Coach

Thanks Elkhunter1, I'll take a look at that.

There's another topic discussing this, and it is definately an interesting situation. First and foremost, I applaud Mr. Husted for his honesty. He wasn't pressured into coming clean - he chose to do so. I also applaud G&F on their decision. They found themselves in the "ultimate catch 22". On the one hand, you've got a person (let's just pretend he's not on the commission, for now) voluntarily admitting to what we would all probably agree is a minor infraction. For starters, most people don't even know there is a small window that it's illegal to shoot Gunnison Prairer dogs. Secondly, he wasn't even the person that shot the prairer dog in question - it was a youth hunter he was accompanying. But the rules clearly state that "take" does not necessarly mean actually "killing" anything, it is broadly defined by "persuit". And persuit, as I have found, is an extremely open term. According to the law, you are unlawfully "taking" game if you are even there with the intent to take game. I'd be happy to expound on that via PM. Back to the quandry G&F found themselves in. On the one hand, it's a minor infraction, even a technicality. If they persue and follow, to the letter of the law, you'll find a lot of people upset that they "threw the book" at someone who was just trying to be honest. On the other hand, if they dismiss it, you'll have an equal number of people upset that they gave special treatment to the individual because he was acting as a G&F commissioner and turned a blind eye. There is no way boots on the ground G&F wins in this situation. How would you like to be the officer who didn't even witness these events, but still had to testify against your boss's boss (and maybe then more bosses)? No matter what direction they take, they are going to come out in a bad light. So, the most honorable thing they can possibly do is follow the "letter of the law". They have to discount the fact that this guy did the right thing by coming to them and admitting an honest mistake and even harder, they have to omit the fact that he is at the very top of the chain of command in their organization. That's a very hard situation to be in the middle of. From the standpoint of all of us hunters, his actions might not have been "technically legal", but even he didn't know he was breaking the law at the time he was doing it. I've shot p-dogs all summer as a way to sight in guns in years past. I didn't know there was any difference between shooting a prairie dog or ground squirrel or setting a mouse trap in my garage. Rodents must die. Personally, I'd drop any and all charges against the guy. We've got enough intentional poaching to reign in before I'd go after the guy who made an honest mistake and openly admitted it. On the other hand, every time I go on a job interview and fill out an application, I have to list the time I made an honest mistake and openly admitted it, and it was right along side of what what this guy is going through. If you think only those intentionally breaking the law find themselves on the other side of the law, I and Mr. Husted would disagree.

Best wishes on getting it back, and I applaud your restraint for not naming names or starting a smear tactic against the guy, but putting subtle pressure on, in hopes those involved will realize they aren't doing themselves or our sport any favors by acting in this manner. Karma can be a goddess to those doing the right thing and a real b**** to those who intentionally screw people over. You might never see that rack again, but I think you've been very tolerant in your approach, and I know somewhere along the path, you'll be justly rewarded. Even if it's just knowing you took the high road when someone wronged you.

My kids will shoot some cows in unit 1. They're 13 and 15 and already trying to find ways to make it harder. They've got rifle tags but one wants to use a bow and the other my grandfather's Hawkins .50 cal. Could be a really fun hunt. They both laugh that every time we go out to check our spots at how many opportunities there are to shoot one from the road, no matter what time of day it is.

"The color differnce is what I think is really neat." The amazing racks they are sporting is what I think is really neat! Nice bucks - I sure hope you get an arrow in one. Thanks for sharing.

Until they see the Swaro's around your neck, lol. Guess you could claim to be out "birding" but you'd need the signature orange shirt for that.

But if it did "magically show back up" that would be an admission of guilt by the guy who took it. Let's hope he has a concience and does the right thing - but it's hard to expect that from someone who would just take it in the first place. Personally, I'd have a lot more respect for the guy if he just manned up and admitted to taking it "in a moment of passion" and gave it back with an apology.

I've heard great things about Lowa, Kentrek. Best boots I've owned in a long time are the Perfekt Hunters you already have. Do you wear wool socks with them? Might keep the sweat controlled better but if you don't like hot feet, that might make it worse. Personally I love mine in the desert, but don't hunt it much outside Dec - Feb. Those Denali look like a great boot. I'd stay away from anything that is has any part of the upper Nylon/Cordura if waterproofing is a high priority. I've never seen one that could stand more than a couple days of cactus and not break the membrane. My speed freaks leak like a sieve after a couple of Javi hunts. Still like them for light/medium use but they are overpriced for what you get, IMO. IMO all the good boots are a little hot, but experimenting with socks can mitigate that. I find my feet stay much cooler with Merino wool than with cotton. Let us know what you find.

+ 2.

Dang Jim - I sure hope you get it back. You might have timed this better though. Isn't there a big expo coming up? If this guy gets wind that you've got a volunteer army looking for it, he probably won't display it in Phx. If there is a big one coming up, might have been better to wait until he was set up and the CWT'ers could give him heck. One very nice deer BTW. Sorry it was stolen.

I'm using the old-style bino harness and keep my rangefinder in a pouch on my daypack. I'm sure there are much better systems out there, so I wanted to get some opinions as to what is the best way to carry your binocs and rangefinder these days. I want something that keeps my binocs from bouncing around and my rangefinder easy to get at with one hand.

Wow - I'm glad I haven't gone prarie dog hunting this summer. I had no idea there was a season on them. Bet there won't be next year I'm not surprised that he was cited, but I would sure like to be in the courtroom to hear to proceedings. On the one hand, it sounds like he didn't even shoot the p-dog. So is he now an "accessorie" to taking wildlife out of season? Is the kid being cited? This could get interesting.

