IA Born

Congrats to you and your wife, Mike! That is awesome and your pride and love shines in that pic! Let's all be thankful that prayers were answered and Alton looks like his mamma! JK! JK! Hopefully, I'll be able to shake your hand next week, even if its only a quick meet up. If you can't get away, I totally understand. We'll be back that way soon enough!

Youth camps are a great way to get it gone. If you're interested in the Happy Jack Youth Camp (5B, 5A, and 6A), I can send you the flyer with the link to register. I'll be there mentoring again. Whichever camp you choose, they are a great experience and are free!

The folks at The Mountain Project who helped us took really good care of Syd and made her feel very special. It was great!

I couldn't have said it better myself! We will be keeping you in our prayers! And I suppose this is a valid excuse for not returning my text about your ammo!

Throw the whole gun at it? Sorry. Just kidding. I would imagine that any standard hollow point round that shoots well out of your pistol would work just fine.

Congrats! I miss the days when I had close to free-roam-authority to do wildlife surveys on Ft. Huachuca. One of my favorite places to hike at night. Great looking pig!

Congrats on your first javelina!

I've used several different kinds of headlamps, from cheap to expensive. On a wildfire assignment once, I realized I'd forgotten to pack mine, so I grabbed a $12 or $15 Energizer at quick Walmart stop en route. Turned into one of my favorite headlamps ever and its a fraction of the price of Black Diamond, Petzel, and others I've used. I have one on my nightstand, one in my hunting pack, and one in my turkey vest.

If I knew anything about 20A, I'd share it in a heartbeat! I @%$@$% hate cancer with every fiber of my being and I hope you and your friend create some of the best memories ever!

But that second hunt is when they are more fired up! I've been on a wildfire in the Chiricahuas in late May/early June and called toms in to within 40 yards, full strut. No turkey calls, just doing my best hen yelps on my own.

Somewhere between 36" and 40" in Flagstaff as of this morning in our driveway. Today is snow-day #3 for the kids and school. I worked from home yesterday because it was so bad. My kids went out to play and ended up making this huge-a$$ snowball. They asked me to come out and help move it. I told them I really had to get an important comment letter written for work!

My daughter has the 10/17A/17B/18A/19A/19B/20A youth javelina tag starting next Friday. She has Friday and Sunday of next weekend to hunt, due to a soccer game on Saturday. Our original plans to hunt 19A with a buddy are likely falling through. I only know one spot on the east side of 19A, but I have an offer from some friends for us to spend Thursday night at their house in Chino Valley. We might hotel up at the Antelope Hills Inn, too. I just don't know the west side of 19A, 19B, or 17A at all and because of this weather (6" of snow so far in Flagstaff), I won't be able to do any scouting of new areas to learn roads. Is there anyone in the Prescott/Chino Valley/Prescott Valley area that has Friday off and would be willing to take me and my daughter out chasing pigs if we stay at our friends in Chino Valley or the hotel? We can take my truck for wear and tear and I'll get you a 12-pack (or case?) of your choice. I don't drink anymore, but I don't stand in the way of those who do. She's yet to get a javelina. Every time she's had a tag, there have been disappearing herds, soccer games, or soccer injuries. Thanks!

That's awesome. That's my daughter's goal (ECNL team). She was recruited as a goalie for the Sereno 04 NPL team, but it was hard to make a regular practice schedule from Flagstaff to Phoenix.

I remember my first. Its a blast! Congrats!

Flagstaff United Soccer Club, U13. You have a daughter playing for a club?

Thanks so far, everyone. It looks like Plan A is going to work out, after all, and I now have a solid Plan B, thanks to DBArcher! Love this site!

Thanks for the responses I forgot about the 7mm-08; think that would be a great option. I'll check out some of those Savage youth offerings.... My boys are on the skinny side but tough from years of wrestling and ice hockey. I got my daughter the Savage Axis (original model) because the price was right and I had Cabela's points to pay for 90% of it. Then I ended up putting another $150 in it to put in a Timney trigger because the factory trigger SUCKED. That was before they started putting the accutrigger in the newer Axis II. I started looking at the Axis II for my son, but couldn't find any with the accutrigger that weren't camo. I didn't see the need to pay extra for camo, so I ended up getting him the Savage 111 Trophy Hunter Compact, with the accutrigger. I love shooting both of their rifles. I get all kinds of excited when its time to test the hand loads (my job for consistency)! Good luck!

