Coach

Awesome story - man, that is hard-core!!!

No disrespect RR, but I've heard "rumors" Toyota will have diesel Hi-Lux for sale in the US for ... well coming on two decades. Still hasn't happened so I'll chalk this one up to "I'll believe it when I seen it".

Great job Marcy - already voted for you, but you rock. I sure hate trying to cyber-guess a score without having the rack in my hands. It's unusual for a buck's G3s to beat his G2s so it's even more complicated. My first impression of this buck is 96-ish. Given the main beam length and symmetry, I'd say it has potential to go 102 befor deductions. So those of you with benefit of the tape - what's the shake-down?

I'm very sorry to hear about that. I hope you get the deer mount back.

The GL2 is a very good camera. I think it's kind of the "standard" do-it-yourself camera but I'd also look at offering by Sony and Panasonic. If you are looking at the GL2, I assume you are looking for a pro-sumer 3-CCD camera. I did months of research in this area and ended up buying a Panasonic AG-DVX model that did better in low light than the GL2 or comparable Sony offerings in the same price range. However, I think in this range of camera, it's more important to understant the capabilities/limitations of each model. Most do only OK in low light, NONE have adequate built in microphones for semi-professional hunting videos. If you just want to video your own hunts and your family, you can do just as well with many of the smaller - even tiny - hand-helds. If you are trying to compose something for professional applications, the GL2 and others in its class *might* do, but you'll have to spend some extra cash on an external microphone and top-notch video editing software. Long story short - if you just want to "capture the moment", get a good compact with an emphasis on image stabilzation. If you are looking for commercial results - you're probably going to have to drop some serious dollars on a true, professional grade camera with pro-grade sound capabilities. The fault in most pro-sumer cameras is not the picture, but the sound. Add-on microphones are a must, but then you have to learn how to edit out background sound which typically requires lots of hardware and/or software.

Either gun will do fine - the trick with coues isn't shooting them, it's finding them. Make sure you have good glass, and more importantly good information about the are you'll hunt and the right expectations going in.

Thank GOD you all walked away with minor injuries. You have your whole lives ahead of you, and it could easily have turned out much worse. I'm extremely glad it didn't. Sorry about the truck, but when it comes down to it, the most important thing is that you and your friends all made it home OK.

Lots of great scopes out there, but I have to plug the Cabela's Alaskan Guide series. I have two mounted on my favorite rifles. One (going off memory) is a 4-14 and the other is a 6-20 both in 40mm with mil dots. I think I paid between $275 and $325 for them, and for the money, they are fantastic. Both guns (both inexpensive) will outshoot me any day. The other scope I'd look at is the Vortex Viper or Diamondback - great optics, great price and a the VIP warranty - hard to argue with that one. Of course, if money is not a big consideration, Huskemaw, Zeiss, Swaro, upper-end Leupold etc are all great rifle scopes for sure - but IMO, there are plenty of great scopes out there that cost a lot less then the "best of the best" and do the job very well.

You'll never believe this, but I was listening to our local "tradio" (radio classifieds) a couple weeks back and an older lady was selling a '59 Land Cruiser - all original - with the straight-six - still running - for get this, $800. I can hardly post this it's so painful - but my situation was such that I couldn't do it, but somebody got one heck of a deal. I'm still kicking myself - when I lived in Houston, a badly rusted, hacked-together FJ with NO redeeming qualities was selling for $8K in Galveston. BTW, Amber rocks! I rebuilt an '87 4Runner with all the bells and whistles - solid axle swap from an '84, big lift, big 35" Wrangler MTR tires, full-time locker in the back and air locker in the front with dash-mounted controls. A custom "swing-out tire carrying rear bumper that held the spare and two jerry cans on a 1000 lb trailer spindle. I even durabak'd the entire outside with a desert-tan/black speckle, and inside with all black - and when I took it on a San Carlos hunt, I was amazed how the absolute "scratchiest" horse trail I could take 'er on, not a single scratch to the outside was to be seen. That was one heck of a truck. I know the "labor of love" it took to make that beast of yours happen - heck I had to learn to weld, spent every waking hour when not at work for two full summers getting that truck to where it was. It's no small feat, and you should be proud as heck to have created such an awesome mule. I ended up selling my "baby" to a really nice guy in the LA area - a vet - so I'm at least I'm glad she got a good home. Just for old time's sake I have to post a pic of my old "beauty and beast".

