mbiewer

Cooper's asked to come take a look at the house, and wanted a 2 week trial with the dog being there before the adoption took place. We noticed Hank had a funny run. when he got overly tired, or ran a lot (or combination of both), he would flail out with his hind leg. Asked the group about a hip injury and got ___________ (crickets). So I told the lady we were just curious, and still wanted to keep him_________ (crickets again). So whatever. As with any dog, the younger they are the easier to train. We picked hank up at 2 yrs old. Lots of life left in him.... but the "new car, err new dog smell" was gone. He was house trained, crate trained, a pretty good boy when he wanted to be and never had any issues. My delusions of making him into a full time hunting companion was too though. he doesn't like loud noises, is afraid of guns (he'll leave the room when I get to that portion of the trip packing), but still has his curiosities (like once when I seen him locked and pointed at some ants in the front yard). He's a good boy in the end, used to take him running back when I had time for that. His longest distance with me was 9 miles. without any problems other than any insect or bug that caught his attention. Im sure that with more time on my part I could have got him in the field and trained him. good luck choosing your new family member

If you're in the east valley I got my dog Hank from Cooper's chance (http://www.cooperschance.org/adopt.html) At the time they had a heavy population of pointers. I think they had more than listed. Anyways, I've seen both ends of the spectrum now. Before i found hank, they brang one dog out to the house. He wouldn't let me near him, and when i did he was very defensive. There was another GSP that ran around the yard with her tail between her legs. so then we went to meet hank. Hank was a rescue, that the family didn't realize what it meant to be owned by a pointer. Wasn't sure what was characteristics of him, breed, or situation till after talking to other pointer owners. Hank is protective. I have a corner house that backs up to a main street (one neighbor). The house is under constant attack, according to Hank. But at the same time, my 7 yr old nephew can try to ride him like a horse. my 4 yr old neice can run circles around the house with a single kernel of popcorn with the poor dog in tow. (Wasn't home for it, ) or heard stories of my neice using him as a landing pad jumping from the top of the chair on to him. With little more than a groan. Never owend a "purchased dog". My aunt in Connecticut trains goldens, and does amazing things with her dogs. Are you looking for a pet, or a "hunting tool"? There's lots of good animals out there, some just need the right environment to undo the misdoings of bad owners.

they actually use to have it, way before my time. but it was before computers existed. then they split it up. spring and fall hunts. then they found that most hunters would put in for elk and deer in the fall. But then when the single fall hunt came out... most people would scrub out of the deer hunt for what ever reason ( timing, or limited trips or conflicting areas. (like for example, we are putting in for cow this year, which is mid October. My brother already said he cant do three trips (turkey, elk, deer) in one month. Or even the closer of the two (elk October 19? and deer October 31 ish?) So other people in a similar situation would scrap a deer hunt, thusly screwing it up for even more people that could've gone but couldn't due to wasted tags. ----- it is a good theory, one single draw, other states do it.... but in reality, each draw comes with complexities. Could you imagine if all those complexities would combine forces (which is what they would probably end up doing) in one solitary draw?!?!?! I will take the three draw system and continue to stress out three times a year

So I was starting to think about strategy for the spring hunt. trying to do more research . Never hurts to ask, right? What are peoples opinions on ground blinds? Do they work, do they make things easier? do they need to be set up _?_ before hand to be effective? I think we have two roosts located. But at the same time, wont be able to get up any earlier than the day before the hunt to set up. I know the ground blind question came up in an elk thread a few months back, but turkey are pretty different. I have "acquired" a full ground blind from one of the buddies that left it in the camper when I bought it. (his response when I asked him if he wanted it back was "I know where it is when we need it"). But I was also looking at other more portable options. Bass has some "camo wall blinds" for about 40 bucks. There's four of us with tags. May consider purchasing one of these also, just to be able to use it in two different areas . Still learning, Thanks for your time Matty

thanks everyone for responding. So I think we have two general areas for turkey come this season. We are shot gunning, so if that helps the thread (although I do appreciate all the insight to compare it to archery--- someday I will be patient enough to sit with a bow) Anyways, we found 2 general areas. One is on lower ground. There's a cliff, but its about 1/2 mile away from where we seen them roosting in the fall. The other group, in general we know where they are. We went up a high road to get a change of scenery on muley last fall and found turkeys up on the top flat before the peak of the hill. We walked around and my brother is fairly certain he found the (second) roost. Now hopefully the two separate flocks don't ghost out on us in season. I was thinking about a Mad Max ground blind and then using a conventional blind as well for the couple different spots (there are four of us after all) Anyone here ever try them?

wow that's an awesome rug....but I don't wanna wind up keeping it in the back of the pick-up.... when she kicks me out for buying it. (our decorating styles are way different, lol) Bump

right after pigs fly. jk

was just about to ask if you got the ranger that was posted in the ads. Congrats. I don't know much about the rangers, but the concepts of aerodynamics are the same. I had an old jeep without a top. In general, the flat windshield sort of "snow plows" , and the wind comes from all directions into the cab because of it. The ranger, I imagine, is the same situation. A vortex behind the glass that draws air into the passenger area. I eventually got doors. On jeeps they sell a "wind jammer". its basically the vinyl version of the back of the pickup cab. just a sheet with a window cut in. Makes that swirl of air un able to come from behind. good luck..... and take me for a ride, please!

