IA Born

Varget has been spoken for already, assuming we can meet up next weekend during the youth turkey hunt. Are you friends with Christian? I can get him the turkey loads and saw to get to you. Should see him next weekend, too.

Thats good to know. We'll be shooting fmjs and probably lead round nose in my wife's Uberti .45lc. Do you shoot frangibles, or will we be ok with fmjs/l rn? And we don't ever shoot without eye/ear protection. Thanks again!

I'll trade you for a Sig range finder if I can hike in and find it!

Overall, its been a lackluster winter for snow, but March is typically our wettest month (snow/rain). That last big system that pushed through over spring break certainly dumped a large amount of needed moisture, but we're still in an overall deficit. If FS26 (know it well) was too muddy, that certainly says something!

We'll be in the same unit for my kids, unless I get a whim and end up in 5BS. Yes, the roads typically open before the youth hunt, unless there is a crazy amount of moisture. Last year, there was still a couple of feet of snow in most of the turkey hunting areas of 5A, so the FS didn't really have a choice but to keep the roads closed. And those that weren't snow-covered were extremely muddy. That is far from the case this year with the lackluster winter we've had in northern Arizona.

I love seeing the "free to youth/teen" stuff like this! I was blessed to have a friend give me his kids' hunting clothes when my daughter started. I've been able to hand those down to my son as she outgrew them and, as he outgrows them, I give them to a buddy's son, who is a couple of years younger than my son. Good on you!

My daughter and I just got back from freezing our butts off at Lower Lake Mary to help maintain our sanity. We didn't catch any fish, but watched four osprey catch 8 total fish, including one 20 feet in front of my daughter! My kids have the youth turkey hunt in 5B or 5a (haven't decided yet) and my son and I have leftover 12A tags, so we're in the same boat as you, but with a shorter drive!

The closure order is not overly clear, but I just called the Flagstaff RD. The Coconino NF's website spells it out very clearly, too. Developed campgrounds, day use areas, visitor centers, heritage cites, and some hiking trailheads have been closed. The rest of the forests are open for hiking and dispersed camping, including the upcoming turkey hunts. The currently closed forest roads are anticipated to be open by early/mid April, which is standard procedure every year, weather dependent, of course. And, yes, groups of more than 10 appear to be banned for now.

I remember when the previous owner of BBA in Flag opened the shop in Tucson. He opened it and hired folks to run it exactly like he ran his shop here. Top notch. The current owner of BBA in Flagstaff has maintained the same principles for the Tucson shop. You definitely can't go wrong with BBA in Tucson.

I'll take my chances with Abaco. The place we stayed at in 2017 in Treasure Key is doing well, too. I recently told some colleagues on a conference call about me moving to Abaco permanently. They mentioned the hurricanes. All I said was "The last we saw him, he was in the middle of a double haul!" That's how I want to go out...

I cleared 10 inches from our driveway in Flagstaff this morning. Thinking about social distancing on Andros Island or Abaco Island for the rest of my life...

I never really thought of it that way. He's a skinny little turd, so that rifle is more than 10% of his weight!

My 12-year old son has been fortunate enough to get two javelina in the last two years on opening weekend. His first year, he used his 7mm-08 and that hunt was filmed by The Mountain Project. Last year, he used my AR. After two successful pig hunts using modern rifles and quality optics, he decided he wanted a challenge. He asked me if he could use my 1956 H&R M1 Garand. I couldn't tell him no, but I told him he had to carry that 11-pound beast and he needed to be prepared to not fill a tag due to iron sights and needing to get in close, which I know isn't really a big issue with javelina. We took it out a while back to sight it in for the Barnes VOR-TX 150gr TTSX ammo he'd be hunting with and he was center-punching a 12-inch black splatter target at 100 yards. This was after he took one shot at my 12-inch gong and hit one of the bolts that holds it together, rendering it useless for the rest of the session. Opening weekend took forever to find pigs and ended up with a 6-mile round trip hike in the heat with no food, but plenty of water. Long story short, he didn't get a javelina and we both ended up being thankful. I gave him the choice to switch back to his 7-08 to increase his chances, but he said "I'm using the Garand or nothing!" and was willing to eat tag soup all for the challenge of iron sights! Yesterday was beyond epic. It was Garand! After last weekend, Jacob showed amazing perseverance and dedication to his commitment. We took off with our friends again to fill two youth javelina tags. Another friend came along to glass. We found a big herd of javelina by 0750 yesterday morning in a STEEP canyon. A little over two hours later, we were above them and had two boys set up at 74 yards on two broadside pigs. Jacob shot first with a solid hit on the rear javelina and our friend's son shot the front pig seconds later for a great double at 1020, including the other boy's first javelina! The pack put was hot and brutal, but we did it. Of course, Jacob had to affix the bayonet I carried for pics! I asked and its not legal to use a bayonet as a method of take in Arizona. I carried it strictly for pictures and he couldn't wait to put it on the rifle. I can tell you that carrying a quartered javelina and 11-lb (loaded) rifle is not for the meek. The rifle was actually unloaded for the hike out, but a loaded clip doesn't add that much more weight. I'm so stinking proud of Jacob for his perseverance, determination, and commitment to the challenge! A little Beastie Boys made the drive home even more epic! Later last night, after showers and dinner, I walked upstairs to watch a movie with him and found him with his feet in the foot massager!

