Tines

.338 Win Mag Remington Model 700, ADL Synthetic, stainless, medium Shilen barrel, with the works. Currently I'm shooting a 225 grain partition style bullet. I'll be with a little lighter ballistic tip by this fall, I think. It's topped off with a Leupold 6.5-20x40mm and target turrets. I've done well finding the little boogers with my Swarovski 10x42's, Bogen tripod, Outdoorsman's QD Tripod mount and their pistol grip. Still working on those 15's! I have the Leica LRF 900 to reach out and touch 'em. Lance, I'd suggest a muzzle-break for that canon before a tripod! : )

I don't have one chambered while walking. That's just a personal thing. I chamber one as soon as I sit down to glass and take it out after I've stood up and scanned the area before I leave. I never found it took too long to jack one in if I was in a pinch......... knock on wood! With that being said, I do have one chambered if walking through an area I know I'm about to jump an animal.

"I wouldn't and I do have the equipment and the skill to back it up." Sounds like you're "advocating" long shots. According to your previous assumptions on people from this site you've incriminated yourself. Are you saying you have the skill but choose not to use it in the field........... for ethical reasons?

ANP, I have a good friend who's a taxidermist in Ohio. When we first met he wanted to show me what a good shot with his bow he was. He hit a green chili pepper at 20 yards, turned to me, and smiled. I'll always give someone credit where it's due and agree with them to a certain extent when they're excited about their own personal accomplishments but when I saw this, I realized that people have limitations because they hold themselves back. In no way am I condoning long shots for those who think they're capable but I am confident that the average shot, if taught the right way and are adament about practice, can close to double their distance and make a consistant shot in the vitals with confidence- every shot!. I shoot a .338 Win Mag. You name it, the works have been done to this rifle. Overkill? To some, maybe. It works well for me, like it and I'll use it. I topped it off with a Leupold 6.5-20x40mm LRT. I think most hunters believe shots beyond 300 yards are impossible because they can't see "behind the shoulder" or a spot with their 3x9 scope at those distances. I don't blame them for thinking the shot's too far. For them it is. With todays technology (i.e. rangefinders, quality optics, ballistiplex or just "dialing in"), hundreds of shooting and reloading books; not too mention the priceless info on the 'ol magic box (computer), we should really be pushing ourselves to become better shots; no matter the distance. I have limits. We all do. And we should all excersize those limits in respect to game. To my buddy in Ohio, it's 30 yards and that's it. If my wife didn't know about the possibility of me losing my rifle (possibility only because many people could out-shoot me but a vital shot is a vital shot), I'd take your challenge and make you eat your words as many shooters could. My rifle's got close to $2,000 invested in it. This rifle could easily perform 400-500 yard shots. What I'm saying is some package deal down at Wal-mart probably won't perform as well. Trajectory doesn't mean much when you don't have to aim off the animal (no, you don't have to be zeroed in @ 4 or 500 either). I may upset some people and they may think I'm un-ethical because I have no problem taking these shots if the situation is right. We should be proud of our accomplishments, and many, many hours of practice to make these shots possible. ANP, I assure you that if you had the right set-up, attitude and technique, even you could shoot 400 yards. Maybe I'm kidding myself........ Call it an inflated ego. No big deal. I call it years of practice and a profound respect for the animal I choose to hunt. There is some truth to your words. Most hunters shouldn't be taking these shots. The average shooter shouldn't think twice about flinging lead across a canyon at "long ranges". Practice doesn't make you perfect (only because we're human) but it gets you closer than sitting on your tail would!

Secret spot! No, I don't mind telling anyone. This buck lived ( or may still live, but I doubt it) in 34A. I got him on video a few years ago. He was quite a ways away and you couldn't see much but I knew it was him through the binos. He looked like a cow moving over a ridge. I think his primary food source consisted of other deer. This was in January. My cousin shot at this buck the following November during a rifle hunt. He got buck fever and choked (not that many of us wouldn't have done the same). Anyway, the following January, while trying to find him while archery hunting, I found his sheds instead.- the left side not 20 yards from the other. I guess that's the second best thing, right? Probably my luckiest find to date (other than the wife). I never did see the buck again and since they closed hunting off in this area I was hoping he'd head northwest so we could meet again. It's a little hard to see in the picture but he's got a couple stickers on his left G-2.

Here you go, Lance. Nice shed hunting trip to say the least! Too bad you couldn't find the rest of the one in your hand. Here's also a picture of a set of desert carp deer sheds I found here in So. AZ.

