elkaholic

the survey is based on flying grids across the unit and then multiplying results - means basically crap to the actual elk #'s in any unit unit 10 really doesn't have a great number of elk that migrate - there are no big herds left to migrate anyway

DO NOT INCREASE BULL TAGS _ BUNCH OF FFEEAKKIN IDIOTS -- CUT DOWN ON ALL THE DDDDD COW ELK TAGS!!!!!! 1600 cows elk tag past 8-10 yrs that's why they are probably seeing more bulls DUH _ DUMMYS that's the answer - more bull tags then we have even less elk!!

like I stated - she had already shot the 308 - I had seen other boxes of 243 but didn't see that they were reloads. I just looked at the ends and thought yep I got 2-3 more boxes - no problem we had planned to use the 308 it has the mounted bi-pod- but at home using standing shooting sticks- to practicing getting on a target - she felt more comfortable - scope wise with the 243 and that's why we went to range - these guns have always been "sighted in " I was just to let her shoot some more. it's like checking the gun to see if its still on - you go out and shoot it - better than going and missing and then check and see its way off - the 308 is camo'd out and sighted in for 400+ yrds - the 243 is all shiney and pretty and hasn't really been used in many a yr.

took wife to gun range to shoot her 243 before season opener. now she had shot my .308 but was having a minor problem with the eye relief on the older scope. she shot it ok - 3 kill shots at 100 I got out her 243 and she like it better- scope wise - so went to range - this 700 adl hasn't had much use over the yrs. she had problems at 100 because of the trigger pull - was harder then the 308- was way off anyway moved it to 25 yrs - she almost shot out the quarter size bulleyes . problem used up box - only had 10 rounds - thought had more but they are all reloads - unknow time/date /and who reloaded them - so im not comfortable using them for deer season now Remington 243 in 100 grain or 80 shouldn't be hard to find - WRONG!! it's like Remington quit making them - I mean no one on the west/ north side of phoenix has any. use to buy them at yates / yellow front for 9 a box any day of the week - even wallyworld usually had some - not anymore so do I go buy real expensive hornady 95 gr premier Remington in 75-80 or opt a different brand in 100 and have to try and go out and sight gun in agin most likely she'll be using the 308 as this point - season opener Friday I had plans to go get trigger adjusted but without being able to-buy the ammo the gun was sighted in with was /is B.s I mean this is Phoenix not some little Podunk town in the backwoods someplace.

hey I was born and raised in a little Podunk town - Denver Iowa about 10 miles n of waterloo shoveled more crap from pigs/ chickens and cows than I care to admit milked cows by hand sittin on a 3 legged stool - had to walk2-3 miles to buy 10 for a penny candy on sunday afternoon - after chores- pumped water from a well to haul into the house using a 5 gal bucket and heated bath water in tub on a woood burning stove - crapper outhouse - never did have toilet paper so I do know Podunk backwoods! agin thanks for the help and the offers -- hope to fill a tag

well a happy ending - so to speak - more than one of these GREAT people here on CWT came forward with offers of ammo for me! I did take up 5guyshunting and now have enough rem 243 to get thru this hunt. A big THANK YOU to all whom answered this post with your generous offers! Now I just have to be fortunate enough to put my wife on a buck- just an added note you are lucky if different brands of your favorite ammo group the same - I did a test one yr and none were even close to grouping the same except Remington and Hornady most of my rifles have a sweet load and I hate to mess things up- thats why reloading is great but is for those with time and dedication , to find that sweet load - I know guys whom tweek loads that are basically several shots in one hole - lol I thought I could easily stop on way home or make a couple calls around and find the ammo I needed - boy was I wrong! Thanks agin guys /gals from CWT !

Contact nation forest guys and the rangers in area for a report on road conditions - a lot of campgrounds were closed but they had a list of ones open at least this tells you which roads are open and you can camp where you want - Cochise stronghold area offers some high spots to glass

best thing is to search the past posts from last yr- don't want no snivelin about givin away some guys secret spot that they have hunted for yrs . the s/e range is washed away - hardly any of the roads have been maintained or improved from the storms -they have had a lot of rain - some reports of over 7 in this yr in a couple of those storms - most access is impassable - - lots of locals have minimum access to their own property - think in and around the campgrounds that are open contact the ranger station in the area !! areas around portal may hold some deer

auctionaz.com is having a restaurant bankruptcy auction - you can bid now - scroll thru the stuff and they have a walkin for sale to high bidder -

so nice that you had a great trip and with a close friend - hunting is just that hunting , sometimes we win some times we lose but we really never lose! maybe next time you can tag a deer great write up and pics

as far as soaking meat - I've only soaked one piggy and that was in an icechest filled with terriaki juice and lemons 5 hrs before the barbque pit/grill got a hold of it- anything you can cut off -- like filleting thin slices of the silver tendons /skin will help the grinding process and you'll have a better looking/tasting product.

on an added note - I will be going deer hunting back East this yr . our little spot is 1/4 mile of public hunting surrounded by private land - I could zig zag it and probably scare every animal off in less then a couple hrs or pick a spot on a travel route or edge of little meadow and wait - in either a tree or a blind - guess what i'll be doing - now we do have other areas of public land to hunt - most are about 1 square mile or less - I will not be alone - last time I heard hundreds of shots from dawn to dusk and saw one little forky slippin thru the woods. I can't wait- just hopin it doesn't snow to much as the hunting options are greatly reduced as far as how to hunt and where to hunt.

