COOSEFAN

Here's a little kitty kat that is still up in them "hills" keepin' those 1100 muleys in check..... And here's a pic from deep inside those nasty mountains, it always amazes me how much country is actually up there.......really sucks about all the development surrounding those mountains, but nothing we can do about it.

Great job Blake, very pretty buck! Congrats to you all! JIM>

That first buck is gorgeous!!!! Great job to all on what can be a tough hunt! JIM>

It is posted no tresspass, but then states you can enter with a valid permit or license, all is the same there, just now they have a shiny brand new fence and signs. You can still go in there on foot with archery equipment and a valid hunting license. Definitely sucks to see all the changes around them hills! Be sure about that because is says no hunting with locks on the gates. Wouldn't surprise me at all.......must be new though, I haven't seen those. The new signs I've seen were as I described and were put up by the "parkies", maybe one of the new developers locked up stuff on the west side, I know they've had it surveyed with new roads cut for some time now, must be gettin' ready to destroy whats left

That's funny, everyone and their brother consider that exact spot their "secret honey hole".....especially the resident hunters from the nearby towns. There are a few bucks out there, but you'll have more people than deer around ya if you go there during a hunt! There is better areas not far from there though, you'll avoid traffic and possibly see more deer.

That's awesome Lance, the picture really helped to illustrate what your saying too. I've always done it the hard way where you end up with a bunch of loose peices, that looks alot easier all the way around! Thanks, JIM>

Awesome! Great job and congrats! JIM>

Happy B-day Shorty, hope you find time to enjoy it today.........you should be out fillin' yer tag instead though but, i'm proud of ya for keeping your priorities straight, best of luck in firefighter school! JIM>

It is posted no tresspass, but then states you can enter with a valid permit or license, all is the same there, just now they have a shiny brand new fence and signs. You can still go in there on foot with archery equipment and a valid hunting license. Definitely sucks to see all the changes around them hills!

I'm one of the lucky guys with a Late 12AW Muley tag and can't wait! I actually just got some great practice the last few days, helped my brother n' law's brother kill his first big game animal which was a 2 point muley. Then, with one more tag to go, I glassed up the buck we were after last night about an hour before dark! My bro has this buck on trail cam about 2 miles from where we finally found him and after a mile long stalk my buddy Travis hammered his biggest muley to date! A tape hasn't touched him yet and score won't do him justice as his back tines aren't real long, but he is a real wide, heavy 4x4 frame with small kickers and inlines and even a 3" droptine making him a 7x7! I didn't have my camera or cell phone but my buddy did and I'll post pic's when I get them. The hunt was in a tough unit with lots of hunters, the key was knowing a big buck lived there and hunting it hard from sunup to sundown in areas where other hunters had pushed the deer into. Hunting big muleys south of the big river has got to be one of the hardest critters to kill, we are all excited with this one! JIM>

That's a good point Scottyboy, I do get burned out but it's never gotten to the point that all the fun was taken out of it.......for me at least. For me, the seasons change at the right time, just about when I'm tired of the elk hunts I get to switch gears for the deer hunts and it's usually new and different enough to keep things fresh. Also the important thing for me is MY hunts, I always make sure I have several hunts lined up for myself. Looking forward to my personal hunts keeps me motivated, but that's with any job, most everyone here uses their personal hunting time as motivation to make it thru the workday! BTW....Scottyboy, I got burnt out just reading about all the places you've guided! LOL! I couldn't imagine all the experiences and memories you have, that's awesome! JIM>

Hey Matt, you are getting some good info here, several folks made some great points. I'm a "full time" outfitter yet I work a part time job in the spring and summer to help with an income during the down time. The money I make during the 7 months that I guide every year isn't squat and I'm constantly asking myself if it's worth it, heck, the guides that I employ make more money than me, even if I was guiding one of the hunters in the same camp!!! There is A LOT of money that is spent on expenses such as fuel, equipment, food, wages, AND......if you are a legitimate and responsible guide/outfitter you'll have paid for insurance and forest service permits! The easiest thing is to be a guide for an outfitter that has taken care of the technical and legal stuff, otherwise you'll find that to "legally" guide a hunter on your own isn't all it's cracked up to be......but that also depends on how much you've put into the hunt.......PB&Jelly sandwhiches and a coleman tent are cheap.....but most clients want more than that!!! There is a bunch of guide/outfitter "haters" out there, and some of those folks have good reasons for their feelings too. Not all guides/outfitters follow the rules, have respect for others, treat their clients well, or have respect for the wildlife they pursue. If you can be mindful and respectful of the laws, wildlife and other hunters, you'll soon earn a good reputation, clients will start calling, and you could be proud of what you do. I'm proud of what I do, the memories, friendships, experiences and everything else are things that I would otherwise miss out on if I didn't do what I do. There is nothing more satisfying than to see the excitement on a hunters face after taking an animal they've drempt of......and knowing that you helped make it happen for them! Best of luck to you! JIM> BTW........the fishing part of the guides test SUCKS........I studied for it and failed! I didn't really care to be a fishing guide at all, just tried it to see if I could pass the test, the cost was the same I believe. Also, I think it would be very hard to make money being a fishing guide and i'm sure it's hard to get paying clients! Doesn't hurt to give it a shot though!

