Jay Scott

By Darr ColburnI just received one of the new Vortex Ranger 1000 rangefinders. I had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this little gem. The size and angle compensation of this rangefinder are the main reasons I wanted to try it out. My oldest son Parker and I used the Ranger 1000 while shooting our bows yesterday afternoon. So far I am very impressed. I will be putting this rangefinder to the test over the next couple of weeks and will post the results soon. Parker testing the new Vortex Ranger 1000 Rangefinder I really love the size of the Vortex Ranger 1000 rangefinder. View the full article

Below are pics of a Desert Bighorn Sheep that will be the subject of this blog post of "How to Field Judge and Score Desert Bighorn Sheep 4". There are front on views, side horn views and rear views. At the bottom of the post are actual measurements from the official Boone and Crockett score sheet. For exercise come up with your horn lengths, base and quarter measurements for each horn and your gross and Net score and compare to the actual measurements. All photos and video were shot by Colburn and Scott Outfitters. Here is the Head On view of the horn Here is the view of the right horn of this fine Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep. Here is the view of the left horn. What is the length of horn? What are his bases and other quarter measurements? Remember that there are 8 (1 base and 3 quarters per horn) quarter measurements for both horns. In order to find out where to take each quarter measurement you divide the longer horn by 4. So if the longest horn is 34 inches divde by 4 and you get 8.5. So you will take your quarter measurements on each horn at the 0, 8.5, 17, 25.5" mark on each horn. It is important while scoring sheep in the field to estimate where each quarter measurement is going to fall within the horn. Keep an eye out for cracks or holes in the horn that may decrease the circumference measurements. Rear View of the Sheep Click on the video below to see live video of the ram Here are the actual official Boone and Crockett measurements for this ram. Left Horn-35 3/8, 14 5/8, 14 0/8, 12 0/8, 8 5/8=84 5/8 and Right Horn-35 2/8, 14 4/8, 13 7/8, 12 0/8, 9 0/8=84 5/8 for a total of 169 2/8 gross. With 5/8 inches of deductions the net score is 168 5/8 and this ram qualifies for the Boone and Crockett record book. This ram was harvested in December 2011 in Arizona Unit 44B South by Erik Swanson. Erik and I had some good times scouting and hunting for his once in a lifetime Arizona Desert Sheep tag. We did not think the ram was quite as big as he ended up. I figured his horns were around 34 inches long and thought his bases were closer to 14 than 14 1/2. We had scoured the unit and this was the best ram we had seen while scouting and hunting. Erik had the honor of having his father in law, best friend, brother and I with him at the time and with those guys having to depart the following day he made the decision to harvest this fine ram. We had the priviledge of many photos and video footage of the ram from our scouting efforts and Erik made a good decision and harvested a Boone and Crockett ram. Lets take a look a the numbers and how each measurement category relates to percentage of total score. Horn lengths are Left 35 3/8 and Right 35 2/8 for a total of 70 5/8 or 42% of the total scoreMass Measurements are 98 5/8 or 58% of the total score. While judging sheep this is why it is so important to focus on rams that have lots of mass at the base and that carry that mass throughout the whole horn. With the longer horn being 35 3/8 the D2,D3,D4 quarter measurements on both horns were taken at 8 27/32, 17 11/16, 26 17/32. Watch the video below if you are interested in seeing how the hunt unfolded. If interested in this post click on the following additional links: How to Field Judge and Score Desert Bighorn Sheep Blog Posts Arizona Desert Sheep Hunting Pictures and Blog Posts from Colburn and Scott Outfitters View the full article

For those of you who enjoy coffee in the backcountry, you should try the Starbucks Via instant. I don't normally support Starbucks as I can't justify paying that much for a cup of joe, but their instant coffee is an instant winner. Lightweight, small, minimal packaging, fast(just add hot water) and best of all, a decent tasting cup of coffee. Best of the instant varieties that I've tried. I was able to find it at the local Safeway supermarket. Looking forward to a cup after camping with our 10 month old daughter in the land of the midnight sun. It was her first time out in a tent and needless to say there wasn't much sleep happening.A great addition to the backcountry menu. View the full article

