DubTee

Thanks for the suggestions. RR or soaz, I am assuming that the 701 is a regular style head and not the pistol grip and is it a fluid head? What would I expect to pay for that setup (701 head and a solid bogen or manfrotto tripod) with a couple of extra plates and where would be a good place to look for that kind of setup? Thanks again.

Rio is correct. I bought/use the 2008 topo usa program through the garmin website, as I have a Mac computer and could not find the mac software anywhere local to buy. I believe once you have the software you need to go onto the Garmin website and upload some programs in order to use it. I think it is called garmin roadtrip that you will use to manage your maps, pretty neat program, like rio said, you pick the areas (they show up like grids) you want to download, I use a 1 gig micro sd card and I have plenty of room for the whole state of az and then some. In the roadtrip program, you can select waypoints then download them to your gps, upload waypoints and tracks from the gps to your computer, it has pretty good topographical features which is great to have on there while in the field, and it will show about 95% of the forest roads and named tanks. It is well worth the $100 or so bucks. If you have a mac, let me know, and maybe I could help you out.

I was in 35 A&B last year helping out on one of the late season muzzleloader tags. Dude really wanted a mulie, so that's what we went after, ended up with a solid desert carp on the last morning. I did see some good coues bucks around mid-Dec when I scouted, both of them would have went around 90 inches as 3X3's. Saw javelina, mulies, coues, quail, other hunters, border patrol, and illegals. Plenty of deer down there though, but like snapshot said, you need to go deep to find the good ones.

Cool pics, I have yet to see a cat out there. Imo, the perfect lion repellent is a lion tag, maybe I won't buy one this year so I can see one.

Kent, Thanks for the change of those numbers, adding in their choice for that year, the numbers make even more sense to me now. I think you make a great point, there is not a perfect system for everyone, so there will always be complaining. I really don't mind the way it is now, the options out there each have their flaws, so I wouldn't want to copy any other state's system, maybe some type of hybrid as suggested, but I would want to see reasonable guesstimation numbers of how a hybrid would work out before I would support a change. I am still intrigued about how your 1 choice only suggestion and how it would change the numbers around, is there any way to guesstimate? I still think everyone's input on this subject is constructive, making people think about things and looking for better ways will help us all.

After thinking about it some more, I could see how in the scenario I presented that 2's could outdraw 10's so badly but I'd have to assume the majority of the 10 holders where non-residents and the cap was already or mostly filled. I would think the philosophy would be the same though by squaring, just giving residents with higher bonus points more of the tags on average, with everyone still having a chance.

1. Like others have mentioned, I would only think a waiting period would benefit those putting in for the "premium" hunts. Sure many "premium" hunt guys will start building points again or drop out completely after drawing that great tag, thus removing them from the draw for at least a couple years but I'm sure some would move to non-premium hunts, which really wouldn't be fair for those who have been waiting on those tags. Not sure what to do about that, seems fair for some, not so fair for others. 2. Bill, I would think the only thing that could be done to increase everyone's chances that are applying without compromising game numbers, is to have more game, thus increasing the tags. I think most would agree that AZ is pretty streched out on tag numbers the way they are now without affecting the quality of the hunt. I can only think of better fawn recruitment as a way of increasing game numbers, simply more fawns that survive=more mature animals down the road to be hunted. Assuming AZ has the space/cover for more animals, the only way I can think to increase fawn recruitment would be wetter weather, and/or less natural predation. Since we can't control the weather, we could knock off more predators, I guess it would be just a matter of more of us getting out and doing it, or thinking of an incentive for more to get out there (bounties, fur prices, etc., I don't know). 3. KRP, I know you mentioned you weren't a fan of squaring the points, but under our current system, that is the only way I would think would be fairer to those who have waited longer, and still give everyone a chance, which I see as the biggest complaint. I like the fact that those who have waited the longest get top priority (20% pass), but not all the tags. I took '08 numbers for the 9 early rifle bull hunts (I would think everyone considers premium hunts) and took a look at them comparing 2 bp holders to 10 bp holders. In this case, all 10 bp holders did not qualify for the 20% pass, so this is an accurate comparison. If my numbers are correct, there were 3530 people who applied with 2 bp's, 678 people with 10 applied. 10 bp people drew 6 of the tags for an average 1.3% success rate, 2 bp holders drew 29 of the tags for an average of .9%, I think it should be the other way around. I know this is one year, and I don't have the numbers for past years, but this seems consistant to what I hear on who drew year in and year out. If we squared points, I would think the numbers would come out to benefit the higher bp groups (in this case the 10's) even though their overall numbers where 5 times less. If you look at how it works now, 3530 with 2 bp's = 7060 chances, 678 with 10 = 6780 chances, no wonder the 2's out drew them although in this case it probably was a fluke year and should be a bit more even, but still. Now if we square the 2's, that's 2x2 then multiply that by the number of applicants 3530 = 14120 chances. 10x10x678=67,800 chances, that seems more like it to me and I would think we'd have less people complain if 10 bp holders got more of the tags than the 2's, around 5 times as many as it should be on average when comparing 10 to 2. Yes, bonus points would be at more of a premium, and 5 would definitly mean more than 3, as it is now, it really does not make that much of a difference. But in the end it seems more fair to me with who the majority of tags would be going to, yet everyone still has a chance. It seems that the bone collectors would still wait, the researchers could still research, the meat hunters will meat hunt, etc., but the very lucky won't be so lucky. I could be way off on my thinking though, so somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

