TAM

Looking at upgrading my old spotting scope to a higher end model. Been looking hard at all the high end brands with 80mm+ objective lenses. My question is are the HD models with the flourite coatings worth the extra money? I seem to remember awhile back hearing that if you were planning on using the spotting scope for photography then the HD was worth it. If you were just using it for judging horns then it's not worth the money for the HD. Seems like there is about a $500 to $600 difference in the two. What does everyone think, HD or no HD?

Sorry guys, this wasn't meant tobe a tease. I just got real busy the last week with a trade show here in Prescott Valley that my company had a booth in. I looked at all the major players in spotting scopes. The problem was that I was not able to compare them all side by side during low light conditions. They ALL look great during the day and have very little if any noticable difference. Looking at them during the day is kind of like test driving a Ferrari in a residential neighborhood. The truth is in my opinion they're all great and I think any compairison is simply splitting hairs. In the end I knew I could be happy with any of them and went looking for the best deal. I searched all over the internet, but soon realized that no one could touch the deal I got from Doug at Camerland. I ended up getting the Ziess Diascope 85mm with a 20-60 eyepiece. I got a demo model scope and eyepiece for about $1,000 less than normal pricing. I also got one of the Minox DCM 5 digiscope cameras which I'm having quite a bit of fun with. This is the second demo item I've purchased form Doug. Truthfully I can't tell that it's ever been taken out of the box. If it was then they did a lot better job putting it all back in it's original packaging than I ever could. I'm happy with the way things turned out and hopefully I'll be able to put everything to good use this summer and maybe even get a few cool digiscope pic's to post as well. Thanks for everyones help and input!

I was real disapointed when I found out that the trade show that my company is participating in was scheduled for the same weekend as the NRA show. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend.

Interesting how every time the American People come up with a legitimate question the Dem's blow it off as another "Right Wing" conservitive group. The Dem's are using their crafty ways to spin that term into another meaning for domestic terrorists. Just one small way to cast a negative light onto the conservitive groups.

I'll take a breeding pair of cotton moulths, 6 coral snakes, 12 mojave rattlers, a king cobra, and a black mamba please. Oh yea, I'd also like to get a couple gila monsters as well. Seriously those are cool snakes!

Very interesting perspective J! I thought about your comments all day yesterday. Seems like a lot of folks are driving down a one way street on this one. They will stand up and voice their opinion on the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman and then proceed to drive their own marriage off a cliff because they fight over leaving the cap off the tooth paste. I think our society is guilty of the "Do as I say not as I do" mentality. I think there are a lot of people that say they don't believe in drugs, but if they were offered a 10 million dollar sports contract they'd pump their bodies full of juice. I think a lot of people are against abortion, but if it were their daughter that got pregnant in High School they'd make an exception. A lot of people are against drunk driving, but they only had a few bears and their bodies don't get effected like other peoples do. Many people hate tax cheats, but fail to claim the $200 they made at the garage sale. I am 100% sure that all of us are guilty of hyprocasy in some way in our own lives. Perhaps "The sanctity of marriage" issue is one of those areas that we could all do a little better at living. Beliving in something and living by that same belief are two entirely different things. Excellent comments J, they really got me thinking.

I took these pic's through my new spotting scope tonight. The buck was about a hundred yards away and he's been hanging out in the same spot all spring. I can pretty much find him anytime I want. I've dubbed him Knot Head because of a large knot on the inside of his left horn just above the prong. I Don't think he'll make the short list for my muzzy hunt, but it's been fun watching him grow.

35 years and I still give in to peer presure Do any of you guys ever buy stuff that you don't need and probably can't afford without telling your wife? Then you bring it home and put it in your safe and just let it sit for a good while. That way when the wife finally does find your new toy you can say "Oh, yea, that old thing..... I've had that for a long time!"

Here you go! PM sent.

Can you take a picture of it sitting in the palm of your hand? I'm trying to get a better Idea how big it is. Thanks, Tim

I'm not sure why, but I'm real tempted to buy this. It just looks cool!

Got a new toy in the mail today from Doug at Cameraland. Actually a couple of toys. I'll keep you posted after I get the chance to test it all out.

Look at the Bergers, Sierra Game Kings, and Hornady Interlocks. I believe they should all fit your criteria. Shoot them all and go with the one which groups the best. Good luck,

I agree, put your 15's in your pack and put the 8 or 10's on some sort of bino buddy system when you're hiking.

So all of this begs the question. How can we orginize and who can we contact in Arizona to introduce a bill in the Arizona legislature to pass this same sort of law?

Wow, that pretty much sounds like a big F U right to the face of our new administration and gun grabbers. Now if only more states would follow. Way to go Montana!

I'm sure John is a great guy and I have nothing against him. I just have a different opinion than his thats all. You are right respect does go along way in this world and I've not said one thing to dis-respect him even though he called me several names and tried to pick a fight with me. Respect is a two way street. Please show me where I degraded him and I'll be happy to make a public apology.