Field Judging and Scoring ElkThis post is in response to the prior post, "Field Judging Elk and Scoring Elk Antlers 2"Below is a quadrant of photos of the "G5" Bull that Darr had sent me prior to the 2011 Arizona archery elk hunt to estimate his score. Darr was able to put his hands on the bull the other night at the Desert Christian Archers monthly gathering. He scored the bull and has the actual measurements. Lets see where I estimated correctly and where underperformed. The thing I like about trying to field judge and estimate score of trophy animals is that it is constantly a learning experience. Our readers seem to be very close for the most part in guessing the score of this bull. We had scores on our facebook and email ranging from 370 to 400 inches. Here are the actual measurements of the bull. Lets compare to the estimates. Left Side: 16 4/8, 18, 15 7/8, 23 4/8, 16 2/8, 56 2/8, 26 6/8=172 7/8 Right Side: 16 4/ 8, 17 7/8, 17 5/8, 25, 19 4/8, 54, 26 3/8=176 3/8 Spread 36 Total 172 7/8+176 3/8 +36=385 2/8 Gross Overall I made some good guesses but I was way off on the mass which still leaves me scratching my head. It amazes me that a bull of this caliber would only have 26 6/8 and 26 3/8 inches of mass per side. On mass alone I missed the mark by 6 7/8. I still look at the photo and video and it is hard to see how light and thin this bulls mass is. I have never seen a bull of this caliber have under 28 inches of mass. I was pretty good with my point estimations but my main beams guesses were also a little off at 58 on each side where the actual numbers were 56 2/8 and 54 respectively. So on this particular bull I would give myself a C+. I am also making a mental note about the bulls in Unit 10. Seems as they grow good long points but sometimes are lacking in mass. I think that could also be one of the reason the bulls in Unit 10 seem to break so bad during the rut. The only break that I would cut myself is that it sometimes is very hard to make guesses and estimates without having seen the bull in person. I think if I would have seen the bull in person I might have picked up on the skinny mass and shorter main beams. How did you do with your estimations? Colburn and Scott Outfitters Guide Darr Colburn at the Desert Christian Archers monthly get together holding the G5 Bull. Darr and Arizona Elk Society Founding Member and President Steve Clark going over the numbers Left Side: 16 4/8, 18, 15 7/8, 23 4/8, 16 2/8, 56 2/8, 26 6/8=172 7/8 Right Side: 16 4/ 8, 17 7/8, 17 5/8, 25, 19 4/8, 54, 26 3/8=176 3/8 Spread 36 Total 172 7/8+176 3/8 +36=385 2/8 Gross Lets look at each category of this bulls score and its relationship to percentage of the overall score. For the example I am just rounding to neareast whole number. Point Length=185" or 48% of total score Mass=53" or 13.7% of total score Main Beam Length=110" or 28.5% of total score Inside Spread=36" or 9.3% of total score Below are a couple of charts to for tips and to use as a reference while field judging bull elk. Notice how our subject bull did not meet the "norm" in regards to mass. As much as I love to pour over the numbers and analyze data it is important to keep in mind that the thrill of the hunt, getting to enjoy God's creation and spending time with friends is the thing that keeps us coming back for more. Try to not let score determine whether the hunt is a success or failure. Stay tuned for another exercise in Field Judging and Scoring Elk from JayScottOutdoors. Be sure to find us on face book( JSO and CSO) and check out our YouTube channel. View the full article

I took my new trekking poles out for a hike recently and took a minute to share with you how the new Leki Micro Sticks work. I'm looking forward to having these in my pack at all times, ready to aid my descent off a mountain with a heavy pack. Thanks to Ptarmigan Sports in Edwards, CO for setting me up with the latest and greatest in backcountry adventure gear. View the full article

