Becker

So I was sitting here pondering a comment that TJ made under another topic, and one that I have heard many people say or ask, so not calling you out or anything like that TJ. "Trophy Hunters" or "Guys that Trophy Hunt" or "I don't understand why people trophy hunt". So I figured I would post up one of my reasons. I have an example here in some pictures of two different deer. They are from last year and they are standing in the same spot pretty much. Looking at these pictures you can obviously see the difference in the two deer. No quit looking at the antlers, the BODIES!!! I know the big buck is 5 years old. I had him aged by his teeth after I killed him. My guess is that the little buck is 2 years old! Maybe 3 but I have some pictures of some deer that I think are 3 in the same spot and he is a year younger than them. What do you see when you compare the two deer. They are almost different animals. Compare the chests, head, bellies, rumps, even the size of the legs and feet. So here is my usual question back when I hear the above comments. When you are turkey hunting do you want to shoot Jakes or prefer a Tom? When Javelina hunting do you want to shoot a red piglet or a fully grown adult? I look at deer the same way. I want to shoot the ol' dirty buck not the baby one. So here is a picture of that same little buck come October or so.... With his winter coat he does not stand out as much as a little young deer, but the fact remains he is super young AND he shows extreme potential, being soooo young and already having nice antlers. I would think most guys would shoot him if they had the chance, and thats their choice (no harm or foul in my opinion, I like seeing successful happy hunters). BUT for me I knew there was an old monster buck there and thats the one that I wanted to kill. That was the challenge for me. AND thats how I enjoy to hunt. Its not all about killing for me anymore!!! (I can buy meat at the store for cheaper than it costs me to go hunting anyways, especially if your talking Coues meat) Its about the hunt for the OLD FART of the hills. Finding the oldest buck that I can. Odds are that its going to have a good set of antlers as well (which is a plus because I like big antlers). Age usually goes hand in hand with big antlers. So, if the little baby deer came walking by there is no way I will fling an arrow or some lead at him. Let him grow up a little and see what he becomes because the next deer that I see might be the one!!! I am OK with the "Trophy Hunter" label. That's what I am, but now you know some of the reasons behind it!

Our door is always open as well at Arizona Wildlife Designs!!!

Second getting ahold of Matt with Arizona strip bucks. And don't get him confused with Arizona strip guides. Matt Shimberg is the man when it comes to the strip.

Am I wrong or does that tree in the background make it look like that deer is a big 4x4??? First glance I was thinking ooooooh, but on closer inspection I think its not a 4x4 but rather a 3x3! Regardless a nice deer but what a sneaky tricky picture.

It depends on the particular case. Two of my buddies have them and use them with their 15's but they had to try a few out in the store. They are tight but with the right one they will fit. They seem to have some size differences between cases.

I didn't take what you said in any negativity just was explaining a little better and thought you would get a kick out of it.

That was a pretty short burst! I have heard of one sheep tag so far. With everyone on here I'm hopeful for another round??? Come ON my finger hurt from hitting refresh!!!

BWHAHAHA Thats funny

HAHA just had to raz ya a little TJ!!!

Oh come on TJ everyone???? I would pass and thats no BULL!!! Public land and everything. But I'm a picky bastard, done tons of homework, and have deer scouted out already that I am after Even if I hadn't found anything yet I would let him walk and cross my fingers he makes it another couple years.

I concur with opticnerd, no notch in the ear tip of flatlander's deer. Two different deer.

I'd put him at 90 in that picture. And we have had this topic a few times. As much as we all would like to think they all get bigger there is no guarantee that he will be bigger next year. All depends on the particular deer.

HAHA Willyhunts2, I didn't think it was a competition. Just posting pics to get blood pumping!!! I am not sure what that crazy eyeguard thing would score, probably in the teens gross, that particular pic makes him look huge. Plus they always look bigger with the FUZZ. I never did pay much attention to him since I was chasing that typical 3 point! That one buck in JLW's photo is a giant too!!! Hard to see exactly what is growing on him. Wish you would post some better pics of him if you got um JLW??? I was keeping my fingers crossed for you that you would get a chance to kill him so we could see up close pics of that thing.

Man those Brookies sure are pretty fish!!!

