tjhunt2

Elkhunter, I shot one smaller than yours. I don't want to sound like I'm bregging and God forbid I take away from your story but It's a fact. I still get hate mail. I to this day don't know how some of my hunting partners can remember back that far but they always seem to know when to bring it up around a perfectly good camp fire. They seemed to have forgotten how good it tasted as I fed everyone that night. You can't eat the horns and that was a great shot you made at 280 plus. You've got to score it for the books.I hope the deductions don't put it in the minus category. Stay proud!

Bass, you made my day. Everyone who knows me knows I'm a pig man. I just love chasing them more than anything, REALLY. Hunting them are some of my funnier moments in live. If I had a choice of anything, other than a sheep tag, give me a pig tag. I never get tired of watching them. How was your camera set up in the bedding ground to capture the good pictures? I could smell them thru the computer. Mmmmmmmmmmmm Good!

Where were they made? I heard of a guy here in the valley who does a good job of creating antlers. Just kidding, they are some of the nices antlers I've seen. GOOD FIND!

If your battery is more of an issue than anything else then consider what Gamehauler has to say. I went with a cat. heater and found it cured my battery problem. The microwave won't run off the batteries so another genarator isn't the answer in my thinking but if you decide on that direction then really consider quiet. I'm one who hates to shell out the extra bucks but it's like binos, it's worth every penny. You can't put a price on quiet. Gamehauler's in the business and thanks to his advise my friends and I went with cat. heaters and have never looked back.

Doug, thanks for the tips. Everyone should print them out and put them away for future use. I have taken hundreds of photos over the years and take a lttle pride in getting someone a great picture but I have my share of not so good photos. The new digital cameras sure have improved everyones ability to view and retake. Most of my experience, with myself and watching others, is everyone seems to get in a hurry. How many times have you heard " we'll get pictures later". Most of my hunting partners can spend hours glassing and stalking to harvest an animal only to find the most difficult task of all is to move a few feet for me to take better pictures by saying " just take the dang picture". Thanks again for the reminder Doug. TJ

Them are some of the nices bucks I've seen. If I could only find something like that in the wild I'd be one happy camper. Thanks for sharing.

I second that! A good friend of mine took me there fishing about 6 years ago and it is a must see place. My wife enjoyed the museum and actually had Wink show us thru. No disrespect to Wink, she runs it, but I don't know her by anything else. It is a hidden diamond for sure. I have fished it several times and my buddy fishes a contest there every year between the locals from Showlow/Pinetop and those here in the valley. Catch and release only!

Coueser, we all have an opinion and thanks for sharing yours. Also, thanks for the wake-up call. I will do my best to loose some weight and tell all my obese Tom, Dick, and Harry friends to do the same.

You can buy a digital recorder from about $30 on up to $500! I use an Olympus WS-310 that cost me about $100. It will record up to 138 hrs. Do a Google search and also check out eBay and Amazon.com. Prior to going digital, I used a mini-cassette recorder for years. A recorder makes keeping notes on the details of a hunt or a photo expedition a snap, which is crucial to what I do. -TONY Thanks Tony with your info. I appreciate any idea especailly from experience. TJ

It's so easy but I still find it the hardest thing to do."JUST WRITE IT DOWN" Not only will this allow others to share in the hunt but will let you go back years fom now and refesh your memory of what might have been forgotten forever. Believe me when I say it will slip. It's part of life we have been handed. Run your own test on one of your kids and ask them about details of one of thier hunts that happened just a few years ago. What day was it? / What was the weather like? / The time of kill? / Who all participated. / What they wore? You get the idea. I recently found some notes from a late 70's deer hunt. It brought back happy memories that I had completely forgotten. Years from now when the old mounts have decayed, family and friends have left for happy hunting grounds, there will still be this precious little diary that will bring life back in our hearts through a hunter's eyes. "JUST WRITE IT DOWN!"

I might have the answer Mike. He might be thinking of the tree he's going to hang it in before the shot.