all I can say is you've been real lucky -average joe -- unfortunately I've seen bull elk take 3-4 rounds from mag gun and never recovered - tracked several miles - even a mortaly wounded animal can run a long ways - I've seen piggys take a 300 grain muzzleloader round and run flat out for several hundred yrds - had I not been sitting glassing the hunters and seeing the pig run off - recovery would have been impossible . second the deer back east have a 100+ pounds on the little whiteys we see - as far as hey back east aint hunting - here we are blessed with public land hunting which ranges in 10 of thousands of square miles for us to go where we want - most is wide open - you have to sit and glass for hrs to find the game before you can even think of making a stalk - remember the spot part. I know ive spent many hrs a day "sitting " and glassing looking for an animal to shoot. back east you may be limited to a couple hundred acres - go spot and stalking and most likely you'll hear a shot on the neighbors property and hear a "THANK YOU " after you spook it off your little piece of hunting ground. as far as public hunting areas some are as small as 1/4 mile square - woods so thick you are limited to seeing 20-30 yrads for your shooting lane- we watch the shows they usually hear them coming - before they ever see them in the thick woods-they will hear you first -- go try a spot and stalk in that kind of woods - bet you a dollar to a dime you may never see them . I can't count the times I've herd deer-elk running off while stalking up north here in Az where wooded areas are way more open then back east. back east there they wait at food plots - they sit in blinds on edges of meadows and fields waiting for one to step out - they never see it till it steps out ! here we can sit by tanks and/or glass for hrs /days waiting to see something - then we make our stalk - often never seeing the animal agin hunting is hunting no matter where you are - if you think hey - those guys got it easy - go take the offer and see if you even get close to a ny whitetail in his home - the deep woods . I know guys who stalk a square 1/4 mile of deep woods and hear a lot more deer than they ever see - they may not see a "buck" the whole season and spend 3-4 days all day in that one 1/4 square mile - go try that . we have the PRIVALEDGE of hunting -in my opinion - greatest state in the southwest- enjoy it you are a little ???? if you consider yourself a better hunter or sportsman than the guys on shows or from other states - for the way they hunt

I'm just glad this is one the least, of any of my things I have to worry about

a note on bear meat - or any meat for that matter - it's all in what they are eating/ digesting , it will and does flavor the meat to some extent. that's why they say if the bears are in the garbage they will taste like garbage - if the bears are eating the fruits berris and nuts it will be quite flavorful- love a bear who has been gourging itself on the seasonal prickly pear fruit . I not positive but most likely there is a big difference in the diet between brown and black bears. and it may have something to do with the time of year also. Some day I would love to try some muskox - and will do so if the opportunity comes up!

turkey oven bag carrots - celery - onion - mushrooms -bell pepper - golden potatoes - had added snow peas last time or any extras you want a package of potroast mix + 2 cups water 5 lb roast season rubbed cut up for easier searing in sunflower oil - cook at 285 for 3 hrs - all in a roaster tub it was my last roast - so if anyone needs some freezer space I have room to spare now - lol

find the water- we had good luck in the areas west of bumblebee along the creek take a drive on NF 684 - just before bumble bee wonders back into the bradshaws - have not been in there in a couple yrs - not sure what the storms have done to the creek crossings / roads but we always saw deer!

I personally have never heard cows pronunciation in any conversation from a person whom is from AZ or the west ! usually from a person who had to look it up and asked the same dumb thing as this vote!!

at least I know that this yr - the quads and sidebys will not be making it in to my spot - its so washed out - its almost a pain to hike in - plus a huge ole burnt tree decided it had enough and is blocking everything - if they actually make it that far in I hope they know how to back down a mtn side, as its way to narrow to turn around people now a days really do not give a crap if others are hunting a spot first . they will park and camp and see exactly where you are and walk right past you and not even care

what your giving and getting is the huge smiles on the kids faces -your passing on a positive hunting tradition of helping our youths whom are interested in the great outdoors and giving them something of their own to remember for years to come SO _ contact a couple of the local hunting camps and help the kids out by "donating " some of the hunting gear you probably have hiding in a closet that hasn't seen the light of day in years and put it to good use in the hands of a Smiling youth.

It's kinda cool the concept of paying it forward - I get it but what I don't get for several yrs I've come on various chat lines asking almost begging for stuff to donate to the youth hunting camps as raffle items - so the youths can get free stuff It really makes these camps a success if every kid has a chance at some cool gear the youth camps could still use any and all kinds of items for raffles guys!!- just saying I see a lot of stuff here - the kids would have really enjoyed getting and using on future hunts

400 - I wish -- average more like 4000 or more od grass/ windy days with nothing - just had one that was basically takin pics every minute - spend in your highest range doing that now 6-7 thousand pics maybe 20 of animals

yep - i ll be applying with my current license - good thru 2014 -- then come dec 30-31 ill go purchase a new one for 2015 so I can legally hunt and only buy one a yr . from that time forward -- not that hard to figure out guys!

probably wondering what that clicking noise was along the fence line

Not really surprised - to be honest its only the tip of the iceberg , the crap they are exposing our kids too!!-- is ANTI AMERICAN look at what we have running our Nation !