tmcguire

Interesting read. If prescribed burns do curb the spread of the disease, it would mean the "Smoky bear affect" has even more consequences than just huge wildfires every few years. This article goes into more details, but it talks about how prior to the 1900s smaller fires every 5-10 years were the norm and served to clear all the underbrush and create healthier forests. http://www.npr.org/2012/08/23/159373691/how-the-smokey-bear-effect-led-to-raging-wildfires Also, not to derail the thread, but have there been any confirmed CWD cases in Arizona? Was hunting the San Carlos for Turkey this past spring and watched two elk walk into a tank all the way up to their chins and just stand there with just their heads exposed and drink and drink and drink. Honestly forgot about the whole ordeal until reading this thread. The animals looked healthy, but seemed like odd behavior considering it was 40 degrees outside. (I know back East that was how you could tell a whitetail had CWD, when the disease progressed enough they would normally just drown in a pond or lake trying to drink as much water as they could)

That's when you force feed them! Can't wait... Guy needs to celebrate less and reload more. Ha, true... that fish completed my 10 dorado limit for the day, but those 3 band guns take quite a while to reload. I know guys who dangle a 2nd gun from a float nearby for when the school starts circling like that. Side note: that video's a good example of why they always say to keep one fish hanging. Whole school stuck around until I brought that fish up, peaced out immediately afterwards.

That's when you force feed them! Can't wait...

Awesome hunt! Looks like you guys had a blast, congrats on the birds!

Congrats on getting two species down and good luck on the rest of your slam! I kinda buggered up my single year slam opportunity this year by forgetting to put in for some quote Osceola hunts (baby born in November will do that too you ). Have 2 Rios down so far in San Diego, then head to Northwest Florida to visit family for Easter (and do a little Eastern hunting), then San Carlos after. Maybe I'll make a bonzaii run to South Florida while I'm there LOL. Leave a few birds for me at San Carlos I have the late hunt.

I don't want to hear that... have a late hunt on San Carlos. Ya'll need some rain, and lots of it... to cool those birds off

Guess what I'm curious about is do the deer know the county boundaries? If you're hunting D16, you're essentially hunting an area that 4 supposed deer subspecies converge. "Pacific Hybrid" is probably the best way I've heard them described. Not knocking anyone, I'm honestly curious how these different subspecies are assigned. Can anyone list out identifying characteristics between a California, Southern, Desert, Peninsular, etc. Mule Deer? Or are the only differences apparent in a blood test.

I "identify" as a Floridian LOL... Out of curiosity, why are you coming from AZ to hunt deer in southern CA? Ducks I could see, but deer? You know WE come over there normally. Juries still out on what we call our deer here, BlackMules or MuleTails... I have heard the term Southern Mule Deer used by biologists, but I do not believe it is a recognized subspecies for records.

I hunt deer in D16. In general, most of the bucks in Socal are forkys. There are some bucks that show a blacktail/hybrid antler structure, but the majority never get a 2nd branch like is typical with a Muley. (of course there are always exceptions). The forky below is my buck from 2 years ago and honestly is probably a top 10-15% buck for SoCal. The other two I posted below are about the largest bucks I've seen taken in D16 -- I blocked out the hunters faces since I do not know them.

That's a killer deal... great cameras for the money. Have four of those running as we speak. If the deal falls through, I'll take them

For cheap reliable pump, you can't beat the 870. For auto's, I'm currently shooting a Beretta A300, great gun for the money.... might cerakote it next year as I tend to abuse my duck guns and it is not blued. Have put several cases of duck loads through it in pretty nasty locations without one hang up. If I was in the market for a gun that would compare with your SBEII but didn't want to spend SBE II money, I'd probably look around for a like new Beretta Xtrema or Xtrema 2, arguably one of the best waterfowl guns ever made... 3.5" chamber as well, if you do someday want to chase geese or turkeys (no need for 3.5" for ducks). I've seen some go for around $800 on GunBroker. Honestly though, the way gun manufacturing has improved... if you're shopping new and keep your price point around $700 or higher you're going to get a quality auto. Franchi, Stoeger, Benelli, Beretta, Winchester, etc. are all going to make a reliable weapon at that price point... just a matter of fit, finish, and longer warranties the higher up you go.

Little bit of a drive and over the border into Californistan, but there are some available here: https://www.facebook.com/Applewood-Retrievers-478117018902107/?ref=page_internal

Don't hold your breath on Yeti bringing their prices down. If they were going to do so, they would have to compete with RTIC. Instead they used some of their healthy profit margin to lawyer up and remove the competition.