They claim the road closures benefit the wildlife and protecting the land for future generation. I agree to a point but once a road is closed they aren't going to open it later down the road for the next generation to enjoy. Not everyone is young and in shape to walk in to these areas. I would like to see more enforcement than closing an area that I can no longer get in to enjoy. I know areas that have been closed from the public because of fires. FS claims it needs to be protected from erosion but a few ranchers have keys and are still running cattle because they are receiving money for cattle lease. It's like the Game&Fish, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY! Don't get me wrong, I like them both, but they don't shoot from the hip. The one area I'm talking about has more damage from the cattle than I believe any human could have done. I usually don't discuss politics but this doesn't settle good with me.

Sounds like Bill is living a life most of us dream about but I'll bit you he has worked hard at what he has cause nothing comes easy. My wife and I will definitely look for "Memories From Greer" when we visit this year. Channel 3 News did a special on GOOD MORNING ARIZONA this morning. It is a must see place. Good luck on your trip to Namibia Bill.

Greer has been a special place for my wife and I for the past 6 years. We always stay at Hoyer and fish out of there to Big Lake, Reservation, Drift fence, sheep crossing, and the greer lakes as well. We usually go the last of May into June and love the walks out of camp. We always have some friends going along with their kids and I end up being the kid's guide everyday on the lake. Some catch their first fish on these trips and the camp fires can't be beat. A good time had by all. My best part is the fly fishing alone. That's my time to reflect on past and future hunts. If you never been there you are missing some of Arizona's most spectacular high country and wildlife. Shoulder surgery will keep us home this year but will try to make it up before the snow flies. If you get a chance check out the x-Diamond Ranch located half way to Springerville along the Little Colorado River. Fishing is great and there is a museum you most see. You won't be sorry you did.

Hey bass, thanks for sharing that with me. I don't know why I never thought of this before. I'm going to follow up on this one for sure.

I feel that any deer with a bow is a major task because I have a hard time but them are some nice looking deer you took. CONCRATULATIONS!

I use a swarovski cleaning kit that I purchased from Sportsman. It is a good idea to buy several optic brushes as well. I have several packs and keep one in each. They are inexpensive and can be purchase at just about any drugstore. They are quick to use after your glasses get dusty.

That's an excellent idea. I have a hard time practicing what I preach. I think I could easier talk in a recorder than take the time to write it down and then transfer it over later into a field log/diary. Any suggestions on a not so expensive but good one to use for the field?

Thanks for sharing your mounts with us, They all look good. I shot several but nothing as big as the one in the middle. I must have shot the brothers to Bass's cause most look like the one on the left. I'm certainly not knocking the left one cause I'm proud of mine. My excuse for never shooting a big one has always been " you can't eat the horns".

You don't know how refreshing it was to read your scouting report this morning. Made me feel like I was there. Being laid up with rotator cup surgery really sucks this time of year and I'm enjoying every bit of this CWT site. My 3 days a week therapy sessions doesn't compare to the therapy I get from this site so I plan on sending Amanda a donation. Remember to write it down just not on here and start your log book/diary for the future and please keep them scouting/hunting pics and stories coming. Good luck on your hunt!

I have never seen one with 2 beards but have heard of it. That's a rare trophy and congrat on filling another tag.

Bass, congratulation on a nice looking bird and a good story to share with us. I think I might know something about the pickup. I hear if you are lucky enough to find a roost near a road you can run your truck into their tree and flush them out. I believe the cracked windshield probably came from the bird when it fell. I bet that hunter was close on their tails when you arrived on the scene. I condem this type of hunting and it should be reported.

You are right Mike, what was I thinking? It had to be the pain and sleeping medication working on my mind before kicking in. Did you find a gobbler this weekend worth shooting?

I was thinking the same thing. Amanda has a point there. There is a section in the game laws stating a report should be filed with game and fish. They will be glad to let you have the skull after their investigation. Let them deal with the stinky thing first but I know there are alot of you out there that don't trust the department. I truely believe they will welcome such a find and see that you get it back.

azpackhorse, what would be the chances of me finding your bear but quess what? I was also glassing and kept smelling something, I also followed the wind and there it was right off the side of the road and your bear pictures flashed thru my mind. It was greasy and stinky,looked like it had been there a few months anyway but turned out just to be the GAMEHAULER looking for sheds. I got his picture before leaving!