COOSEFAN

I unexpectedly lost my best friend yesterday. I am not posting this for sympathy but only to share with you all, my favorite pic's and best times with my best friend, Zeus. It is unexplainable how much I already miss him. I am going to spread his ashes over the exact places you see in these photos, that is where he would want to stay forever. I had a great deal of admiration for his passion for hunting and only wish I could have gotten him out one last time. Thanks, JIM

I have been kickin' around the idea of buying one of these monsters to hunt Moose and Caribou this Sept. I know they are plenty big enough for either of these animals but was curious which one I should go with. I have wanted the 500 for a while but just found out about the 460 XVR today and don't know much about it other than you can shoot the .460, .454 Casull, and the .45 Colt out of it. I like that versatility but the brute force of the 500 looks awesome. I would like to know what scope would be best to handle the recoil of one of these pigs and who you would reccommend to buy/inquire from? I was at the Warehouse today and held both guns that are in the pic's and that 460 XVR is BAD!!! They had a sorry selection of scopes and not that informative on putting scopes on these BIG guns. Any info or insight would be appreciated, Thanks JIM

"Come guys.. Ya'll know I didn't have anything to do with this particular hill country buck that he found around Bear Grass Tank!!!" Hey ScottyBoy, Moosecoues never said anything about " Bear" grass tank. Just mentioned "Grass Tank". For the record, and if anyone is curious, there is NO deer around "Bear Grass Tank"! None! So don't go there, it sucks, go look for "Grass Tank" instead! JIM

That would be awesome DesertBull! I HAD the money to buy one of these guns, but at the AES banquet I spent it on a Montana Antelope hunt. I am broke now! I plan on taking my bow to Alaska, and a big, long range handgun as well. That way in case the end of the hunt is near and the bow aint working I can pull the gun out. So borrowing one might be the only way I can accomplish that. Thanks for the offer, I hope you win it! JIM

Thanks for the reply's. Shiras, that is a spike shed Cody is holding, I've walked over that shed several times in the past two years and never saw it till last weekend, it's at least that old. It was a good weekend but I sure would have thought we would have come up with more for the amount of hiking we did. I'm glad I found a brown set because I probably won't get out again for a long time. Good luck to you guys that do get out! Thanks, JIM.

It all started Thurs. A.M. I got two days off, sold my Prowler to my dad, bought a new Rhino, and drove straight North until I couldn't drive no more, all in one day. The next day I found my first set of the year and a broken antler from the rut. I hiked over 16 miles and only came up with some antique muley sheds over the next days. ALOT of bulls still wearing headgear, we didn't see any big bulls still with antlers, but there are some velvet antlered bulls already roaming the hills. Several with brow tines already! The set I found had already been chewed on by some dang critter, he got half the burr on one side and chewed several other spots as well. I ain't complaining, this set has incredible mass and the bases are almost 12" around the burr!!! Seems like everywhere you hike, someone had already been through there on a quad! I was hoping that hadn't started yet, but the quad guys have been tearing it up for a while. I sold my Prowler because it was too darn tall! It wouldn't fit into my enclosed trailer that I use for scouting, so it just wouldn't work for what I wanted. I should have measured it before, but My dad was going to buy one anyways. The Rhino is just as good and a lot shorter! There are still some big sheds out there somewhere, and alot of smaller sheds will be hitting the ground every day. Thanks, JIM These are my nephews, Cody and Tyler. Cody says," antlers are good at playing Hide and Go Seek!" He's the weirdo on the left.

Thank you everyone for your reply's! It actually helps. It's hard going through my daily routine where everything's the same except a big part is missing. I also have a German Shorthair Pointer, "Harley", and it's hard watching her look around for Zeus all the time. The one thing that is commonly said to me is that he got to live a full life and he was loved. It is sad how many dogs are out there that are mistreated, neglected or just don't have anyone to love them, Zeus wasn't one of them. I just pray that he is up in heaven retreiving Mallards and Pintails to his hearts content! I'll never forget him.

This is a pic from a client last year in Unit 9 on the late bull hunt. The boys were getting the truck and the client was cleaning his knives when he heard something over by the hanging quarters. It is hard to see what is there but when you see it, you can't miss it! I had a hard time, and I knew what to look for! JIM

I was thinking the same thing. "So what do you think of this rack? Is this pretty good for S AZ? I am use to hunting and scoring Sitka blacktail so I had to look up how to measure Coues. Pretty sure I figured it out. Came up with 122". 20 inch main beams, 9.5 inch G2s, 4.5 inch bases and a 15 inch inside spread. Not quite like the brutes they get in the midwest but I guess it will have to do for now." I would think if you are used to dealing with a smaller sub specie like the Blacktail, you would have full understanding of what you are talking about here! I think Moosecoues is messin' around.