The fishing has been very good over the last few weeks. The water is extremely low this year where as last year we hadn't even started fishing yet due to high water until July 10th. The Green Drakes have been coming off on the Fork between 10-11 am and then again at about 8:45pm. I caught a Snake River Cutthroat yesterday and then another one today. I have been fishing alot of dries with the staples being olive and tan caddis, green drakes, and olive stimulators. Before or after the hatch nymphing with princes, green drakes nymphs or 20 inchers has been very effective. Lots of fun and very thankful to the Creator for wild trout and rivers! View the full article

This post is the conclusion to the blog post titled, "How to Field Judge and Score Desert Bighorn Sheep 2". If you haven't clicked on the original post do so now and this will make more sense. Below are my estimates and guesstimates on what the ram scores.My eye tells me the ram is between 164-166. My numbers add to 165 4/8 Gross.Left Horn-33 6/8, 14 1/8, 13 6/8, 12, 9 1/8=82 6/8Right Horn 33 4/8, 14 1/8, 13 7/8, 12 1/8, 9 1/8=82 6/8Gross Score 165 4/8Others have guessed between 164-168. He is a neat little tight curled ram. I definitely prefer a ram with a bigger drop in the horn and not so tight but he has some character for sure. Notice how much smaller bodied the subject ram (left ram in picture below) is than the ram on the right. For the record the ram on the right net score was 170 3/8. The subject ram has not been harvested.Stay Tuned for another exercise in Field Judging and Scoring Desert Bighorn sheep.Ram on left is the subject of this post. Photo by Colburn and Scott Outfitters. Don't forget tto make your guess and estimate on the Arizona Bull Elk Scoring Post titled "Field Judging Elk and Scoring Elk Antlers 2" View the full article

Practice Field Judging and Scoring ElkHere is a big bull elk from Arizona Unit 10 that was filmed by Darr Colburn of Colburn and Scott Outfitters. Darr was able find and film this bull many times prior to the start of the archery elk season. This footage was taken in Early September 2011. Unfortunately, this bull was wounded by another archery hunter and was not recovered. The head was found and the Arizona Game and Fish Department ended up with it. The rack was then auctioned off to the highest bidder. Darr was able to put his hands on the bull and run a quick tape so we have a pretty good idea what the actual score is. After a few days we will post the actual scores and you can compare your numbers to the real thing. Watch this video and this is your chance to try to Field Judge this great Arizona bull on the hoof. Whether you use the Estimating Actual Measurements method (EAM) or Estimating Shortest Points method (ESP), give us your guess of his total gross score (1), Guess his Point length per side and total (2), Guess his Main beam length for each side and the total of both (3), guess the mass per each side and the total (4) and his Inside spread (5). We will post the actual score and more pictures in 24 hours. We will also breakdown our estimates. Click the post title above to leave a comment or put your score on our facebook page Click the post title above to leave a comment or put your score on our facebook pageClick Below for other links related to Field Judging and Scoring Elk Field Judging Elk Article in Elk Hunter Magazine View the full article

Field Judging and Scoring Arizona Desert Bighorn SheepHere is a great picture that was taken by Colburn and Scott Outfitters guide Darr Colburn on Nov. 2nd 2010 while scouting for Ron Arndorfer's AZ Unit 44B North Sheep Hunt. That was a magical day of photographing and videoing good rams. On that day we were accompanied by good friend and professional wildlife photographer Julie May. We were all able to capture some great shots of the "Logo Ram" and his friends. Later during his hunt, Ron ended up harvesting the ram on the right and it completed his Grand Slam of sheep. What does the "Logo Ram's" buddy score?Below are photos of two Arizona Desert Bighorn rams with completely different shaped horns. The ram on the right is from the last blog post on Field Judging and Scoring Desert Bighorn sheep, we know his measurements and his Net score. In case you don't want to click on the other link here are his measurements, Right Horn-36, 14 3/8, 14, 12 4/8, 9 4/8=86 3/8 and Left Horn-34 1/8, 14 3/8, 13 6/8, 12 5/8, 9 4/8=84 3/8 for a total of 170 6/8 gross and 170 3/8 Net. So what do you think this other ram (pictured on left) scores? Length of each Horn? What are his bases? What are his quarter measurements? Total score? You can click on the Post Title "How to Field Judge and Score Desert Bighorn Sheep Part 2" and leave your comment and your guess on the each measurements and total score or go to Colburn and Scott Outfitters Facebook to leave your comments and score estimates. Front on View Right Horn View Left Horn View Be careful on this photo because they have switched sides. Rear View So what do you think this other ram (pictured on left) scores? How long is each horn? What are his bases? What are his quarter measurements? Total score? You can click on the Post Title "How to Field Judge and Score Desert Bighorn Sheep Part 2" and leave your comment and your guess on the each measurements and total score or go to Colburn and Scott Outfitters Facebook to leave your comments and score estimates. View the full article