That's a pretty rough picture to try to go off of. Try looking through some example photos from different Taxidermist's and they will tell you the exact form they used. Just linking a buddies page from back home as an example. Much easier to tell the form used on shots like that. https://www.facebook.com/pg/CoopersTaxidermy/photos/?ref=page_internal

65s are out everywhere. Might be worth calling RTIC directly and see if you can backorder one. Mine just arrived yesterday. For $140 you can't beat it! Edit: just chatted with them. They are only running the current deal with the inventory they have. So once they are sold out. It's over. Sorry guys.

Honestly, most safes under $1000 are just overpriced lockers with a fancy door. The UL safe ratings they give are just for the door. They don't even test the sides or top. Allot of safe companies exploit that fact and make a fancy looking box with sides you could cut through in a minute with basic hand tools. 1/4" plate construction is typically used as the minimum to be actually called a "safe".

I have the 8 person Coleman instant tent (14X10) with a rain fly. It's well made. I can set the tent up by myself in 1 min, plus securing stakes. Have probably camped a total of 5 weeks in it over the last two years and only problem was 1 broken pole joint that was $5 to replace (bent it the wrong way). Rains fine, but the tent is not made for heavy winds. For car camping in not terrible weather, it's a great tent. It will fit 2 queen air mattresses with room to spair.

Don't know why any of you want to trade. Cabelas = new hunting toys (and they always seem to run a free shipping promo at least once a month) Cheesecake Factory = "Sorry I missed our anniversary but it was opening day of deer season" makeup dinner Southwest = out of state hunting trip!

I hate to associate myself with the "Millennial" generation due to all the negative connotations that comes with it but... you just have to think for a second. Who's fault is it that the growing generation is addicted to phones, can't change a tire, can't bait a hook, wouldn't know where to start if they needed to change their oil. These were all skills my father taught me. Video games? My father kicked me out of the house with a baseball bat and a glove and I went and played with my friends down the street. Millennials get allot of crap cause they don't know basic life skills, but it wasn't their generation handing them "Participation Awards" when they were playing T-ball. Just some things to think about... I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir on a forum like this, but you got to take an active approach to parenting when it comes to this stuff. Don't let your kids sit on their butts all day in front of the TV.

Where's the ballistic report? If they were shot with each other's guns... huge black eye to the hunting community. If they weren't, gives more merit to their story. Hoping this doesn't just turn out to be an incident where allot of brown was involved.

Hey everyone, hope this is the best spot for this, I’ll try to make this a short and sweet intro. I’m a 26 year old avid hunter and fisherman who grew up hunting the swamps and pine woods of Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana. Finally had to grow up and decided to take a dream job out in Los Angeles at the expense of all my hunting opportunities and most of my 2nd amendment rights. (I know, I know… thankfully plane flights back aren’t too bad) Figured I would have to reserve my hunting for when I flew back home for Easter (turkeys) and Christmas (whitetails), but was pretty much going crazy after 2 years of that. Finally decided to start throwing some major miles on the truck and pick up hunting out here as well. 2 years of doing that and I am finally starting to be successful in San Diego county. This year I’ve been doing a ton of research and would like to branch out to AZ and NM as well. And that’s when I discovered this forum. Hope to learn allot from you guys and maybe get some help navigating those draws. Pictures speak louder than words, so here’s a few of my more memorable hunts (and fishing trips) in San Diego County…. So much harder hunting down here than back home, but very rewarding when you finally make it happen.

Thanks for the welcome guys. I'll do tuna steaks for backstraps There is no shortage of fish in my freezer, but all I have is ground left in the venison department. (missed this year's deer season due to my first child being born Nov. 18th). Mocha, that is a perfect description of CA. Beautiful state, full of game, run by complete idiots. Joe, I have never fished Cuyamaca but have helped guide kids for the youth turkey hunt near there. Beautiful country. Santa Ysabel and Julian hold a special place in my heart. n2horns I feel liberated every time I leave LA and have a wave of depression hit me when I'm driving home and see that smog cloud on the horizon. Love my job, but looking at options in other states.

Looks like an awesome trip! Had a trip all planned out for the East Cape last year, but skipped it due to the whole Zika scare as I had my first child on the way. All my buddies went down though, and there wasn't a mosquito to be found. And PRDATR, sad to hear of your brother's loss. If you want to spring that trip on him, head on over there to LA and book a charter out of Venice. Perfect time of year for huge tuna. Or make it for January and do a cast and blast. World class duck hunting as well.

And... this picture was sitting right next to the others, so let's do one from back home. Little brothers first turkey. Called in a double, let him shoot the big one first and the smaller one stuck around just a little too long afterwards. Not sure that I have seen him happier.