THERE! I Fixed It!

I think I put too many pic's in the post or something? Came up wide rather than long?! Sorry.

I had a guy in 5B when the rest of the crew was in 9. This happened in 9 and the hunter was from CA. He didn't have a tag and the muzzeloader he used was over by the meat (and Cat). That picture was taken less than 15 yrds! The cat knew he was there and wouldn't leave even when the hunter started waving his arms and yelling at the cat! He said the cat would snarl at him and when he threw a rock at it the cat actually came towards him a few more feet! He said it finally turned and walked away and he hiked back to the road and waited there for the guys, shaken by it all. There were alot of lion sightings up in 9 and 10 on the late elk hunts, probably just a few cats seen several times, but at a water hole not far from where this took place, one of my buddies had two lions on the tank. He was there way before sun-up to sit the tank with a client and using his headlamp, he could see two lions weaving through the sage towards him very close, so needless to say he waited in the truck till daylight. I don't know why that cat would be stealing a free meal right out from under a human that was in plain sight and in broad daylight. He said it was big and healthy looking but I guess most of the time they feel like they are on top of the food chain and get "cocky", until Josh and Randy's dogs come and put them in their place That is a one-of-a-kind pic though! Thanks, JIM

What I have been telling guys is to look for the light colored eyebrows. There are two eyes right below them and it is biting on the lower left side of the quarter. Oh, and it has a long tail that is behind the sage that you can't see. Once you see the eyebrows it cames into focus, I have to put my nose up to the screen to really see it on my computer.

Man, reading your stories makes me realize how lucky I've been! I don't have any bad accident stories but have had alot of close calls! Two come to mind, one was when a client and I approached his first bull elk, I asked him to unload his gun because the excitement level was high and I knew he was gonna start getting crazy hugging and dancing around (understandably, it was a 380" bull). When he attempted to open the action he realized the safety was on keeping him from opening the bolt. His finger was on the trigger as the barrel swung towards me and he flipped the safety off! I think I had about 3 feet of distance between my face and a flying .300 Win mag bullet. 3 feet is no different than 2 inches in that scenario, I was seriously startled and he was almost in tears it scared him so bad. His thumb was tore open from the safety knob recoiling back from the shot but that very easily could have been my last day! Another close call was in Dec. several years ago with my brother who had a late Coues tag and I was hunting with my bow. We were sitting on a little rock outcropping on the edge of a canyon and I was blowing a varmint call in a "fawn in distress" manner. It was mid-day and was trying to see if anything would move. Three WT does came running up to us, growling, blowing and extremely pissed. I can attest to the fact that deer can growl! They wanted to kick somebody's butt! They were to my right looking around for whoever had the fawn when they saw me move, luckily there was a sheer drop-off on that side and probably 10 feet high because they were trying to climb up the cliff and slipping back down. I knew we were in trouble because we had nowhere to go except straight off into the prickly pears and these deer meant business. My brother didn't know the seriousness of the situation and was laughing his butt off because I was screaming at the deer and swinging at them. I hit one deer on the head with a rock and another with my fist, the whole time sitting on the edge of the cliff they were trying to get up. As soon as I jumped up yelling at them they stepped back, still growling like dogs and blowing and finally just stiff legged walked off. My brother was sitting to my left and could only see their heads bobbing up and down by my side and me swinging at them, he still cracks up to this day about it, but I was truely scared. I have called in alot of deer since then, doing the same thing, and they usually come in with similar enthusiasm and emotion, but nothing like that day. JIM

Was anyone else at the AES banquet last night? It was crazy how many people were there this year, I was hoping to run into some CWT.com guys. The auction Elk tag went for $125,000.00 Thats alot of $ for elk and other wildlife here in AZ! The AES did a great job with their banquet this year. I did my part, mainly due to Capt. Morgan and his buddy Coke, I raised my hand during the auction for the Antelope hunt. I didn't even know what it was for other than the big screen said "Antelope Hunt". I thought I was getting in at the beginning of the auction when in reality I was throwing my bid up at the last call! Everyone thought it was funny except for my wife! She's not too happy. BUT, I'm goin' Antelope hunting in Montana My thought is that life is short, live it up as much as you can and enjoy it, don't let opportunities pass you by that you may look back on and regret not doing. I work hard for my $ and aside from my house payment, I'm debt free and I, unfortunately, have no children, so my responsibilities are few and my wife knows that, so she's actually very understanding when it comes to my ambitions and spending habits. It's just now she know's she's got me in the doghouse and can get whatever she wants, and she's filling out that list at this very moment JIM

