creed_az_88

I've actually already posted the story and pictures of my buck in the bow hunting section and I believe all three of you guys replied to it. Thanks by the way. I've seen plenty of weird caterplillars but this one really caught my eye. It looked like it had a bunch of miniature trees growing on his back. My cell camera really didn't pick up the definition on each spine.

Most any taxidermist will ship them off for you to get them done for a price. The only place in az that I have found that actually does it is mogollon taxidermy in payson. Freeze drying is definitely the way to go fuzz horns.

Thanks for all the responses guys. Can't wait for January! During the pack out we stopped for a break and I noticed this crazy caterpillar. Maybe somebody can identify it for me.

Standing over a coues buck that you put an arrow through is an indescribable feeling of satisfaction. All of the blown stalks, close calls, cuts, bruises, lack of sleep, and time away from home is almost too much to handle. But it’s all of these things together that keeps us as coues hunters going. We all desire one thing while hunting, and that’s success. Success is measured in many different ways, and in more ways than not is measured by things other than wrapping your tag around an antler. But there is one thing that is for sure. Wrapping your ARCHERY tag around an antler, or back leg in this case, is a feeling that’s hard to beat. I was only able to get out for one morning during opening weekend, and it just about drove me nuts! I was finally able to get out for my first full day on Wednesday and I chose to hunt an area that I knew held fairly low numbers of deer but held big mature deer. I was not surprised when I came up with nothing at my first glassing location at sunup. My second glassing session turned up only two spikes. It was 9:30 when I set up to glass for a third time, facing a north facing ridge. A few minutes later I spotted him. He was bedded near the top of the ridgeline, surrounded by sentry plants with the wind at his back. He laid motionless, as big deer do, occasionally chewing his cud and staring at nothing, leaving his nose and ears to do the searching for danger. I’ve been in this situation before, many times, watching from a distance, thinking you have a chance at getting within range. Very seldom does the wind, the deer, and the other million variables involved with archery hunting work out for you. For some reason today though, my confidence was rather high. It was as if I almost knew it was gonna work. buck from where i glassed him at 600 ydsbuck from where i repositioned to glass from I watched for half an hour to make sure he was alone, and to make sure he wasn’t going to get up and feed. I repositioned myself further down the ridge to view from another angle and choose some landmarks. The whole half hour I watched him, the wind stayed steady, which is rare in coues country. It was blowing at his back, and slightly from his left. In order to come at the buck from downwind, I would have to come from downhill, which is very rarely in my game plan. So I decided that I would side-hill the ridge coming at him from his right and slightly above him. I made it to my first landmark in short time, and dropped my pack. I slipped on my knee pads and continued forward, to my next landmark, which I had estimated to be only 50 yards from the buck. It was actually about 70 yards from the buck, and at this time I went into stealth mode. I crawled my way up to where I could finally see the bucks rack through the grass at about 50 yards. I paused for awhile, checking the wind and waiting to see if he would stand and present a shot. I decided to crawl to my right ten yards, which would put a small juniper tree between me and the deer. The deer was still at 50 yards and the wind was staying true, so I creeped closer, checked the wind and ranged the sentry plant next to the buck. 43 yards. Most of my encounters with coues bucks go wrong right about here. Usually the wind swirls and all hopes of a shot are typically gone. Not today. The wind stayed on my right cheek the entire time. I could now see the bucks head and horns relatively well, so I paused for a few minutes, waiting for a shot opportunity. The small juniper’s short plump contour concealed my every move and allowed me to crawl even further. Im now 31 yards and the buck has no clue! My adrenaline took over. I felt it overwhelm my body and I knew I better make something happen before I lose my composure. I draw, stand, and settle my top pin on the dark figure in the grass. I release, fully expecting a buck to jump and run off with blood pooring from his side. Nope. That buck never left that bed again on his own will. The arrow anchored him to his final bed. After a few minutes of doing my infamous fist pumps and jumping around the mountain hollering like a school girl, I stood over my buck, and took in that indescribable feeling of satisfaction. A huge thanks to my good friend Trent for driving all the way out and hiking the few miles in to me to help me pack out my deer. Thanks for reading. -Creed

Stacy Tompkinson In St David does good cat work. And his prices are tough to beat.

