IA Born

The short answer is, yes, youth can carry and use a pistol on a HAM hunt. They just can't buy it until they're 21. My kids and I are debating on the HAM hunt because they both want to hunt with my .357 revolvers. Go for it!

I live in Flagstaff, too, and love 6B. I'm heading out of town tomorrow for my wife's monther's funeral, but holler at me and I'll point you in some whitetail spots for 6B.

That's what I figured and I was scratching my head something fierce after that phone call. Thanks!

That's funny, because it was a guy at Vortex that told me I should never use Loc-tite on bases or rings when I thought I was having scope troubles. I ignored him and did what I've always done because I've never had a problem with blue Loc-tite and that was the first time in all my years doing this that I've heard that.

Speaking of blue Loc-tite, I was talking to a certain scope manufacturer customer service a few months ago and they told me part of the problem I was having was because I used blue Loc-tite on all the screws. They said it affected the torque and could cause bore alignment to be way off. I've had several top-notch gunsmiths tell me to absolutely always use blue Loc-tite with every screw (bases and rings) and I've never had a problem. Has anyone else every heard of blue Loc-tite causing the problems that the optics manufacturer described? I've been meaning to ask this for quite some time and this thread reminded me of it. Plus, I figured I'd give Lance a break for our deal of unlimited questions!

Its that time of year again. Our Northern Arizona Chapter of the NWTF is raffling off a Mossberg Patriot in .270 w/ scope. We are selling 100 tickets for $10 each and all funds stay in our local chapter for wildlife, habitat, and our youth programs, including scholarship for a local high school senior. We also have the state-wide 31 Day gun raffle. Tickets are on sale now and they are 1/$20, 3/$50, and 7/$100. The drawing starts November 24th and runs for 31 days. Each chapter has an incentive to sell 300 tickets, so please consider contributing to your local chapter. Otherwise, PM me and we'll make arrangement to get you your tickets. The raffle was just officially announced today and we've had a few sales. For more information on both raffles, you can check out our chapter's Facebook page, or, like I said earlier, PM me. https://www.facebook.com/NoAZChapterNWTF/

Got a chance to get pics of everything. Mossberg Patriot .270: 31-Day Gunlist

First, can I print this so I can show my wife I was, in fact, correct once? 😂 I did the same thing for the same reason!

I'm trying to talk my wife into us getting it to go with ours. It doesn't have to be the companion to double them up, though, does it? I thought the companion model was only different in that it has the correct plug for 30 Amp without having to use an adapter. I'm pretty sure you can run any two Honda 2000is in parallel, companion or not.

This is what I mean, Amanda. We need to be able to keep the riff-raff at bay! 😜 It was a self-imposed time out since I was being a smarta$$ about a couple of other things. But, yes, a timeout feature is definitely not a bad option!

So does that mean I can get out of timeout since I found something helpful?

OK, so I figured out one small "gripe". When someone likes your post, it doesn't tell you who liked your post like it used to. If that's the worst that comes out of this change for me, I'll still be fully functional and the sun will still rise.

Just when I get my eyesight back from that bright white blowing up my retinas, you change it back to brown. Its kinda like when you get up to pee in middle of the night, accidentally turn on the bathroom light, and then trip over everything on your way back to bed because your eyes are all starburst. I'll go sit back in timeout...my bad. Seriously, though, I'm digging this change.

For gosh don don! Now everything is blue and white. I miss the brown, black, and camo! Just kidding Amanda! You're doing a great job getting the new look adjusted. I'll go sit in the time out corner now. Words to live by: "I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow isn't looking good either!"

Bump. Still available.

When I went to open a private message this morning, after receiving the notice in my email, I had a quick, but succinct "What the H3!!!" moment, but then realized change happens, upgrades are needed, and, ultimately, I'll be fine with learning to navigate the new format, like the what happened on the hunting forum I'm on back in my home state. Fortunately, I've learned to embrace the "Sempre Gumby" approach to life. Nice job, Amanda!

Great video, Kevin! And Britt did awesome, as always. However, I think your kids stole the show!

As promised, here are the winners for the 2018 Commissioner's tag (1st place) and the Axis 243 (2nd place). The drawing was August 4th at the Sierra Vista Chapter banquet. Commissioners Tag: Ken Polhamus from deck 4 (have to find out what chapter that is) 2nd prize firearm: Daniel Riggo from deck 8 (here in Flagstaff).

