mattys281

Seeing some nice deer dropped by the rifle guys sure makes it hard to wait for January! I can't be the only one who's already getting stir crazy & ready to get back out there.

Sadly, no. I've hunted about 3.5 days in Jan & seen nothing but baldies. They were pretty girls, each & every one, but I'd hoped to see something a little hornier. Now I'm stuck with waiting for August to roll around...

Im so impressed with my leica rangefinder that I find myself thinking about a pair of their 10 x binos. But they're very spendy. Just curious if anyone ever bought a high dollar piece of glass like that and later thought the upgrade wasnt really worth such a large change in price? Im using nikon monarch 10x and minox 15x now, thinking about changing to the leica ultravid hd and a mid range spotting scope.

Congrats on your first muley! He's a nice one.

A deer can go a long way on one lung, but thats still a fatal shot. My money says he's already bled out and is waiting for your tag. Good luck finding him. Bad hits suck. I lost a spike a few years ago over a bad hit and am still pissed at myself for it.

People are just teasing a little because they want to see the horn porn. Its all in fun, no need to delete. And welcome to the site.

I don't wanna be the guy that harps on a newbie to the forum, but this is the kinda crap that gets a guy smacked with a sock full of quarters. Just sayin...

I did an overnight backpacking trip this weekend and a 2.5 mile jog this morning. Tonight im lifting weights: progressive lightening routine. Starts at 17oz. (Or whatever a pint is) and gets lighter with each rep. Once I get to zero, I start over with a fresh weight.

Compared to my divorce that ^^^ would've been a bargain. Dont want think about how many.... uhhhhmmmm..... binoculars.... I could've bought just for what the lawyer got out of me. Lets just say I could've looked through some that were a lot nicer than the one at home and and they'd probably bring other binoculars to the party with them.

I bought a $1000 vortex scope last year, used it once and decided I didnt like it. Decent glass just too big and I didnt think that specific scope was worth that much denero. So I returned it and got my money back. I was curious if any one had the same experience with leica or swaros. After two pages though it seems like the guys that own them love them and the guys who dont own them dont feel theyre worth it. Thats pretty logical. I think i'll swing by cabelas or outdoorsmans and see if I can do an outside comparison. Im hard pressed to spend $ 2000 on anything that doesnt have c cups (minimum), a flat tummy and a backside you could bounce a quarter off of but im interested in finding out for myself. Doesnt cost anything to look.... unlike those c-cups.

Thanks all for their input. This is an excellent point, and I've been considering it. I wish I could do an outside side-by-side comparison. Unfortunately, every pair of binoculars seems about the same when looking at the shoulder mounts in cabelas under fluorescent lights, but then you sure see a difference in them right before the sun comes up.Ask Cabela's to put them on a tripod side by side and take them outside. They did it for me a few different times when I was looking for my 10x42s and 15x56s. They will be more than happy to do so, especially when it leads to a sale. I didnt think cabelas would do that. Good thing to keep in mind.

Thanks all for their input. This is an excellent point, and I've been considering it. I wish I could do an outside side-by-side comparison. Unfortunately, every pair of binoculars seems about the same when looking at the shoulder mounts in cabelas under fluorescent lights, but then you sure see a difference in them right before the sun comes up.

Congrats! Thats one awesome buck!

Looks good to me.

As far as I know, Humphrey's is the only peak in Az that actually get's above treeline into the true alpine/tundra climatic zone, which is around 11,000 in Az. I've never been up it myself, but I hear there's hikers all over it like ants on a lollipop. Kendrick is pretty high (10,400ish) in 7W and there's some muleys & elk up there in the summer time. Not a lot of open glassing country, but there's some nice open meadows on top to hunt around. Long hike to get to the top, but I've stayed over a couple times. Pretty country.

Lance, but what if it's a really big 2 Pointer??? It better be 26"+. I have actually seen a few 26-30+" forkies up on the Bab. It just kills me to see all the small immature bucks taken every year up there when I am fortunate enough to draw a tag. And on opening day. While I totally respect meat hunting, and understand that meat in the freezer is a true priority, you could do that in just about any unit out there other than the Kaibab, and usually a lot closer to most people's home, especially on a rifle hunt. But any deer with a bow is a trophy in my opinion. I have taken a few younger deer with my bow as well. Sure are tasty and tender. +1 to that. I knocked down a little forky mule deer buck over in 27 a couple years ago and that was the tastiest most tender deer I've ever eaten. Passed one about the same size this last summer on the Bab on opening day. That's hard for me to do. I feel like I haven't killed enough deer with my bow yet to let the easy ones walk, but I couldn't make myself wrap my tag around a little guy on day one up there, so I video taped him instead. I'm finding that I enjoy dragging out a good video clip of a very close encounter almost as much as I like dragging out venison... almost as much.

I'd like to have one. Better to look at than the national bronze one hanging on my office way. Not that I don't like pictures of molten metal and bundles of tubing....

And that is exactly why I use the patented matt stevens simplified field judging method: little guy, nice one, big-in, and toad. Easy to remember and no way the guy doing the judging can ever be wrong.

Nice! I call those guys 50 cent pieces. Each one's only half a buck

I'm not overly familiar with the unit, other than driving up to payson about a million times. I've backpacked in the Mazatzal several times. You can find both deer species, javis, bears & elk in there. The foothills around the wilderness always looked like great glassing country to me, but as stated I usually just hike through so take it for what it's worth. Anyway you slice it, it's pretty country and you can't go wrong spending a day out roaming around. Good luck to you guys.

Congrats! Love those 4x4 muleys!

Lots of good glassing country in 22 off hwy 87 without driving too far. Also 24b is pretty close. Supposed to be nice weather should have a real good weekend.

Congrats. Great muley!

Nice pics! Keep 'em coming.

My last two deer have been pretty near text book. The three before that and the dozen or so misses.... I cant describe the experiences in words that are fit for Amanda's site, so let me just say, "yeah, I've shanked it a couple times."