Field Judging and Scoring Desert Sheep This blog post is designed to show how to score a sheep. There are 8 mass measurements total between both horns (4 mass measurements per horn), then you add the length of each horn add all the numbers up and that gives you the rams gross score. The way you figure out where to take the mass measurements is to measure each horn and then divide the longer horn by four. For example if the left horn is 35 6/8 inches long and the right horn is 36 inches long, you would divide the longer horn in this case 36 by 4 and that would give you your D1-D4 measurements. So the base would be at 0, D2 at 9", D3 at 18" and D4 at 27 inches. Remember that it is very important to be exact with these calculations because being off by a couple of eighths can make a dramatic difference in the rams score. Then to find the rams Net score you subtract only the differences in horn circumference per measurement. For example, if Left D1 is 15 and right D1 is 14 6/8 then you would have to subtract 2/8" from the gross score. Once you subtract the differences between D1-D4 between each horn that will give you the rams Net score. Remember that you do not subtract the horn length differences only the mass differences. This picture is taken from the Boone and Crockett Website, it shows the side angle view of where the circumference measurements are taken from. D1 is the base measurement of the sheep, D2 is the first quarter, D3 is the second quarter, D4 is the third quarter measurement. Divide Measurement C of the longer horn by four. Starting at the base, mark both horns at these quarters (even though the other horn is shorter) and measure the circumferences at these marks, with measurements taken at right angles to the horn axis.C is showing where the length of the horn is taken from. B depicts the tip too tip spread which has no relevance in relationship to the scoring of the sheep but is just a reference measurementThis shows how the length of the horn is measured to the tip because a lot of times the tip of the horn is not a perfect 90 degree angle. Pictured below is a ram that Colburn and Scott Outfitters Hunter Ron Arndorfer harvested in 2010. This desert ram completed Ron's Grand Slam of North American Wild Sheep. Ron's ram officially scored 170 3/8 Net Boone and Crockett. This ram is going to be the feature ram for this field judging and scoring Desert sheep exercise. These yellow lines are for example only and are obviously not exact. The lines in reality are actually cylinders shapes that go completely around the horn. I tried to draw them as close to where the circumference measurements should be taken. It is important when you are glassing and examining these rams to try to mentally estimate where the each measurement may fall. Watch out for big cracks or holes in the horn. If the quarter measurement falls within a crack or hole in the horn that can dramatically affect the measurement for that quarter ultimately lowering the score of the ram. The circumference of the base is measured at a right angle to the axis of the horn. DO NOT follow the irregular edge of the horn; the line of measurement must be entirely on horn material.(My lines may not be exact but are strictly to be used as reference) This picture is designed to show where the length of horn is measured from. The length of horn is measured from the lowest point in front on the outer curve to a point in line with the tip. DO NOT press tape into depressions. The low point of the outer curve of the horn is considered to be the low point of the frontal portion of the horn, situated above and slightly medial to the eye socket (not the outside edge). Use a straight edge, perpendicular to the horn axis, to end the measurement on broomed horns. For exercise lets dive into the numbers of this ram. The longest horn is 36 inches so the mass measurements for D1-D4 for each horn shall be 0, 9, 18, 27 on both the right and left horn. This ram is pretty symmetrical and there are not a lot of differences in mass between each horn. The D1 or Bases are the same at 14 3/8, D2 has a difference of 2/8", D3 has a difference of 1/8", D4 has a no difference. So there is only 3/8 inches of deductions on this ram. This ram grosses 170 6/8" and Nets 170 3/8" Here is a picture of the left horn, notice it is broomed off more so it is obviously a little shorter than the left. Left Horn Measurements, Horn Length 34 1/8, D1 14 3/8, D2 13 6/8, D3 12 5/8, D4 9 4/8 for a total of 84 3/8. Once again the yellow lines are designed for example only and are not exact. It is important to always be thinking about these different quarter measurements fall within the horn. It gets easier to estimate and calculate the measurements when you break the horn down. This is always a hard angle to field judge from. I prefer a level head. It is important to try and get front on, side on and rear views in order to see the entire horn. Here is a picture of the right horn. Right Horn Measurements are Length 36, D1 14 3/8, D2 14, D3 12 4/8, D4 9 4/8 for a total of 86 3/8 Here is another picture of the ram's right horn It is always important to get a good view and picture or video of the back of the horn. Notice on the rams right horn there is a pretty good sized divot out of the back of the horn. When trying to estimate the score it is important to determine if the quarter measurement will fall within that divot. If it does it may lower the score of the ram. Congrats to Colburn and Scott Outfitters hunter Ron Arndorfer for completing your grand slam with this fine Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep.For more videos and pics on Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep see the links below Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep HuntsArizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Scouting PhotosScoring and Field Judging Bighorn Sheep magazine articleRecord Book Trophy Animals Harvested View the full article