Red Rabbit, That's why I like it. I've been using it's calculator and info for the past 2 seasons. I shot my buck 2 years ago @ 435 yards and last years' buck right @ 500 yards. I absolutely LOVE holding dead on my target regardless of it's distance. I didn't shoot well when I'd hold over. I never really liked the ballistic reticles either. Although the ballistic reticles have their advantages over using your "clicks", let's face it, with the distances we shoot, 9 times out of 10 that buck gives you time to get everything dialed in if you want.

I've used www.biggameinfo.com several times. It's real simple.

Not a Prostaff-er...... I have a friend that is a PSE pro shooter and he struggles with the AR bows....(I woop him when we shoot ) they are very fast but they are not forgiving..... meaning you have to have flawless form to shoot well down range. One of my shooting Partners, shoots for Hoyt out of one of the Phx shops and he made me shoot several different Hoyt bows before I made my decision to buy the Switchback. Granted.... The AR's and the Hoyt's shoot FAST.... but speed is not that important to me.... I have shot bows that wizzing the arrow out there at 300+ Ft per sec. and for target shooting that is GREAT. But in a hunting situation..... 280-288 ft per second seems to deliver a much more forgiving shot down range. You have to not only test bows for comfort, but also for how accurate they are with your form. If you feel that a certain bow you have tested makes you an instantly better shot then you might have found the right bow...... meaning test each bow with as many arrows as you can. I have no idea what kind of hunting/shooting you intend to do with this bow, but keep this in mind....... if you can't consistantly hit a 1" dot on a target at 20 yds......... you won't hit a paper plate size target at 80-90 yds...... Good luck, again. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Also not a pro-staffer I believe a bow is forgiving when it's geometry makes it such, not because of the name on it's limbs. Like comparing the Black Max to the XT, you can't. They're two different styles of bows, even though manufactured by the same company. On the other hand, finding a bow that fits comfortably for you, like Coues-n-sheep said, is more important than most everything else. If $ isn't an issue, find the best bow for you and spend a little extra on components. I've always been a firm believer in having better components than the "best" bow. Hope this helped

Thanks for clearing that up

Those that want to hunt Javelina, can. And have a productive and successful hunt if they want to at that. If they were edible maybe I'd care a little more about providing more hunting opportunities for them. Until they offer 2 tags a year for those who actually want to hunt them, I can't see them reducing the population. Because they breed year 'round (Although they say the "peak" is during the winter months), I can't see us taking a hold of the population. What does it hurt if they're moving further north? It would only provide more hunting opportunities for Northern AZ hunters during January.

Your 7 year old daughter shoots your 300WM? I must have missed something......

That .25 WSSM sounds pretty good. If it's got everything thqat the 25-06 has without the kick, you can't go wrong with that. A friend of mine took his buck a couple of years ago at a little more than 500 yards with his 25-06. The buck was quartering away and the bullet was placed perfectly to lodge in the far shoulder. Buck just rolled down hill. With that said, I like to have a little more room for error myself. I shoot a .338 at these deer with a 225 grain bullet. Some think it's overkill. I think it does the job very well. I don't have to worry about whether I have enough energy at 500 yards or further or how much wind drift there is that some others do. I like it when they fall straight down. IMO

It's hit or miss with grocery stores. Some don't carry it at all. I've found that Fry's always carries it on Ina and Thornydale in Tucson. I know I've seen it in other grocery stores also. Good luck and let us know how it turns out

Borax is used as a Laudry Booster. It breaks down protiens, from what I understand. It's worked excellent for me. I put a cup or 2 in the pot when I boil the skull out. I don't really "boil" it either, it's more of a simmer. Everything just falls off. I'm waiting for a laundry commercial that states something like this, "..... if you think this skull is clean, check out this shirt!"

No doubt you'll poke, pull and prod little stuff. Are you using Borax?

