AzTrapper

If I didn't have a pig tag in 34A and a club hunt I would be on my way.... AzTrapper

The Southern Arizona Wildlife Callers is having their monthy club hunt tomorrow Saturday 2/23. The check in is 1-2 pm at Triple T Truck Stop by Tucson on I-10. I was wondering if anyone is going or a member? I am planning on trying to make the check in, my pig hunt is on in 34a so i figure i can combine the two and maybe call in a couple of predators and maybe a pig while I am at it. AzTrapper

Your so right about hunters and how they or we must stick together. But how can we expect support from rifle hunters when so many posts are blaming them or slamming them! Would you support someone or a group who did this to YOU You know as well as I do that the anti's are saving these posts and jumpimg up and down with joy seeing how divided hunters are and will use many of these posts on others lists to divide even more. I was around when they came after trapping both times in fact I was President of the Arizona Trapper Assoc. the first time it came up to vote. I remember talking to so many groups who at first didn't care because they didn't trap, BUT many of them did come around in time and the Trappers won the first time and lost the second. We won support from many groups because we showed them how we had supported them in the past on issues that didn't effect us! NOT by slamming the other groups in any way, What I am again saying quick blaming any groups or ways of harvest because you may need those people to save your way of harvest. The Anti's I bet are loving some of these posts and will use them agains't you at some time and date, Been there seen that too many times AzTrapper

Yes thats why I just set and shake my head when someone talks about shooting them with their deer rifle and leave them lay. Were you here in Arizona trapping in the 1980's and were you a member of ATA? AzTrapper

From my years of trapping we found coyote colors were influanced by terrain as much as anything. We trapped as far north as colorado and as far south as the border. Color has a lot to do with prices, the reds are almost worthless as are the ones with blad spots on thier bellies. So far this year the "blue back" cats are the ones bringing the higher prices. AzTrapper

Noel I also trapped in the 80's as well, this year so far we have been shipping everything to NAFA and have gotten between $12.50 to $55.00 for Coyotes and as high as $550.00 for Bobcats and thats for southern Arizona animals. When I say southern Arizona thats nothing north of I-10. AzTrapper

If they are really planning on these changes, then it is time to form a group to stop this change. One of the first things to do is stop saying anything bad about any other gear used for hunting, as you will not have people who use that gear on your side, bow hunters will need all the help they can get and won't be able to stop this alone. Second attack this change from a scientific point of view- Things like you are able to study the deer longer and only harvest older deer or ones with poor genetics thus improveing the deer herds. I am sure you can come up with many more reasons based on a scientic point of view. Next try and get as many well known people who archey hunt to come to your aid. Try and get as many of the other wildlife/hunting groups on your side to help that will increase your numbers and become a powerful voice. But from what I have been reading in the past posts most of them have slammed or called for more laws on rifle hunters! Do you think you would get or have much support from them at this time? You need to think about any post you make as they never go away somewhere someone has already copied them to use at sometime. I wish you all the best in stopping this rule change, AzTrapper

If it's a 22Mag. I would say yes as long as you are careful and place your shots. A 22 I would not trust unless you keep your shots under 50 yards and shoot head shots. I think a 22/250 loaded right or a shotgun with copper plated BB's would be better. The shot gun will allow you to take cats out to 50-60 yards AzTrapper

Sweet looking cats, sounds like you have things figured out for cats. AZTrapper

Yup everyone is right what they shoot is the best! I stick with my "old" 300 H&H, After hunting with the same rifle since 1972 I know what it will do from getting to know it. I have shot deer with others as well from even a little 22 cal. to 45/120 and they all will do the job. But the best rifle is one you learn how and know how to shoot AzTrapper

After seeing how many people were interested in skinning and selling their predators, I started trying to find a article I had done 15-20 years ago on this subject but of course I couldn't. So here are some links that may help you out when it comes to skinnning and selling fur. Also if your will to travel and enough people are interested, Maybe we can arrange a getogather and do a hands on skinning and fur handling demo. Fur handling would be fleshing drying sewing and shipping and whatever else is wanted. On a case skinned animal you want to follow the fur line where from one back foot to the other foot on the backside of the leg this should go under the tail and meet at the base of the tail alos cutting around the butt-hole. Then cut 1/2 way down the tail then start skinning the hide from the animal and cut around the anus so you don't cut the glands. keep skinning the hide off, and as you get the tail looseyou can take a tail stripper or a couple of sticks and put one on the top and bottom of the tail bone then you can pull the hide off the tail. Once you get the hide skinned off the taile and hind legs you can PULL the hide pulled down to the front legs using your knive as little as possable, Make cuts around the animals front legs at the "elbows" and pull the legs through keep pulling to the head and you will feel a spot under where the ears are cut them against the skull and keep skinning until you get to the eyes most of time you will see where them skinor cut as close to the skull as you can, do the same with the mouth as you do the eyes, when you get to the nose cut the cartlidge out of the nose try and not cut the hide as this will save you a lot of extra work sewing Here are spme links to get your started www.predatormastersforums.com/coyoteskinning.shtml http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/mammals/furtake/care.htm http://www.furharvesters.com/pelthandling.htm Skinning is somewhat easy the actual ptuuing up or dry fur is harder to discribe for me to another. It you want more information contact me or read the Arizona Trappera Assoc. page http://www.angelfire.com/az2/ATA/1.html AzTrapper

