Redbeard

Becker, I don't know you but Andy says you are a great guy. He was nice enough to take you into this spot he's been scouting for two years. I know he hunted with you at the beginning of the season and showed you a couple of very nice 100+" bucks that you guys were unable to shoot. Why the heck don't you man up and at least thank him for helping you get this buck? heck, the comments you make about the camera make it sound like you put it there. Sure you were disciplined enough to hold of pulling the trigger on some smaller bucks and you hunted hard and earned this buck but for crying out loud you would have seen far fewer bucks and never shot this one had Andy not helped you out. Show him a little love dude! By the way if anybody doubts that Andy is a bad butt hunter I'll point out that he has shot three deer in AZ in the last 17 months. A nice "hybrid" deer in August 2003 from a tree stand, a 80" whitetail on his first stalk Jan. 1, 2004, and he just shot a nice heavy 3X4 mulie with me this weekend on his second stalk of 2005. Did I mention that he did all that with a longbow? How about the huge bull he shot in Sept., the bear, the lion, pigs, ... That boy has shot more stuff than just about anybody here and he's done it with the same longbow and in the last 2 years or so. He almost got a Cochise award in one year! He hasn't ever shot a big game animal with a rifle. I have never hunted with anybody who lives for it and does it with more class than Andy. He has the highest ethics and best attitude of anybody I've ever met. You are lucky to know him. There's some props for Little Bear! Congrats on a great buck. I hope to get one like that someday. I know I'd be way thankful to the guy who put me on the spot to pull it off. I'll be hunting that spot with Andy next year. P.S. Thanks a bunch for starting a rush on unit 33 tags. Don't be surprised when you don't draw one for a while.

I don't remember exactly what the circumstances were but I thought there was six. My memories of that hunt are sketchy but I remember very well when you passed out and caught on fire. dang that was funny! You guys won't believe this but there was no alcohol involved! I'm pulling Josh off the ground where he fell on a lantern and caught fire and he's coming out of it wondering what the heck I'm beating his clothes for. dang that was too much.

I'll try to send the photos tomorrow. They are hound photos. The Green Bean is about to get a lift, shocks, tires, and a towbar. Then it will be in action.

Josh, Hey man I didn't mean to cast doubt on you. I've known you since the beginning so it just sounds funny to me when you are the big shot. (but you are now) I'm just giving you crap about the love fest . You are a legend in some guys minds. I'm just giving you some crap cause I know some guys who swear you are picking up ALL those huge coues sheds in your pictures. I don't think it is clear to everybody that some are sheds you or Alan bought. I'm not saying you said you found them and I know if anybody asked you be the first to give credit to whoever found them. You certainly have an impressive collection of both elk and coues sheds you found by hard work and knowledge. You are getting a well deserved reputation as an antler specialist. The truth is that Josh is the antler guru. I don't know anybody who can identify an antler like him. If you guy want to see Josh's real talent try putting him to the test matching horns or just give him a huge pile and he'll spot horns of the same bull in no time. I also would be the first to point out that Josh is a true antler fanatic and has worn out a lot of boots looking for his impressive sheds. I think you are a "Couesinaire" I'm retired now. I shed hunted hard for about 5 years and am proud of my collection in that short time but building my houses, having kids, and getting a real job has forced me to give it up . I sure miss it sometimes. Hey I did find 3 more nice gold nuggets this weekend though.

Josh, Remember I saw one by myself. I believe you or Jeff saw one by yourself and then the day after you shot your deer we could see four at one time. There was a tom eating your carcass and a mom with two full growns with her. That is six except maybe the first two were the same one twice. But no matter that is still a lot of lions. For those guys that doubt me I'm sure you believe Josh. In addition to those lions I've seen many more all without dogs. 2 together in 6B following mule deer. on video 3 together in 22 chasing some javelina and some whitetails 2 together in 22 eating a calf 3 together in 36A (I shot one of those) 1 in 6A watching me hike 1 in 21 that tried to eat me I missed it with my bow as it was about to jump at me from 15 yards. 1 in 8 that came into a ground blind with me I chased that one off. (2 others had come in to the same waterhole the same day on another guy) 3 with Josh in unit 32, on video 2 in 6A that I think were breeding Since Andy started hanging around with me he has seen just 4 in unit 8. A couple more I can't remember right now. There are lots of lions out there. I've been to unit 34 and although I didn't see any bears there was tons of sign. I was just about a month after they had been there.