I started waiting on feb 9th, when I clicked submit. lol. It's long but this period of time is the worst. I set my bank account to send an alert email if there's any charge over a certain amount, and especially online. (ie, the draw charge). Then, when I get a new email, it chimes my phone in my pocket. The plan actually backfires right about now though. Every stupid email isn't the one ive been hoping for. Uggggh. im going back to paper. jk

when I was in my teens got into a scrap with my older brother. however he managed to accomplish it.... I popped my shoulder out, pretty much had to tap out then. lol. (not saying it was his fault, just happened at an inopportune time). In college, during a "discussion with elevated volume" , I chucked my keys across the yard. the overhand throw and slip, out again. It was a sunday night, and I found my keys and drove back to the dorm (about an hour down the road). Having a tender shoulder and nothing much to do, I was rubbing my shoulder and coerced it from the socket. once under a truck working on the drive line, I went to break a bolt and out came the shoulder. a few times working on big sewage pumps ... out came the shoulder. over time, it got scary to sleep at night, because if I rolled over wrong.... out came the shoulder. Got to the point when I would sleep with a belt around my sternum to immobilize my arm so I wouldn't pop it loose at night and sleep on the couch so I couldn't roll. Until I got to the point where it would pop out with the belt on. Lucky for me, if I let the muscles relax it would normally go back in on its own in about 30 seconds. I did get to the dr eventually (a general dislike of doctors kept me out and away), the third attempt found me a ortho surgeon who recognized the problem and helped me get it fixed. My labrum was shredded like cotton candy at that point. pins and bands and so far so good. Like everyone else, rest and rehab is what I got to add. after it isn't painful, go get it looked at. (I say after, because the doctor is probably going to move you around like a G.I. Joe figure to check range of motion). Once it happens once, there's a significant increase in likelihood of it happening again, and each time more so. In the beginning mine would be sore for about a week. after that it would be functional the next day, because there was less resistance to slipping and muscles were stretched. Luckile I hadn't done more damage. good luck and have fun with that.

the two track went directly 90 degrees up a ridge line. so we parked the jeep at the top, and went in opposite directions. We glassed out for about two hours when I decided to get back before walking back in the dark, A little too early though. Laid the gun against the tire, took the binos off and then the pack. heard a noise so stepped around the jeep to see a few brown legs underneath the low scrub. crept back to the jeep and grabbed the binos and crept back out then realized "a gun might be beneficial". Back to the jeep for the swap in time to see 3 elk going down the two track. raised the rifle to wait and see if one would "sprout" antlers (there heads were obstructed by the trees). they turned and stared 90 degrees opposite direction then the 3 cows meandered off. My brother emerged shortly after. Apparently he had the same thoughts of beating the last bit of sunlight (already beyond shooting light). He was a lot more excited about the 3 cow than I was. Apparently from me to them was about 50 yards. to make a triangle though, up the other ridge, Ben was about 15 yards out in the broad open without a single tree around him on the way back to the jeep from them. He's never been so close before ---- Early in our seasons, Ben was nice enough to take one guy's son from camp on our outing for the afternoon for javelina. we dropped them at the bottom of the wash, and me and the boys dad drove the jeep to the top, we were all set to walk down and meet them then hike out together. Ben said they hit a spot in the wash that wasn't passable in the first ten minutes, so they double backed. Teaching Chris how to read track, which ones were fresh direction of travel, the differences between everything out in the desert. Christopher was quick to recognize their own boot prints... until he got confused. their fresh boot tracks started to get obscured by fresh mountain lion track. they were being stalked for a few minutes until we got turned around in the jeep from them calling us on the radio and working back to the drop off point. ------ this past HAM hunt, there were 8 tags in camp. One of the younger guys was content to walk out from camp and never ventured for more than a couple hours. One morning he took his 12 gauge with the hopes of pinning down some quail, or pistol for the javelina, whichever came first. He came back to camp about 1 after hiking all morning. he said at one point he got hot and went to sit in the shade. Put the 12 down, and the moment he sat under the tree, a bobcat jumped out from directly above him and took off running. It happened so fast he wasn't sure what to do.

