Coach

Great motor - especially for those 10 HP and under trout lakes.

They too, are some of God's handiwork, lol.

Went shooting with a friend Saturday and he had a couple of rifles he built on this round. I was really impressed with the groups we got and I'm thinking about turning a savage action I have into one. Just curious about whether others have played around with these. It's definitely a wildcat, and brass is pricey but it sure was a sweet shooting gun. For what it's worth, the bergers were all over the place but nosler accubond LR were amazing.

very cool pix

Awesome buck - and great job on the long wait and recovery!

Wow, some super bomber bucks right there! HUGE congrats - that is just flat out awesome.

I headed out to NM this weekend for an archery antelope hunt. It's only the second time I've had an antelope tag, but I was lucky enough to get one down. (Sitting water, BTW). Enjoy!

Very cool.

The coues will come, you have the patience and confidence. That's all you need.

I had been sitting for 7 hours when they came in. It's kind of funny how sitting a blind messes up your concept of time. When I shot this buck it was almost exactly noon, AZ time - 1 PM NM time. I set up the blind the previous afternoon after watching some goats come in at first light the day before the season. My goal was to be in the blind before first light. All of my clocks were on AZ time, an hour earlier than NM time. I got up at 3:45, drove to the closest hike-in point and arrived in total darkness. It was 4:45 AM (AZ time). I knew this water hole would have activity, but it's always a crap-shoot when you sit. Somewhere around 6:00 am ranch hand drove in - It was like 45 minutes from the time I heard him coming in until the first time I saw his truck. He got out, checked the water levels on tank up on the hill, unhooked his cattle trailer, hooked up to a water trailer, filled it up, unhooked and finally drove off - the whole process took over an hour but at least I had something to watch. As the morning progressed, the sun got higher and it started getting really hot in the blind. Not sure what it is about sitting a blind, but staying awake is really challenging for me. I brought my iPad, some books, but when it starts getting hot and boring, all I could do was try and grab a nap. I might have fallen asleep, but around 10:00 AM I hear hooves and stick my head up to see what's there. At this point I've been in the blind for around 5 hours thinking nothing is coming in but a doe antelope is just on the other side of the water checking me out. I'm sure she can see me moving in the blind. When it's 100 degrees outside, there is NO shade, you've been sitting inside a blind for hours, a little gust of wind is just like a breath from heaven. But the previous failure taught me there is no room for letting air or sunlight into a blind if you want to fool goats. I shut the blind down to only what I can see at about 45 degrees in two directions. Start reading, texting anything to stay somewhat alert. I look up from my book to see two buck antelope that had come right under me to just out of range. They are moving around the water getting closer and closer. One of them is a stud, very wide, great diggers, the other is just OK. I start trying to range them but my rangefinder doesn't work through the mesh of the blind. So it's now a guessing game. I'm not sure if this buck is 35 or 55 yards out. Whatever made them recognize the blind, they are now walking off. I draw, get as far as I can in the blind and put my pins on both as now it's just one body moving off and release, I hear the sound of a solid hit. I put my binocs up on the bigger buck, there's no blood or anything to indicate a hit. I look back at the smaller buck, and he is clearly stumbling. Turns out I shot the smaller one in the throat while aiming for the bigger one. Kinda funny how I had a pretty clear 35 yard shot at a big dude, and ended up shooting a smaller buck. But the hours and minutes that lead up to it, I wouldn't trade for anything. Everything about this hunt was real. The hours driving out, trying to find a place to camp, the scouting, and finally the hours that lead up to clicking that release. The moment out of all of the hours in the beginning and end of that hunt, was watching that goat stumble and fall and knowing I had just taken my first antelope, and it was with bow and arrow.

Hey Shelvin! Huge congrats! Spot and stalk antelope has to be one of the toughest challenges. Awesome job - really liked the write up.

Way to go! Congrats on two firsts!

Many of us will find ourselves sitting in a blazing hot blind this fall. Besides the obvious, take lots of water, wet t-shirt, etc., I was just wondering if anyone has some "out of the box" ideas for keeping cool.

In the past that has been correct, but I believe that has been changed,(very recently) the new wording says "commensurate" which indicates compensation in proportion to market value. Last time I went in and talked with G&F they said this was changed to allow a buddy, helping a buddy with gas, maybe food etc... Again just what I was told. I hope this is the case. I seem to recall somebody getting the book thrown at them because a guy bought him and some buddies lunch after helping him out on a hunt. Anyone remember the details on that, or am I just making stuff up?

Should have mentioned, I'll be sitting for antelope and there is NO shade to be had. BigOrange - love the pix of the home-made AC. Gotta try that some time! Thanks for all the responses.

I know a guy who posted pix of a really great bull during the summer, got contacted by some outfitters guiding an auction tag, went through G&F to get his guide license before he could accept the "finder's fee" (substantial $$). Problem is, the bull was close to homes. He showed the outfitters where and how to hunt the bull away from homes, legally. Long story short, the bull was shot in someone's back yard and died in someone else's front yard. Not only did the guy in question never get a dime from the outfitter, he had to testify against the hunter and outfitter in exchange for not getting dragged in as an accomplice. My take, hunt for the hunt and involve only close friends and family. When big money is involved and giant trophy animals, it just ruins things.

I'm becoming a quick fan of DNZ One Piece rifle scope mounts. It just makes sense to have a one-piece mount. No lining up the front and rear - very solid machined mounts, IMO. http://www.dnzproducts.com/

I've seen coues doe running with herds of muleys. In one instance the older mule deer does were aggressive toward the coues doe, but she kept following them.

Super awesome - congrats to Brooklyn. Never saw a deer shed velvet quite that fast, lol.

Who doesn't smile taking a cool dip on a hot day?

That's the best news I've heard all day. So glad for you and your family.

I put in with a couple friends for some leftover tags. Usually, you have pretty good odds with leftovers but when my buddy checked to see if we were drawn the person he spoke with at AZGFD said there were over 4000 applicants for the left-overs. That seems really high - anyone heard the same?

Oops, guess I'm late to the party, didn't see this one. http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/topic/59486-leftoversbad-news/

If I weren't building one, I'd buy it. Great gun, and great price for everything that's included.

+1 vote for Knight. I have the Knight long range hunter and really like it. It's a little picky on bullets and powder combos, but when you find what it likes it shoots more like a center-fire. Killed a decent bull at 290 yards and a coues at 250 yards with it.