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Primers & Powder SPF, Thanks. Kent

CouesFanatic, I knew the 243 would be the first to generate interest. I've had this gun since new, it was the hardest one to put up for sale. I told myself I could only keep 3 rifles(how many does a, primarily bow hunter, need) I kept my original 3006, 338 and my wifes 7mm08, so there it is. It is the best shooting rifle I have ever shot. I was at Usery one time and shooting it in between my other guns. After I picked up my targets one of the old dogs came down and asked if it was a 22-250, I said no a 243. He said , I used to have the 788 in 22-250 and it was a shooter, which target is from that one? I showed him a one inch black square that was shot out with only one hole barely touching the edge. He asked, how many shots? I told him 10, he just smiled and said, yep they sure are shooters. My son-in-law's best friend shot his first ever coues with it last nov, he had never hunted in his life. My daughter would out shoot the guys off the tailgate during our practice sessions and wink at me when they oohed and ahhed over her groups. Anyway, a great starter gun and fun for beginners to learn on or hunt with. I do have some ammo for it. Kent

Nice, 109" Kent

I really like what you're doing, looking forward to more in the future. Kent

Thanks, I always pop a link up to your E store when someone asks about tripods and heads, I'll add one for the cams. Don't know if it has helped. I may go to the show on sat, if I do I'd like to stop by and say Hey. Kent

Amanda, WOW! I love the music. Do you mind if I link your video to a small backcountryhunting site? Kent

Just picked up my cat from Clay, he did a super job, my photos don't do it justice. One of the nicest guys there is and I always enjoy talking hunting with him. When I went in today he had some completed African mounts. The two, full body mount, African lions were just fantastic, made my hair tingle standing next to them. Thanks again Clay. Kent

Amanda, I just loved the tube tent pic, reminded me of alot of trips with my dad and brother when I was young. I'm laughing because I can relate and misery loves company. Absolutely good memories and stories all. Our hunting/fishing camp consisted of a big canvas tarp, thrown on the ground, folded over and three sleeping bags tacoed inside. We would hunt deer around Eagle Creek or Alma Mesa. Fish Black river, West Clear creek, Dolores river in Colo during Easter vacation. I remember a few times waking up in the morning covered in snow, we weren't always comfortable but didn't care, there was nothing else we would rather be doing. I still enjoy the smell of a good canvas tarp. Kent

Brent, that's getting er done. There's alot to what you are saying and it's exactly how most of us started out. For those that want to try backpack hunting but aren't able to go out and buy top dollar equip all at once, which is most of us, my addvice is this. Don't sit and wait, load up whatever you have in whatever pack you have and get out there. Start with overnight scouting trips, hike in in the afternoon, glass a few hours in the evening, glass a few hours in the morning and head back out. Check for water sources, animals, mark areas on your GPS and map, just enjoy some quite time. A regular sleeping bag you already have will be heavier and bulky, but it will work if it is warm enough for the time of year. A 10.00 walmart closed cell foam pad will work, again very bulky. A 10.00 8X10 poly tarp will work to keep the wind,rain,sun off you. A small pot from home your wife won't kill you if you use, just put it over some coals or buy a pocket rocket stove and canister of fuel. Nylon twine, knife, a few medical supplies, tp, GPS/map, camera, a gallon of water, optics, food, fire starter, headlight. Use short trips to figure out what things you may want to change. You may have to tie your bulky items on the outside of your pack and look like a walking,"The Grapes of wrath" movie, but who cares. I've done all of this before, sometimes with just a sleeping bag if the weather was nice. My family has really taken up just backpacking in general so I've upgraded equipment for their comfort and it's been worth it. If it was just me on a few trips a year I would probably still be doing it the old way. For those wanting to spend the money, Amanda's setup is perfect, her husband's, wrap me up like a dead fish tube tent, not so much. Maybe a "pass the hat around" is in order. Kent

