Coach

They should have to open the class with..."I am a poacher, and here's why it's wrong...." Just my opinion.

Good point oneshot, I forgot to mention that from humble, basic beginnings it turned into build your own fly rod, tie your own flies, match the hatch. Once you are hooked, it's for life. It all starts with a cane pole and can of worms at a farm pond, or wherever and from there - wherever it leads you.

I had Lasik about 15 years ago. What I find interesting is everyone says "Best money I ever spent" - that's exactly how I feel. I can still remember my mid 20's when reading a road sign was blurry, or trying to put in contacts on a hunt. After Lasik, I had about a 12 hour recovery time and spent the rest of my 20's and 30's with perfect eyesight. They told me when I got to my mid 40's I'd need a touch-up as your eye does change around that time. I'm ready to go do it again. Of all the senses, sight has to be #1 for me. People spend thousands on stuff that really doesn't matter, but for clear sight, it's truly worth it. Quality of life.

Glad they got busted. I used to love hunting around Reddington Pass, but scum like these douche bags have ruined it.

Lots of great responses - I started out with a 5 1/2 foot ultralight, Mitchell reel, spinners (Mepps, Rooster Tails) and a lot of live bait. Hooks, sinkers and bobbers were cheap back then so I drowned whatever I could dig up under a rock.

I've got a couple guesses myself, but probably best not say on here - lol.

That's a great tag. Lots of big bulls in there. Congrats and sorry about the lost BPs - happened to me once because I put in for a BP and didn't include my hunting license number. Lost the BP and my loyalty point. Funny thing is I drew 13B the next year.

Besides the camera thing.... NEVER ask if a big coues with forked antlers and a stubby tail is a hybrid. .

Thanks man, this is new territory for me. I really appreciate when someone is willing to help out - something I try to do for others as well.

That's an awesome looking rifle, and obviously shoots as good as it looks. I'm a little ticked though, I am a huge WSM fan, I've got 270 WSM and 300 WSM, I just built a 6.5x284 Norma that shoots amazing, so now I'm in love with 6.5. Now Doug shows us a 6.5 WSM which I didn't even know existed - that's gonna cost me because now I just have to build one. Those Shilen barrels are awesome - huge congrats on building the perfect rifle where form meets function.

Thanks Flatlander, I will take you up on that once I figure out what unit I got.

The big ones do more stuff because they have to work harder, lol.

Should be a great year. Congrats to everyone getting elk tags.

Well I might be asking for some suggestions as I know very little about antelope country in AZ. Killed my first ever goat last year in NM with a bow.

I got hit for $90 today so that means with 17 BP I drew 5A, 9 or 10. 10 was a third choice because I heard the ranch was charging $500 access fees this year, but on their website it says $80. Regardless, all 3 are trophy units so it should be a good hunt. Time to get the 6.5 x 284 Norma out for some long range practice.

I've only hunted bulls in Unit 1, helped others out in 3A/3C. From my experience, archery hunters push them around a little, but as soon as they start getting shot at with rifles/muzzies they go a little haywire.

Holy moly - 81 pages probably no one will see this but I finally drew AZ antelope. 5A, 9 or 10 - not sure which yet. I'm guessing 5A or 9 since those were my first and second choices and I had 17 BPs.

I've got a 65# signed Howard Hill "Big Five" longbow that belonged to my dad. He actually shot an #80 version for a while and traded it for this one after tearing his shoulder. Have the leather scabbard, shooting glove, wrist protector, some cedar arrows with turkey veins, all the original stuff he used in the 1938 'The Adventures of Robin Hood'. Gonna have to get it out and learn to shoot it.

My uncle who is a fishing/hunting guide up in Alaska came to AZ 10 or so years back for an elk hunt. He had a .300 Win Mag with a Leupold scope that had an objective lens smaller than the eyepiece - probably 20- 24mm. One evening at the end of shooting light we had a nice bull just 75 yards away and he couldn't find it in his scope. Based on that, I'm all about 40mm minimum, bigger is a plus as long as you don't have to jump through hoops to mount it. Side note, I always wondered about Leupold cutting the bottom crescent out of their scopes to make them mount closer to the rifle - not even sure they are still making them but seemed like a gimmick - anyone have real world experience with these?

Down around Tonto Basin a couple weeks back I already saw some really young birds. If we get good rains we could have a good quail population come October.

I read an article today about these and how the police are concerned about them. What about "Get on the ground and show me your hands!" makes people want to reach for their phone? I'm all for concealed carry and open carry, but sometimes you just don't want to make it obvious - for obvious reasons. There's a reason criminals are pretty hesitant to try just about anything in AZ in a crowded store, even a convenience store with a few people in it - chances are someone in there is carrying a weapon. I can't think of the last time I went to Walmart and didn't see someone openly carrying a pistol. I would imagine for every one of them there's several others carrying concealed. If you throw into the mix that everyone has a cell phone and any one of those might be one of these - you'd be pretty darn stupid to roll the dice. An armed society is a polite society. Honestly, I think this is more threatening to criminals than Police.

"Dying' ain't much of a livin', boy". Sorry I couldn't resist.

The way I see it, there are those that are great at finding sheds, and those that try really hard but rarely find them. I'm in the second club. Year after year I go looking for sheds and have only a nasty little worn down knife handle size of an elk shed to show for it. That said, I've picked up a few when I'm not looking for them. I find more when I'm turkey hunting or just randomly running around. While on an actual elk hunt in the fall, I took a mid-day nap, got up and found a matched set not 15 yards from where I had been - really nice rack. One year I went to my favorite salt lick and there were 5 sheds within 15 yards. I've found some really good coues sheds, but just by stumbling onto them. Shed hunting is a science to those who really know how to do it, and they keep it a closely guarded secret for good reasons. I know guys who charter planes this time of year to keep track of where the elk are and how they move. My hat is off to those that really work hard at it and make it work for them. I know a guy who actually paid for most of his college by finding sheds. To this day that guy could load up a pack frame with browns before I could find an old white stub.

368 views, zero interest. Cut it up for scrap steel?

Steel work rack, came off a 98 Toyota with extra cab. The dimensions for the box are 74" long by 57 5/8" wide. Overall length is 117.5" and height at back is 34.25". There is a bulge in the back right corner where water froze inside, and one similar but smaller in the front left, but overall very good shape. Looking for $275. No trades please. If I'm too high, make an offer. I can supply more pictures if needed.