Just gonna throw this out there for my fellow Gen-Xers!

Decided to go a different direction with this particular scope. Bought it brand new in 2008 and it's only been in the field on two hunts in 2008 and 2010 in South Texas. Been a safe queen ever since. Perfect condition and great scope. Scope caps included and I have the original box to ship it in. Regular trips to the valley for soccer and can meet up within reasonable distance of soccer destinations. Asking $350.

Scope is SPF...

Our NAZ (Flagstaff) Chapter NWTF is next weekend, March 14 at the Doubletree. Would love to see some of you there, especially if you're local! https://events.nwtf.org/30020-2020

To be fair, this is the same supervisor who went to bat for me with our previous supervisor (ran the whole office) after the big boss got mad at me because I couldn't go to a meeting due to my daughter having the Unit 1 early rifle bull tag in 2017. My supervisor knows where my first priorities are and supports me fully. After three years, though, I kind of owe it to her to put my career up front! I'm counting down the days until retirement (only 16 more years)! Then I'm going to be following all of my favorite hatches, standing knee deep in the best trout streams or living near the saltwater flats!

If you're hunting in my neighborhood and I'm in town, holler if you need help!

Nothing in our house. I put in for points only for both elk and pronghorn, though, so I can't complain there. I have to prioritize my career this year and every time my boss tries to get me to leave on a 30-day detail, "I have a tag" is always my excuse. Career first this year, but I had enough points to draw an archery elk tag. I'm bummed that my son didn't get a tag. I mentioned the OTC youth tags in CO and my wife didn't say no, so that might be an option, unless they are no longer OTC for youth.

And most top-end choke makers are making turkey chokes for .410s that are specially designed for the TSS loads. Been following this for a year. I grew up with a .410 and love them. Was telling my wife about the new .410 turkey loads last night, but followed it with "Don't worry, I'm not interested in a new .410...yet!"

My first big game rifle was a Rem 700 ADL in .30-06. I was 14 and I worked hard that summer detasseling corn in Iowa and saved my money. My dad and I went round and round over what I was going to get. I wanted a .308 and he told me I was getting a .30-06. He even got his gun dealer buddy in on it and they ganged up on me. I held my ground for a .308 and dad took me to Walmart to help me buy my .30-06! I had a Bushnell 4x40 scope on it with a bullet drop turret. The first time I shot it, I was 16 (no center fire options in Iowa at that time) and I got scope-eye 5 times. As I grew and reminded myself of the history of the '06, I fell more in love with my rifle. A friend put some handloads together for me with 165 gr Hornady SPs. I took my first deer in AZ with those. When I moved to Flagstaff, I started handloading my own, using 165gr Barnes TSX and it shoots half-inch groups all day long. I recently switched to the 168 TTSXs and its just about 0.7inch groups and I love it. Over the years, I had the factory trigger lightened to 2.75 lbs, the action bedded, the barrel floated, and its been sitting on a McMillan thumbhole stock for about 10 years now. I used it on my deer hunt this past fall and fell in love all over again, after not using a rifle for 10 years. I love it and will never get rid of it.

My daughter shot her bull three years ago this October using her 7mm-08 with Barnes 140gr TTSX handloads. Your son's set up is plenty good for a bull.