hesbinrubn

Congrats that is great to hear! Hope you have a great hunt, glad things worked out for you.

What an awesome buck! Congrats! One of my favorite units. Nice work keep it up.

Congrats! Great bucks and great story!

I can be kinda crazy and Im glad I could give u something to laugh about. Just because I've held out on 2 bull hunts for a 300+ish (my goal isnt that far out there) and probably have passed or drew back on at least 20-30 bucks & bulls (maybe more I don't keep track) doesn't mean crap. I've eaten tag soup countless times but I'd rather take something I feel is right for me. Like I tell people I have a bit of experience hunting but not killing. To each their own unless a law is made which we all can probably do without. I completely agree with you and a 300ish is a realistic goal for someone with their first tag, as in my post I was talking about quite a different class animal. 350 or better is quite a big difference than 300ish. Also yes, hunters do decide what is right for themselves as they should, I love America! My whole point is that without harvesting animals it has an affect on overall skills. Yes, someone who makes a million stalks, gets within range, and passes on animals will get very good at stalking. But when they actually seal the deal what are they going to do about packing it out, meat care, knife skills, and so forth. The point I am trying to drive home is that ,as with many things, progression is very important. I feel that by taking advantage of opportunities is a great means of fine tuning skills and becoming proficient in all aspects of hunting. I have personally progressed in my caping skills by caping animals im not even going to mount, as well as knife skills, and meat processing. For hunters that are just starting out taking advantage of some of the first opportunities is a great way to build a foundation of becoming proficient in all skills involved with hunting. For veteran hunters that have killed more big game than years they have been alive and they are in a dry spell on harvests, its not a bad thing to take an animal just to keep up on your skills and for the experience. Every animal I harvest I learn something new from. This is just my personal opinion and everyone is entitled to their own. If new hunters want to hold out and pass on opportunities that is their right to do so, but they will lack in many skills and miss many sweet memories in the long run.

This is awesome 7 pages! I understand all the effects with antler limits, harvesting does, or balancing a high buck to doe ratio. What I don't understand is a lot of people who have there first coues hunt and try to hold out for a 90 inch buck when they have opportunities at other bucks. I have known a few people with with their FIRST bull tag and they want to hold out for 350 or better, I call that crazy. I actually think that is kinda funny personally. I just harvested a spike coues last day of the season. That was the 2nd buck I had seen. For me it was a tough hunt. This spike is my 3rd whitetail. I haven't harvested anything since Jan 2011 which was a pig with my bow. In AZ I have killed 2 antelope, 1 elk, 1 turkey, 3 whitetails, 7 pigs, 1 mule deer. In UT killed 1 mule deer. The reason i killed that spike is because i do not consider myself a veteran hunter yet and it was a tough hunt. Yeah if I would have seen a 3x3 and that spike I would have passed on the spike. My point is limits should be placed on yourself personally, and if its your first elk hunt and are going to hold out for a 350 bull then thats your choice. I got the chance to hunt with my dad and shoot that spike which will be a great memory. I just think that until you are an accomplished hunter you need to get what you can for the experience and knownledge gained by actually harvesting animals. Putting antler limits on coues will be hard because of verification. They are so small that great optics are needed to tell which points are where. Not everyone has great optics or gets real close to tell what each rack has. There are lots of people that shoot bucks and later find out that it has more/less points than they had thought. Everyone wants a unit with all big bucks, but everyone NEEDS experience.

Ross!!!! Great bear, way to get it done!

Great job buddy!! Your hard work payed off big time! Now you just need to show me how to kill deer. Congrats ill talk to you soon.

I have drawn 2 antelope tags. First one was with 0 points unit 19B rifle. Second one was with 8 points unit 10 rifle. Just in general im not too impressed that bonus points really give that much of an advantage to draw tags.

