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Everything posted by Coach
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Congratulations and thanks for sharing the story and pictures with us.
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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.
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IMPORTANT!!! Info on Ammo legislation
Coach replied to ichiban43's topic in Political Discussions related to hunting
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
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"...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
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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).
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Wooohooooo! Congrats! That's what it's all about right there.
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Will this 2x ever be a 3x?
Coach replied to Huntaholic's topic in Photography of Coues Deer and Other Wildlife
Wow - what is your video setup? That 3x at 800 yds looked like he was filmed at 200, at least until you zoomed all the way back out. I wonder if that snake ever got the jackrabbit swallowed -
I've heard of them too - some people call them a Sonoran Fantail. A guy who used to work the ranch behind Jackson Butte (Pinky's) said they used to see them around the White Ledges, and that Pinky actually had some sheds and/or skulls. Interestingly, the smallest 3pt shed I have found was from that general area. On the other hand, I was reading a book once (Deer of the Southwest, if memory serves) that basically said there was no such sub-species. It was just smaller bodied (young) coues with full, albeit smaller racks. The auther seemed to be very convinced of this after a lot of research. Sure would be cool to actually get one, if they do exist.
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access to santa teresa mountains
Coach replied to minguscoues's topic in Rifle hunting for Coues Deer
A guy I talked to from G&F in Tucson said that he recommended buying the access permit in the San Carlos Recreation Mgmt office and telling them exactly what you were planning to do - also to get the name of the person you spoke to. That way, if it did become an issue you would at least have some leverage. -
Well, I headed down to 31 on Wednesday and not knowing the area very well hunted near Safford and Stockton Pass. I saw a few does and spikes and one little forkie but overall not many deer. All of the country I was hunting in looked good but I think I was glassing too fast - that tall grass is decieving. Anyway, I had planned on hunting through the week but Sunday morning as the pressure started dropping all of the does and pigs I had been watching since sunup abruptly bedded right around 7 - 7:15. This was my second solo hunt in the past couple of weeks, and for whatever reason, I just went back to camp, hooked up the 5th wheel and headed home. I've never quit a hunt early - I'm not sure if I'm losing interest or just don't enjoy hunting alone anymore. I was really looking forward to the hunt but by about the second day I just felt - I'm not sure - unmotivated for whatever reason - kind of depressed. I'm just trying to figure out my funk - Hunting has been a true passion all of my life, and I love hunting coues most of all. So here I am with a tag and the ability to get days off and not even sure if I'll go back out. At least it was a leftover tag. I would hate to think I took a tag from someone who was able to give it their all. Anyone else ever get in one of these funks? Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks, Jason
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Time for the follow-up. First and foremost, I want to give Cory Barker (CRB) and his wife, Michelle a huge THANK YOU! Within a couple of hours of posting this thread, Cory sent me a PM offering to help out if I got a chance to get back down there. Not only did he hike all over the mountain with me and glass his eyes out, his family invited me (a totat stranger at that point) to stay with them for the last couple days of the hunt. We may not have found the buck we were hoping for, but his hospitality and company made the last two days much more enjoyable. I also just wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone who has posted on this thread with similar experiences. There is a lot of food for thought in many of the posts here. Finally I want to thank Amanda for this site as a medium for getting to know other hunters and not just share our trophy pictures and stories, but our experiences - both positive and negative. Happy Hunting, Jason
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Thanks AZ Ranger - yep, that was me - PM sent.
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I hope you got him! Got a story to go along with that pic?
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Thanks for the responses so far. I know you guys are right about the "solo" aspect being the problem. I had a hunting partner that basically grew up hunting with, but after 15 or so years of hunting and fishing together we had a pretty bad parting of ways. Since then I just haven't met another partner that is also solo. Maybe I should try eHarmony.com The good news is, I have 3 sons and they are all going to be pretty into it from what I've seen. They love hunting pigs and turkey and, well basically all hunting and fishing. A little young yet to have the attention span for long spells of fruitless glassing that we need for coues, but they'll get there.
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Awesome job!!! Thanks for sharing it with us!
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Wow - what a great buck! Congrats to Sarah on a real great looking buck.
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My Boy's NM Buck (UPDATED on pg4)
Coach replied to Coues 'n' Sheep's topic in Coues Deer Hunting in New Mexico
Wow! Great buck!!! Congrats to Colton! -
Excellent Job! That's the way to get it done! Thanks for sharing the story and pictures.
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Prayers sent. I'm very sorry for your loss.
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Another vote for the Petzl Tikka XP. Very bright and light weight.
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Or maybe the fact that the number of permits has more than doubled over the past couple of years??? 24A used to be my favorite unit, but I don't spend much time there anymore.
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Wow Brian, you're slayin' em!
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Anyone seen these before?
Coach replied to ajohunter's topic in Miscellaneous Items related to Coues Deer
Ahh - the mother ship, I've been looking for that!