duckhunter175

Jean- not sure why this was your introduction post but I will bite-- After a dozen years of wearing various hard and soft armor I have a fair amount of experience in the practical application of hard plates and have my share of looking around as well for the best options. I think your post makes good points BUT you are spreading some common misconceptions. As with most things there are always trade offs with armor. Weight, thickness, protection level and cost are the biggest variables. You can get thin, light and AP level protection.... but it is gonna cost you. So here we go.... 1. Steel- Lots of companies making steel plates. Ricochets and spalling are an issue which is why they've developed multiple curve designs and coatings that mitigate the spall from the bullet jacket and steel fragments from the armor. They are the heaviest choice, but they offer solid protection and they tend to be the THINNEST. Even coated they tend to be significantly thinner than ceramic or poly. They are also the cheapest. Additionally there are folks that make covers for the plates in lieu of coating so you have options to go super thin (.3") or add the bag and be up to .4-.5" thickness. The plates available today don't have the issues with surviving multiple hits. They are also available in an abundance of sizes and shapes. 2. Poly- There are companies making UHMWPE plates but they tend to be upwards of twice as thick as steel plates to get equivalent levels of protection. As you stated the biggest benefit of Poly is the weight... the drawback is the cost. For my daily protection I wear a poly plate that is rated to stop 5.56 ball and 7.62 ball (AK)- it is right around .5" and weights 1.4lbs so it fits within my soft armor and doesn't wear me out after a 12hr shift... it was not cheap.. but life isn't cheap!! Every day there are more and more poly style plates available with better and better levels of protection. Typically only available in a few standard sizes. 3. Ceramic- Here is my biggest problem with your write up-- I've personally observed ceramic plates that stopped multiple PKM rounds from as close as 15ft. These were plates issue in the mid 2000s, not even close to on par with todays technology. Originally these plates were considered relatively fragile and they were made to be almost 1" thick!! Not very light either. Technology is speeding forward with ceramics like you stated. They are getting stronger, thinner and lighter... but more expensive. There are plates on the market now that are .5" or thinner and will stop 7.62API multiple hits. Typically only available in standard sizes. For folks who are more interested on the subject I'll gladly share my experiences, observations and the rationale for the choices I've made.

The more I read and look at this the less a fan of the 'super point' I become. It seems like it's a bandaid solution instead of something that is long term and sustainable. And I don't understand why they say a conservation stamp would have to be voluntary... Set it up so that if you are recreating on public lands (every unit in AZ) then you must have a "recreation pass"-- hikers, bikers, fisherman, boaters etc are included and make it reasonable. The real problem is that hunters and anglers pay for the vast majority of conservation and the liberals who want to shut it all down simply piggyback off of the money we spend each year. The TRUE problem is the government can't figure out a way to force the buy in of the general public. I'd love to see a 'hiking license' that must be purchased to mountain bike, hike or camp. A problem with this idea is that by including the majority into such a scheme you are going INCREASE visibility on how and where that money is being spent and let's be honest the lawmakers and beancounters really don't want a bigger magnifying glass than they are already under. If there is some weird legality where such a stamp must be 'voluntary' then I would say go to a split draw style system similar to Wyoming-- don't do it for all the hunts, exclude sheep and maybe certain trophy units for specific species... but for the opportunity level hunts- maybe split them into two pools-- 60% of the tags are allocated to the normal bonus pass style draw and 40% are allocated to the "special draw" and in order to be entered into that year's special draw you pay the normal entry fee plus you must buy a DRAW STAMP specific to that species for that year and it costs $100-300 dollars extra depending on the species. This would keep it voluntary, it would not force everyone to buy a stamp, especially if it is a year you aren't planning to draw... and if gives folks willing to pay an extra bump. That way if you decide this is the year you are swinging on a hunt you can chip in the extra cash and better your odds. AND- it doesn't change anything for nonresidents- still a max of 10% with 5% going to max point holders-- whether that 10% comes out of the regular or special draw it doesn't matter.

Seems like a conservation stamp that applied not only to hunters but to fisherman and anyone using state lands (or however the most legal way to expand coverage to hikers birders etc) would be the better option so as not to jack up the application system but also provide a sustainable revenue. And since you have to buy a hunting license to apply in the draw make it so you must have a conservation stamp as well. It would be interesting to see the breakdown of potential super point purchasers between resident and non-resident and possibly use that to increase revenue.

