CHD

C'mon now boys, ya already know that I'm the master of dark sarcasm and outrageous posts on this forum. But...............I hear that bikini-clad muscular female? hunting companions dressed in BLAZE ORANGE are quite prevalent in Arizona???

Dang boys, do ya feel deeply about this topic? Holy cow. Let me begin by saying that the rancher in the article (Mr. Hardworking Busts-his-butt-all-day Sullivan) is my second cousin, and he ain't worked a day in his life...............but his wife certainly has (are ya listening Newbee?). Everything he has was given to him by family business going back to before he was born. But he likes to whine, evidently. Same as many (but not all) in the ranching community. I'm tired of the whiners. When business get's tuff, the rural ranching and farming folks piss and moan instead of moving into town and working for a living.........like the rest of America has to do in order to have a few things. I and many other working Americans have been laid off (several times), had to pack up and move, had to save $$$ to be able to afford the layoff and move, had to do without, had to live in a town.........and had no government to whine to or Huggers to sell out to. Read the article closely..........the Huggers wanna use taxpayer money to bail out ranchers and retire grazing leases on public land. What a bunch of sheet! I'm tired of paying taxes for this crap!!! The ranching community has had the same battles, lawsuits, and criminal charges against the enviro-wackos that the lumbermen, hunters, energy developers, miners, land developers have had over the last few decades. But the ranchers wanna wuss-out and sell-out so that they don't hafta work for a living??? Bullsheet. Don't ever give up. Move into town and get a job. Those grazing leases will never be utilized again after they are sold. IMO, this is the same as selling off the public hunting rights to that land. To sell out to the enemy is an incredible cop-out.........or a cry for taxpayer aid. I vote for the latter, given my experiences with the ranching community. Spoiled people are ruined forever. They know where the aid is, every time they need it. Plus the cattlemen's associations are usually powerful enough to get it. I still like a thick, juicy ribeye with a baked potato and a whiskey-on-ice, tho. Maybe those Huggers will let me raise a grain-fed steer in my subdivision backyard???

Lark, sorry to disappoint you and your "everything is Taulman's doing" mentality. Don't you realize that when you give him that much credit that you are putting the Scumbag, Slimeball, Greaseball, Lowlife-scum on a pedestal? He ain't that powerfull! He is just a small-time puke that is short-sighted and will get his (are you gonna be the one?) in the end. Taulman was a greedy, shyster, hustler a dozen years ago, nothing new there. He doesn't control huntin' in the west, he just thinks he does. I'd sure like to kick his butt. Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico all have landowner tag programs. Both Utah and Colorado also have a "Ranching for Wildlife" or CWMU program. Some of these programs have been in existence for many years. Taulman had nothing to do with any of these, as they were all started by ranchers. Yes, greedy, starvin, opportunistic, organized, ranchers. They are just getting organized and going after a natural resource on their land that they know is valuable, just like in the other states. Ranchers tend to be timid when they are alone. But when they get organized................WATCH OUT!!! I'm truly surprised that this hasn't happened in AZ before now, given the trophy quality there and competition for tags. In Colorado, 15% of the tags in a unit go to landowners, who must draw for them as well. This is not counting the "Ranching for Wildlife" tags which have additional special seasons. Ranch hunting in Colorado is a long-time tradition. Hunting here has been VERY commercialized (and profitable to landowners) for over 20 years. So it's finally getting around to AZ. Contrary to what we all wanna believe.............this is a capitalist society that we live in. Everything good, in the end, will be ruined by greed. It's too bad that something dear to those of us on this forum will go down the same way. Enough for tonite.

This post is from another forum. The fellow in the pictures is Larry Earley. He lives about 30 miles from Orlando, in the very rural community of Okahumpka, just off the Florida turnpike in Lake County, Florida. He has 20 acres of land and on it, a few cows and horses. Mostly it's pasture land that is fenced with woods surrounding him. He is neighbored by a larger cattle ranch. His neighbor has complained for several years that wild hogs had been raiding his cattle feeders and salt licks. Last month he saw what he thought was a cow in his pond and went to see if it was stuck in the mud and would have to be pulled out. When he got close enough to realize it was hog, the thing made a charge at him. He had driven his truck down to the pond and carries a pistol in it (as any Florida redneck would). He got his handgun and when it came at him again, he shot it twice and killed it. Wild hogs in Florida usually run from 100-400 pounds with a 400 pounder being a monster. Because this one had been feasting on grain for several years it had grown to mammoth size. When Larry took it to the processor it weighed in at over 1100 pounds! The meat has no wild taste, as it was grain feed and the Larry is quite the hero. He has fed may fireman and provided the homeless shelter in downtown Orlando with a couple of meals.

