coues7

Has anyone purchased a huntmap for 35A? Is it worth it? This will be my first year down there and with the price of gas I can't go every weekend to explore.....so I'm exploring options for narrowing the areas to scout while I am down there. Yes I've already gone to the AZGFD site and gather info

Mike you probably won't appreciate my comment as much now since we've chatted outside the forums......but a big congrats!! There are two people on this forum that I've met that have more determination and dedication for these deer than anyone I've ever met......yourself and Bowsniper. The many hours that you've spent, the personal injuries and your pure determination have served you well this year! That is an amazing buck!!!! You deserved it! If that deer could share his feelings about the person who harvested him......well I'm sure he'd say "I was harvested by a true, dedicated sportsman/outdoorsman". Again congrats!!!

Scottyboy, What are the things that we as hunters can do to best assist you guys in the southern units? I got a 35A left-over tag and although the activity may not be as high in that unit (I assume.....especially with the military base there).

Hope you called the BP. I think the BP should start offering rewards.....AND get serious about cracking down on this sort of thing. If someone called in something like it would be nice if the BP brought in a helicoper or some officers and layed the smack down. I'm sure that's quite a bit of marijuana. For all the money that gets siezed they could pay all of us to help them out......that way we could all get top of the line optics

Who do you talk to when you call?

Its been done boys......and for quite some time. Don't re-invent the wheel. Cellular Eye Trail Cam

A+ I've gotten stuff from them.....I'd do it again.

Avon SkinSoSoft is the best I've found......stuff is amazing. Where can I get one of the ones your refering to? they sound good.....especially if you have 3-4 guys sitting around it all glassing

Are they one or 2 piece mounts? If they are 2 piece by a one piece and that should fix your problem. coues7

300ultramag. You lost me on your comment? what did you mean to say.....a person only has a 30-45 minute window (timeframe) to find a bear and then there is no chance?

Brett, when speaking about bear behavior and habit you've always seemed to have answers......so here's one for you. Most of the time bears up north grub in the forest or go after the acorns......down south they seem to always be in the thicker manzanita. I've always hunted down south in 24a and 23S and when we've seen them they've been in the pears and they've always been in canyons that offer water, shade and protection via rough rough terrain. Do bears actually hand out down low in the flats where there is primarily mequites? I'm not quite sure where to find them if they arean't in the pears. I've yet to see on in the manzanita, squaw berry patches or the oaks. thanks in advance for any replies Coues7

According to the AZGFD they are meeting with the county to come up with a plan to help aleviate the problem. It makes me sick everytime I go out there as well. Somehow they need to stop people from leaving their trash.....specially all the stuff they shoot up! Strictly enforced fines may do the trick as long as the judges stand behind the officers who give the tickets! We already cleaned out there earlier this year.....but count me in AGAIN! Coues7

Rut, What camera are you using? Great pics!!!

peloncillo, Take a compass with you when you set up your cams......face them as much north and south as possible......that should solve your problem. If you face them east/west you are going to continue to get lots of sunrise and sunset pics. Sometimes it's just not possible but if it is try that. Great pics too! Coues7

I've been out hard in 24a for the past 2 weekends. Have seen some sign mostly old.....seems they have been eating manzanita and squaw berrries. The scrub oak don't seem to have acorns and the larger full blown oak trees don't have anything on them. I'm heading out to a different unit opening......the bears just arean't in the pears yet. Still to many green ones I guess. azhuntnut......what unit if you don't mind? You don't have to be specific about the area.....as a matter of don't be!

Anybody been in 24a, 24b or 23 and seen any? The pears seem to be hanging in the green to green/pink zone and just not moving fast enough. We'll see in 11 days. I've only seen some tracks from the recent rain storms and some OLD crap full a manzanita berries......and for what it's worth I'm not in 27 either

Can someone pick my mouth off the key board? Holy COW!!!!

Great Pic what camera are you using? Coues7

I'm with Ron.....except don't provide them to him. Please kindly PM them to me. I'll take them in either coordinate system since I'm not picky. As a side note if it's not in Unit 1, 2b or 2c you can go ahead and give them to whom ever......they are out of the my unit. Thanks for posting!!! Great pics!

Here is a screen shot of the excel file. The grand total at the bottom includes all year (1984-2007). The program was originally started in 1984.

How funny that you ask. I just spoke with a nice lady at the AZGFD Game Branch and she sent me following. It answers your question Lark! I can't get the excel file with the revenue to load can anyone help? Special_Tag_Awards_June_07_Comm._mtg.doc

Your right there are many of us that would not shoot a bull under those circumstances. Most likely that same cituation under those same circumstances may not have ever happened or ever will happen again. That's not the point. There a lots and lots of people who of have never even seen a bull of that magnitude. For some people, the circumstances under which an animal is killed have little to do with a decision. Whether the decision is based on "It's big and very few people will ever kill an animal of this caliber so let me kill it OR what a magnificant animal and it's only a 266" bull, it the time spent in the outdoors that counts. Just because its not the way you or I and many other think doesn't mean its wrong. ONCE AGAIN WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE TAG HOLDER WAS THINKING.....so who are we to pass judgement. Jealousy has two flavors in this situation.......jealous of the wealth......jealous of the bull. Am I jealous of the the opportunity to harvest such an amazing bull...YES. Am I jealous of a mans wealth....NO!!!!! I have not been able to find anyone in the AZGFD that has the info on the revenues from the govenors tags, but the Big game raffle raised $514,055 for wildlife in AZ.....I don't know about anyone else but I'd hate to have to spread that amount over the species I hunt. Talk about having to be rich to hunt. No hard feelings toward you Noel. Just my $0.02.

Let me play the devils advocated here. Regardless of how rich/poor or in between the guy is.....honestly who cares.....most of us are simply jealous. Does anyone besides AZ402 personally know the guy? Who are any of us to judge his character?? I have to disagree with Noel on this one. The auction tags and big game raffle tags are a great idea. In the case of the govenors auction tags, it allows "outdoorsman" with lots of money (regardless if they were self made millionaires or daddy/mommy gave it all to them) to spend their money to BENEFIT THE WILDLIFE. In the case of the big game raffle it allows "outdoorsmans" lottery moneys to once again BENEFIT THE WILDLIFE. ISN'T THAT WHAT'S ITS ALL ABOUT? IF the money is handled properly by the AZGFD, then these funds do nothing more than preserve and help the wildlife for OUR CHILDREN AND FUTURE GENERATIONS! Isn't that what it's all about????? Think of the AZ Deer Association, the NWTF, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundations.....all these groups gather funds to benefit the wildlife.....same as the auction and raffle tags....they are just special interest. All of us can point the finger.....we weren't there......we don't know.....but I'm sure there are many of us "sportsman", "outdoorsman" or the like that would take an animal of a lifetime under these same circumstances. What difference does it make if the thing was killed in a forest meadow or a forest meadow near a house? NO ONE KNOWS BUT THOSE DIRECTLY INVOLVED WHAT HAPPENED THAT MORNING!!! If they ranged the homes near where the shot was taken from and it was 1/4 mile or more.....than the tag holder had every right to harvest that animal! None of us have any control over what the animal does after being hit. I personally know someone (a human) who has been shot......between the shock and the adrenaline they didn't feel a thing (NO PAIN) for at least 1 hour after the incident. All of us should harvest animals ethically and humanely.....but this bull I'm sure didn't suffer. Flame me all you want. This is just my opinion on the matter.

------

What is going to be the process for getting a left-over tag? The pdf with the left-over tags on it states that the AZGFD will accept applications on Aug 20, 2007. Is it still first come first serve or are they going to go through the draw again? Thanks