I agree with all that have said shoot whatever you want, but put a brake on it. Having said that, I set both of my kids up with Savage youth models 7mm-08s and both have brakes. They both started out shooting the Hornady 120 gr reduced recoil load to get used to it and then eased into 140 gr Barnes TTSX that I handload for them. My son just turned 9 and he's tall and skinny. You know, the kind of person that has to move around in a shower to get wet. He absolutely loves his 7mm-08 with a brake. Our daughter (now 12) was slightly bigger than him when she started shooting hers at 9 and now barely feels any recoil.

Pretty sure I saw that results should be posted no later than February 16th! Sorry, couldn't resist, either!

I think this year I'm going to wait until 10pm on Tuesday, February 14th to log on and apply. Then I'll have something legitimate to complain about when I don't get drawn! Sorry, I'll go sit in the corner now.

Yes! We just found out this morning, that she'll be bringing a gun home with her from Kansas, although we won't know what until we get there! She was excited! I'm sure she screamed a little when she read that text in class. I may have to serve her "time after school" for her on that one! I'm sure there will be more stuff as we find out more, but who knows! Thanks, Phil! She really poured her heart into that essay. Its funny to think she did it at the last minute after realizing that the depression from my mom's passing and her soccer injury were consuming her. She's back playing soccer this week and on cloud 9! And I can get you those Goulds raffle cards anytime you want! As for the rest of you yahoos, remember that she's going to read this eventually. She's already on the bubble about her buddy, Bill, being a weirdo but she doesn't need proof the rest of you are!

CRAP!! I missed that. Thanks! I definitely will remove that!

I spoke to both NWTF HQ and the Kansas Governor's One Shot Turkey Hunt coordinator yesterday. It went from a surreal concept to very real and very exciting! NWTF gave me the ok to share her essay and, after checking with her, so did Sydney. It turns out that her essay will not be published, but she is encouraged (kind of expected) to write an essay after the hunt and it will be published in the JAKES Country magazine. She'll probably be used for next year's promotion, too. The KS coordinator called Sydney directly yesterday afternoon and they had a great chat. Flights are booked for both the convention trip and the KS hunt. I'm waiting on the paperwork and more of the details of what all she gets out of this, but I know that there is a local sponsor in KS who needs her clothing size because every winner gets outfitted from head to toe in a set of custom camouflage clothing! She will have her license and both turkey tags waiting for her when we get there on April 12th. Yesterday's phone calls turned this surreal idea into a very real (yet still slightly surreal) plan. Here is the essay that she submitted. I read it again last night...twice. She makes me so proud with her perspectives on life and hunting. We hope you enjoy it! JAKES Kansas Essay.pdf

You'll probably get varying answers on this one. I'm pretty sure, though, that ammo must be kept separate from the firearm. The airline you're flying with should have that specific issue on their website. I've never traveled with them combined because I mostly fly American and, the last time I traveled with a firearm, that was the rule. I've never stored the bolt stored separately, though. With bolt guns, I remember taking the bolt out, though, and leaving it next to the rifle. With everything except bolt guns, I leave the actions open so there is no question. Magazines have always been left out, but next to the rifle or pistol. I'd consider keeping your rangefinder and kestrel in your carry on so that you know right where it is and your minimizing loss of gear if your checked bags get rerouted.

As soon as I know more and am allowed to share the essay, I will. I know it will be published in the JAKES Country magazine after her hunt and AGFD is already asking me for it. I'm not even sure if my own agency is going to want to run with this, especially since USFWS makes a huge deal of promoting both hunting and getting kids outdoors! As for my own hunt, I knew I was trying real hard to pound a square peg through a round hole to make it work. My wife showed me the calendar and the one long weekend I was planning for is the same weekend our son gets his confirmation and first Communion in our Catholic Church. I kinda need/oughta be there for that! Between his confirmation, our daughter's birthday in late April, and my niece back in Iowa getting married in early May (obliged to go after my mom/her grandma passed), my free time was already about dead. The funny thing is that the only other time I've missed a turkey hunt since 2002 is the April that my daughter was born (2004). One common theme: her! Wouldn't change it, though!