I plan to head over that way for the second hunt. I've hunted by mule creek before and saw 6 lions and one buck. Anybody have any good advice for another unit near AZ. Heck I'll shoot a carp deer if I get a chance. Didn't draw a single tag in AZ this year. Anybody hunt the north end of 23???

Hey Josh, Empty your dang mailbox. It says you are over your quota and that's why the emails keep getting sent back. Otherwise I'll divulge more of your shed hunting secrets!

Hey Josh, I know you probably come check this thread since it is a "Josh Epperson Love Fest" so I'll try to cantact you here. I tried to send you some pictures at your commspeed address but they keep coming back undeliverable. Have you not been paying your bills? Since the subject is the secret to Josh's success I'll tell you the other secret. He buys alot from the indians! Redbeard

AZguide, I think we've exchanged posts on Nuggetshooter.com etc. I am busy with yet another pastime now so I can't get out with my metal detector. I'm getting paid to run around AZ looking for new places for rock climbing. It is a long story but I'm making enough money that I can but a GP3000 after just two weekends! Gotta make hay while the sun shines. I will be getting out this winter and spring with the beeper though. I'm using an SD2100 now and love it. It costs less than 1/2 the GP3000 too. I've found about an ounce of gold so far including one nugget that weighed over 1/2 an ounce. It is pretty fun but not nearly as fun or as good of exercise as looking for sheds. It just is something different for me to try to get good at and explore some new country. I'd be happy to get together with you this winter. I don't have much knowledge about where to go and am not part of any group but I proved I can find gold on my own. I have several places I'd like to check out.

I am ashamed to admit that I have a couple of sheds that came of 100" bucks rotting in the sun. Don't get me thinking about shed hunting. It was a tough addiction to kick. Man those were the days. I just laugh my but off at some of the stuff we used to do. Now I'm addicted to hunting gold with a metal detector. Suits my old man hairline and wrinkles! I barely have time to measure for P&Y. I'd have to spend my whole summer vacation just measuring your sheds! I knew the old unit 8 sheds would get beat sometime. I guess I'll toss them in the yard now too. Feel free to post a picture if you have some. I don't know if I still have a copy of the Litlle Big Horns story. I'll look around and send it in if I can finf it. I have found a few little ones up there in 8 but nothing big. How is Reynolds getting all these huge sheds in AZ on whiteman land? Is anybody killing the deer or are they from places where there is no hunting?

Hey, I agree with what Josh says. It is my goal to come home with at least one coues shed a day. You sure aren't making money doing it. It's all for the thrill of finding another one. Some days you come home with nothing but you still learned a lot. Josh, It is too funny how bad the coues shed addiction is. Remember how every hunt we went on no matter what the season and weapon of choice eventually tuned into shed hunting? I'm still that way. I was stalking around with my bow this August and spent most of my time looking for sheds. I didn't even know another book was coming out. Is it too late to put entries in the 3rd edition? Did Reynolds or some Apache knock me and Janice out of our world records yet? Is Reynolds getting his sheds in the US or Mexico? I think there ought to be different categories for reservation sheds! I know you are pretty busy guiding and buying sheds these days are you still stumbling over rocks alot? I've all but given up shed hunting. Now that I have a real job and kids I just don't have the time. I have a box at home with about 200 coues sheds in it that I never even look at anymore. Now when I find them they just end up in the yard most of the time. Sad isn't it? Chris

I spent Friday -Monday up there in that area. Sat the tank some hiked around some but no deer and no sign of ravens eating him. I think he's still kickin.

It has more to do with the consistency year after year and the timing of the rain. There have been studies done comparing monsoon rainfall patterns with coues populations and the areas with the most dependable monsoons have the highest populations. When several good years come in a row they will expand their range but the farther west you go the less reliable the monsoons over the long term and so the fewer deer. Coues deer biology shows that their fawning time coincides with the monsoon. They are keyed into the plentiful food that comes in late summer more than in the spring. That's why our rut is so late too.

Easton Carbonaero with orange and yellow vanes. Should have been hit in the back of the right hip. He jumped the string when I shot and spun around facing away by the time the arrow got there. It is only the second animal I've hit and lost and the other happened the same way in the same area in 1993. Thoise deer are so jumpy it makes it really unnerving to take a shot. I followed tiny amounts of blood for 1/2 mi and lost it. Kept looking on and off until sunday night with no luck. If that's the right arrow give me a call. 928-899-0680 Don't use the 639-1644 number. Chris Dunn