Coach

Wow, one of the most sought after guides in the state is guiding for FREE. I think I'll book a hunt right now.

What we really need to do between now and then is find a way to branch out to other bowhunters so that the Department has no excuse about all of the complaints coming from one source, etc. We really need to send emails etc. to the guys and gals we know who don't visit this site and aren't yet informed about this.

I agree - any time I see a dead bobcat or even fox on the road I can't help but feel a little sad - on the other hand when someone calls one in and smacks it I get pumped - go figure.

Lots of good replys here so far. I spent a lot of time working with my bow a couple seasons ago to get the field point and bh's to group together and after literally months of tiny adjustments to the rest, loop etc. I got very close but I could shoot a random mix of 3-5 bh's and 3-5 field points and it was obvious that the field points would tend to be in one portion of the group and the broadheads in another. That said, muzzy, slick trick magnus stingers, g5 strikers and Montecs (believe me I tried them all) all group together now and VERY close to field points. So what I do now is practice in the off season with field points but in the weeks leading up to a hunt I practice exclusively with the broadheads I'll be hunting with - just have to learn how to sharpen them really well or stock up on replacement blades. In the end, like the other guys here have said - it comes down to tuning. The laser alignment is a good start, and paper tuning is a good start, but in my (admittedly limited) experience those are just starting points and there is usually a lot more time involved in tuning for broadheads. As close as mine came, I know there is probably some tweaking to do. Now comes the hard part - getting within bow range of a deer!

5101

While I'm totally jealous of anybody who has a late December tag, I kinda feel bad for any of you guys out camping in this stuff. It's blowing like crazy here in Lakeside and starting to snow and they are expecting FEET of snow - I've heard rumors of anywhere from 3 to 8. You guys be careful out there. It's supposed to last through Thursday, but once this thing blows through it could be some of the best rut hunting in years. Good Luck, and God bless, Jason

Dollar for dollar, I think Savage is hard to beat. Their stocks aren't the best, nor their actions - but their triggers and barrels are fantastic, and that's what makes for good shooting, IMO.

Happy Birthday!

Sticking to the spirit of the other posts...

Great Job Brian, I know a couple locals with Dec tags in 23 and wondered if maybe it was them you were helping out. Good job and pls pass along the congrats.

Run Forest, RUN!!!!

Here's one I built last summer but I'm hoping to sell it - got a new Taco.

If you decide you don't want him, I'll take him

Just wondering if anyone was at the Casa Grande meeting and whether the bait/salt topic was discussed..Anyone....Bueller....?

I'm currently running it on Vista with no problems.

Sent this earlier today: Thank you for giving Arizona sportsmen and women a chance to provide input about this proposed legislation. Unfortunately, I am not able to attend the meeting in Casa Grande in person, so I must express my thoughts about this proposed rule via email. I have been a hunter in Arizona for over 20 years and have hunted with both archery tackle and firearms for just about every species the state has to offer. Over that time I have met a many hunters and AZGFD field personnel. Over the past few years, it has become apparent that the relationship between many outdoor enthusiasts and the Department has begun to sour. One reason is that AZGFD blatantly ignored the will of the public when they opted to shift almost all of the December whitetail hunts to earlier in the year (and double the amount of tags issued) in the name of increased opportunity. When the hunting community expressed their disgust at this change, the department concocted a bogus survey that was clearly designed to support the unpopular decision through deceptive wording. Hunters saw through it and lost respect for the department as a result. Once again, a proposed change has come up for discussion attempting to limit the already low success rates of bowhunters in Arizona. There is no concrete evidence that hunters sitting in tree stands over salt are causing a disproportionately high deer harvest. When archery hunters are required to report harvests and rifle hunters are not, there is no way to get an accurate picture. Additionally, I can assure you that many times more deer are killed by road-hunting archers (illegally, might I add) than salt-hunting archers. If the department can’t enforce the existing road hunting laws, how can they possibly enforce something like a ban on salt. What happens when anti-hunters intentionally spread salt around water tanks to make it illegal for hunters to harvest game in those areas? Overall, I see this as a very bad idea that is not founded in scientific research and has little chance of improving wildlife or hunting in this state. On the other hand, it will undoubtedly serve to drive a wedge between many hunters and the AZGFD. Because it is not enforceable, many hunters who have spent their entire lives hunting strictly within the law will opt not to follow this new legislation. This is not the type of relationship between hunters and the AZ Game and Fish department that is beneficial to either of us. Thank you, Jason Jones

The snakes are generally good at getting out of your way and hiding. This time of year they're burrowed up or in caves (sometimes in HUGE numbers). The scorps - well, depends on where you live, but take a black light outside at night in the summer time. You'll probably be a little freaked out at first .

