creed_az_88

What section did they float? Both the gila and the San Francisco could really use some help. The resources might not be there, but it would be nice to see both arizona and new mexico game and fish work together and stock both rivers in both states with the same fish that have been in those rivers for years. Wishful thinking most likely but hopefully well see a comeback.

Last May a few friends and I loaded up the inflatable pontoons and headed for new mexico. We did a couple day float on the lower box in new mexico from red rock to above virden. We floated through some awesome country filled with animals but the fishing was very poor. We caught less than 10 channel cats the entire trip and one very small flathead. We didn't lay eyes on one carp the entire float which is unusual in unpressured water. We had a good time but the fishing was a real disappointment. Did I miss something? Was there a big die off? Were there fires in new mexico the past few years that killed a lot of fish in the new Mexico side of the gila? Or are there just not much fish in that portion of the river? I have a hard time believing that that portion of the river doesn't maintain a healthy fishery during normal circumstances. Maybe we just didn't have what it took to catch fish. Can somebody please help me out on this one. I'm to this day still shocked we didn't catch more fish. Is the upper portions of the river in better condition fish wise? -creed

So after a little digging around I read that a 300,000 acre fire in the gila wilderness in 2012 had a lot of ash runoff in the upper tributaries of the gila. This is no doubt what has caused the poor fishing we encountered. I now feel fortunate to have caught the fish that we did catch. There are enough fish left in the river that it will rebound but it may take awhile. Hopefully within a few years this stretch of river will be healthy enough to fish again. Seems that the entire gila from start to San Carlos lake got affected by ash runoff and will likely need a few years of recovery.

Definitely not a true disappointment. Never a disappointment when you're in new country with good people but it just was not what I was expecting. Maybe I've just been spoiled with really good fishing on remote sections of river in az, especially pre-wallow fire. If I don't get any answers here I might just try to contact nmgfd and see if they may know. They'll probably just tell me I suck at fishing haha. Not catching fish wasn't so bad, but floating for a few days straight and not seeing any fish swimming in the river was strange. The gila box in az is usually full of visible fish, at least carp. Or at least it used to be before the fire. There were no shad, no minnows, no visible fish of any sort except for the few cats that we caught. We just assumed at the time that the few catfish that we managed to catch were hardy enough to survive whatever else may have killed the rest of the fish. The removal of non native fish by game and fish is a possibility. I can see how that stretch of river would be ideal habitat for native fish.

Do you mean above Roosevelt?

Nice dog. Built identical to mine just colored a little different.

I know a little bit. I'll send you a pm.

My vote goes to bowtech. Its what I shoot. Plus, Jim Burnsworth does some pretty impressive stuff with his bowtech. Hard to argue with his results.

I can't give any information about the ulmer head but it does appear to be an improved version of the rocky mountain gator, now known as the redhead gator from bass pro. The gator is an awesome head. I've personally killed two deer with them in the past and blood trails were never an issue. Neither was penetration. The one thing I always wished the gators would do is lock open. The ulmers lock open. I cant comment about the ulmers blade sharpness or durability but seeing as how they're only 1.5 inch rather than 2 inch like the gators, I'm guessing that the blades are a little tougher on the ulmer. The gator blades would bend if they hit bone. Its a proven design that's been around for years and the ulmer appears to be a new and improved version of the old original rocky mountain version. Even if the ulmer is half as good (I think its better) as the old gators then it will be a great head that flat kills stuff. -creed

The new wasp drone has caught my attention just because I think wasp makes a great product and they come with free replacement blades. All the slick trick heads are always something I consider. I really wanna try the viper tricks. The new muzzy trocars are impressive looking too. So many options! I'd love to try the gravediggers. They look like they would do some damage but I just can't spend $40 for three when slick tricks are still under $30 for three. I'll probably be shooting the wasp drones just because I've never killed anything with a wasp head.

Meindl

Where are you located?

I don't think he'll be any bigger next year.

