lancetkenyon

It is still squirrel season, so good timing for those who don't have big game hunts this year.

Nothing like the pink mist from p-dogs and rabbits to warm your heart. Good visual!

I am having to do only my second work to my 07 6.0. First was an EGR cooler under warranty. Now, an FICM for it at 97+K. Good thing my son-in-law is a Ford mechanic. Those are pricey.

Wow, I did not realize this was almost a two year old thread. Nice first buck, good luck for #2!

He thinks so much about Vortex he posts it twice! I also agree it fits a great niche. The mid range riflescope/binocular person. The new Razor Gen II line is getting RAVE reviews too, but that is nowhere near the midrange price point.

Would you quit posting this stuff?!? It is all I can do to keep from picking up that .17HMR. If I was not two+ weeks away from a hunt, I would buy this....

Awesome deer. I swear, I need to start hunting the Coues. The just seem so tiny, body wise, to the big mulies I am used to chasing. Mine was probably between 220-250# on the hoof this year.

Care to elaborate the thread title and the name of the original poster? My statements in the ".223 for Fox" thread are, in my opinion, accurate and tactful. In no way do I want to discourage young hunters from learning ethics and proper etiquette, but sometimes life is hard, and lessons learned through trial by fire are sometimes the best lessons learned. I know every time I got my butt handed to me (both verbally or physically), I sure learned the lesson after the first time. If it was NOT this thread, I would like to see what it is you are talking about. I still believe that the use of FMJ bullets for hunting is not only illegal in AZ, but unethical as well. Even if you find a loophole by loading your own FMJ bullets and it was never "intended for military use", I do not think it is in the spirit of the law, or fair to the game animal for anything other than maybe rabbits or squirrels. We, as hunters, should ALWAYS strive for the quickest kill as possible. FMJs do not do this 95% of the time with anything other than a head shot. Even then, not always the quickest. I fully understand wanting to protect your child, as I have two myself. But the politically correctness these days drives me crazy. If you allow your child to be a member on here, and he posts inaccurate things, or posts that others take offense to, he should be prepared to suffer the wrath of the other members opinions as well. There is nothing visible on his posts that indicate he is a minor. If he wants to be treated like an equal, he needs to be prepared for all aspects of that. I hope he has not been turned off to hunting because of this. The future generation of hunters is getting thinner and thinner.

Winchester white box .45ACP FMJ is not a round specifically designed to take game with. It is intended for "Target" and "Plinking". http://www.winchester.com/Products/handgun-ammunition/Value/Full-Metal-Jacket-handgun/Pages/default.aspx

Nice offer.

I understand the quote about the expensive gear and average deer being taken from the road, but.... At least they are out enjoying God's country, and putting meat in the freezer. For some, that is all it is about. I enjoy both sides of hunting, the meat and the antlers on the wall. And if buying high priced items to fulfill that is what it takes, then so be it. But, I hunt hard for my animals I take, and practice a lot at extended ranges to ensure I can make a shot when an opportunity comes. Not only for me, but for the animal as well. I hear a lot about wounded animals that are not recovered, and I hope to never have to go through that myself. I am also not a road hunter. But if a nice animal is spotted from the road in between hunting locations, I would have NO problem taking that animal with a high dollar setup. The old thought of all Bushnells being garbage are a thing of the past. Some of the Bushnell line is upwards of $1500+, and very high quality. Tasco is still garbage though. The quote about "for 1/4 the cost of Swaros they are great" is semi-accurate, but is a 1998 Ford Festiva, that costs 1/4 the price of a new Mustang GT, still a "great car"? Not in the same ballpark. Kind of like that. They serve a purpose and can get you from A to B, but you will not enjoy it nearly as much, get the performance out of it, and you don't want your friends seeing you in it. (I could have referenced the other thing that most of us guys would understand too, but trying to keep it family friendly). Lower end Vortex optics, for the price point, are pretty good, and better than most others in the lower end. But if you can afford it, they are not even close to higher end optics above the $500 price point. Especially once you get up to $1K. They taper off very quickly in matching the big boys at this range.

Either you have been married a long time, or you got off easy on the rings! I have been married 22 years, and my wife's rings cost about the price for a Schmidt and Bender or Tangent Theta scope! Shoot, new trucks cost what my first house did, and I only bought it 22 years ago. A new top quality scope costs almost what my parents first house did.