Well what the heck I'll add a couple!!!

HAHAHA thats funny JLW, what about all the elk rubs???

HAHAHA Good one "My Rights" 27 can be brutal in January. Freezing, Snowing, Blowing, NASTY WEATHER if your lucky enough and high enough! Man that place can be cold!

Oneshot, IMO Most of the time in our lakes the striper population explodes to such high numbers that it actually hurts the fishery. Once they get to high enough numbers you start seeing the effect in the quality of fish. Lake Powell is a good example. Since I was a kid we have summer vacations up there every year. We used to sit on the cliff faces and catch GOOD stripers. I am sure lots of you guys on here have. You could see the schools of them come by and watch everybody hook up down the line as they passed through. I haven't gone up there in a couple years, but over the course of the population getting out of control you could see the effect year after year, to the point of one the last times I was up there, the fish would be pretty much dead before you could real them to the boat. Skinny, small, half dead fish swimming around. Being that they are such veracious predators, and prolific breeders you really have to be careful to not let their populations get out of control. They will eat themselves out of house and home. I believe this is usually the case you see vs actual over fishing. Keeping them at a sustainable population with enough food to keep them healthy is the trick. In reality we have had to find out more the hard way of what that system looks like. Remember stripers are originally sea run fish. I believe we accidentally found out they could survive their whole life in a fresh water environment when some got trapped in a lake after the dam was built. Being that they are quote "non-native" which most, if not all of our "sport fish" are, you have to be really careful with the impacts they can have. Especially when they as prolific as stripers are. Thusly what you are seeing over the last few years is no limit on numbers or size, so that we can try and keep them in check.

Verizon coupled with a booster!

Well that's the good thing with those. You would get pics of them messing with your cam and have a couple hours to show up if the cams are way in there

Thanks for the clearing that up. I didn't realize they went through the pool like that on the 20% pass. I thought it was just max pool holders.

I hate to say this but I think you are wrong Tony. All three tags could go to max point holders. The sheep tags are lumped into one grouping, just the total number of tags. So say there 100 tags for ease of calculating. 20 go to max point holders or CAN GO. If we look at say unit 22 with three tags, IF the first three guys in the 20% pass that are chosen have unit 22 as their first choice they get the 3 tags. Say the entire rest of the max point holders also put in for only 22 then that would be it and the remaining (in our 100 calulating tags #) 97 tags would be available for the 1st and 2nd choice pool. That is how people get tags with only few points every year. It all depends on what units the max pool holders put in for. If all the max guys only put in for 1 or 2 units, and the same 1 or 2 units for that matter it leaves more tags available for the 1st and 2nd choice pool. Its and I quote"ALL HUNT NUMBERS COMBINED" not "per hunt number" when it comes to sheep and buffalo for that matter. If it were "per hunt number" like deer and everything else then yes only 1 tag would go to a max point holder and the other two would be up for grabs in the 1st and 2nd choice pool if we were looking at a unit with 3 tags. Thats how I understand the sheep pool. Correct me if I am wrong.

Couple of my opinions. AND I might get some bashing for this but its my opinion. Let me first just say I like the taxidermy competitions. Its a great venue. BUT there is a major flaw lately and the main reason that I have not been attending these. I know that a handful of taxidermists are entering mounts into one competition, getting them judged, then taking them home, fixing the problems, and entering them into another competition, until they achieve that blue or first place ribbon. I saw on the flier there something about mounts can't be entered before but that simply looks to be under this so called "commercial division". And maybe its changed but I doubt it. I feel like you should only get one shot, when you think its perfect, enter it. What you get is what you get. ANYONE can get a blue ribbon by entering and fixing over and over again. Whats the point in that??? It totally changes the true value and meaning of those BLUE RIBBONS! Mount what you mount and take it for what it is. When you think it makes that ribbon enter it. If it didn't make it try again WITH A DIFFERENT MOUNT! I think they should start up a totally new competition. A mount on site challenge. Then you would be comparing apples to apples. Here is your form, here is your time limit. Have at it, when its done its done.

Its been awhile since I have posted some mounts. Here are a few pictures to check out of some of our recent projects. Hope you all enjoy!!!

Smitty there are 2 tags in 37A already, and one in 37B???