I am helping put a couple of non-resident buddies in for a deer tag. One buddy has a 1 point the other has none, they will be applying seperately. My question is was the non-resident cap reached in the 20% round for the 33 late hunt last year, or how do I find that out? Been looking at some links on the AZGFD page, but I cannot find where to look for the resident or non-resident point breakdown for those who applied for the 33 late hunt. I guess it could change for this year if it was reached in that first pass, but I'd rather put them in for something that I know they have a chance for (how ever small it may be) in the second pass (1st/2nd). Thanks.

Thanks for the reply, no biggie on the black ridge, just thinking a cheaper backup would've been nice to have, let me know if the sale doesn't go through. Not interested in the 2800, I have a superday and that is good for me, great packs though.

Interested in the back pack, could you post or pm me with some more pics of it? Thanks.

I am now thinking the late hunt in 23 for them, I don't know 23, but figured what better way to learn it. We'd be trying to combo that hunt with an archery javelina and deer hunt that would start the new year. Figured if they are lucky enough to draw a late tag, make one trip, gun hunt for coues for a few days, then on Jan. 1 go after pigs and carp down south with archery tackle. I'll look into 30B though, I don't know that unit either.

Thanks Red, and I second Rough's question, do you have to call to get that type of info?

I believe it is a 30" draw for IBO, the rest was correct.

Good topic, although with my limited brain capacity, tough for me to understand all the numbers. Took me about an hour to read through that MM link that RR posted, then my battery on my computer died so I couldn't respond while questions were fresh in my mind. KRP, I am intrigued by your idea to scrap the first/second choice and make people decide on a first and only choice for first pass consideration, but I'm not smart enough to figure out what that would do down the road. I also like the current bonus pass system as well, I think those who waited the longest deserve a tag. Although I'm not real familiar with NM system (sounds like a straight lottery), what about Nevada's system, don't they square the points thus giving a person with 10 points a significantly better chance (4x rather than 2x) than a person with 5? What about this, maybe keep the 20% pass (maybe even move it to 25%), and square points for the second pass. Those who waited the longest still get first dibs, and I would think by squaring points, the upper 50% of point holders would get more of the tags on the second pass (I believe it is currently around 50/50 between who normally gets the tags, upper 50% and lower), and those in the lower 50% still have a shot of drawing each year. I think I would hate to see a preference point system here (don't want to wait that long for "premium" hunts) and a straight lottery system just seems too random for me. Can anyone tell me how long the average wait between good unit bull tags in NM is for a resident, just curious, also how does that compare with number of people applying compared to number of tags available, just to give me a reference to compare to AZ?

I'm a PSE honk, so I don't have an opinion on which of the two bows mentioned are better. The IBO's can be bit midleading sometimes though. Word on the street is that most companies bows (PSE included) come a little long on draw length 1/4" or 1/2" so they can come close to the IBO's that are advertised. Most bows can achieve their IBO's with some tuning, but very few out of the box (hence the sometimes longer draws). I have heard that Hoyt's bows are the closest to IBO out of the box and usually closest to exact draw specs as well. With a bit of super tuning Hoyts can outshoot their IBO's quite often. Now is 3-4 fps going to matter when comparing bows, not really, then you go back to the saying (although cliche but true) "buy the one that fits you the best."

AZ Game and Fish Dept. P.O. Box 74020 Phoenix, AZ 85087 I believe they only accept the apps at this address, you sent it to their home office.

Great story and write up, congrats to you and the hunter on your success!

I hate saying this, but doesn't hunter opportunity also equal more dinero for the state? Could this be a reason they are adhering to that philosophy? I'd be all for decreasing some opportunity for more high quality tags. Heck, I'd be for an increase in tag fees to help off-set the lost revenue, especially for the non-residents.....if you build high quality hunts, they will come. Good topic.

Just got word this morning that my new X-Force GX is in, going down to Tucson to pick her up on Saturday, I'll post some pics when she's all set up.

Great video! Now I'm even more depressed that I didn't get a tag this year.