Yes drawing a AZ desert bighorn sheep tag is a the top of my list! Along with 1 million of my closest friends........thanks for the compliments!

123456- Yes I like the ESP method when I am on the move and trying to estimate quickly. 200 is a good number but the mass rarely is 30 and the spread rarely is 40 but if you keep that in mind it works great! I am glad you like the post! Go get em!

Posted by Jay Scott We are going to be doing a series of "How to Field Judge Elk" and "How to Score Elk". At Colburn and Scott Outfitters and JayScottOutdoors we are constantly trying to improve our ability to field judge elk on the hoof and it seems as if we are always learning something new when it comes to Field Judging and Scoring Elk antlers. If you have any questions in regards to scoring or field judging please email them to me or if have pictures of a bull that you want us to estimate the score send them at jayscottoutdoors@gmail.com or js43560@cox.net.The first bull that we are going to examine is a bull that was harvested by Dan Troy in the 2011 Archery Elk Season in Arizona Unit 10. Unit 10 is one of Arizona's premium elk units and one of our favorites. He was guided by my partners, Darr Colburn and Janis Putelis, of Colburn and Scott Outfitters. Check out the videos below to see Dan's Bull prior to harvest and then the second video is the actual hunt videoI have written several articles on "How to Field Judge and Score Elk" in Western Hunter Magazine and Elk Hunter Magazine. Click Here to see the articles, WH 1 and EHM 2. In those articles, I discuss two ways to field judge an elk. The first is to Estimate Actual Measurements (EAM) and the second, is to Estimate the Shortest Points (ESP). If you are not familiar with these methods please review these magazines articles by clicking on the above listed links. When I am trying to make a quick decision and evaluation I use the ESP method and when I have time to really pick the antlers apart I use EAM method. When I am field judging using ESP I do the math in my head when using the EAM method I write on my hand or on anything I can find. The ESP is usually closer to net score and the EAM is typically closer to the gross score.The quadrant picture above is from an article on "Field Judging Elk" that I did for Elk Hunter Magazine. The pictures are of Dan's bull prior to harvest. Lets compare the Estimated Actual Measurements (EAM) to the actual measurements from the score sheet below which was taken after the bull was harvested.There are four components to scoring a bull elk. These components are listed in the order of importance in relation to total score. The averages listed are generalizations of percentage for 350 type bulls. Length of Points 45%, Length of Main Beam 28%, Mass 16% and Inside Spread 11% (see chart below). Lets take a look at the numbers of Dan's bull. Points=167 4/8, L-84 3/8 and R-83 1/8 (44% of total score), Main Beam Length=111 5/8, L-57 1/8 and R-54 4/8 (30% of total score), Mass=57 1/8, L-28 4/8 and R-28 5/8 (15% of total score), Inside Spread= 37 2/8 (9% of total score). In my estimates