That's AWESOME! Didn't recognize that you had put the tan web on in place of the black but it certainly looks great on that rifle for sure!! I'm thrilled that it is out in the field getting it done, getting used how it should, Congrats again!!!!

Great work and congrats!!!

So I gathered up some buddies and we jumped on the Wyoming bandwagon this year! 5 tags between 4 guys-- we filled 4 in 24 hours and then I opted out of filling my doe tag because I wasn't going to be able to get the meat home. Originally I was supposed to drive up from Texas (12+ hours), link up with our Denver dude and then get the NC boys who were flying in. Unfortunately for me I couldn't break of the 5-6 days I had hoped from work. So I had Fri afternoon to Sunday afternoon and I booked a hasty ticket and as a group we split a rental car (truck- more on that later). Here's how things went down: Thursday had some things come up at work that resulted in a much later than preferred ride to the airport to fly from Dallas to Denver. Still made the flight, guns arrived with no issues and had plenty of time to go pick up the rental car and drive to my buddy's house in Denver to spend the night before driving up to WY on Friday. Until I got to the Budget rental car center at DIA... 60+ people at 11pm and only 3 folks checking cars out. So when I got to the window at 2am... they no longer had full size trucks... but they did have a 2018 Tacoma TRD so I snagged it, which ended up being a great vehicle on and off road. Get to Dave's at 3am and we drink beers and BS until who knows when. He has to work Friday and I have to get the other two from the airport. Friday: I pick up our NC boys from the airport and we head north towards the promised land of WY!! Except it is raining, foggy and generally crap weather, not the 50-60 degrees and sun that were forecast. But we make it into our hunting unit and head towards a chunk of public land to check our zero since we all were now 6,000+ ft above where we confirmed our data. Upon arriving at said chunk of land... there is a chunky pronghorn buck standing off the road about 500 yards and he dips over a rise. I had compared my actual data from Texas (hot, low altitude) to the WY forecasted data (cold, high altitude) and the ballistic calc had told me there wasn't going much difference (less than 1/4 moa out to 600y). Since this was for sure a shooter buck and I had a short hunt we bailed out and made the stalk. I got up to the rise and over the top, bedded down, was the buck and a group of does. I ranged at 289 yards, my rifle is zero'd at 250. I keep inching up to get my bipod up and rear rest set. The does saw me and they slowly stood and began to walk down and away from me. The buck stood, slightly quartered too and looking at the does that were now trotting. I held just a hair high and into the cross wind. The 7RUM barked and the 145gr LRX buried itself just in front of his shoulder and exited just behind his offside shoulder. He ran maybe 25 yards and expired!! We were on the board having been in the state of Wyoming for about an hour! We got him gutted and back to the truck and proceeded to get the other two rifles double checked for zero and then we headed off to some other spots we had google earth'd. At last light Dave texted and said he was headed up from Denver. We checked a last spot and found a nice herd on the border of public/private. We marked them and headed back towards camp... until we saw a really great buck dip into a small draw off the road. We bailed out again and began a several hundred yard stalk up to the draw. As the terrain thinned out we knew he was going to be just beneath us. Boom- horns! There he was- the next man up got settled as we saw the buck turn broadside and trot off. We heard him alarm wheeze or whistle (whatever you want to call it) and we knew the gig was up. He made a brief stop and got flattened by my friend, shooting a family heirloom .270. We admired his buck which, to us uninitiated pronghorn hunters seemed to be a good bit larger than the ones we had seen and definitely bigger than my buck. Well, he just got scored and before drying he netted 80 6/8"!!! Saturday picked up where Friday left off- We got on several bucks early but couldn't get good stalks set up. Finally, I glassed up a super tall buck who was narrow and unmistakeable. After a great (and long stalk) Dave connected on this superb goat. The length on this goat was awesome and he grossed out in the mid 70s! We were feeling good about ourselves but we knew we needed another buck. We were having a great time but we all wanted the guys who had traveled across country to fill their tags!! I headed out with my buddy while Dave skinned his buck. We found a great wide, forward leaning buck but he spooked across onto private before we could make a play. Then- as we drove over a crest, tucked behind a hillside, almost invisible from the road was a buck bedded with does. Knowing that this had been a recipe for success so far we stopped. Checked our topo and made a plan. I got to crawl in with my buddy as he navigated to this unseen herd. I expected us to pop up about 300 yards off... but he got to within 80 yards before cresting the hill!! The antelope were now milling around feeding and headed off to our right. At 156 yards my buddy got the shot profile he was looking for and absolutely stoned the buck. Making us 4/4 in less than 24 hours of hunting!! Just an amazing trip overall and something that I think we see ourselves doing again the future!!