I'm looking for a used pair of meopta, swarovski, leica, or Zeiss in 10x42 12x50 or 15x56. I may consider other glass like maybe docter or minox. I won't spend anymore than $1000. I would be willing to trade a 20-60x80 at80 swarovski spotting scope if its not sold soon. Thanks. Creed

Phil, glad to gear she's gonna focus on coues Cuz you might have had your work cut out for you trying to find a better buck than that smoker muley she shot. That youth hunt is a fun one can't wait to hear how it goes.

Sweet pics phil. think your daughter will hunt whitetail or mule deer? I had the same hunt as you I believe. At least the same hunt dates. That changed today as my rifle tag is no longer valid since I filled my archery tag today! Pics and story will come this weekend. Anyhow good luck on the hunt and hope those bucks and bears stick around. Creed

The meoptas are so heavy that I wouldn't carry them around my neck. The vortex are light enough that I would. I archery hunt so binos around my neck is a necessity. So with the meoptas they will be in my backpack with my 10x42s around my neck instead of only one pair altogether.

Has anybody had a chance to do a side by side comparison of the two in12x50. I've looked through the meopta and they are absolutely awesome for their price. I'd like to know how the razors stack up against the meopta. I know that they're lighter and they carry the vortex warranty but how do they compare optically?

Well said Becker.

Gnarly buck. Perfect shot. Congrats.

Thanks guys. I've researched the meoptas a lot and have become very fond of them . They seem to be the best Bino in their class. The vortex are so much lighter that I was hoping that maybe they could compete. I haven't been real impressed by all the other vortex binos I've looked through but I thought the razor HD'S might be different.

What a sweet bear! Congrats to your son. Spot and stalk with archery tackle is impressive!

I'm actually pretty happy with where it's at. I got within shooting range of four bucks today and waited for ten minutes for one to present a shot. The only buck that presented me a shot was the only one of the bunch that wasn't fully developed. I passed on the shot because it wasn't fully developed and it doesn't bother me one bit! Not all the bucks are fully developed right now and that's just part of the game. The great thing about the game is that everybody gets to play it how they want. Shoot what bucks you want don't shoot what bucks you don't want. Pretty simple. Lots of bucks are broken during late January. Does this mean we should end the January hunt early and start it earlier in December. I don't think so. I personally feel that we are very fortunate in az to have the archery seasons that we have, and to ask game and fish to make changes to them could hurt us all in the long run. Just my opinion. -Creed

Decomposable wipes! Or for some toilet paper.

I know that there has been similar questions to this in the past but...is there a panning head out there that compares and doesn't cost $300+? Do I have to buy the best to have a smooth and reliable panning head?

Thanks guys. I will look into all if them.

Still available. Make an offer.

Reloader has never been used. Resizer is in mint condition. I would like to trade for rifle reloading supplies of equal value. I'm interested in imr 4350 powder and similar powders. I also need 150 grain .308 hunting bullets, .204 casings and bullets, .257 Roberts casings and .25 caliber bullets, rifle primers preferably federal 210, case tumbler.These items together would sell for $300 dollars or better as is. I would be happy to get $225 worth of reloading items that I need. I will consider all offers. Thanks for looking. Creed

Thanks flatlander!

I'm asking $750 obo. This is a great scope that will still compete with the best. It does have a small tear in the eye cup and a small scratch on the rear lens but neither can be noticed when looking through the scope. These spotting scopes sell for over $1000 on eBay. Swarovski products last forever. I will trade for the right set of binoculars or cash/tripod/panhead combo. Thanks for looking. Creed

Sold

Every area the game and fish website recommends holds deer. Hunt all the canyons neighboring the areas that the game and fish site suggests. Deer are all over the unit from the base of the mountain to the top.

Correction. The spotting scope is a st80 not an at80. Older scope but still works great.