This is regarding the issues in McDowell Mt. Park from another post. URGENT!! Just got a call from game and fish at 5:30 pm stating that the issue is going to be brought before G&F commision tomorrow (Sat) at 8:00 am !!! In the message he stated that a group of anti's is supposedly forming to voice their complaints. Obviously they have known about it for a while since their anticipation. Would have been nice if I, and others, were informed not at the last minute!! 8:00 am at the G&F office. If you can please go cause I cannot, and voice in favor of bow hunting I would greatly appreciate it!!!!

URGENT!! Just got a call from game and fish at 5:30 pm stating that the issue is going to be brought before G&F commision tomorrow (Sat) at 8:00 am !!! In the message he stated that a group of anti's is supposedly forming to voice their complaints. Obviously they have known about it for a while since their anticipation. Would have been nice if I, and others, were informed not at the last minute!! 8:00 am at the G&F office. If you can please go cause I cannot, and voice in favor of bow hunting I would greatly appreciate it!!!!

Another tip I have pertaining to tires is: if you have stock pizza cutters on try to upgrade them to a decent all terrain tire. Also figure out an ice situation definately do block ice and possibly think about some dry also.

Sounds like way too much cam lean. Whoever installed it probably didn't check it. Its an easy fix takes 2 minutes all you do is put and extra twist or untwist on one side or the other cable ( where it splits left and right ). Take it to your shop cause it needs a bow press. Wheel and cam should be almost paralell. Hope that helps.

thanks for the reply. The way I see it is horseback riders and trail runners cause more of a safety issue for hikers than a bowhunter. The whole thing is a lot bigger than what people think. The city is trying to gain almost 7,000 more acres and are in with state land department. I personally think game and fish is in on it too, we will find out if they have representation and also who's side they are on as well. Its going to be hard to stop because all the board members for the preserve volunteer there and have time put in there so, I am guessing they are going to be on the BAN side. I hate how they attribute lack of wildlife to bowhunters. First of all the biggest attribute to the downfall has been environmental pressure especially during the rut which is the "cool time" when everyone is out spooking everything stomping around. I don't blame the wildlife for not reproducing cause they don't have the chance to. Human population and the surrounding habitat is a contributor to lack of game. Drought is a big one. Lastly, why would wildlife stay on the preserve where there is a lack of moisture, when they could go into a neighborhood and drink gallons! Of course they don't see that much game! Just venting Thanks guys.

I am a local bow hunter and a bow hunting ban has come to my attention. It was published in the paper on 6/18/12 and it talks about a local hearing that will take place to debate the practice of bow hunting on Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve. This worries me for many different reasons. The reason I am posting is, I am trying to reach out for support at the hearing to voice the opinion for the "pro bow hunting" side. I have tried to reach out to G&F but no return phone calls. There is the potential to shut down bow hunting on the almost 22,000 acre preserve which I do not want to happen. If you would pass this along and invite everyone you can to attend I would greatly appreciate it. The meeting is on Monday July 9th at 3:00 PM. at Florence Ely Nelson Desert Park, 8950 E. Pinnacle Peak Road. The article can be found on azcentral.com Thank you for your time Rich Gray

I am a local bow hunter and a bow hunting ban has come to my attention. It was published in the paper on 6/18/12 and it talks about a local hearing that will take place to debate the practice of bow hunting on Scottsdale's McDowell Sonoran Preserve. It can be found on AZ central.com. This worries me for many different reasons. The reason I am posting is I am trying to reach out for support at the hearing to voice the opinion for the "pro bow hunting" side. I have tried to reach out to G&F but no return phone calls. Not sure if they are going to provide representation or not. There is the potential to shut down bow hunting on the almost 22,000 acre preserve which I do not want to happen. If you would pass this along and invite everyone you can to attend I would greatly appreciate it. The meeting is on Monday July 9th at 3:00 PM. at Florence Ely Nelson Desert Park, 8950 E. Pinnacle Peak Road. Thank you for your time Rich Gray

If you are looking to kill the absolute biggest antelope ever then scout every weekend like you said. Just remember things are going to change quite a bit during that time. Personally I wouldn't waste the gas money .I would start scouting when August hits and during the archery hunt without getting in anyones way. Then get 2 or 3 days in before the hunt. I had the tag in 2010 and was honestly kinda disappointed in some ways. someone could say the total opposite so take it for what its worth. take a truck.