I haven't posted too often on the site. Really enjoy reading the posts though. I recently went on an October hunt with my dad. It's the first big game animal he's taken in 22 years. He took a respectable 3x3. He didn't pick up hunting again until a few years back when my brother and I started putting him in. He really enjoys hunting with his boys now...... I think so anyway I was pretty frustrated on this hunt. If I offend someone by bringing out something that they do while hunting, well, I really don't care, you're not a hunter, only an armed hiker! I never worry about these people actually shooting anything (except maybe ME), but I am sick of them making a hunt not enjoyable. Most of this happened during this hunt. Time to vent.......... - You're not a responsible hunter if you decide to make sure your gun is zeroed in the day before the hunt, by shooting it out of your camp at the Mnt. side. First off, it's illegal and second, if you haven't figured it out by now, that's why you can't find any deer! Once again, you're messing with other peoples' hunts, not just your own - There's no reason that you need to play your music at night time so that it can be heard a mile away. Save that for your parties at home. I still haven't seen a deer yet that enjoyed the 2-step or cumbia (sp?) - This one didn't happen to me but it happened to a friend of mine in this same area during the same hunt. What are you thinking shooting handguns until close to midnight out of your camp? It's rediculously un-safe not too mention inconsiderate. Once again, illegal. - If you see someone that has been glassing the hillside you're about to walk through, be considerate when they waive you down, don't walk through it. They may have bedded a nice 3x4 in it the night before. Once again, wether you're walking through an area you know is being glassed, or walking in general during prime glassing time, be considerate to those trying to hunt. - Some of you may feel different, but how do you feel comfortable driving into an area and parking right next to someone you don't know? I know there's some people out there who purposely do this so others will leave the area. You're not a hunter, you're a jerk. - If you're waiting for deer to move out of a canyon, don't hurry up the process by shooting down in there several times until you know it's clear to move. - If you have to look through your scope to see what another hunter is doing then you're a moron and shouldn't be trusted with a firearm! Go down to Wal-mart and buy a pair of $20 binos! -Some people can't hunt without alcohol. That's fine if you drink. If you do, do it responsibly, not while road hunting! I don't care who you are, you shoudn't be using a firearm if you've been drinking. I'm so sick of your beer cans too. Why is it that most, not all, camps where there's beer have cans all over the place? Pick up your trash, whatever your choice of drink is! Last of all, be aware of the seasons going on. There's nothing more frustrating than putting a stalk on a buck during archery season in January and hearing the all-too-familiar screeches from a varmint call, the sounds of shotguns blasting at quail because nothing came in to your varmint call, while your bow is sitting on your front seat if the opportunity rises that a dumb, deaf and blind deer may run accross the road. Give the animal you're pursuing and others out there some respect! I belive I'm preaching to the choir so I'll stop now. If I did bring up something you do, please reconsider your actions in the field, it's not just your hunt! Trust me, I'm not putting myself on a pedistal here. If I've ever messed up someone else's hunt, it was never because of something I did illegally, purposefully or just out-right stupid. Thanks guys and gals for listening. Here's a pic of my dad's buck.

Thanks again for the compliments and also the advice. I'm better now. I am greatful that I could hunt with my dad. Not many out there can do such a thing. Thanks for helping me remember that. It was an eye-opener for him also, beings that he hasn't hunted in awhile. I'm off on a November hunt in the same unit this weekend. We're headed to some hills that don't have many roads and don't see many hunters even during the early hunts. Should be fun. Hoping to find and tie down the biggun' we've been seeing. Good luck to all those who have the 2nd hunt.

I don't want to kick a horse while it's down, or make it seem like I need to explain everything I've said but from what I understand, on State Land, you need a Special Use Permit to target practice. Your hunting and fishing license only works as such when you're in the act of hunting or fishing. You guys are making me look anal here. Maybe I should have showed a little more humor in my post to lighten things up. I'll remember that next time. Trust me, I can't wait for the solitude of my December hunt!

Thanks for the laugh

Thanks for the congrats guys. azpackhorse, I'll tell my dad. I was lucky enough to draw a Dec 33 tag. I can't wait

I was in 36A. It's hard to get away from the pressure during those 1st and 2nd hunts. My dad's also limited with where he can go. Besides, I put a nice buck to bed the night before the hunt started so I tried to get to him first thing.

I respect that question. I didn't want my post to look biased towards one type of hunter. I was basically posting against those who treat the field like it's a time to get away from the nagging wife, act like an idiot and shoot anything and everything that's in season. Trust me, I'm an opportunist when it comes to being able to just plain go hunting. My story of the quail hunters during archery season wasn't to state that I didn't LIKE quail hunters during archery season. These guys were varmint calling with their shotguns. When nothing came in, they hopped in their truck, drove up the road a little further, jumped out and starting chasing and shooting the quail. My brother was 80 yards to a feeding 4x4 muley buck at the time (I know, but they, WT and Muley's, all run together in here) that would easily go in the high 160's. The buck left after the varmint caling. Then everything else did after the shotguns went off. When we went up to the hunters, they said, "....sorry, we're just after everything today. See our bows in the truck?" Right there with his kid next to him who was about 12 yrs old. Once again, everyone has a right to be out there. No one take precedence over the other. Just respect everyone out there. I believe everyone on this site probably does.

Sorry, "cows deer" sounds a little silly to me. You can call them what you want but I'll make fun of you if you say "cows". It's almost no different than those out here who count eye-guards or all points together when identifying a coues. We're in the Southwest, it's a 3x3 (not counting eye-guards). NOT an 8 point!

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