AzDiamondHeat

How/where do you guys carry your sidearm while carrying a pack?

I go back and forth on this. Does the guy with the elk tag take precedence over the guy out there hunting coyotes? If the guy with the elk tag says yes, I wonder what his opinion was 3 weeks earlier when he was scouting for elk in the middle of the early archery deer season.... The forest belongs to everyone regardless of season. I try to have as much "courtesy" as I can and respect what others are doing out there at that time. With that said, I am not going to refrain from enjoying the outdoors just because someone else might be enjoying it in a different way. A few years back I was elk hunting and was muttering about the danged wood cutters that were ruining my hunt. Later that day after I had shot an elk a wood cutter came by and spent 2 hours helping me track, dress, and load my elk. He wasn't out there being selfish trying to ruin my hunt; he was just getting wood for his family during the time he had available to do so. As for the guys out there calling elk when they don't have a tag, I am fine with it. If you are good enough at calling then the elk will not be affected by any other "education" they may be getting. I think it is more about courtesy and respecting others than anything else.

Went to the memorial a few years back. Serious humble moment.

I was thinking of doing the same thing with the advertising tarp! How was it installing the grommets? Also do you feel the vinyl makes it hotter than a normal tarp? Grommets are easy once you get the hang of it. It's not rocket surgery. The cheapy kits from walmart work just fine although they are not as efficient as a vice or plier type. The biggest challenge with the vinyl material is getting the hole punch to cut it where it is doubled up. That stuff is STRONG. I think the vinyl is cooler as it cuts more sun and provides UV(as far as I could tell). It is a bit heavy and more cumbersome than a poly tarp though. Hard wrangle with one person.

If you are willing to drive a little further to Taylor Kayce Turley has done right by me and many others on here. Great guy and very good stuff.

be careful to not go too cheap as although you may get "shade" you will not get uv protection. It will feel hotter under it than not under it. I bought a advertising tarp from craigslist and cut it to size and put grommets in it. Will last 10 times longer than the poly tarps. If you do go poly tarp, I recommend the heavy duty silver ones. Just my $.02

I'm headed up Wednesday.

Very cool. Sounds like an epic adventure and well earned reward.

In that 4th pic it looks like it has some mange going on. maybe just the way the pic is?

I need to start getting out of bed before noon.....

It's all fun and games until someone loses an eyeguard....

Just wait until they are walking away and shoot them in the brown bullseye....

Yea me too. Now he's famous. You guys admit to watching ch 3???

They coulds still be "perfect"....

Never shot one but did find a band in a bone pile under an eagle nest.

Nobody is ever "solo" in 4b......lol More like by yourself with 250 of your closest friends right next door! I'll be out there too(4b) if you need help.

Depends on where it is. If around our property it dies. Violently. Out in the desert....meh. It is just being what it is.

So my rhino is a little wider than I thought and a tree ripped up one of my seats. Anyone know a vinyl seat repair guy in the east valley?

I only need one.....

I was out scouting last week and looked in on a couple of water holes. Because I am not a "camera guy", I just don;t think about looking for them. I have stumbled on a couple accidentally while almost running into them. I am certain there are guys out there wondering what kind of idiot I am walking in front of their cameras so clueless. At least I kept my clothes on unlike some of our CWT friends.....

I have never sat in a blind but I will give my expert opinion anyway..... Last year was the first time I sat water for elk. We were desperate as it was hot and dry and no bugling whatsoever. I set up my hide by getting back off the water a little ways. I cleared several shooting lanes and planned my position based on the most likely approach. I sat in front of a tree without any blind at all. I am very good at sitting still. I was lucky and a smallish bull did come in and I took him. I timed my movements to when his eyes were behind trees as he moved. He never saw me. My buddy sat water for 5 days. Some in blinds and some like I did. He sat the exact same water as I did. He sucks at hunting and isn't patient. He moved and got busted every time. Based on that LIMITED experience(and a millennium of predator hunting), I don't think the blind is as important as your patience and ability. That and dumb luck. My wife has her first archery tag this year(early cow) and as she shoots a crossbow we will mostly be hunting from blinds. I have half a dozen spots picked out. Some have "natural blinds" or hides where we will use the existing geography and flora. We have a couple of natural built blinds. I also have a double bull blind and a half blind that I will set up. Given her very limited experience it will be interesting to see how she does in each of them. And we will have our 4 year old with us. Start the circus music......lol

I agree with trphyhntr(full moon does crazy things to the mind). I will also add the proliferation of utvs and new roads has pushed a whole new generation out hunting. If they had to "work" like we used to, far fewer would go.

I like the bacon poppers too. We do some with jalapenos and some with pineapple chunks.

Oh, and an extra pair of boots. Wet feet SUCK!

Son here's the secret....go "scouting" for elk during deer season and take your bow along for "protection" just in case. That way the deer won't hide because you are out there for elk.