I am glad this subject came up because i don't think that people talk about it that much. Ill start with saying I liked what everyone has had to say about it so far especially Stanley and Tines. And I don't blame you Biggame for wanted to find out if they were the same deer you were after. I will bring up that often guys talk about "my deer" or my "bull" Let me address first that until its dead in pictures with you its not yours. Many guys start to name bucks they see which I think is great. Too often times people name a buck that is a 20 inch 4 by and think that there aren't any other 4x4 deer in existence. Until you watch a buck for a while and really get to know different characteristics in his antlers and different body features and even behavior, its hard to say that you could pick him out of a line up. Some things are easy to distinguish like an abnormal point, or kickers, or drops. Most cases its public land so even a buck that I have named isn't mine and if someone is going after it before me, I back off. Just saying if you see a picture of a stud buck and don't know whether its "your deer" or not then obviously you haven't watched that deer enough and studied pictures, video, trail cam pics of the deer. I know a lot of bucks look the same but there are ways of being able to tell the difference. And people look at pics and the background and think its a certain area, ok guys the desert is huge and there are palo verdes everywhere and barrel cactus so don't think that just because you see a gigantic mountain with cactus and a 20" 4x4 that it is your deer and your spot. This is all out of respect good topic guys.

congrats on your accomplishment! I have missed many and still waiting to connect. Im taking notes from you man good job.

Clock's tickin... tickin it is man, no hunting for me till after I pass my test! Can't wait. ill call you up maybe we'll run around. later

I have a gerber LMF II knife that I have no use for. It has sheath with internal sharpener. Picture is everything that it comes with. The color is a light tan. I have never taken it out of the house and have only used it once to puncture the packaging it came in to see how sharp it was. It would be a great knife for camp or survival it is just too bulky and heavy for me and I won't use it. If you want me to provide specs let me know. Im asking $60.00 for it. Thanks PM or 602-327-4849

wind is key! It is strictly impossible to be scent free. Take some precautions with gas or cooking food. I will break off small branches of creasote in desert, cedar if around, or pine and i crush with my hands a little bit and rub underarms, crotch, and whatever else feels good by doing that. If there is spray for super cheap I might pick some up. If you want to go to extremes though and be scent free spend a ton of money and get the scent free camo, the gum, the pills, soap, shampoo, detergent, spray, wipes, waffers, the socks, shoes, gloves, face mask, beanies, hats, undergarments, and after you do that get a custom made hazmat suit in your favorite camo and your set. I don't think hunting in that plastic bubble would be too bad at all. If it gets muddy and dirty thats ok cause its cover scent too. Plus you never have to worry about you getting dirty or bloody cause thats gross. Good luck

Just curious, does anyone else hunt desert mule deer bucks in August spot and stalk? Been doing it the past few years was wondering on your thoughts. Pretty challenging because of heat. Im not talking about oakbrush desert, im talking cactus and occotillo desert 108 degrees. Any tips and tactics that have worked for you guys? Oh yeah and sitting a water hole isn't much of an option because there isn't one, and yes if your wondering there are deer around.

Yes................ CAMERA THEFT IS LEGAL !!! lol isn't pie on windowsill theft legal also? I mean ... they left it there letting the wind blow on it. Its not like they have it on there table or anything, so its fair game right?

82 7/8 exactly. jk my answer is : big enough to shoot with any weapon in my standars. Congrats on the pics they turned out great. Awesome buck all around hope you put em down. If you look close enough you can tell hes been rubbin.

lol dude Redman thats awesome. Now that there has been so much time there will probably be pics of himself off his trail cam just to prove us wrong on his bluff.