from the quadrant above in the Estimating Actual Measurements category, I guessed 171inches(compared to actual 170 inches) for the left side and 163 inches (compared to the actual 166 2/8inches) for the right side. I guessed the spread well at 37 inches. One thing I have picked up over the years of hunting in Unit 10 for elk is that the bulls don't seem to carry the mass like they do in some of the other units. Dan's bull gross scores 373 4/8 but only has 28 4/8 and 28 5/8 of mass per side. So when hunting in Unit 10 keep in mind 28-29 is a much better number to use for estimating mass than 30 per side. Colburn and Scott Outfitters had a hunter that killed a 400" bull in 2009 in Unit 10 and he didn't even make the 30 inch per side for mass. Another thing to look at when you watch the videos of Dan's bull is that the left main beam is definitely longer when you compare the distance along the beam from the fifth point to the tip of the main beam. If you look closely you will see the left beam has a slight wave in it and that is a good indicator of extra length. Actual Measurements: Left side-18 4/8, 18 7/8, 14 3/8, 19 6/8, 12 7/8, 57 1/8MB, Mass 8 4/8, 7 1/8, 6 7/8, 6 0/8=170 inches total for left side and the Right side-17 6/8, 16 7/8, 14 7/8, 19 7/8, 13 6/8, 54 4/8MB, Mass 8 6/8, 7 4/8, 6 4/8, 5 7/8=166 2/8 inches total for right side. 170+166 2/8+ 37 2/8 Inside Spread = 373 4/8 grossColburn and Scott Outfitters Guide Darr Colburn and Hunter Dan Troy with his Pope and Young record book Arizona bull The Left Main Beam definitely looks longer in this picture. Remember in order to have a bull make the 350 inch mark a good rule of thumb is 28-29 inches of mass per side, 50+ inch main beams but hardly ever over 60, Point length needs to be pushing 75-80+ inches per side, the inside spread is basically immaterial but should be somewhere in the 34-40+ range Click on the following links to see other Scoring and Field Judging Elk Posts and Videos Field Judging Elk Article in Western Hunter Magazine By Field Editor Jay Scott Field Judging Elk Article in Elk Hunter Magazine by Hunting Editor Jay Scott View the full article

I tried to shoot a little video to show how good the new Swarovski 10X42 EL Range Binocular measures distances. The aiming dot/circle is in the right eye and the distance is read in the left eye. The video is being shot through the left barrel so that you could see how quick the distance is measured, So far I find the EL Range easy to use. I am impressed with the weight at only 32.1 ounces. Another nice feature that I like is the LED readout can be adjusted to five different levels of brightness. On this day the furthest distance I was able to capture was 1702 yards. I will try to capture another video showing the angle compensation and how it is displayed. So far I am thinking that the Swarovski 10X42 EL Range will replace my Swarovski 10X42 EL's for my all the time around the neck binoculars when I am guiding and hunting this fall. The new Outdoorsmans Binocular Extended Post works great with the EL Range as well View the full article