I see those same toms quite a bit bitter24. I've got a trail cam pic of about 20 large toms not far from that same spot.

I'm with mbiewer.

TAM, how long have you had those Brownings? I'm really interested in them but while researching them I came across multiple forum threads on different sites that suggested that their durability was an issue. I also read that although their durability was an issue their customer service was great so that's a plus. I may pull the trigger on one if all 11 of yours are solid cameras and have lasted awhile.

Thanks for all the info guys. I hear so many mixed reviews about this unit but for the most part it sounds like its tough. Fortunately, tough is way better than impossible. So I plan to get after it and make the most of it, unless of course we drew something different(unlikely). Congrats to those of you that have been succesful in the past.

Simmons whitetail would be my suggestion. Its not packed full of features but it has everything I need. Takes awesome pictures for what it is. Its small as can be and very light. I just picked mine up from leaving it out for three months. Batteries were still good. I have one in my backpack at all times and I never know its there until I come across a good spot to leave it like some hidden water or a fresh lion kill. this is a picture taken with my phone of a picture on my computer screen. I'm too lazy to post the real picture but you get the idea. The picture quality is way better than this. Works for me and handles getting beaten up in my pack all the time. I'm pretty sure Bushnell makes Simmons stuff now and Bushnell makes a good camera. Creed

Sounds like there's a chance! That's all I need to light my fire. It would be awesome for my mom to shoot a bull on a limited opp hunt. If I can find some shooter bulls before the hunt starts I'll probably try to get it done with the bow and let her fling the bullets. Thats a generous offer DCM. If we did indeed draw that unit and not our first choice, I will keep you in mind. I'm looking forward to the challenge. -creed

I've seen some piss poor blooodtrails from montecs. One from user error and one from a lung shot although the bad shot still should have bled, which it pretty much didn't. Both on deer not elk. They'll kill an elk just fine if put through the lungs, but there's better options out there in my opinion.

From my experience, which is limited, most bears don't come out until after the OTC hunt ends, no matter how hot it is. Fortunately the ones that do come out during the hunt are typically boars, so if you do run into a bear there's a good chance that it'll be a boar. Either way you are better off hunting the end of the season rather than the beginning or middle.

Goodyear duratracs. Look awesome and ride awesomer. Way better tire than the yokohomas that are on my ford.

Buy two coverts or bushnells at $120 instead of one at 200$ or look for a Simmons whitetail on sale and buy three of them . The three I mentioned are all very reliable and take good pictures. Even the Simmons. I know I've used them all and the coverts are probably my favorite, although dollar for dollar the Simmons may be better if you can get them on sale. With the chance of theft or damage from a bear or elk, there's no need to buy a $200 camera unless you just don't trust the cheapies.

I know of late rifle tags that were hit. I got hit yesterday as did a friend of mine and we both put in for limited opportunity hunts as second choices so were assuming we got the limited opourtunity hunts and that's why we both got hit later than most people who drew standard tags.

I have shot both extensively and I feel much more accurate with a drop away. Most high quality drop aways contain the arrow just fine and in my opinion some of them contain arrows much better than whisker biscuits. The qad ultra rest for example, locks into place, fully containing the arrow and if for some reason you decide you aren't going to shoot you just flick the lever and your arrow is no longer contained. Extremely user friendly and very very reliable. And more forgiving than the whisker biscuit. And it doesn't have soft bristles that fatigue over time. I can understand the idea of not wanting to add moving or mechanical parts to your bow but if you don't want moving parts involved with your archery equipment then you should trade in your compound for a recurve. I've had more compound bow failures than I have drop away arrow rest failures and yet I still shoot a compound bow because its more efficient than a recurve, that doesn't have mechanical components. Just like I drive a car to work rather than walk because although my car is less reliable than my feet, it is more efficient. So to answer some of your questions, I think the switch from a whisker biscuit to a fall away would be beneficial. I don't have experience with all of the rests you mentioned but the qad rest, from my experience, is a winner.