Salt river horses? we usually see them a lot when we kayak

seen this on FB this morning. http://kdminer.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=65105&SectionID=74&SubSectionID=604&S=1

So "Alpy".... was this at one of the homes for the "boys" on the comssion.... is that how you're making sure your app is on top of the pile. "mind if I cook you some juicy steaks to help my name get picked". ha ha Just kidding. It doesn't matter when they START drawing apps.... it only matters when they draw mine. :-) I could be the last name from the hat for all I care, as long as I still get to go. not holding my breath about any delays though.

as long as we're being technical here.... "samich" is spelled wrong.... I believe it's called a "saMMich"..... unless you were helping your buddy Sam reach a spot. jk ha ha

TJ, you can bring it to spring bird if you wanna come into 23 with us., Wouldn't complain at all if you did. lol

coworker who has family in payson said they are catching some huge fish out of the lake in payson. Spring feeding? I dunno. dang near 80 in the valley now

whoops: http://www.chandleraz.gov/default.aspx?pageid=755 McQueen and ocotillo

where you heading? Chandler has a city park with an archery range. full lanes from 20 yards to 100 (seen Olympic style archers practice there). its "BYOT" but has shade, benches, tables, and hooks .... all for free

well catfish... there's always a chance about them may or may not being there with a game cam. with a radio, someone has a visual on the animal and directing them towards it. the idea is "fair" . If the kids were playing hide and seek in the back yard...and one kid was wired in to a kid sitting on the roof telling him or her where to look....

Its usually right around the expo. Remember riding out there 3 years ago to have TJ text me that he got charged. The actual draw for official results and for the paper people should be mid april

originally a native of chandler... but then the family moved back to Wisconsin to help on my uncle's dairy farm with about 160 acres. Most of the family was there. Had one city cousin in the national guard that would bring guns out to shoot on the back fields, but was too little to try shooting at the time. Plenty of deer back there, but they were a nuisance. Some of the Older neighbor kids would ask to hunt the fields, but was always taught "if you got time to sit around, you got time for chores". The only time I can remember having venison is off the front bumper of the farm truck. Mom clipped a deer coming back from taking my older brother to CCD at church. That was a sight to see. I remember the three of us younger kids daring each other to go in the detached garage that was the workshop for the farm to look at the deer hanging from the rafters draining into a bucket. Eventually we moved back to az. And a family friend put us up for the first summer we were back,My sisters God parents. He was a valley fire fighter and she had lupus. She was a camp ground host during the summer and he was either on shift or up north with her so they generously let us stay at the house. Worked out because we baby sat their grandkids. I was the tag along. Not old enough to explore the neighborhood like my older brothers I got to go with "Grandpa Jim" and the boys when they did cool stuff like shooting. Jim and his sons all hunted but never got to go. It wasn't until I turned 20 that I was invited for my first deer hunt by one of his boys. then they invited us out for javelina. One friend from work convinced me to go out for elk with him, and he was gonna "teach me all about it". My brother and I tried turkey a few times on our own (no one I knew wanted to bother with the small game like that). I still don't know what im doing. I know I ask a lot of questions on here from time to time. TJ (thanks TJHUNT2) and a few others are great at fostering the community to continue what it is , and I do my best to share what little I do know. Every trip out is another chance to learn. Eventually someday I might get it all figured out and hang a tag.

this is already been in place for a number of years. but by default.... the public land "behind" the private land is still technically open... it is unhuntable because it does not have any access. Case in point is unit 32. In and around Mammoth. there are large tracts of land that are inaccessible because landowners have revoked the rights of crossing due to lack of respect for the landowner (littering, harassing livestock, damage of roads and property)

well, just FYI B&C doesn't condone long distance shooting as "fair chase" hunting practices either. there are definitely two methods of using radios: What most people (including myself and my group).. using radios as a way to communicate back and forth in general. "i'm bored", "the deer have all left for the fall" "who's in charge of dinner" "i'm lost"... "i'm lost again" "i'm still lost". "who picked this unit anyways". and on and on. then there's the way that b&c are opposed. Like when we stopped at Mormon lake once on a day trip. There were spotters on the vista with binos and radios. then as we drove around the lake, Curly's point had another secondary spot team. Again with radios and binos. guiding their hunter into the elk sunning in the lake bed.

I sooo totally wanna try one of these some day. Doesn't look like heavily forested areas. Maybe with one of the Little Creek calls, and the decoy it would work maybe even try to bare hand a turkey like the one guy towards the end of the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wvcczx5nJw