WHT_MTNMAN

Perfect shape to him. Huge Congrats on a great looking goat.

In 2009 I moved to Payson to start work. I met a gentleman that was 40 years older than I was and we became close friends. I introduced him to a couple of my friends and over the years we have all kept in touch with Royce being the glue that kept us together. A month ago he fell in the shower and broke a couple of ribs, during his recovery and hospital stay is was determined he most likely had lung cancer and passed a couple of weeks ago, just shy of his 86 birthday. Thank you Royce for sharing your life with me and my children and dragging me out to glass for Coues and explore some of your favorite areas. God speed and I hope there is a Tripod and 15s set up in heaven just waiting for you.

"To be Fair" means to consider everything so fair judgment can be rendered. I gave more info on the subject that is all. It does make a difference. I'm not nor every will condone poaching but again the degree of the "breaking the law" matters to me.

yep so is going 5mph over the speed limit. Huge difference in murder and speeding. Still breaking the law but still different.

To be fair, I've heard he flew a week or two weeks before his hunt and they are getting him because the OTC elk on the Strip was open, not because he flew too close to the hunt or anything. Which to me is kind of a bogus charge but whatever. It is what it is.

Looks Awesome!! Beautiful work

Thank you for your service, and I really mean that BUT again bear hunting isn't normally for those who want the meat. Bear can be found anywhere and sometimes close to roads but they much prefer the deepest, thickest hillsides, mountains and is not very conducive to someone that cannot access certain spots. Good luck. Bear hunting is tough hunting usually.

Unless you get lucky and kill one your first time out, beef truly is cheaper. I like the taste of bear if prepared properly but be prepared if you add up the time and fuel it takes to get your first bear it will be into the hundreds, if not thousands per pound. Find the food sources that time of year. Usually acorns etc.. I don't know anything about the units posted, glass or calling is most productive. Most seasoned bear hunters prefer not to share spots with new hunters because the new hunters go in and kill any bear which often can be a sow or young boar and prematurely shut down units. Bear is not game animal that many people hunt JUST for the meat.

Beautiful buck! congrats Lance

Great job Dad!! congrats to Levi

I have used varying brands. I don’t think it matters much but a good cot pad or foam pad is invaluable. Much better than any mattress I have used on the ground. Air mattresses are garbage.

I almost always sleep under the stars in the bed of my truck on a cot. If it is an unexpected rain shower I have a tarp i lay over my bed, If I know its going to rain or snow I have a small tent I usually pack. I also try to rent a room one or two nights during a longer hunt to shower as needed. I've found one of the best ways to be successful is to be mobile.

I think is well known for 170" type bucks with a few 180s and bigger thrown in. I agree not very many over 185" killed I was trying to count up how many 200s have been killed and of course I don't know all of them but I have a pretty good handle on them. I think there have been around 8 or 9 in the last 15 years with half of those coming from 3a and only 1 that I know of on a archery hunt and none on the December hunts. There are a few others that could be close but I never heard of any scores, official or not on some of them.

Well Tomgobbler has lived here his whole life and myself and other that have lived her over 40 years all see the same thing. Its a good hunt but #s are down. In the 3 years they have had the hunt (3c December) the biggest buck that has been killed is 180" class buck. It sure is better than pre-fire but not nearly as good as it has been.

Those are some great bucks! That sucks, I hope it works out and you get your bucks back.

I didn't see your list when I responded before and truthfully that isn't a bad list at all. Too bad tags are so hard to get that when one gets one he/she has multiple friends that want to help and experience it. I will still take all the help I can get on most hunts, but I'm getting old and tired and don't hunt like I used to.

To be honest I don't think it is fair chase either, but it is legal and it does happen. I also think it is unfair but how do we determine "fairness" Or what legal actions do we take to determine "fairness" Again that is my question. I don't know the answer either.

Its an advantage but is it unfair? if so does unfair mean wrong? Serious question. I know a guy that was well connected and drew a Strip tag years ago. He literally had a retired friend of his up there for almost 2 months before the season and had 15-20 guys helping him during the hunt. Guys that wanted to experience the strip and in one way or another felt like they could devote a week to do it. 3 or 4 of my good friends are an advantage over a a new hunter with no one to help him. Is it unfair? sure. is it wrong? Not in my eyes. So is it unfair for one guy to have a job, or career that allows him to take off months before and during the hunt?, while another guy gets to hunt only the weekends? Sure it is Life isn't always fair It is pretty easy to say 3 isn't too many helpers but 30 is but what about 8 or 15. Again is there a # where it goes from ok to unfair.

What # makes it fair chase? One year I only had 2 buddies show up for a hunt that I had. Another year my son had a pretty good tag and I had 8 or 9 friends show up to help and look for us. Is that cheating? Again what # goes against fair chase or is classified as cheating. I'm curious.

There are very few elk by Clay Springs right now... Ask me how I know? Most of the tanks are dry. I'm doing my best to grow something to keep them close. IMG_6308.mov

Had a great trip with some buddies over to NM last month. This is my 2nd Oryx first one was a bull and this one was a cow. The costs have increased and I figured they looked enough alike I didn't care if it was a bull or cow. Few years ago bull Last months cow

Everything North and South of the 260 is great elk country. The problem is the Elk have all left. It is a combination of horses, drought and the OTC hunts in 3A. I heard through the grapevine so I can't confirm 100% but during the count last year they found under 100 head of elk that historically has 600-800 head and over 1500 horses. There will be some big bulls still show up and you will find pockets of elk but it isn't the same as even 3 or 4 years ago. Pray for good monsoons, lots of grass and that the elk will stay in 3c.

Seriously with friends like that who needs enemies.