Its that time of year again. We have our deck of cards for the annual Governor's Tag Raffle. Cards are $20 each and first prize is a Governor's Turkey Tag, valid in any open unit in Arizona for 365 days starting mid-August. This includes both the Goulds units and the Rio units, in addition to all the Merriam's units. Second prize is a rifle, although our State Chapter hasn't told me what that rifle is. In the past, its been a Savage Axis w/ scope. You all have been great at buying up our deck in the past, so I'm starting here before making it public elsewhere. 100% of the proceeds for this raffle stay in Arizona for turkey research, monitoring, and habitat improvement projects. You can PM me for information or text me if you have my cell. Phil Cramer, that awesome guy, has already bought his five cards and I have two more sets on hold for two more repeat customers. As I've always done in the past, I will take your half (halves) of the card(s) and write your name and phone number and mail them back to you so you know its legit and I'm not just taking your money for the helluvit. The drawing will be August 4th at the Huachuca Gould's Chapter Banquet in Sierra Vista. I will remember to post the winner this year after I find out who is drawn. Last year, a gentleman from Michigan won the tag. Update: There are eight decks being actively sold in Arizona right now. The second place winner will receive a Savage Axis XP .243 with a 3-9x40 scope. Good luck and thanks to all of you who have purchased a card from our chapter in the past!

A year ago, a buddy back in Iowa sent me a picture of himself with a 3-4lb smallie at his wife's family's cabin on Rainy Lake in Ontario, Canada. His text with the picture said "Would this interest you?" That started a year-long planning process of getting his family's and our family's schedules lined up to spend a week at his wife's uncle's cabin. I haven't been to Canada in 35 years and going back there fishing has been high on my bucket list since the last time I was there. The short version is that all the stars lined up and we got back this past Saturday from a week up there. Fishing wasn't great by the Canada standards I remember, but was awesome by our standards here in northern Arizona. My wife is the only one who didn't catch fish, but she only got out twice and was only half-heartedly trying. She was more intent on getting the kids opportunities and taking pictures. Me, I was the net man, hook-remover, lure changer, hook-baiter, snag remover, new leader-tier, and still made time to fish for myself. I wish my son could have caught a pike, but he loved the smallies and walleyes. I wish my daughter could have caught a walleye, but she loved the smallies, pike, and perch. I ended up with 5 pike ranging from 3-5.5lbs, a handful of smallies, the biggest of which was 3.5lbs, and a couple of eating-sized walleye. My favorite part of the trip was our kids asking when we could go back to Canada, especially after hearing them moan and groan about going and fishing every single day as we were planning the trip. To be fair, I told them they didn't have to fish every day if they didn't want to, but I was going to be fishing every day. Our last night there, my buddy and I took off, kid-free, and had a blast getting into fish. We booked it back in, ate a quick supper, and loaded everyone up on the pontoon to go back to where we finally found the walleye. Jacob hooked a good one, but it broke off at the boat as I was trying to net it. Then he hooked and landed a good eater. Aside from my kids getting hooked on this kind of fishing, my other favorite was catching two pike in 10 minutes on the Savage 3d Suicide Duck lure I bought specifically for this trip. If you've never seen that in action, look it up on YouTube. Its beyond awesome to see in person. After my two, I gave the lure to my daughter. She had a strike, but missed it. It was even more amazing to watch standing next to her. My only goal not met was catching a pike on my 9wt fly rod. I used it a couple of times in the inlet by the cabin, but no pike were hungry. I got better distance and hauls, though, so its still a win for me. Morning view from the cabin First pike in 35 years First smallie in 18 years 3.5lb smallie Syd's first pike Syd's first smallie Jacob with a smallie Jacob's walleye (wiggling the whole time) 2nd pike on duckling lure Bite marks 5.5lb pike (my 2nd best) Syd and I doubled on pike Jacob and I doubled on pike and his first smallie Rainy Lake Sunset Learning to drive a boat Cabin at night

We should definitely get together soon. I'm having a new barrel put on my 6.5WSM (its a long story) and I could use some local help with it. Nice to know there's another 6.5WSM-guy here in Flagstaff!

We recently wont a Trius 92S Clay Trap at a banquet. We'll never use it, so I thought I'd offer it up here. Prices seem to be from $65-$80. First $65 cash takes it (no sales tax!). Never been out of the box. I won't lie, I'm too lazy to walk out to the garage to take a pic of the actual box, so I downloaded an image. Will be in Phoenix near the airport next Friday (13th) unless you want to road trip to Flagstaff before then. Can even throw in a Mossberg 835 Waterfowl edition 12 ga for an extra $350 (obo). Shotugn has never been firedand only left the safe twice.

Bump

Can it be something published previously somewhere else?

That sucks royally. Two years ago today, I flew home to Iowa to be with my mom on her final days after a 3-year battle. Cancer has taken too many of my friends and family. Prayers for this guy and for you, Alpine!