I hope ya'll know that I'm just kiddin' about Coues deer. They are magnificent, neat animals that I greatly respect and am fascinated with. I actually have considered moving to Tucson to pursue them full-time. To all you younger hunters, pursuing Coues deer is a great, challenging, fulfilling hobby that can be developed into a full-time one and you can usually draw a tag somewhere (or hunt NM) every year. Get motivated and get after it! Rembrandt, thanks for the correct pronunciation of Mazatzal! I've always been too embarrassed to ask my AZ buddies about that one. I say "Cows", and talk about getting strange looks from folks around here! They reply "What kind of deer???" Cows. "What kind???" Cooze. "What kind???" ARIZONA WHITETAIL! Hahahaha. Rembrandt, I'm eyeballing your artwork pretty close these days. I need a Coues print for my new house. I may be in touch. BTW, congrats on a great 23 buck and a memorable backcountry trip with your brother. Thanks for posting it on this forum!

Checked out your poll. Don't like it at all. It is not complete. My favorite game = 4-wheelers and trail cams. I looooove to deactivate both by bullet and by pick handle. Don't see them on your list. Why not??? It's a sorry-butt hunter that rides one of those things and a lame, ugly, lazy-butt, sorry-butt hunter that scouts from his sofa and his 'puter and other electronics. Hike and observe and watch and listen and sweat and hurt and bleed and read and think deeeeeeply and get tuff like a man. Learn the habits and behaviors of mature bucks the good, old-fashioned way and apply them to yer next buck. Personal satisfaction is the only way. Anything less is a cop-out. You'll feel better afterward, trust me.

C'mon now boys. Everybody knows that the great Rocky Mtn Mule Deer is the only REAL western deer. This is substantiated by the fact that many easterners come west each fall to pursue a magnificent, big-racked muley with a big fat neck (not a pencil thin one). How many travel here from Pennsylvania to shoot a cows? Not many. With antlers reaching toward the sky and beams as big around as a baseball bat and tines longer than the height of the average cows deer and intelligence on par with Einstein, a mature Rocky Mtn Mule Deer buck is the epitome of western big game hunting. After all, how many magazine articles do ya see about Cows deer versus Mule Deer? Why do ya think Cows tags are soooooo easy to draw? How in the heck can a deer named after a filthy, stinkin' bovine be an elegant, finer, classy species??? Cows pee and sheet in the same water they drink, are dumber than a box of rocks, stink, and are good for nothin' but eatin', and some ain't even good for that. Why name a deer after 'em? How can a deer that grows a trophy rack that can be fit into a matchbox be the finest deer in the western mountains? They ain't even tall enough to look over the AZ grass in a drought year! I know I'm right 'cause you all apply for 13A/13B first choice every year, don't ya?

Treestandman, I'll take you up on this discussion. Thanks for getting this one going. As we all know, a buck needs age, feed, and genetics to grow a big rack. Maturity is a necessity for a buck to reach his full potential. Tag allocations among units usually dictates the age structure within each unit. Some units are managed as trophy units with few tags and plenty of 4+ year old bucks. Others are managed to maximize 'hunter opportunity' with most bucks killed before 3 years, resulting in few 4+ in that unit. Therefore management has a huge influence on big bucks numbers in each unit. A heavy lion population can make it hard for a buck to live 4+ years, not to mention the fact that lions commonly kill mature bucks because they both are reclusive and live in rougher, out-of-the way places. So lion numbers can influence mature buck numbers as well. However, even old bucks may not have big racks if they have poor or even mediocre genetics. So having old bucks doesn't automatically guarantee big ones. I believe that genetics are more important than feed......far more important. On a drought year, a mature buck with super genetics may have a rack that is only 85% of it's maximum potential.........but will still have a great rack. There are areas such as eastern Colorado where there just isn't a lot of good quality classic muley feed (there ain't much browse on the prairie), but muley hawgs live there because of the super gene pool. There are also areas like northern Nevada where there is a lot of tremendous muley feed such as bitterbrush, serviceberry, chokecherry, mtn mahogany, etc... and many mature bucks only have average racks because of mediocre genetics. So great feed doesn't automatically produce a big rack, and mediocre feed doesn't automatically keep a super rack from growing. Feed quality only makes slight differences in rack sizes. Noticeable ones, but still slight. So, find a mature buck in a genetically superior area, and he'll prolly have a great rack on a drought year and a super rack on a wet year. Given the choice between an area with great feed and mediocre genetics and an area with mediocre feed and super genetics, I'll take the genetics every time, assuming age class is equal among both. I've seen many, many huge bucks taken in sorry looking areas that look like no deer would be living there. I've also seen some drought-proof bucks that were absolute hawgs living right among severely drought stunted bucks. I also believe that super genetics can somewhat overcome an age-class problem in a unit because a buck that is a whopper at 5 years old prolly was a fairly decent buck at 3. Particularly with Coues deer, since they mature early. One other thing that you Arizona folks don't have to deal with that can influence rack size is bad, prolonged winters. A buck that got his butt kicked by a bad winter after being run ragged during the rut must spend much more of his springtime and summer nutrition rebuilding his body before feeding his growing rack. That's just nature's way. In summary, I agree with you Treestandman. IMO, genetics is the most important factor in producing a big rack.