Wasn't he a 3x4 just seconds before the loud bang??? JK, Congrats! nice looking buck. That fog photo is really cool.

LOL - Now that's funny right there.

Congratulations and thanks for sharing the story and pictures with us.

AZGFD, With all due respect, is it possible that the numbers are, at least in part, a result of mandatory reporting for archery hunters but not rifle hunters? It's hard to compare harvests when one method requires reporting and the other does not. Also, I would think that bowhunting over salt (or water), especially in AZ, would result in shorter shots, and naturally higher recovery rates and fewer wounded and lost animals. Obviously, this forum is not where this topic will be resolved, but I think it's fair to say, that there are a lot of hunters who feel that the "public input" meetings are not productive. Hunters were overwhelmingly opposed to moving December tags into October and November hunts in increased numbers to support "increased opportunity" but it happened anyway. Many of us feel that the survey used to justify the changes was misleading at best. For the record, I don't have or maintain a single salt lick but I have sat in a treestand over salt and it is far from a slam dunk. Archery harvests are historically low and while sitting an active salt lick is potentially much more productive than spot-and-stalk bowhunting Arizona deer, we're still talking about relatively low success rates. Wouldn't it be more productive to talk about ways that hunters and AZ G&F can work together to increase herd sizes to closer to carrying capacity than finding ways to make it harder to harvest big game? I think you would find an overwhelming volunteer force in the hunting community to enhance wildlife habitat across the state. There is no reason that our antelope and mule deer populations should be as low as they are across the state, given the resources provided by our hunters. If we are really serious about increasing hunting opportunities in Arizona, I truly believe the solution lies in increasing the strength of big game herds- not in decreasing the harvest rates - especially for those hunts that already have very low success rates such as archery deer hunts. Thank you for taking the time to monitor this type of informal input. I have hunted AZ for over 20 years and I feel we are at a crossroads. I have the upmost respect for AZGFD employees, particularly the men and women in the field working with hunters. I would hate to see that relationship sour, as it has in our neighboring states. As I said before, the ethical hunters I know are currently in the corner of AZGFD, but haphazard legislation that does not enhance wildlife, wildlands or hunting as a whole, only serve to create barriers between us. It is time to start realizing that we only have a finite amount of hunting resources in this state. Diluting hunts by moving them to less productive times of the year or limiting the means of harvests only buys so much. The real solution is to find ways to strengthen and increase our game populations through sound management. This state is capable of producing some of the best hunting to be found in North America and I truly believe that G&F working WITH hunters can accomplish this goal. Eliminating salt and moving hunts around can not.

Is there a link somewhere to this finding? I'm trying to find out if it is dead for sure in AZ. Thanks, Jason

I posted this quote on the 19 page super-thread about this topic, but thought I'd put it here as well. If this passes, I think G&F is going to lose quite a few friends and allies in the bowhunting community, as well as convert many previously staunch law-abiding hunters into law breakers. I think most hunters are willing to go along the majority of legislation so long as it benefits wildlife, wildlands and hunting as a whole. When it becomes nothing more than a tool to push politics and play nice for the anti-hunters, they lose respect and more importantly, authority in the minds of the hunters being bullied by these useless proposals. "...For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced." - Albert Einstein, 1921 on Prohibition

"...For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced." - Albert Einstein, 1921 on Prohibition

The one I bought my wife is a Baretta Tomcat. It's only a 32 ACP, but I think it's ideal for women because you don't have to work the slide to chamber a round. The barrel flips up and you can just drop the first round in and snap it shut. We looked at a Bersa .380 and a PPK but her hands were not strong enough to easily work the slide. And while nobody is going to claim that a .32 is an "ideal" personal defense round, there are some very good loads by Hornady and others that give it a serious punch. The Tomcat is also nice because it fits right in your pocket (or purse).