LCconvert

PM sent.

Did you just get the email or just check it for the first time in a while. I know...I am pitiful sitting here staring at my email!

So do they send out emails saying you were NOT drawn? This does not bode well...

If it doesn't work out with the other home, let me know... thanks!!

I thought about doing something similiar. Can't wait to see your pics!

nope

I have a 270 in a commercial FN rifle. I have measured the OAL with 130 gr. sierra gameking and I am coming up with 3.4XX (don't have the exact numbers in front off me). The book is saying that their test load uses 3.250 for OAL. This is quite a difference. Also, I have measured the chamber to the mouth and it seems I have a lot of free-bore in my action. I am going to measure the cartridge length to the ogive tonight for a more useful number. My question is, if you have no OAL limitations (including the magazine), what would be a good default or starting point for an OAL -- the book OAL of 3.250? Or maybe I should seat the bullet out a little further. Of course, I will work up some loads with different OALs but for now I need some rounds to do some plinking and varmit hunting. thanks!

Let me know if the deal falls through!

I have measured the OAL with the hornady tool and the sinclair tool. I have also measured the chamber. This is how I came to my conclusion that I have a lot of free-bore. My magazine is plenty big, no restrictions there. My question is since I have a lot of free-bore what would be a good starting point for the OAL. I was going to start with the book number but I thought maybe I should seat the bullet out farther since everyone seems to think getting closer to the lands is always better. thanks!

great job and a great buck!

I always feel like I am in the minority on this so I am really glad to know I am not the only one. I really feel like we need to start changing how people use these things or just ban them all together cause the other option is to start closing access to our public forests and I don't think any of us want that. And yes, they have already started doing just that!

PT sent.

Sorry it ruined your hunt but that is not the right attitude! I agree, you were lucky and now you know. Get legal and get back out there, have fun and finish your hunt! but now for a little rant -- that is not directed at you D-BOMB... I, for one, am REALLY glad these guys are enforcing this law. I personally am sick of the ATVs! We can't go anywhere to have a family picnic or campout without these things screaming down the road. Places that my family used to go to are now just dust bowls. I am a conservative so I don't like "new taxes" either but when I see my desert being torn up...somethings gotta be done. I know, most of the people here on this site that use ATVs are not the ones causing the problems (I hope). But for me this is such a problem that I don't think hunters should even go offroad to retreive game. If you shoot it you better be ready to pack it out - to the road! It only takes one set of tracks for others to follow! But if this doesn't get under control via enforcement or something, my conservative self may take a back seat, and I could be in favor of banning ATVs. And before you start in on trucks, I do think it is different. ATVs are DESIGNED to drive fast and hard offroad, especially 2 strokes. Their size, weight, suspension and gearing all lend themselves to true "offroad" exploration. Which is why we are seeing the problem we have today. I also know there are some fullsize fourwheelers out there causing problems too but I don't think it is anywhere near the number of ATVs. By the way, I do belong to a local fourwheel drive club and I would be equally as hard on them if they were to venture from designated trails. They should be punished too. But again, it is a lot harder and not as much fun to weave in and out of bushes/trees with a fullsize truck. Anyway, we are already in trouble, the Tonto is in the process of closing a lot of roads as we speak... Lets hope we learn fast before they close them all. be gentle...

That sucks! Spent a lot of time in Young at my grandparents place and had many meals in Antlers cafe. Feels like an old friend is gone...

This is my first kill with a bow and what a specimen it is. We spotted this herd while glassing and decided to pursue them. They were feeding up a small hill. We knew we could climb the other side and ambush them at the top. Everything was working in our favor, the air was still and we were behind the hill until the very last moment. We crested and sure enough they were right below us. We could see three feeding 50 yards in front of us. I have practiced a lot and feel very good at placing an arrow where I want it to go but we decided we should try and get closer. Well I don't know if it was any noise we made or that our smell eventually made it to them because they all bolted in all directions when we took our first step. They were running full speed down the hill and we thought we blew it. BUT my brother starting calling and they starting coming! In the excitement my arrow fell off the rest and I could see one javelina coming in fast. I kept trying to put the arrow on the rest but I was too excited (nervous, too) and the arrow kept falling to the other side. I finally got the arrow on when the pig was 10 yards away. I aimed for his head and MISSED! Luckily the noise scared them and they started running away again, otherwise I think we may have had to resort to hand to hand combat. Now with our courage restored we started blowing the call again and sure enough they turned around again and came back. This time one came up on my right at twenty yards and I got a shot off. I heard the thump of the arrow and the pig went up and over the top (with a little one behind it ). Well, we were excited about what happened and I walked over and found my arrow covered in blood from tip to tip. We waited for things to calm down and looked for the other arrow I shot. After about 20 to 30 minutes we decided to start looking for the pig. Right away we found blood, lots of blood. I was certain this was a good kill. 20, 30, 50 soon 100 yards later the blood trail keeps going. It is still real heavy and we are finding blood on the bushes that the javelina brushed up against. The trail does eventually start to disappear. We were determined not to loose this javelina or worse yet, let it run off wounded. But hour after hour of scouring the dirt (a lot of it on our hands and knees) for pin sized drops we were getting discouraged. To make a long story a little shorter, 5 or so hours and about half mile later we found the last drop and were about to give up. The trail ended about 50 yards from a little wash. I decided to walk down and check it out. Sure enough, there it was! To say the least, I was excited ...and grateful. I hope this doesn't come off wrong but I am really proud of the tracking job my brother and I did. We really spent all day and nearly a half mile on our hands and knees trying to find this javelina. There were lots of times we could of given up and been justified. I think it just eventually bled to death. Now to get to the real point of the post. This was unlike any other pig I have taken or seen. I know there is another post where someone found a pig like this but does anyone know what it is that causes this? I don't buy the soft sand theory for a number of reasons. But this area was covered with as many rocks as any other area I have seen. I think this must be some sort of disease or fungus. Also take a look at the head. I thought it was mud but I think it is its skin. I kept the head and hooves to see if G&F would like to take a look at it. I really thought about leaving it because it was just...well UGLY! Remember at the beginning I mentioned a piglet. Well there it was sitting next to its "mother". Now if anything could bring a grown man to tears, I think this scene could. The poor baby wouldn't leave even after walking around it and trying to figure out what to do. We were no more than 5 yards from it. We finally decided to approach it and when we were a few feet away it bolted. I took a few good pics of it but I am not sure people would appreciate it. It is quite sad. HOWEVER, its "mother" turned out to be a boar! I guess it just partnered up with the nearest adult when all h*ll broke loose. While skinning my pig it must of come back 5 or 6 times. We left and I hope it found the others before something found it. Anyway, take a look at the pics and let me know if you have any ideas what could be wrong. Also, should I worry about the meat? I am still a little weirded out by it.