Hard to estimate- been too long since I had my hands on a Coues!! But once you get that antelope deboned that meat doesn't take as much room as you'd expect! They were all mature goats- the interesting thing- my buck had shorter horns but a much wider head and a much thicker neck and body than the other bucks. Not sure if he was really rutted up or just a real old fella!

It wasn't light! but it easily fit in the overhead luggage compartment and they don't weigh your carry on!!

For the 3 of us who flew, we boned it out, had a guy in town wrap/freeze it solid and the we carried it on as carry-on baggage. I used a Yeti Hopper 30 and it fit one buck perfectly!! Zero issues with TSA as long as it is froze solid!

3 points is plenty for a non resident to get into a unit with plenty of goats!!

Great lookin euro and great story of the hunt!

Congrats!! What a bunch of memories made!!!

You changed your avatar! Sorry for not recognizing! Glad yall are still getting after it down there!!! There is nothing not to love about that whole space-- I hope you guys have a great hunt down there. I'm gonna be bowhunting OTC for coues I think bc my hunting buddy and I are gonna try to save up some points for the lifetime type hunts. I had good luck calling with the gray fox pup distress and gray fox fighting sounds on my e-caller. Keep in touch!

I think the NR cost for a lion tag is like $75- well worth the once in a lifetime opportunity should it present itself. If you have the time Id run some set ups and call. Worst case you end up with some good looking fox or coyote pelts! When I was in 34a I never got to put eyes on a cat but I did see tracks in the 'lowlands'.

Congrats! That is awesome!

Was this an 'Icon' or an 'Icon Pro' bag?

Do you know what size? I have a L / Tall set up that I might part with.

this is a steal on an AWESOME STAND

you repeated exactly what I said?

x2 and the wood on the 391 is nicer than anything I've seen on an A400. I've shot both-- the 391 w/ 2.75" for skeet and an A400 with 3.5" for duck hunting. For upland or just bustin clays a gently used 391 would be great. For hunting ducks etc the A400 is the softest recoiling semi I've used compared to several I've hunted with (SBEII, M2, Browning Maxus and A5, Winchester SX3).

I've used Vortex LRBC with good (accurate) results and have the Ballistic AE app on my phone.

Have you read any of Robert Ruark's work? The Old Man and the Boy, The Old Man's Boy Grows Older. For frontier stuff-- Empire of the Summer Moon Classic Hunting Tales-- Edited by Vin Sparano

very cool series of pics!

No issue with 2 boxes of their VORTX Long Range with the LRX bullet-- 7RUM

Leupold 20 x 60mm Gold Ring spotter- straight body, glass is perfect, super light- $200 SPF Seekins 30mm LOW- unused- no box $80 SPF Leupold Mk2 IMS 30mm Mount- $70 Leupold 1” STD MED Kimber 84L- $25 Leupold 1” Dual Dovetail A-bolt Short Action $25 Leupold 1” STD MED Win M70 L/A $25 Gun Stuff Magpul MS3 Sling w/ Rail Sling Adapter $50 Glock 27 9rd OEM mag w/ Pearce Grip $20 SOLD Kydex Holster- LH** OWB Glock 19/23 with TLR-1 $40 S4 Gear EVO retention lanyard w/ Cabelas rangefinder cover $25 Harris Bipod 6-9” (no cant/no swivel) $40 SPF Reloading 7RUM Brass- 40pcs 1xfired, HSM factory brass $40 SOLD 220 Swift Brass- Norma 100ct, Unopened- $75 SOLD 220 Swift Forester Micrometer Seating Die (unopened)- $75 SOLD 220 Swift Redding Type S Bushing Die (FL sizing- unopened)- $50 -- SOLD 25/06 RCBS 2 Die Set (used)- $25 25/06 AI RCBS 2 Die Set (used)- $50 SOLD 6.5mm 140gr AMAX- 150ct +50 pulled bullets (all same lot)- $40 SOLD 7mm 175gr ELDX- 180ct - $50 SPF Cableas Northern Flight Max-5 Dog Vest (5mm neoprene, unopened)- $30 Prices are shipped TYD, pics on request