Swivelhead

Allen is right, the big bad wolf is not at the door. I encourage all to relax. Go to the meeting if you can, it will soothe your concerns. Scott Lavin is a professional and would really like to hear our concerns. Get informed and make contact with Scott and the commissioners. I will post my take on the meeting last night when I get time.

Going to the meeting tonight. Hope some of you can make it. Javihammer made an informative post on the AZ section of monster muleys. He posted a link to the minutes of prior commission meetings where this issue is discussed. A revealing read. AZ's permit allocation is about as fair as it can be. Surrendered permits should go to the "next in line" in the original draw, end of story. Sure would like to know who is driving this proposal, that in itself would be revealing.

This is an important issue, I strongly recommend all of you contact the commissioners with your take on this proposal. I will attend the meeting tonight. I'd like to learn more before I contact the commissioners with my opinion on the matter. This is likely the start of a dedicated hunter type program. Utah has such a program. As I recall Utah also has tons of auction tags. It would seem somebody wants the Utah model here in AZ. The SFW auction tag concept was soundly defeated here in AZ. Time to roll up the sleeves and defeat this proposed elitist hunter program in our state. Unfortunately, money talks. The commission and G&F will always listen to any proposal that brings $$$$$ to the table.

Knowing Wards Outfitters is based in Wilcox, I emailed them two years ago expressing interest in a crane hunt but got no response.

Mistreating Steeler fans is a wonderful pastime (one I rarely tire of) however this thread is not about that. Chuck Knoll and the teams he put on the field have never been surpassed. Those guys were double tough in a league that allowed "tough play." RIP Chuck Knoll.

MmmmOoooooo!

Really nice, congrats.

Sandhill cranes are tasty. Don't know a guide but after hunting them multiple times, I'd recommend hiring a guide. If I could find a guide (licensed) with a lease I'd be all over it.

Kind of unnerving. ALWAYS printed my app. till this year. Figured to save a tree. G&F could have put a disclaimer stating there would be no confirmation email. Grrrrrrr.

Good luck all.

Never seen that version of Swarovski before, very cool. Good luck with the sale.

Not a fan of domestic grazers having access to riparian habitat, especially long term. That being said, grazing can be extremely beneficial to wildlife and the land when done properly. Grazing practices that put large numbers of animals on the land for a relatively short period of time mimic wildfire. Animals grazed this way must eat just about anything available not just "candy". Seems like AZ had less severe wildfires back in the day when cattle grazing was more widespread. Plenty of game too.

Elk are going to get talked to before, during and after elk season. Quite a few people, both hunters and non-hunters don't have tags but love to hear/see elk AND they live in elk country. Elk calls are just another tool in the arsenal. Knowing an area and the behavior of the elk that live there is far more important than any call. I'd wager that elk calls have saved more elk than we'll ever know.

Nice. Life is good in AZ.

That is a smokin' deal on quality glass. Not sure why Vortex would authorize sale pricing that low ($400 off list). A "WAG" but I'd bet they're (Vortex) clearing them out. Likely have ceased production of the current HD Kaibabs and come out with an upgraded 15 X 56 Razor. $1600 dollar pricing point for 15X56's has been abandoned by Swarovski and filled nicely by the Zeiss Conquest. Suspect a 15X56 Vortex Razor is in the works to compete with the Zeiss. Pure speculation but it could happen........

e scouting is ok but there is no substitute for boot leather.

Plenty of people in this town know Ted. He's a good man and knows San Diego sportfishing well. You some kind of cheerleader for the big 3?

I'd suggest calling both tribes, don't have the contact info for WMAT. Amanda posted an email she received from SCAT Forestry dept. on another Campfire thread concerning reservation wildfires a couple weeks ago. Contact: San Carlos Tribal Forest Resources Program, San Carlos, Arizona Daily Phone Information (928)475-2326 from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm.

be sick if the albacore came in strong this year. Albies usually show up slightly before YFT, if they're going to show this year fish counts should reflect it soon. Still, it IS fishing, you just never know.

Been a few years since I went out of San Diego. Last few trips were boat rides (still fun but disappointing). For the sake of the industry, hope they have a great year. Those of you thinking about trying a trip, I'd suggest getting hold of Ted at Phoenix Fishing. He can "hook you up".

Which Apache side of the river you going too?

10X40's are a "default" binocular size. I'd tell you to get the 12X50's but hang on to the 10X40's too.

Bearded hens are not that uncommon. I shot one a number of years ago during a spring hunt. Fellow turkey hunters let me know that I'd likely taken a hen away from her clutch. Felt pretty low at that point.

Congrats to your daughter on a fine deer. 30 years ago in the Kaibab I had a fellow hunter stop me to show his female "buck." He had field dressed the deer but left the genitalia attached. Different for sure. The rack was "feminine," a decent 4X4 with little mass. Later when getting checked by a warden we mentioned the deer. The warden said they see a few every year hence the "antlered" deer notation in the regs.

Over the years I have accumulated a small number of quality optics, primarily binoculars. I began tripod mounting binos in the 80's. Gridding AZ's landscape with tripod mounted binos is one of my favorite ways to hunt. Fast forward to 2010, the year I drew a sheep tag in southwestern AZ. Although I felt I was equipped for such a hunt with my stable of binos, in fact, I wasn't. The distances involved required higher magnification than my most powerful glass was capable of. 15's just didn't have the oomph to X-ray the mountains a mile or two out. Large, "big eye" binos were not an option due to cost. Packing the tripod & head required to handle such glass up and down mtns did not appeal to me either. So, it was time to break out my basically unused AT 80 Swaro scope that I'd purchased 10 years prior. Up to my sheep hunt I'd never spent any real time behind a spotter. Using one eye quadrupled (or worse) the eye fatigue I'd experience using two eyes. Prior to the 2010 sheep hunt, the spotter got used sparingly to say the least. My father is a lifelong amateur astronomer. When I was young, he encouraged me to look through his telescopes with both eyes open. Dad said I'd see more detail and be able to observe longer if both eyes were open. I was able to do this (although it was not easily accomplished) as my non-dominant eye was "in the black." Scouting for my sheep hunt was proving difficult and I was having a tough time finding sheep. Don't remember how it happened but I began corresponding with Nick Heatwole. Nick put me in touch with Tom Saad. Tom and I had a number of conversations about sheep hunting. Among other things, Tom was adamant that I use my spotter and learn to use it with both eyes open. Basically restating what my father had told me many years prior. Unfortunately, I am unable to get my non-dominant eye to shut off during daylight. Concentrating to the best of my ability I still get a double image. Currently, I have used the spotter long & often enough that I can comfortably close my non-dominant eye for long periods of time (hours). I feel confident that I am seeing the FOV well. I use my spotter often these days and when conditions call for long range observation, out comes the scope. Still, I'd like to learn to use both eyes as experienced scope users agree it is the way to go. My questions to those who have mastered the technique: 1) How did you train your non-dominant eye to shut down during daylight? 2) Do you agree that more image detail is seen with both eyes open? 3) Can you comfortably observe longer with both eyes open? Thanks in advance for your input.