Devil Diver Down

Lowas seem to really run small. I have a pair of Renegades that I really like a lot and fit great - they're size 12 where most of my boots are 11 and one pair are 10.5

Will they still be hot in Unit 1? My first shotgun hunt for them and I'm pretty excited.

Make sure you get to the Colcord camp early and try hard to get paired up with one of the experienced folks assisting kids right away. Let them know that you've already located birds and you might get an "in" with someone. It's a great camp but in 2 years (5 hunting days) we only got paired up on 2 mornings and no afternoons. My kids got a little frustrated when their crappy guide (me) couldn't get birds to answer or come in when they did answer and the last Sunday they asked if we could skip the hunt and fish Canyon Creek instead. My turkey abilities are turning kids to fish but it sounds like you're starting off a bit further ahead. Good luck on the hunt!

Congrats to you all on 3 fine birds. Sounds like a good time.

Nice looking gobblers. I'm jacked for my first shotgun turkey hunt in Unit 1 in a couple weeks - hoping to bag my first turkey. I'm told that it might get addicting and I'll have to turn to hunting neighboring states to get my fix.

What state are you hunting?

Viper - what choke are you using?

As daverp wrote, a good map of the area is essential and will be your best friend. Get one ASAP. One important thing not mentioned is a good pack. Since you haven't seen many elk, keep in mind that they're huge animals and how far you hunt from your vehicle shouldn't be any farther than you get can transport elk quarters (60-80lbs) on your back. Even though it's a late hunt, sometimes you get crazy warm weather in the middle of the day. An elk can spoil even in cool/cold weather if you're unprepared when you get one down. Search youtube for "gutless method" and you'll find some good (and some not so good) videos on there documenting the quickest/best way to break an animal down. You might get some help out in the field from other hunters but that shouldn't be the plan of how to get a bull out - be prepared to do the whole thing yourself, check the rules about driving offroad in 23 to retrieve game, etc. Congrats on drawing a good tag and have a great hunt!

Kudos to owning up to your mistake - one that more than a few of us have made over the years... ONCE! Repeat offenders probably don't care much about hunting bulls. My cousin, who I still talk to, put us in for a December cow hunt and we all burned 5 or 6 points for it. Nothing wrong at all with hunting cows, IMHO, but I don't want to burn points to do it. Good luck on your hunt - lots of opportunities for cow hunters in 6A during that hunt.

You are wrong. The Hopi tags are good for the whole unit. It depends on which hunt you're applying for. You have to read the notes. One of those on the leftover list appears to be the "Hopi Hunt in East Sunset, West Sunset, Meteor Crater, Twin Arrows, Two Guns, and Grapevine Hunt Areas in Units 5A and 5B North" That hunt is definitely not for the whole unit - read notes 4 and 6.

I had a leftover Hopi hunt tag for the East/West Sunset area a few years back. There's a simple reason even the Hopi people don't want a hunt that's set aside for them: few elk, if any. It's a depredation hunt that's been going on for several years to get the elk off the ranch there - and it's been mostly successful. It's not the entire unit, just the small subsection and there were heavy restrictions where we could camp, etc. My tag was good for any elk and the G&F guy I talked to beforehand told me to shoot the first elk I saw, even a calf, as I may not see another. I saw one cow in 3 scouting days and one cow with 2 bulls during the hunt, right as the sun was going down. I ran about a half mile to get into shooting position, but couldn't find a good shooting lane in the cedars before it got dark and they were gone. Never saw another one, but I did get a flat tire before heading home. Most of the hunters who were camped in that area hadn't seen a single elk during the hunt. All of that said, hunting elk is better than not hunting elk - and I guess that hunt technically qualifies . Pretty much anyone on this board who would come across your thread already knows about leftover tags so I wouldn't worry you let loose some state secrets. Considering the odds most people are trying to beat to get elk tags, it's telling that most of these limited opp tags aren't applied for at all. Leftover tags are leftovers for a reason, but I'll be trying for one again this year.

ttt

Come on, I know some of you just found out you pulled a rifle elk tag!

Congrats to you and your son, Allen. Best of luck tagging a toad! Nada for me again this year so it looks like I'll be gassing the truck up and heading out of state - Colorado/Idaho OTC or a Montana leftover maybe. Pretty steep prices but I want to chase bulls this - and every - year.

I drew! For dove, quail and, of course,

ttt

What do they need to communicate? The regs state that permits and refund warrants will be mailed out by 4/18. Any earlier notification is a bonus, even if it feels sometimes like they're trying to "bone us." The process they use is not ideal, but there are also some things out of their control that handicap it - state laws not allowing them to charge cc's for full value before the draw among those challenges. They need to find a better vendor as well, which is squarely on them. I'm pretty sure all of the bitching on this board and calls made directly to G&F to ask when results will be posted don't speed up the process any. Finding out in April is still WAY better than finding out in June.

Great story and an even better family!

Price drop to $500. New, never a single round fired and about $100 less than you'd pay at the shop. The rifle goes back to original price on Gun Broker next week if not sold.

ttt

What model number are they?

yes. The guy who told me he'd take it hasn't shown with the money.

spf

My understanding is that G&F is considering implementing a wait period (1 year, I think) for youth after they pull a tag in an effort to get tags to more kids. I believe youths on the wait can still apply for general hunts. Like just about anything else AZGFD does, I'm sure it will get soundly ripped on this board but personally, I think it's a good plan for recruitment and retention. Kids (and adults) who don't draw can be kept interested by hunting small game, scouting animals, shed hunting and other activities - it's not only about the kill and the reality is that there's not enough opportunity to hunt big game for every taker. Just my 2¢, ymmv.

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep. That one's going to leave a mark. Needs a picture of me shelling out $600 for a Colorado elk tag in place of "acceptance" but instead of the smile, it gets an extra Anger face, which would be my wife