daughter's elk, I would assume approximately 700 on the hoof? My deer netted 101 pounds of meat approximately. I figured 200+ on the hoof. Who talks about meat weight when judging game? Would you look at a mule deer and tell someone that it was a 100# deer? Or see a mature bull elk and say it was a 400# bull? Or a 110" Coues and say it was a 45# buck? Or a 5' long catfish and say it is a 25# fish? No one I ever met would. Our two javis last year were 52 & 53 pounds respectively. Field dressed weights were 43 & 44 pounds. Meat weight was about 20# each.

After reading about 5 articles, and 15 forums, it seems like it is about a 50/50 split on results. Some would think that means it could work, or it could not. What that means to me is with a 50% chance annealing will not work, I would never try it again. I am usually a "glass is half full" type of guy. But not with safety, or a $6k gun. I would either load and fire until they give up the ghost, or call it a learning experience and ditch them. I think for a hunting cartridge that might get shot a few times a year, they should be fine. For a round that will get shot a lot, burn them up and toss them after the first case neck split. For me, I will keep my 7mm rounds loaded, as they will only get shot a few shots a year, depending on draw results. The .223, I will use the nickel plated rounds as hunting loads, and after firing them, if I lose them in the field, no big loss.

Good to know. I have never heard that. Maybe that is one of the biggest reasons they say nickel cases do not last very long. I know most people have the necks split after a few loadings. Great info!

Someone got a beautiful rifle.

I have a few for .223 and 7mm RM. Never seen a difference, but they are harder, so you need to make sure you anneal the necks. Case capacity should be very close I would assume.

69 SMKs work for all kinds of targets. Rabbits, coyotes, lions, javelina, deer, steel, and if the occasion would ever arise, self defense. Carry what your gun shoots well. FMJs have never proven to be the most accurate round in my guns. If my life depends on it, I want to know my bullets will go where I aim them.

I have been considering the March line also. Looks to be in the S&B PMII range as far as cost. Looks like you went with the Long Range line, correct? What reticle did you order?

Depends on your price range. I LOVE the Rhinehart targets, but they are pricey. They do not last as long, but pulling arrows is a breeze. I have a McKenzie javelina and a McKenzie Mule deer now. Both are over 5 years old and still doing well. I do not shoot nearly as much as I used to. I used to shoot at least 200 arrows a week, and had a McKenzie last for 3 years. Replaced the center section and got another 3 years out of it before donating it to a friend's kid. I usually leave them in the tack shed when not shooting, which helps a LOT in life span. I also had a McKenzie black bear that stayed out year round. It lasted OK to shoot, but got so hard I could not pull arrows.

Yep, still have them. PM inbound.