Viper

A friend has a turkey hunt this weekend in unit 1. He is pretty familiar with the area, just hasn't been up there in quite a while. He's wondering how the turkey numbers are in the burn areas. Not asking for your favorite hot spots, maybe just a couple general areas to get started. I had great success along the Black, on the unit 27 side, the spring before the fire. According to the fire map and google earth, that area looks pretty burned.

Wow!! Sorry for the loss. If it were me, the radios would be pretty low on my list. I am a fan of Midland. Always performed well for me.

Thats great! We need all we can get. Maybe fire restrictions will be lifted for my hunt next weekend.

WOW!! Very nice!

Viper, on 09 Jan 2014 - 10:57, said: This is a great voluntary service you are providing to fellow CWT folks. We shoud all get together and buy you many beers. I know I have little chance of drawing a good tag with a few BP's so I am asking for my buddy. He has 8 BP for elk and plans to put in for 5B-S Sept Archery Bull (cause that's our favorite area). What would be a good 2nd choice for the same hunt....4B, 4A, 6A?How about Rifle Antelope with 13 BP's? Thank you much! "With 8 BP he will have a good shot at 5BS so hopefully 2nd choice is a moot point. All the units named would offer 100% odds for him so be careful putting as a second choice if you really want to hunt 5BS. Another to consider is 5A, same habitat as 5BS + you can hunt junipers and a lot fewer tags. he is 100% on that one as well. With 13 lope points just pick a rifle hunt and put in, the odds are terrible for all of them". Flatlander, My buddy was drawn for 5B-S archery bull!! He wanted me to thank you for your advice. He probably would have put in for a 2nd choice, but heeded your warning. He put in for only one choice and got it. Thanks again for providing this info....I know it's a lot of work trying to accomodate 14 pages of requests. Brad (Viper)

I am interested in recommendations as well. I have been using the inexpensive Rem core lokt ammo. It has served me well with shots up to 300 yrds. I have taken two nice bucks that dropped in their tracks. But, in practice I have seen some inconsistencies with POI that had me scratching my head. It seems quality control with the cheaper ammo could be better. I know there is some better quality off the shelf ammo that won't break the bank.

....and what's the gadget shown with it?.....laser sight?

Stinkin' Fed's!!!

I thought the same thing. I'll have to check to be sure. Maybe not an issue if I carry no .22's.....

I have an old Savage .22 over 20 gauge, 3" chamber, full choke I'd like to use for my turkey hunt next month. Just wondering if it is adequate to drop a bird at 30 - 40 yards. What shot is recommended? I am considering the Magnum Blend or Heavy Shot. It patterned well at 30 yards using 2 3/4" bird shot at 30 yards, so I think it will work. I've killed two turkeys at 30 and 40 yards with my old 870, modified choke, 2 3/4" chamber....so I'd like to use this recently aquired Savage. Thanks

It is a Savage model 24 with full choke and 3" chamber.

Vowell, your setup looks very effective. What gun setup and ammo did you use? My results are not impressive. I tried Winchester #6 shot at 30 yrds. A few less shot in head at 40 yrds. I will try something different...Fed HW #7 or Magnum Blend.

I am "baby sitting" my buddys elk mount, as he is between houses. I think it is the way to go. Check local hunting/gun shops to see if they will hang it in their shop. If you have to store it in plastic, moth balls may be a good idea. The best advice would probably come from a taxidermist.

My trimming days are over. I used to trim my 4 fan palms using a climbing tree stand. After several years of that I finally had them removed. Best decision I've made in a long time. My wife and I are friends again. They will need trimmed again in June.

I had this tag last year (Nov archery). Tough hunt that time of year. The bigger bulls have moved UP the mountain by November. I know this country from several years of coues hunting and we see a lot of bulls during the early deer season. We did a ton of glassing and covering ground...saw cows most days, some small bulls. There are some nice hidden water holes/springs, but there will be competition with others....mainly the local rancher and brother-in-law "guide". They have tree stands and blinds set up on most of the water. I tried to stay out of his way, mainly because he was trying to get his young daughter a bull....and I don't like playing the "I was here first, get outa' here" game. He ended up settling for a spike and his daughter did not get her bull. We hunted between Hwy 87 and the Mazatzals from Deer Creek to North Peak. You can do a lot of glassing...plenty of roads to get around, but a lot of thick brush and lots of catclaw. I had my camera set up on a hike-in waterhole south of Barnhardt Ridge for a couple weeks. Got pigs, a few does, a few cow elk and a spike bull. I sat it two evenings....nothing. I did not put in for that hunt this year, and did not draw. Bulls can be found...few and far between, sitting water depends on how dry it is. We usually get a winter storm around that time of year. That was my experience.

There is a RV storage at Happy Jack, near Clint's Well. Don't know how much. Most likely a lot more than $25/month.

That seems to be the going rate for that ammo. I saw a TV show segment last night on the V-Max bullet....devistating on thin skinned varmints. How does it do on coyotes?

Cool! Thanks! I will put this to use...maybe this weekend. I'll post the results.

It has 3" on the barrel

Can anyone recommend a reliable person/gunsmith in the east valley that can remove/install sights on my XDm? I prefer a press to be used to minimize dinging up the slide. Thanks in advance.

Lance is on my way home from work. What is the name of the shop?....contact info? Thanks!

Thanks for all the replies. I feel more confident in using the 20 gauge. Will definitely pattern it. I think I'll start with the less expensive ammo first instead of jumping right into the Magnum Blend at $25 per 5 shells. #6 shot? LC Calls - I was in Sportsmans the other night during your turkey seminar. I wanted to talk to you when it was over but had to scoot early.

you must be referring to .270WSM.

It is well worth a try. Word will get around. I still have a small video camera and card reader that I found last year in a different unit. I posted it on here and another site, but got no hits. I still don't feel right about claiming them....so they set on my shelf. When I saw your post I got a little excited and had to check it out...but it's not the items you lost. Good luck, I hope they are returned.