Posted by Janis Putelis No time like now to get our equipment dialed for hunting season. One of the most important, yet often most neglected pieces of gear are our hunting boots. Dry, brittle, maybe even cracked leather boots are our worst enemy. The performance of our boots is a direct result of how well we take care of them. Last fall I took it upon myself to care for my boots properly in an attempt to never come home with wet feet knowing it was my fault. By season's end, my boot care routine had become ritual. When the water no longer "beads" off of my boots, I know it's time to do some maintenance. The typical hiking/hunting boot has a membrane that allows moisture to move away from your feet to the outside of the boot, keeping the inside dry. Once the leather is saturated with water it renders the waterproof/breathable membrane inside your boot useless. I've hiked back to the truck, wearing $300 boots, with socks so wet you could wring an 8oz. glass of water from them. At the time, I cussed my expensive boots. Now I know I should have been cussing myself.Top end boots like Lowa's Tibets and Sheep Hunters require timelymaintenance to perform in wet and dry hunting conditions. If my boots are looking dry and crusty, I know I'm asking for it. When the leather in our boots dries out to the point of being hard, having lost its supple feel, it's starving for moisture. So when you go walking through a meadow of tall grass covered in dew, the leather is literally sucking the moisture in versus repelling it. The leather has to be conditioned with a wax-cream type product and then waterproofed with a separate product. I think of it this way, the conditioner maintains the leather, keeps it happy, while the waterproofing agent keeps the water rolling off. In my opinion, conditioning the leather is equally important as waterproofing it. The experts all agree to use the conditioner judiciously, as too much could over-soften the leather causing loss of support. This is similar to taking a brand new rain jacket out into a downpour and watching the beads of water roll off the garment. The Gore-Tex in the jacket is not what makes the water roll off the jacket, it's the Durable Water Repellent or DWR that is applied to the outer nylon. So having your leather properly treated is the DWR for your boots. The one tip that has helped me the most in keeping my boots in tip top shape is this: apply the conditioner or water proofing product when the leather is thoroughly soaked! When the leather is wet, its pores are open and can better accept the product. If you are applying any product to dry leather, the result is superficial. Once I began following this simple rule I noticed that my boots would make it through multiple wet hunts without soaking through at all. When I have boots that are starting to show wet leather, as in the picture below(notice the wet spots around the lower lace hooks), I give them a quick rinse with the hose and maybe a few swipes with a brush to loosen any mud and dirt. Then, in my mud room, after hanging wet outer wear, I take two minutes to apply the leather conditioner or waterproofing while the leather is still wet. I leave the boots overnight and by morning they are ready to go. Remember never to dry your boots next to a direct heat source! During the hunting season, almost weekly, I'll make an extra couple steps, and pull my shoelaces from the boots, clean the boots especially well with a brush and apply both a conditioner and waterproofing wax. My Lowa Sheep Hunter boots during a very wet snow storm last fall. Notice how the areas around the lower lace hooks and the toe box are getting wet but the rest of the boot is still beading water. These are areas that see the most moisture, thus getting wet and drying repeatedly causing the leather to lose its oils and dry out sooner than the rest of the boot. I tend to care for these areas more than the upper parts of the boots. After this particular hunt, I came home and applied wax only to the areas that were holding moisture. This only took a minute, and I was ready for the morning hunt. I typically use products from Nikwax, but I hear good things about Granger’s. It takes a few rounds to fall into the boot care rhythm, but your boots will repay you with happy, dry feet and longer life. Check out the following links for more information on boot care and performance: Lowa's Leather Care Page and REI's "Expert Advice on Boot Care" View the full article

We saw this rainbow as we floated down the Eagle river. he was feeding just under the surface on emergers. Dano was able to get the right drift and caught this nice fish by using a small size 18 flashback Hares ear dropper. He was measured right at 22 inches. We took this video and a few picks and released him so someone else could catch him another day. Glory to God for making beautiful rivers for us to fish and enjoy! View the full article

Dano, Jess and I floated the Roaring Fork today and then wade fished it during the "power hour". Check out the pic of the Mule Deer fawn on our walk out in the dark. I almost stepped on it and it never moved. I took a pic and then we quickly moved away from it. It was very cute but I was amazed how motionless it layed. View the full article

Danny Bright and I floated the Eagle River near Edwards, CO yesterday on his last day in Colorado. He started off nymphing then went to dry/dropper then on to double dries and back to nymphing. The sun was shining and the fish were biting! Danny caught rainbow and brown trout as well as a Colorado whitefish. The biggest fish of the day was when Danny hooked a 22" Eagle River rainbow! Thank the Lord for beautiful waters and wild trout! View the full article

