huntingfool

No...I better hold on to the chapstick. I will share a little bit of it. But I MIGHT throw in a package of fresh elk bratwurst, ground with bacon and pepper jack cheese. If that's not incentive, I don't know what is.

I have a Ruger SP101 for sale. Great pistol in great shape, I just prefer the 2.25" model and since I just bought one, I probably don't need two of these. The badger boot grips conceal very well, better than the rubber Hogue grips. Plus they look and feel great. Great CCW rig, and all around pistol. I carry it on my elk hunts and it has finished off 2 elk. I live in Flagstaff but will be in the north valley Jan 7-8 Upgrades: *Front night sight by Meprolight Link: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/112094/meprolight-tru-dot-front-sight-ruger-sp101-steel-blue-tritium-green *Badger boot grips Link:http://www.badgercustomgrips.com/ruger_pistol_grips.php *Wolf 10lb hammer spring for better DA trigger pull **Comes with box/paperwork and factory grips if desired. $540 with upgrades OR $480 with factory grips, factory spring and night sight. I can do a bill of sale if desired. Lemme know if you have any questions.

Congrats man, wish I could have been there. You should have drawn that tag last year

Awesome, congrats guys!

Cats!

That's hot.

Congrats guys!

Didn't know exactly where to post this so I posted it here. I lived in the Tucson desert for the last 4 years for more education, but I was lucky enough to be able to move back to northern Arizona. One thing I missed a lot over those 4 years was squirrel season. I hadn't been squirrel hunting in 3 years I think so when the season opened up the 30th I had requested time off and was going camping/hunting. My wife and kids were supposed to come, and invited a bunch of people but everybody bailed on me except a guy I met down in Tucson who I've introduced to hunting. So Friday afternoon I was packed and set up camp (in the rain) and waited for my buddy Mike to join me. We were both excited because since it was just us, we could concentrate more on hunting than family camping, especially because the elk are rutting hard right now and it's a great time to be out and about. When Mike got to camp Friday night we had 3 different bulls near camp bugling at each other and they continued through the night. Can't beat sleeping in a tent listening to the rain drizzle on the tent, bull elk screaming and coyotes yapping! Here's a picture of camp: We woke up before dawn Saturday morning to hunt coyotes and chase bulls. We headed out and saw a few cow elk feeding in a clearing without a bull, which is strange this time of year. We decided to try and call some coyotes while the morning was still fresh, so we parked and hiked thru some cattle in the thick cedars until we came to a place to call. There were two clearings separated mostly by a big cedar tree, so he sat the bigger one with my new 22 hornet and I sat the smaller one with my 45-70. About 8 minutes into the stand I was switching to a different hand call and look over towards the middle of us and there's a coyotes standing there looking for the meal. I raised up and plugged her. I know there is much debate on caliber choice around here, but let me assure you that a 45-70 at 50 yards on 30lb coyote is...adequate:evil: I'd been wanting to draw blood with the 45-70 but I wanted my buddy to shot a coyote mostly. I've shot plenty, he's shot only 2. We took pics on his camera so I'll post them when I get them. Crappy cell phone pic: On the next stand we were busted coming in. I could here a coyote doing his warning bark when I sat down but we called anyway. Of course nothing cam in, I shouldn't have even called, but there were 3 different elk bugling around us so we picked the one that was upwind and decided to go find him. It was thick junipers and he busted us before we saw him. Must have been a satellite bull or had cows but either way we didn't see him. It was getting hot and the elk were starting to shut up so we decided to head back to squirrel country and round up some lunch. Didn't take too awful long before Mike got to tree his first squirrel. Of course it fount the tallest tree in the forest to hide in (seriously), but 14 shots later he hit the ground. A mile down the road we found another. He climbed up into a much better tree but still Mike couldn't hit him. So I tried a few shots and I missed to. Finally, after a trip back to the truck for more shells, Mike had him on the ground. We decided to head back to camp and make lunch and see if the rifle was still on. It wasn't. It is shooting minute of squirrel head once again though. Here's our catch: Butchered: . Battered: Ready to eat (with elk sausages): After lunch we headed back out to elk country. We popped over a hill in the truck and there was a herd of ~35 cows and this nice bull: With his harem: This is him at like 80 yards, we snuck up on him later. He had a nasty bugle, there were elk everywhere and we snuck between him and another bull so he was screaming right at us at ~100 yards. There's just nothing in this world like screaming bull elk. He's not a monster, proly 330-350" but I'd have shot him:) We counted 65 elk that evening (but saw more), 9 bulls, the smallest was a 5 point, the biggest was the one in the pictures. We did a coyote stand before dusk and again I had one roll up at like 40 yards. centered the 45-70 and...CLICK! ***? Eject a shell and holler at it and try again...click. Friggin crossbolt safety (which I generally ignore because it's worthless) had been switched ON somehow. I was always of the "just ignore them " crowd but now I see the annoyance. Anyway heck of a good day, I know this is a long story for not that much happening but I keep these as kind of a diary. FYI: the pics are way better full size. The website shrinks them, hindering detail. I don't know how to make them bigger, but if somebody wants to show me, be my guest.