Josh, Tyson and Gino are still at it, check out their wicked moves! http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/owner/FaxF2SZaKphHnGYI

Naw, I'm not bored, just trying to get "honey-do's" done around the house and jump on the computer every now and then. I grew up hunting the 20B Muzzy hunt, used to draw it every year, lots of fun! I'm actually bracing myself for the "storm"....hence the "honey-do's"! I've got deer hunts lined up starting this Friday until Dec. 4th without a break.....and somewhere in the middle of that I need to wrap my own tag on a BIG ol' flop ear for myself! Thanks for the offers though and best of luck! JIM>

In case you forgot their first "Dancin" debut, here it is! http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/owner/fNFa6Qs29d9R929c

Click on link to see the demise of our dearly beloved Firstcoueswas80.... http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/owner/OmDbceihYGyvGYam

I HATE spiders.......that would've been called a "Dead" spider if I had seen it!

Dangit! I'm not too upset though, I was only off by 1 5/8" so can't complain with that. Congrats to the winners! JIM>

15 more minutes........ I just love looking at the pic's of that buck, just don't get any better than that!

Sooo.......that means that you came out, but not the same way you went in! I'm not sure if that means getting the last laugh......at least not for you! LOL! sorry dude, you are just always a good sport! JIM>

The first time I heard the "Mountain Range" song will stick in my mind for a long time! A buddy of mine (GTT) and I were sittin in our hotel in Anchorage, Alaska the night before a float plane was scheduled to drop us off in the middle of nowhere to hunt Moose and Caribou. That Brittingham show came on and then the campfire scene at the end with Sam Moore singing that song.......talk about chills, I got em' now just remembering back!!!

One thing I would guess is the vegetation that is in front of your camera will trigger it. In your coon pic you can see enough brush to do just that when the wind blows it around! I always clear out any leaves, brush or small branches out of the trigger area of the camera. As for the camera's position, facing it away from the rising or setting sun will decrease false triggers also....I don't really know why the sun triggers it but it can. Good luck! JIM>

Best of luck on your hunt! When I am hunting the early hunts I tend to look for secluded areas where bucks will get pushed into to avoid hunters. These areas typically are thick and north-facing with shade throughout the day. These areas don't have to be big mountains or deep canyons, sometimes just a small rise or small canyon is all a buck will need to stay hunkered down all day! I would sneak around as undetected as possible, "crawl" over an opposing hillside or rim and pick the thick hiding area apart with my 15's. I've done this for the past several years and have always been successful at it on the early hunts. Sometimes a buck is there, sometimes not....but when they are you almost always have plenty of time to evaluate and set up for the shot as they are unsuspecting and feel safe where they are. One important thing to note on the early hunt.....and why I like them so much, is that when you find one buck, there is a good chance he's got his buddies with him! Always scan the surrounding area after locating a buck and look for tips of tines, patches of hair, or any other part of a second buck, they usually are in bachelor groups at this time. Several times in the past few years I was able to sit back for a length of time and decide which buck I wanted to shoot....you really get to savor the moment in those scenarios! Good luck! JIM>

This always depends on the hunt, the weather, and time of year for me. Typically I like to stay out all day, I always try to be in a glassing position between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm and glass into the bedding areas at that time.....especially during the early hunts. The deer do tend to stand up, feed, strectch or move into another shady spot at this time! I've seen on some hunts where the bucks are never up during daylight until late morning when they get up and move very little, only to bed back down in a more shady spot......this seems to be the case in heavily hunted areas, full moon phase, and hotter early hunts.

Now there's some finds you don't run across everyday...great job! JIM>