My X-Force spits my hunting arrow out at 325, not quite 350, but I would think it would be close enough. Shuttle T's fly like bullets out of my rig, no difference between the shuttles and my field points. I have a lot of buddies who swear by slick tricks, same thing with them, fly exactly like your field tips, even at faster speeds. Both are very sharp out of the box and will stand up to bone.

Grey, if your bow is tuned and you're shooting a correct spined arrow, don't worry about fixed blades out of a speed bow. The old myth of fixed blades won't fly out of fast bows is exactly that, a myth. I don't have much experience with montecs, but I know that shuttle t's and slick tricks will fly exactly like your field tips, used a shuttle t on my bull last year, pass through at 12 and 50 yards. The rages will kill and leave massive blood trails, no doubt. Although expandables aren't usually highly recommended with elk, sounds like your set up could be an exception to the rule with the speed you are getting and the corresponding KE, although I don't know the weight of your arrow. With the rages, it takes a bunch of energy to push that huge blade through an elk, you want to be sure of that exit wound (the one that usually is lower and bleeds better), some say it's too risky with the rage because most set-ups might struggle to push it all the way through. What worries me about the rage is a margianally forward shot, hitting some part of the elk's shoulder. My past experience with this head tells me it doesn't do well against bone, won't crush, and usually blows up. Although many heads won't go through an elk shoulder, I'd be worried about grazing one on the way in, and one of the blades of the rage breaking off. Having said all of this, the rage could possibly make up for it on a marginally back shot. My advice is to take the worry out and stick with the fixed, and good luck with that great tag.

Well, I took the plunge two days ago and ended up purchasing the aids that the audiologist had picked out for me. Went into the office, they fitted the aids and programmed them for my specific hearing loss, and away we went. Retested my hearing with them on, significant improvement in the ability to pick up tones and clarity of speech. It is very different now, I have always had hearing loss so I just never heard some of the sounds I am hearing now. It seems like I can hear every bird within a quarter mile. I am really anxious to test them in a hunting situation, but I can already tell that it will be very different. Pretty comfortable overall, mine are behind the ear, with a little clear tube running into my ear canal with the speaker on it. I wore them all day yesterday and even played golf with some buddies today, not one person noticed I even had them on. I can tell exactly where sound is coming from directionally, obviously things seem louder but the biggest difference is the sounds I was missing, faint, high pitched, whispers, etc, are really noticable and crisp now. Still gonna be a while before I will be used to hearing these sounds and distiguishing which sounds can be blocked out, plus I just simply need to learn to listen.

As far as wraps go, I think they look cool, as far a visibility on arrow flight, you should not be able to see them. With a perfectly tuned arrow and proper follow trough, all you should really see is the nock. Now when you have missed, hit, or better yet shot through your animal, the wraps help in locating the arrow. What I really like about wraps is it gives me a bit better sense on what kind of blood I have, (lung, liver, or guts), it really shows up well on the lighter color wraps. For those of you concerned about seeing exactly where you hit an animal, try the lumenocks, or some kind of lighted nock. Price turns some off of them, but you will know exactly where you hit the animal and that can sometimes make a big difference. Plus, it looks like a laser beam flying through the air which is pretty cool.

For all you rifle gurus, I need some help please. I am wanting to purchase a rifle, this will be my first larger caliber rifle purchase ever. I have spent the past two months trying to educate myself on rifles; brands, calibers, scopes, etc., including trying to gather feedback and information from forums like this one where members put these rifles through real hunting situations. I am looking for a fairly light hunting rifle, so I have narrowed it down to stainless/synthetic, and I have pretty much decided on .300 wsm as my caliber of choice. Also, I am left handed so I know that narrows the search a bit as well and will be using factory ammo. My research led me to the Tikka T3 lite, great cost, good accuracy, etc, but the stock looked cheap to me (cosmetics are important). Tikka research led me to Sako, which is basically a higher end Tikka, or that is how I understand it. The next rifle that I looked at was the newer Sako A7, which I gathered as basically a Tikka T3 with smaller upgrades such as some more metal on the clip, the safety unloading feature, I think a bit better trigger, and accepting of weaver style rings. The downside to me was the reviews said the stock still seemed cheap (like the T3), and still had all the plastic on it, trigger guard, clip, and a part on the bolt. So then I looked at the Sako 85, good reviews, and it looked great (which is very important to me), but at an additional 600 over the A7, I thought I could do better for less. So now I researched the Sako 75, which the 85 replaced, and many think is still the better gun anyway. I am not opposed at all at buying an older model or used gun, and from what I gathered, a 75 could be had for around $1000 (I could be wrong though). My questions are these: First, am I on the right track, and if I am, what is the best way to find the rifle I am looking for (in this case a sako 75 left-handed in .300 wsm)? Secondly, what are everyone's opinion/experience on Tikka's/Sako's, and/or what other brands should I consider? Thirdly, if I am missing anything please chime in. Thanks in advance for anyone's opinion.