I was sincere in my statement. It is great to aid other hunters in the field. That seems like a dying sentiment in a lot of younger hunters, just like common courtesy is dying in society.

Fixed it for you.

I have 3 Vortex rifle scopes. A 3x9 Diamondback on an AR, but it will be moving to a 10-22. I also have two 4-16x50 Viper HS on different rifles. One on a different AR, and one on my .250AI. When I first got them, I thought they were great. After using them for a couple years, I will be phasing them to lower end weapons over time as money allows for better optics. For under $600, they are decent. But like many, even though they have great CS for the warranty, it seems to be getting used very often. Mores than what I would have thought.

Really great to hear they caught the idiot. Good job.

Awesome story, good lessons taught to a new hunter about ethics and courtesy. Congrats.

I would get waterproof insulated gear for sure. I HATE being cold and/or wet on a hunt. I just dropped $600+ on my daughter for her elk hunt in November. Last time I had a late elk hunt (16 years ago), it was -4° to 20° and snowy for a week straight. It sucked. But the meat was tasty.

See my "Knotts" deer in another thread and avoid a mistake....

Just signed up. Can't wait to see what is available. Sale starts in 7:00 minutes.

That is not only an amazing buck, but a true success story to be shared with all. The tenacity and perseverance is uplifting to say the least. That is a once in a lifetime 4x6. Congratulations to the hunter, for not only taking a magnificent animal, but beating the ailments and following through. Outstanding young man. He will go far in life with this attitude.

Varmint bullets are frangible and pretty much explosive on game. They dump all of their energy almost immediately, and come apart like no other. Causing massive hydrostatic shock and internal damage upon expansion. Have you ever shot a jackrabbit with a high power round with varmint bullets? It is a sight to see. I would highly doubt ANY manufacturer of ammunition for the specific purpose of taking game would load an FMJ bullet. If it says "for light thin-skinned game", I would bet it was either a small hole hollow point bullet or a lead nosed bullet. Not all 5.56 rounds are FMJ either. I have seen plenty of boxed and head-stamped 5.56 (not .223) that are either hollow point or lead nosed bullets. Those would be perfectly legal and ethical to hunt with. My last comment would be the fact that an FMJ bullet does not expand and dump energy into a game animal. I am not saying that it will not kill the animal, but not quick enough to ensure a humane and ethical kill. Which is every hunter's responsibility to the game we pursue. Unless it is a headshot. Back to the subject at hand. A .223 with the correct bullets will work fine for fox. I would think a 36-40gr. varmint bullet would be fine. Or a heavier hunting bullet designed for penetration and not explosiveness, like a Barnes, Berger VLD, etc. in a slightly higher weight. My daughter shot a javelina with a .223 this February using a 69 SMK, and it has a 1/4" entry, with a $.50 piece sized exit hole. Pig went 30 yards.

I would like to revisit this topic. After my recent deer hunt this year, I added about 60 hours behind my 10x42s, and probably another 15 behind my 15x56 Meoptas. Hands down the best money and most used item this season. They are leaps and bounds better than my Cabela's Alaskan Guide Series 10x42s, which were $500 12 years ago. And those are still a great set of glass! I had zero eye fatigue, which is amazing with the time I spent behind glass for 5 days straight. One concern I have. The 10x42s rock for glassing out to 1000 yards and being able to identify bucks and the caliber of antlers. And for glassing deer out to a mile is easy. The 15x56s pick up from there. The 15s are too powerful for glassing stuff under 800 yards unless you are picking out details or want to really identify antler size. Also, even on a high quality tripod and head as low as I could get, in very high winds (20+mph), the 15s shake a bit. Making glassing more difficult. With that being said, I think a high quality pair of 10x42s is a must for any hunter. Buy the absolute best you can afford. Even if it means saving up for a year or more. Don't think about buying a set a month before your hunt unless you are wealthy or have a high limit credit card. The amount I used my 15s was quite a bit, but about 25% of how much I used my 10s. And the deer I found with my 10s was about 95% of all deer located. The 15s were for closer inspection, or picking apart the thick cover looking for bedded deer at long distance. I would not change the glass I bought, but my advise has changed a bit. But the highest 10s you can, and if you need to skimp a little, do it on the 15s. But a cheap ($200-300) pair of 15s might not be worth the money at all. Midrange is as low as I would go for decent glass.

It will damage a fox to death. I love the .223 for varmints. As for pelts, take a look at some of the recent "triple" threads.

Yep, that is the place. Off Central and south of I-17.