I saw a doe a couple years back in 3C that was almost white - I'm sure not a true albino, but she looked nothing like the other does she was hanging around.

I put my Covert II out on July 5th on a really active spot. The biggest card it would take was 2GB. Well, that filled up in 5 days. I was looking forward to almost a month's worth of pictures but missed out on the last couple weeks because the card filled up so quickly. I tried putting in a 4GB card today and the menu wouldn't come up to format it. Is there any way to get this camera to work with larger cards? I absolutely LOVE the camera. The battery life is fantastic, the triggering, everything about it. I just need more capacity.

Happy Birthday, Clay. I hope it ws a good day, and I wish you many more.

I'll be up there, and from the research I've done so far, it's a little overwhelming. Just wanted to know if any other CTW'ers will be up there at the same time. I'll be on the rifle hunt Nov 9 - 19. Planning some scouting trips.

Super how those came out. Becker, I have dried out skull and cape in the freezer. I'm not real happy with the last mount my "local guy" did. I love the way those turned out and would ilke to talk to you about doing mine. jason.jones@sage.com

I'm right there with ya TJ.

I wanted a 1911 for a long time and still do just because it's such an iconic weapon. But for the same $$ you can get a really nice h&k USP. The 1911 will have to wait.

Yeah, those are a little out of my price range. I'm nervous enough leaving $120 cams out. I just won't leave a piece of equipment that costs close to what one of my rifles does where it's fair game for thieves.

Even if a law is passed, I don't think AZ hunters will ever stop hunting over salt. Imagine being a public prosecutor trying to make a case against someone shooting a deer over a salt lick. If they have to prove that the hunter actually put the salt there, they are hamstrung. If they had to prove intent by somehow showing they knew an established salt lick was there, they are hamstrung. It's a totally un-enforceable law. How far from the salt do you have to be? Is every trail that goes near a salt lick illegal? If you've ever had any encounters with the local justice, you know how overwhelmed they are by DUI repeats, domestic fights and B.S. IMO, they don't have the bandwidth to handle "Joe shot a deer that might be on a trial to a spot where Larry dumped some salt". They are up to their eyeballs in 2nd and 3rd offense shoplifters, driving without a license, stealing out of the cash drawer at Wendy's or little league fund. If this does pass, it will by symbolic at best - and some people will be made examples of, but it won't stop hunters from using salt, alphalpha, corn or store-bought attracants. It will, however create a rift between normally law abiding hunters and G&F officers trying to enforce a law they don't even believe in. don't kid yourself. in arkansas a few years back, somebody got mad at a hunter, and put corn under his tree stand, which is illegal. then they called dnr and reported the dude hunting over bait. DNR showed with leafblowers and cleared the area and found one, yes, ONE kernel of corn, and threw the guy in jail, took his truck and his gun. True story. Wow, I hope that never happens here. But I still believe after 3 decades of hunting and dealing with our G&F LEO's that we are way better off than many other states. There have been the odd "tools" over the years, but overall, my interaction with G&F has been extremeley positive. And I'd rather continue that positive relationship with them than start rift over something like salt or corn.

Take a look at your rest. The best move I ever made was switching from a Whisker Biscuit to a QAD drop away. I still get the full containment of a WB, but there is nothing in the way of the fletchings. Good luck and let us know what you find outl

Even if a law is passed, I don't think AZ hunters will ever stop hunting over salt. Imagine being a public prosecutor trying to make a case against someone shooting a deer over a salt lick. If they have to prove that the hunter actually put the salt there, they are hamstrung. If they had to prove intent by somehow showing they knew an established salt lick was there, they are hamstrung. It's a totally un-enforceable law. How far from the salt do you have to be? Is every trail that goes near a salt lick illegal? If you've ever had any encounters with the local justice, you know how overwhelmed they are by DUI repeats, domestic fights and B.S. IMO, they don't have the bandwidth to handle "Joe shot a deer that might be on a trial to a spot where Larry dumped some salt". They are up to their eyeballs in 2nd and 3rd offense shoplifters, driving without a license, stealing out of the cash drawer at Wendy's or little league fund. If this does pass, it will by symbolic at best - and some people will be made examples of, but it won't stop hunters from using salt, alphalpha, corn or store-bought attracants. It will, however create a rift between normally law abiding hunters and G&F officers trying to enforce a law they don't even believe in.

Nighthawk, it's funny you mentioned your rifle as a "lower class" model. The gun my buddy was shooting clover leaves out of is a "stock" Rem 700. I've been shooting my 300 WSM with bullet holes touching out of a Savage 14 classic with the oiled walnut and medium countour barrel. These are $500 guns with decent/good optics. On my gun I've got a Cabela's Alaskan Guide 6-20x50mm and he's got a Leupold Vari-X III that came on a different gun he bought. Not one of these guns has over $900 in them and they shoot like guns people pay several thousand dollars for, with the right hand loads. Brings to mind a bumper sticker I saw on a bad a$$ 4x4 a while back, "Built, not bought". If anyone thinks you have to spend 3 grand on a tack driver, I'd disagree. You can build a sub MOA rifle under a grand easily if you are willing to do a little work.

This may sound stupid, but hear me out. A few years ago Old Navy was doing a "blowout sale". I bought 4 or 5 nylon parkas that fold up into their own pocket about 6x4 inches and maybe 3 inches thick. They are totally compact, and I've sat out huge downpours in those things. I think I paid around $5 each and I keep one in my truck, one in my pack, 3 in our camper. They aren't "top of the line" raingear, but when you're out hunting and rain or snow starts coming in, they are fantastic. I just keep watching Old Navy to see if they ever offer them again. If they do, I'll buy at least another 3 - 5 of them.