For those just starting out, buying the best means dropping thousands, usually what most guys can't do. There's some things you need to buy at least good quality, others not so much. The things that will make or break a trip are: Good backpacking boots, not hiking boots, you need the arch support for heavy loads. Sierra Trading Post has great deals, sign up for their web deals and they will send you alot of 20% off ecoupons every week or so. I have some Lowas but they have other good brands also. About 80.00 to 100.00 for a good boot. Good pack, needs to have a comfortable suspension that fits you well. Don't try and go light weight here. Carrying in a 40 lb camp with a pack rated for 40 is fine, trying to bring out 70 or 80 when you kill something is torture. I have the Eberlestock J104 and like it for rifle hunting, I'm lucky that my back isn't too picky with fit, some guys don't like this pack with more than 40 lbs, the new blue widow has good reviews. The last two years I've been using the Mystery Ranch Nice frame and using dry sacks and a homemade harness for my gear and meat, it can really haul the weight comfortably. Kifaru, Barneys, make good packs also. Think positive that you're going to kill something and you will need a pack that can get you out comforably. Sleep system, good bag and pad. Even though I have more expensive bags, I keep using my Big Agnes bags and pad, roomy and comfortable. I'm a slim guy but can't stand a tight bag or slipping off the pad. Most bags ratings are for survival not comfort so you need to buy 10 to 15 deg lower than expected temps. I use a horsethief 35 (really a 45 deg bag) under 3 lbs total bag and pad, on my summer scouting and fall hunting trips. For colder temps to 30 deg I use a lost ranger 15, just over 4 lbs total and if it is going to be colder than that I take my 1 lb Western Mountaineering as an inner bag, I've been toasty in single digits. Shoulder girth is important, some of the expensive, super light bags are that way because they are small, If you are an average sized guy, 62" would be the min if you don't flop much. BA has 70"s and the Montbell SS bags expand to about that much. If money's no object, Western Mountaineering and the new Kifaru slick bag would be great. Shelter, can do most anything but need to keep it light weight if possible. Just a tarp, a ponch tarp like the sixmoons gatewood cape (really nice setup), floored tent or floorless tipi. The Big Agnes seedhouse SL series are great floored backpacking tents, I use mine when the wife comes along. Mostly I use a Golite hex 3 tipi, just over 2 lbs and roomy, Golite renamed it to the Shangri-La 3. If any of these four main equipment purchases does not keep you comfortable you will be miserable and quit mentally or feel it's not worth it. You don't have to buy the best but do need to at least buy middle of the road. No Walmart, No Cabelas brands, REI is ok but overpriced unless they have a sale. Alot of internet backpack equipment sites have clearances this time of year, good time to buy. Some good midpriced equipment companies are, Eberlestock, Big Agnes, Montbell, Sierra Designs, Northface, Golite, Gregory packs, Osprey packs, Lowa boots, Asolo boots, there's more. I have been making/evolving my equipment to be modular, I can add or subtract depending on the season, animal and weapon. It's still a work in progress but I'm getting there. Narrow down some of these specifics and it will be easier to find the right stuff and the best prices for you. For the other things I use a MSR pump, Jetboil for boiling water and coffee, poncho tarp, para cord, homemade medical kit, cheap walmart trekking pole, gps, camera, tp, other odds and ends. These don't need to be the expensive stuff right away, you can replce them a few at a time later if you want. Spending 50 bucks extra to save 3 ozs sometimes doesn't make sense. Here's my camp on my coues hunt in the Superstition Wilderness last oct. 55 lbs with gun, optics and 1 1/2 gallons of water, just in case something happened to my water source, it ended up being fine. 29 lbs without those items. Everything packed This really is a subject that takes time figuring out what will work best for you and your budget, there's no one size fits all. Keep asking questions one item at a time and the guys here will help. Kent Amanda, I'm trying photobucket now, If it still doesn't work I'll email them so you can help me out, thanks.

You will lose your loyalty BP if you miss a year applying or your app is rejected. Applying for a BP is considered 'applying' and continues your loyalty pt. Kent

Applying for a bonus pt keeps your loyalty pt intact. Hopefully things will look up for you. Kent

I wasn't trying to hijack the thread but will add a few pics. I cropped a couple and added one with Luis and Matt. It was an odd deer, I named him the World record spike/forky, 13" spike and he was still in velvet in nov. Might be some good genetics around there. He diffinately was only a year and a half old. Kent

Beautiful family pics, nice job with the fish. Kent

coueselk, that's fantastic. Family pictures are my favorite and you are a lucky man. Kent

archareno, 24B can be a difficult unit but it does have quite a few bucks, once you find an area that holds bucks it usually produces year after year, finding the big ones isn't always easy. If you can get back into the wilderness during the rifle hunts it will up your odds. I had the same oct hunt and backpacked into the wilderness. I was physically and mentally tired from constantly working or hunting since aug 1st, even up to the wed before on my dad and brother's cow elk hunt, wasn't really on my game. I did see some bucks, nothing big, decided sun morning would be it and I would shoot any 3 pt for jerky meat. Glassed this deer bedded with a 2 pt under a bush in high grass. I thought I could see the outline of his head and antlers in the yellow grass but wasn't sure, he never twitched the 10 mins I stared at him. I was about to give him up as another deer shaped rock when the sun topped over and then there was no doubt, they can be hard to see even when you are looking hard. A friend of my son-in-law took this buck two weeks later in the 24B nov hunt, his first hunt of any kind. My son-in-law had chances but couldn't connect. I really enjoyed seeing the excitement of a new hunter on that trip. My brother had been out of hunting for awhile until his cow elk tag and had so much fun he decided to try for an archery buck in dec. We set his bow up on Christmas day and went out in 24B a few days before the end of the year. We stayed down low looking for muleys and found some, the suprising thing was there were a ton of coues bucks. We were able to get him a shot opportunity on a great coues but he missed over. My best advice is to keep scouting and use your binos, it's the best way to eliminate or add country before the hunt. If you draw for this unit again and still need help I will steer you in the right direction. Kent