Awesome! It is such a beautiful sight to see an antler laying where it fell, those pic's get me excited and wish I could make it up there! JIM

That sucks! Hope the pup turns up! It reminds me of a lion hunter, Josh might have heard this story, that lost his dog on the Bradshaws and later while back in town he got a signal on the transmitter and followed it to an apartment complex and narrowed it down to two apartments and picked the right one. A person answered the door and said they didn't have the dog but it came running out hearing his voice. They were planning on keeping the dog and appearantly didn't know what a tracking collar was! Hope your dad has the same luck. JIM

Awesome story! I would be FREAKIN' OUT, It's dark and your'e only 20 yards and less from feeding lions!!!!!! AFRICAN LIONS that are in fight mode over their feast! WOW! JIM

Yes I did and, No I haven't. I would love to hunt with him one of these days, the chances are slim though because hunting season is the busiest time of year for both of us. He sends clients our way when he gets booked up which was a big help years ago when we first started. Steve has a deep passion for what he does and it shows in his videos and reputation. One of the nicest guys you'll ever meet! JIM

My off season is pretty much nothing but going back to work. This is the only time of year when I actually make money! JIM

Thanks for the reply's. Az4life, You aint kiddin' about an "expensive year"! I have been saving to get the ride, but the AK hunt popped up and I couldn't pass and then last night............well..... I should not have raised my hand! But it's for a great cause and antelope tags are VERY hard to come by here! My wife just informed me her and the girls are going to Vegas in a month, I have no say in the matter!!!!!! Oh, and she wants me to pay for it!!!! "Yes dear, anything for you, my love". That was my answer of course! It's all good though, I just have to pick up some overtime. Deerslam, I would be in trouble if I drew a tag of any kind this year. I already don't know how I'm going to have time to work, I'm lucky though that I have some great guys that will work for me that I trust so I should be OK. Ernesto C, I don't know if it was excitement but more like " oh no, what I do?" I am excited though, just a lot of preparation ahead. I didn't research the details of the hunt prior to the auction, but found out later that I paid $500.00 more than if I just went up to the outfitter and booked a hunt. The hunt is $2500.00 for 5 days fully guided, lodging, travel, food etc. I think the hunt was 100% donation to AES so the $3,000.00 I paid is going straight to the Elk! That part makes me feel good. We are updating the website next week and I have close to 50 more photos to add and some new hunt packages as well, I'll let you know when it's up. I will probably start selling my videos on there also, and I have an elk hunt featured on "Extreme Bulls 3" by Steve Chappell, due out this summer. Exciting stuff! Thanks for checking it out. Whoops! Wife just got home, gotta go JIM

Hey Amanda, a smaller sticker, like half the size of the original stickers would be cool! That would be awesome AZP&Y, to have a Caribou in the back! That pic is too funny! NO DAVID, THEM AINT SPINNERS! BUT they are a little too "bling blingy", look cool though! Deerslam, I always worry about that as well, I will be carrying a chain and lock in the ride for those times when I would be away from it for a while. I can run the chain through a wheel and around the frame and lock it and it aint goin anywhere, this thing is very heavy so no one is gonna lift it. Thanks Ernesto C, I can't wait to get it out. Thanks, JIM

Finally, I got it home last night and got some pic's just now. I drove it a little bit around here, but have yet to "REALLY" drive it! I have to wait until the break-in period is over to try it out past 1/2 throttle. This thing is very smooth over rough stuff and very comfortable. I can't wait to get it out of town and see how the bed holds up to a couple of elk sheds! I pick up the rest of the accesories next week and will post pic's when it's together. Thanks again for everyones info and suggestions, I hope it turns out I made a good decision, we'll see how it holds up! Thanks, JIM

Has anyone heard of any "brownies" picked up yet? I know of guys that have been out but haven't heard of any antlerless bulls runnin' around yet. The water sources are scarce and the elk are in tight together so the sheds will get picked up fast this year! Thanks JIM

......... NOW THAT WOULD MAKE FOR A GOOD DAY SHED HUNTING!!!!! hilarious!