Snapshot

Did you decline it?

I have read some opinions on that over the years and have heard 12' and 30' and what have you. I remember one of those old Marty Stouffer movies that showed a Mt. Lion jumping across a gorge or something, I don't remember how far but I am guessing 30' or better, it was the most graceful looking leap I had ever seen, it almost looked liked it was soaring. As far as exact distances I have no idea, but 15' and 45 ' may be possible for a lean, strong, cougar?

The draw system can be tough on the personal psyche sometimes, but with the demand for tags exceeding what is available, the luck of the draw can be frustrating. I have never been lucky on a consistent basis, but I keep trying. Last year I drew both my first choice New Mexico elk and deer tags, this year I only drew my first choice deer, and I am hoping for my first choice AZ deer as well and that will give me two good hunts to look forward to. I only apply for Arizona and New Mexico, and occassionaly Colorado, I may get a Colorado Archery Elk tag just so I can hunt ELk even if I am not successful in scoring on an animal, I still just enjoy being in the mountains. That is one good thing about Arizona and Colorado, there is good opportunity for Bowhunters with over the counter permits. Those Red Desert Wyoming goat tags are tough to draw, but keep your chin up and next year you may draw all your good tags and you will have to decide how to find time to travel to hunt them all.

I drew my first choice Unit 23 rifle mule deer, yes mule deer, I broke down and applied for mule deer because I found a little honey hole last year during archery elk hunt and I hope that big buck is still in there It might be a blessing in disguise that I did not get my archery elk tag, my injury to my hand that I hold my bow with requires more surgery, and rehab, so I probably won't be able to bowhunt for awhile Good luck to all of you that drew a good tag!

Spotted Owl and Mt. Graham squirrel tags. Not much meat, but sure are tasty!

Unit 23 Deer for me, but no elk or antelope tag.

Cool pics ! Sounds like fun. My wife suprised me the other day by mentioning she would like to do some backpacking, so we may be planning an adventure like yours.

From what I have heard, Arizona will probably be back to the online system next year. The last two years have been such a fiasco with the internet application subcontractor, that it was suspended. But what better way to get everyones money upfront

If they want a good pet project, they should re-establish the grizzly back into the Blue Range, no roads in there!

You are exactly right ! If they can't or won't enforce the laws then they shouldn't make them, and then take the easy way out by closing roads. I don't use my atv much when I hunt, except to explore some roads, or old two tracks (legally), but alot of guys I see don't even get off the quads.

Call Clay Gomez at DC Outfitters I know they where looking for help last year.

There's nothing like eating a little.................feline!

Sorry to here about your friend! Its very hard thing to do.

Obama's middle eastern kin will hook you up. One camel and turbin with every vote.!

Maybe a Mule-tail crossbreed?

What? You don't like the guys that party all night with the boom box cranked up until 2:00 a.m and then they stumble out of bed at 9:00a.m bleary eyed and grab another beer and jump on their quads and rip up and down every cowpath and sand wash they can find, leaving a trail of budweiser cans in their wake,,then back to camp to head to town for a beer run with gun barrels poking out the windows, then back out in the afternoon to spend a few bleary eyed moments behind a pair of $29.95 Bushnell's ( purchased at the local Wal-mart) meanwhile, looking up the side of a mountain that they would never think of climbing anyway because that would mean getting off the quad and being away from the beer cooler for too long. Where are we going to hunt next year Bubba??

Even though I can still have the Tucson get together on July 12th, things look grim for me making it to Flagstaff.

Dang it Bill, my bino's only cost $750.00 and I can not afford a new pair so that would classify me as riff raff.

JUne 18th is the day.

Are you going to be set up and waiting for them come bear season?

New Mexico charges your CC or bank card when you are successful in the draw, and only the app fee at the time you apply. I am not sure about Colorado, the last time I applied there I sent in checks?

Paper applications and paying up front is just fine with me! If they do start a new online draw system, It would be nice to see people charged up front, but with the credit card laws I don't think they can do that and unless they find a loophole to do it. Such as paying for a voucher or temporary status or some such thing??????

I never recieved that email, even though they send me others. I even get email from the Gov's office weekly?

Thats an option. I know my wife and stepdaughter use that technique to get what they want with me

I have been sending in my hunter survey cards for as long as I can remember, and I will keep on sending them in the hope that they actually do some good. I am an advocate for mandatory reporting with an online system. At least help the biologists present solid data. All of you bring up some very valid points and concerns, and I certainly agree. Sometimes I feel that the whole wildlife management system is being snubbed by bureaucratic B.S Does anyone remember that the State of Arizona is in a budget defecit, and it wanted to dip into the funds of all its agencies? What is the easiest way for G & F to recapture that money? Offer more permits in the name of opportunity. How many times do you think that the G&F biologist's have presented sound information to the commission, only to have it ignored or pushed aside? Remember the G&F online survey awhile back, that was so cleverly worded that it made us wonder what questions we were actually answering to , and the survey presented by the ADA which got pushed aside as well? I feel the G&F already had its mind made up before that survey was even analyzed, but that is just my opinion. I have said it before that I would gladly pay double the current permit price if I knew half of that money would be well spent on future wildlife research and problem solving, and allow for the continunance of quality hunt availability. We all have different views on what we feel is a viable solution to current issues,who's right or wrong, I have no idea ? But I do believe that the future of our wildlife and hunting heritage is going to be based on sound long term wildlife managment and data, and then getting the commission to act accordingly.