I live right across from Show Low Lake. If you want to meet up, I can either give you directions to my house or meet up somewhere close by. WallyWorld, Lowes and Home Depot are all right off the Show Low Lake road, and < 5 minutes from home. Let me know.

I have an Eberlestock J105 that I've only used a couple of times. It would be in "like new" condition, but a dang mouse or chipmunk chewed up a portion of the gray mesh. I'm saving up for a Kifaru pack, and quite frankly I just don't use this pack very much. I have some add-on pouches that are just the right size for 15x Swaros and a range finder. I want to post it on here, but I honestly don't know what a fair price is. It's an extremely well made pack, but I generally carry either a heavy fanny pack with shoulder straps, or go full bore on a full-sized internal frame pack if I'm going on an extended backcountry hunt, so I don't end up using this pack as much as I thought I would when I bought it. It has the gun scabbard and long side pockets for spotting scopes and full sized tripods. I'll post pix if anyone is interested.

Pictures for those interested. May as well start with the mouse-damaged portion - the only thing that keeps the pack from being in "as new" condition. Ok, on to the good stuff... Fully extended Fully compressed Compressed with pouches visible - the big pouch can hold 15x Swaros, and the small pouch can hold most range finders. Inside - you can tell it's basically brand new. I also have the orange panel that zips across the gray mesh if you are packing out game and an extra pack of "strap handlers" that keep the loose straps confined. Not sure what to ask, but the J107 is about $330 new WITHOUT the extra pouches. I'm thinking $250. Sound reasonable?

Wow!!! Those are some great looking bucks! Congrats to you all - some very fine hunting there. Thanks for sharing the stories and pictures with us!

Nice job - gotta love those "left-over" tags. Thanks for sharing the pictures and story.

Nice, but don't let my wifey see those foxes! We have them all named here - Farrah Foxit Mgr. (the alpa female), Ms. Sexy Fox (the slim, shy female), Foxy Foxy (the alpha male), the "kids"... they all come into the yard and play with footballs, climb into feeders...like a bunch of wild pets. Nothing but kudos for your trophies, but they sure are beautiful animals!

He's out of the running but his genes are there. Hunt that area hard and I'd bet dollars to donuts you'll find another buck with his awesome genetics.

Go get'em Marcy! You've got a full fan-club here cheering for you!

On my Christmas card list - isn't there something more we can do for this family? Maybe some home-cooked meals? I know it's hard when he's that far away - anything we can do - flowers, cards, none of it seems like enough, but anything is something.

Well, I guess congrats are in order - but man - spaying the hillside with lead - I dunno. Maybe some time at the range for your buddy next time??? I guess he does ok on paper but I hate to hear of guys blindly unloading like that in hopes of a hit with no idea what to do after the dust settles. Sounds to me like you did your part, but if you hadn't been there it would be just another easy meal for the yotes, foxes and bears and a clueless guy wondering if he hit anything. I don't mean to sound harsh, but we do all have a responsibility to uphold when we take to the field. Good job to you personally for finding the blood trail and eventually, the deer.

+1 on the doubler. I couldn't even bring myself to post it for sale here on CWT because it was so worthless. And BTW, it was the swaro doubler. Those things just don't work in the field.

Aight then - so long as I don't have to be bustin you up for harshin the 'gyver. You're alright Str8

On a serious note - duct tape and electrical tape ROCK for anything from first aid to minor fixes. But, this stuff... http://www.duluthtrading.com/search/search...ocessor=content Is the absolute bomb if you have a plumbing or vehicular emergency (or first aid emergency for that matter) that duct tape and electrical tape can't quite handle. It's the cadilac of duct tape. Gotta have a roll in your vehicle and first aid kit.

Hey now, I saw MacGyver create an ultralight out of some PVC, duct tape, tarp and a cement mixer - don't be harshin' the duct tape or the 'Gyver' - I've got my eye on you sonny-boy!

Good GPS for sure, but I have to echo Elk on this one. They are selling for significantly less than your asking price. Amazon and Walmart.com are both around $180. Not to "harsh your gig" but you're a little over-extended on your expectations for a P2P sale.

Wow - nobody out there is interested in a J105? This is a great pack with only a little cosmetic flaw in the gray mesh...Dang, I hate to see it just sit there.