Once you strip the tail off the tail bone and make the slit on the underside of the tail, open it up flat and pin it to a board, (use stainless steel pins) once dry with any salt or anything a tail or for that matter a pelt once dried will last without any smell several years. In fact I have one that is over 10 years old. AzTrapper

Once you strip the tail off the tail bone and make the slit on the underside of the tail, open it up flat and pin it to a board, (use stainless steel pins) once dry with any salt or anything a tail or for that matter a pelt once dried will last without any smell several years. In fact I have one that is over 10 years old. AzTrapper

Vegas is a little bit far, Try and contact someone who is a trapper and ask them to give you some pointers of fur handling. You should be able to find you state trappers assoc. and contact them for more information. AzTrapper

When I saw it start off with cape I fugured he skinned the whole coyote and the cut the tail off the carcass. My mistake. AzTrapper

NO SALT

NO SALT! THAT WILL MAKE THE FUR UNSALABLE You would now be better off just cutting off the tail and hoping you do no get docked too much AzTrapper

Mark I am confused a little wouldn't you want some of the moly to stay ti fill any voids or such to improve the barrel AzTrapper

Trapper, When you switched to the moly coated 168 gr. VLD had you been shooting the regular 168's before that?? Was the a "moly break in" or anything like that?? I thought that the molly was more work, but you make it sound pretty easy?? Thanks for sharing I'd like to know more about it for sure! Thanks, CnS When I switched I made sure my barrel was as clean and copper and lead free as I could. Then I started off shooting the moly's as if I was breaking in a new barrel. Fire a round and run a cleaning patch or two then fire a round and run a cleaning patch or two I did this for the first 25 rounds. I can't really say why I did that but I did. I notice a change within the first 10 rounds. I don't believe moly is anymore work for the gains I have gotten but then again reloading and shooting is always fun and never work. I did shoot 168's before that most of the time, I have some factory 180's that I have been shooting for the brass it's the only way I can find nickle plated brass for a 300H&H. They shoot fairly well about 2.5 inches at 2oo yards. AzTrapper

In my 22/250 I use a 40 grain bullet and in the shoutgun I use copper plated BB's. Both work well on cat and fox and stop a coyote in his tracks. I think you may have a little to much fur damage on bobcats and fox with the 50grain v-max. A 40-45 grain might work a little better on fur AzTrapper

Tell him I have been up in the deer hunting area several times and seeing deer like when we we were up there scouting. Plus few bucks that I have never seen that are nice looking. In fact was up there calling this morning and sent 4 coyotes to their happy hunting grounds. The down side is they all were "reds" or had a bare belly and not worth skinning. We have been going calling several times in that area and have in fact killed a total of 18 coyotes and only ONE was worth skinning due to color or bare bellies. But on the bright side we have taken 7 cats and 9 fox as well. So since I got the ok to shoot the shotgun things have been much better. Hows your calling been going? When you coming down AzTrapper

I don't I clean it the same way, I use patches only with Montana X-treme copper cream, Bore Scubber it's a 2-in1 for copper and nitro fouling and Sweets Once clean patches come out I use a patch with a little oil. Then before shooting I run a dry patch. During the hunting seasons I will only use a oiled patch inbetween hunts, At the range when shooting I clean after every group which is five rounds, then clean the fire one shot before the next group. So I guess you can say I clean every 6 rounds, at the range. AzTrapper

Jason The moly issue is one that has been discussed on every shooting list for years. I found it did reduce my groups, I did also increased my powder charge in my loads and was able to increase my fps with the loads. One thing I did also find was if i shot factory loads the fps also increased which I don't understand. Many of the people on Long Range Hunter have been helpful since I joined as well. One of the reasons I tried moly coated bullets was due to the fact my groups had opened up a little in the rifle. I due plan on having it re-barreled sometime this year but not until a back-up long range hunting gun is built. I finally found a Remington 721 in 300H&H at a fair price all i wanted was the action to build a back-up 300H&H. So until that gun is done and shooting I didn't want to re-barrel this one. So Like I said after talking with Dave and Frank I tried moly and have been happy with it so far. AzTrapper

I don't know about reducing copper fouling, and as far as moly fouling no problem there either I clean my gun the same way as always. I do want the moly to stay in any voids or pits in the barrel. ( if there is any). At the range I clean after every group when shooting. AzTrapper