Minox, Doug at Cameraland has them for $549. Kent

Tyler, just fantastic, congrats to all of you. Not meaning to side track your post but I used to do alot of work in Payson in the 90's. Your Grandfather, Kenny did our backhoe work and Eddie was on the job often delivering concrete. Met your dad a few times and he gave me a elk tip that worked out when I was taking a newbie out in an area I didn't know well. Good folks and good memories all. When Kenny or Eddie were on the job we had a hard time getting any work done, talked hunting all the time. Called Kenny once and he answered the phone whispering. I teased, "What the heck you doing sleeping this time of day". He says," I'm sitting on a mountain looking for whitetail". I got on to him for answering the phone and he said," I seen it was you and I'm not seeing anything anyway". Best wishes to you and your entire family. Kent

Great story and terrific job, congrats. Kent

Very nice, congrats. I understand the satisfaction after all the hard work on that hunt, totally different feeling than on a rut hunt. I've had that same hunt before. Waiting for my last rut hunt in my life then going back to that one. We hunt the same areas. That hunt and bull will always be special to you and bring a smile to your face anytime someone mentions 23 late archery. Again, very, very nice, thanks for putting a smile on my face. Kent

TJ, keep up the good work. When I was young I didn't really understand why some of the older guys were willing to spend their hunting time helping me rather than just concentrating on their own hunt. I do now. I would rather help someone achieve their goal rather than just kill another animal myself, If it wasn't for those guys I wouldn't have had the great hunting life I've had, the old traditions must continue. If there are those that think I'm giving up other's honey holes. Well there would accually have to be others hunting these areas. The only person I've ever seen is a ranch hand on a horse checking cattle and the only footprints are my own from previous scouting/backpacking trips. Times may be changing in our hunting culture, I guess some of us are stuck in the past, so be it. Good luck to you also, see ya out there. Kent

Somehow I missed this thread earlier. Anyway, if you don't mind hiking or backpacking into areas and would like to hunt undisturbed deer, I have a few places like that in 22 (Mazatzals) and 24B (Superstition Wilderness). I will be going out in Jan and if you want to glass/discuss coues you're welcome to come along. I've come to that time in my life to start 'passing on' hunting areas that I've kept to myself to the younger generation. Paying back those that helped me and did the same for me years ago. PM if you're interested. Here's one of my favorite areas in 22. Kent

If he spent millions then he hunted more than anybody I know in this state, that would represent a few Gov tags and a ton of regular hunts. There's always another millionaire waiting in the wings if you falter. John McClendon has a good reputation, I've never met him but we have mutual friends and I believe them when they speak highly of him as a person. Shawn Wagner is also a good person, lives in the area, friendly in the field, and has no problem coming to your camp at night to check your bear and shoot the breeze if you know someone with his cell #. What lie could Shawn have told them? Those aren't houses right there, go ahead and keep chasing and shooting that bull till you kill him. I hope that wasn't their court defense, putting the blame on someone else when you were doing something stupid in the first place is just adding more stupid. G&F isn't going to look kindly on it either. I just don't understand the shooting in a subdivision decision, even if they stayed 441yds away. Waking people up with gunshots and chasing an elk around their back yards. Bad PR for all hunters. They should have just admitted it was stupid, got out of hand and not fought it in court so they could get the bull back. Probably would have only had to pay a fine and lost the animal. There are times I go into town while hunting to eat for a break from my cooking. People see the camos and ask. "What are you hunting"? "Elk" (ect) I say. "We have a bunch in our neighborhood, they eat the plants and trample everything, come over and kill some". they say. My answer is always, "I don't think someone wants me gutting an elk in their back yard under the swingset". it's a joke but also true. I don't think those people in Lakeside understood the joke they witnessed. Kent

Great story, made me wish I was there, very nice deer. hopefully your wife can get back and enjoy her own hunt. Kent

I skin hanging from the neck. Kent