By Darr ColburnMy oldest son Parker and I are eagerly awaiting the archery deer season which is still over 2 months away. Parker turned 10 in January so this will be the first year he will be able to hunt. Parker spent lots of days in the field with me last year during the archery season. He got to see dad miss a couple of different bucks. The Dart System at Archery Headquarters in Chandler, AZ is a great way to get some realistic practice sessions in. Parker has been shooting really good. He has been practicing almost every day. Here is a short video of Parker shooting the Dart. View the full article

By Darr Colburn My friend Ryan Eustice invited me to go with him to the Arizona Wildlife Federation Awards dinner last Saturday night. Ryan received the Bronze Award(Top Award) for the huge 135 inch net non-typical coues deer he harvested in December. The dinner was at the Horseshoe Ranch which was purchased by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Ryan and I had a great time and met some really nice people. I am excited that about the future of the Horseshoe Ranch. This was the second time I attended a function at the ranch and I like it more and more each time I go there. Congratulations to Ryan and all the other awards winners on their amazing animals. Here are some more pictures of the Horseshoe Ranch. The ranch is located about an hour North of Phoenix on the Bloody Basin road and East of Interstate 17. The ranch is about 200 deeded acres. View the full article

We floated on the Raoring Fork this morning and Jeanne and Danny caught some nice fish. View the full article

Our friend, Dan Bright, has joined us this week for some good fishing. We have hit the Colorado and the Roaring fork rivers so far. Lots of good times with fish, scenery and friendship. We saw two bald eagles yesterday as well! View the full article

I like to save a few of the primo cuts of my wild game for grilling in the summer time. It's hard time after time passing over the sirloins, the top rounds and tenderloins as I dig through the freezer all winter. But now, as I slap a hard earned tenderloin on the grill, I think it was well worth the wait. It was well worth everything. It was worth the 4 hour slog through a foot of snow to catch up to the elk, it was worth the almost as long pack out, it was worth going back again the next day to finish the job. By now there isn't much left of this cow in my freezer and I'd bet the carcass is almost consumed by scavengers and what's left is hidden by wildflowers. This cow lives on, in every body that transformed her into energy and certainly in my memories. Thanks Cow Elk, for being part of who I am. This cow is now part of me, my wife, my daughter, and part of our friends and family. I won't soon forget how my shoulders felt after dragging those hams down the hill 1500'. A very basic marinade: Tamari soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, black pepper, crushed garlic, and a dash of dried rosemary. I salt the meat after it's done cooking. We've started grilling sweet potatoes: slice them about 1/2" thick, lightly coat with oil, season with black pepper, salt, and smoked paprika. They don't take long, but you do have to watch them closely as the sugars in the potato make them burn easily. The tenderloin itself was nothing short of phenomenal, giving me good reason to continue my preparations for the upcoming big game seasons. On a side note. I acquired a charcoal grill for this summer. I've been using gas for so long that I forgot what I was missing. The difference in flavor is unreal. I have a little more work and time involved with the charcoal, but I've actually been enjoying that aspect of it. It gives me a moment to relive that hunt one more time. View the full article

We have been doing a lot of fishing, eating and tying flies here lately. Below are a couple of videos that I have taken over the last several days while out prospecting for some rising trout. The first video shows some nice little browns in a feeder creek rising on some small tricos. The next video is catching and missing some risers on the Roaring Fork river in the last hour of light. The last hour the fish have been actively feeding on caddis and blue winged olives. Jeanne has been cooking up a storm as usual with last nights feast, Alaskan Halibut (sent fresh from friend Michael Park) Tacos. We have floated a few times as well and the blisters on my hands are starting to show. Our friend Jess was able to catch a bunch of fish the other night floating with me between Carbondale and Glenwood. Tight lines........ View the full article

We thought that we would share some pictures from our recent Goulds turkey hunts in Sonora, Mexico. Our hunters went five for five on the beautiful Goulds turkey. We had lots of laughs and shared good times. There is even some videos of the hunts on our site. If you are interested in 2013 get ahold of us as we are filling up fast