I really appreciate the help. Jon asked if he could have the hooves to show others. Of course, I obliged and let him have the worst ones. Now lets just hope he tastes better than he looks!

Thanks for the input. You are probably right but...what about the dew claws? Those are not supposed to touch the ground ever, right? His have excessively grown along with the hooves. Another interesting note is the left side front and rear hooves are really long but the front right side is just a little long and the rear right hoof is normal! Why would one side of the animal be more exaggerated? Anyway... Here are some more pics of this beauty!!

I just took a javelina with hooves just like the one you found. I will try and post pics later. It also had some funky skin, almost like callouses or maybe warts. I really debated about leaving it but decided against it (felt bad). I hope its not contagious!! I saved the head and hooves to see if G&F would want to take a look at them. Also, I don't think this is due to soft soil. It was some real rough and ROCKY terrain.

Bill Quimby would be great but my first choice would be my father and grandfather...sorry Bill. They are both still alive but no longer get out. They both hunted Arizona in a different day and age than we do today. My grandpa is 94 and grew up hunting coues, and the occasional lion, on Mt Graham. Those must of been some wonderful times...

Very well said, and I think that is applicable for rifles also. I think many let their pride get in the way and attempt "low percentage" shots.

I agree, it looks much bigger to me. Congrats!

Bill, I certainly appreciate the lesson. I think we need to be more educated about these things and then act the part. I have met several long time hunters who think there are two species of whitetail in Arizona, coues and whitetail!! In fact, same goes for bears, black and brown.

What an incredible buck!! It looks like all your work paid off.

I can't seem to find the multi-quote button. Doug, my disappointment is with the amount of human traffic and selfish impacts that I've seen in recent years on the Strip. It used to be wild and woolly country, but no more. I realize that this trip was just after a 10 day hunting season, but the use was very obvious. What used to be faint, overgrown 2-tracks now had heavy usage. Faint 2-tracks that I wouldn't have considered driving on 15 years ago had significant quad and full-size vehicle usage. I saw several new 2-tracks too..........very disappointing. New camping spots were prevalent, too. Could this overuse be from gang hunting...........with 8 or 9 hunters with 5 vehicles for every one tag holder on the Strip??? The BLM is now aggressively citing people for driving off road all over the west..........looooong overdue. I know a guy who just received a $175 ticket in Wyoming. He whined............I applauded! I would never considering cutting up a tree to put up a manmade treestand on public land. This comes with age and maturity. The wooden tree stand looked recent. Keep in mind that 13A had over-the-counter archery tags until 3 or 4 years ago. It was getting hit HARD by archers.........the reason for the now limited quota archery hunts. Note the trail cam post in the first water trough pic. It ain't a fence post. These things ought to be called "water tank cams", since few actually use them on game trails. Using them on game trails would actually require that...............people hiked more than 20 yards from the truck...........and.........knew enough about the game to find a likely game trail. The commercialization of big muleys by the outfitters, trophy hunting magazines, and DVD makers has ruined some precious areas in the west. Not to mention trophy hunting in general. The end doesn't justify the means! Do it ALONE with NO IMPACT...........or stay home. Great pics! And I feel the same way as you. I just attended some forest service meetings on the Tonto and they are looking to close down roads because of this kind of abuse. I know most of it is not hunters but sadly some is. I don't think I will ever own a 4 wheeler because of the destruction I have seen them cause. Places my family have been going to for generations are now ruined. I really wish they would just crack down on these people with stiffer fines rather than close roads. stepping off my box...

AMEN!! I tend to be more of a meat hunter anyway but those are some of the best memories!