That hurts Blake that really hurts. I was on 89 in the Granite Dells. I hardly ever go through there, but on the day I did there was a bunch of cops on patrol because there were complaints from the road crews that no one was slowing down in the construction zone. My bad.

So after a post like this with all the name calling and complaints are we still supposed to believe that when you got your tickets you acted like a perfect angel and the LEO was the one acting out of line? You made the comment earlier that you didn't like how the LEO treated you like a 7 year old. So far on this topic you have treated myself and others that have different opinions than yours like we are the seven year olds. No wonder you didn't get a warning! Good luck with the citations

here-here TAM. It's not like it's a new law. You can bet your bottom dollar that 10 outta 10 folks that sheriff stops know they are breaking the law, and are hoping they wont get caught... or if they do get caught - they are planning to talk their way out of it. That's gotta get old to listen to as an officer of the law. We have camped in areas that have been SO ravaged by jag-offs who think the forest is their playground, dump, litter box, dirt track... I was glad to hear steps were being taken to protect the forest... that enforcement and action has to be paid for through license fees and violations - not warnings. If I got caught - and I have tried to fly under the radar a few times b4 I got my bikes licensed and insured - I'd take what they gave me, and take it quietly... rather than point out what a weener the sheriff was. I would much more enjoy reading about how someone, for no apparent reason, was were rudely confronted while obeying all the laws and rules... because of the uncalled for treatment the person being mistreated felt obliged to tell the officer to piss-up-a-tree... and there wasnt a darn thing he could do about it. I'm sure all the guys that said this sort of reply would feel differently if they were in the situation. If I knew I was in violation, I would have never been, because I would have did this mc plate before. I understood that all we needed was an OHV sticker and we were good to go. So dont tell me this garbage about taking it. Now I'm starting to get pissed off because people want to jump on the bandwagon. To the other post, that said enforce the law. Ya thats great. But I myself thought it was a waste of time. So you are telling me as being self employed having to take a day off of work in my busy season to drive up to flagstaff and sit in a court is worth it. Come on. A warning would have resulted in the same action I have taken all week with getting these bikes ready. Most of you guys dont know me. If you did you probably wouldnt say the things you are saying. I consider myself a nice guy and try to be cordial. I am sure that if this happened to one of YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS your comments would not be the same. And if it would be then you are a jackass also. I would never say some of the remarks made that some of you have to any of you in this situation. Everyone is big behind the keyboard though. I have on my desk in front of me as I type this a traffic citation from a Prescott motorcyle officer. It's dated 4/22/09. I was going 45+ in a construction zone posted at 35 mph. This area is normally a 55 mph road, but because it was under construction and I wasn't paying attention to the newly posted signs and I was caught speeding fair and square. While I was disappointed with myself for the stupid and costly mistake I told the officer I was in the wrong and deserved the ticket. I broke the law so I will pay the consequences. The officer tried to explain that if I wanted to dispute the citation I could appear in court and fight it. I told him I had no intentions of fighting it because I was wrong and got caught. I'm also self employed and will have to spend the necessary time away from work to get it resolved. Please don't call me a hyprocrite because I'm not! I'm not a jackass either. I just believe in honoring the laws. And please don't try and suggest that this is apples to oranges because it's not. It's exactly the same. Laws are laws no matter how big or small we may think they are. If a person breaks them they deserve to pay the consequences. Period. You are right I don't know you and I'm sure you are a good person, but at the same time I don't care if you are my mother you still got caught breaking the law and now you must pay the consequences.

This is a funny topic! If we were talking about an illegal alien, drunk driver, child abuser, pedaphile, rapist, murderer, terrorist, poacher, trail cam stealing thief, or OJ Simpson everyone would be saying throw the book at 'em. So what's the difference? When a person breaks the law they should pay the price. I don't get it. It sounds like the LEO did exactly what our tax dollars are paying him to do.

That is a classic right there!!!!! I hope I never see the day when things get that bad. Sadly, we're heading in that direction.

I've seen three lions total. The first was off the Young road right at dusk. It crossed the road in front of me. I stopped the truck and rolled down my window and smacked my lips and it stopped about twenty feet away, crouched and just watched me. The second lion I saw was in a tree with Hap, Rusty, Mike, and Roxy barking beneath it. Hopefully I'll get the lifesize mount of it back some time soon. The third lion I've seen was just this past January in Mexico and yes, I actually glassed it up. Only saw it for 10 seconds or so before it strolled off. I think mountain lions are one of the coolest animals we have in North America!

Looks great!

Just a friendly reminder that Utah's deadline for hunt applications is this Thursday the 26th of February. You can apply online with a credid card, and you can buy bonus points, however you must purchase a hunting license in order to earn/buy bonus points. They also made some changes for non resident applicants this year. Now NR's can apply for ALL species the same year. In the past you had to choose between Elk, Deer, and Pronghorn for limited entry hunts and Moose, Bison, Bighorn, and Mt. Goat for the once in a lifetime hunts. NR's will still be limited to drawing only one Limited Entry hunt and one Once in a Lifetime hunt per year. Good luck and don't forget New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada are coming up as well.