Right on man. Good job. Wish I would have more time to plan, I could have gone too.

I read some posts and got the jist of it. I admit I didn't read all of it. The thoughts that come to mind are these: The first guy should have made a better shot. If you see someone wound an animal and he is tracking it and trying to find it, why would you try and beat him to it? Go find your own goddam animal to shoot. I don't understand why folks have to shoot the biggest animal in the forest, and will stop at nothing to get it. Fighting over an animal would take ALL the fun out of hunting for me. Every bit of it. I know I'm just a lowly cow elk hunter who's an idiot because I care mostly about the experience and the meat, but holy crap.

If this was 2 months from now I could swing it. Schedules already out thru Oct 1 though and I'm workin. My ten year reunion is this month too, but man wish I could do it.

Oh, and I've only shot one coyote with a 85gr TSX from a 243. Let's just say it was NOT .243" out. Closer to 5". From what I've read, the no expansion theory doesn't pan out on fur. It still makes a big hole. But try it out, report back.

For quilting, I'm not sure how fur friendly you need to be. Blow 'em in half, as lark says, and quilt the halves

#100 Federal sold to Sterling, Win brass is all that's left.

I bought too much brass, gotta cut down a little. All brass is once fired, de-capped, tumbled, and primer pockets cleaned. It's good stuff. Federal: 50 pieces $28 shipped 100 pieces $50 shipped Win Nickel (Not Pictured): 50 pieces $28 shipped 100 Pieces $50 shipped Price Comparison: Win Brass @ Midway Federal Brass @ Midway

Saw a herd of about 10 bulls yesterday evening in unit 7 off of Hwy 180 near the snowbowl turnoff. I'd say at least half were rubbed, one was rubbing. The biggest was a small six, most were 3 and 4 pointers.

Ha ha smoothies...very nice. Speaking of smoothies, I think Casey drew a tag this year...

I consider 4x4 and smaller raghorns, and also bulls with more points but still scrawny. Like my dad shot a 5x7 bull in unit 9 awhile back but it isn't big. I would call it a raghorn for how many points it has. A small 5x5 or 6x6 bull that's scrawny or spindly I'd call a raghorn. On the other hand a 5x5 with good mass and tine length I would not call a raghorn. Basically I consider the term "raghorn" to mean spindly antlers and has little to do with the number of points. I agree that raghorns are delicious. My only bull was a 4x4...can't beat elk burgers!

Sweet! I want one really bad. Heading out thursday and next monday, hopefully I'll get to post bear pics too.

Went out this morning, one made one stand but scouted a few spots to go the 15th if the objective hasn't been met by then in 6B. Found a few bear tracks, and saw a herd of elk with a small bull. It's fun to get out if nothing else. I was living in Tucson when the tornadoes hit around Flagstaff a few years ago. Found a few spots where they touched down today, that's some strong wind to snap mature pine trunks in half!

Ok will do. It actually looks like it will be awhile before I'm down there. I purchased it used but it's been taken care of (except for those darn initials). Just updated pics, it's in great shape. I've put a few shells thru it and it runs smooth.

I have an 870 Express in pretty good shape, 28" barrel, modified choke. Takes 2 3/4" or 3" shells. Has the initials T.S. carved on the left side of the receiver, not big. I was going to make it a dedicated predator rig but decided I don't need to. I have another one just like it, good rig for birds and predators alike. $260 I'm down in flagstaff, but I make it to phoenix about once a month. Here's some pics, it's very clean except for the initials. A little wear on the for-end but no major scratches.

My brother-in-law lives in north phoenix and we go see him about every month but were just there last weekend, not sure when exactly I'll be back.

Not long.

Great posts, glad to see not everybody is in it for the numbers. I'm certainly not, it's the experience and the meat that keep me hunting every year. I don't understand the "trophy only" mentality. Sure I'd love to shoot a big one but it's not the only reason I go. However, it's a free country and people can hunt for whatever reasons they want. The "it's not fair" mentality really bugs me though. In America you really can change your monetary situation, you just have to make it happen. There are a lot of places in the world where this is not an option. The things that aren't "fair" are the things we can't control, like rare neoroleptic disorders for instance. We can't control those and we just have to deal with them. What we can control is how much money we make. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!