I stand behind the most simplest test of all. Tried and proven, here. If the hair on the back of your neck stands up straight, and you s#%t your pants,...............then it's a grizz.

Hey Ernesto, I ain't one of your "dear and lovely" members of this site, but I am a fellow one. Wow, what an incredibly aggravating and disappointing episode. I feel for ya, partner. Can't even imagine what that moment felt like. But hang in there, you've had your bad hunting incident for a few years. If you do many hunts, then things are gonna go wrong on a few of them. Just the law of averages. The key is..........ride the bad ones out and look forward to the great hunts. They will come along. And when they do, they are..............SWEET! Take care.

Relax Dan, The rude hunter in my story was ME! LOL And I would rather die than ride one of those things.

Hey Rich T (Coues Addict), Great post!!! Your way is the only way and is my way too, and really isn't just the "hard way" but also the "most satisfying way". Personal satisfaction is all that matters. I scout, hunt, camp, target practice, butcher my game, cook my meals, get my truck unstuck, reload my ammo, pack my game out, and pop my dislocated knee back into place all by my lonesome. I'm from the old school of hunting, and must do everything myself to be satisfied. Sounds like maybe you are, too? I jumped a guy on my Utah deer hunt last fall after seeing him buzz up and down the 2 tracks at high speed on his 4-wheeler. Eventually I was hiking thru an area and found where he had ridden off road 100 feet up a small ridge so he could have a look-see with out getting off the seat. 100 feet!!! Give me a break. His tracks tore up the virgin ground. I was fuming. I ran into him later that day, cut him off in my truck, and flat out told him I would kick his selfish, ignorant butt and put a bullet thru his machine if I saw any more of that sheet. I do believe he got my message. I have thousands of $$$ in superb optics, good boots, comfortable packs, and lightweight rifles..............and many great trophy animals...........but no quad. Go figure.

Stop visiting porn sites!!! Seriously tho, try Foxfire 1.0 web browser instead of Internet Explorer Virus Catcher. There is a free download here. Everybody is raving about it on some other forums I visit (but this one is still my favorite!). It's pretty easy to download. Foxfire is organized differently than IE and it has forum tabs plus it can remember your passwords for each. Plus it prolly has some other great features that I haven't discovered yet. Pop-ups were driving me nuts, and so far they are no more with Firefox. Try it, you might like it.

You are quite a salesperson, Amanda. I'll go with the sustaining membership just for the 'special feeling' you mentioned. I've been using Yukon Jack to get that special feeling, and really need to try somethin' else, lol. I really don't need to be mentioned anywhere, tho.

Wow Muskeg, Congrats on a great hunt and a neat buck! Thanks for sharing your terrific story and great pics of some neat countryside!!! I appreciate it!

Actually, I was just bein' ornery (didn't wanna disappoint you all) and pickin' on Wetmule a little with my usual dark sarcasm. However......... that MM forum (the muley portion, not the Coues portion) is every bit as bad as I described plus worse. Don't wanna talk to anyone there about my concerns 'cause I'm banned from it anyway from 2 years ago for calling it like it is and exposing the domineering regulars for what they are and good flippin' riddance. My buddies and I joke about it as the biggest bunch of wannabe's in muley hunting. It's kind of the living example of 'patheticness' on the internet. Hard to believe a business owner would let his business go so far downhill right in front of everybody. I'm a film guy too K, and don't have a scanner, so give me some time. I have a pic of Alvey's hunter's buck plus Brady's. No wonder Kip wanted to road hunt after those were taken. The Doc's buck was taken a mile from where I took mine and where the Mohave Monster + Leuderman's 'Iffer' buck were taken in 1992 & 1993. Remember Carl's bucks? What a great big buck area in just a few sections of land. Water + feed + plenty of does living there + everybody driving past to get to someplace better = Big Buck City! Also K, I have drawn more AZ tags than you know about over the last decade, and I will get my house burned down if I say which ones on this forum! I have drawn more quality tags than most residents. I thought my luck would end 5 years ago, but they just keep pulling my name out of the hat. Plus, it helps to know the governor (LOL, just kidding!). This is a super duper website here, Amanda. Not just the forum, but all the rest. The general info about Coues deer, the constantly updated pics (with good detail), the Coues books and vids, have helped me a great deal. Prior to this site and the How to....Coues book, I had little to draw from for learning about these great deer. A decade ago when I started hunting Coues deer and lived in Wyoming, I had nothing and nobody to learn from. Amanda, you strike me as the type that puts a lot of effort into things, and it shows on your website. Thanks Amanda, for a great website!!! I am proud to join ADA. And I don't give my $$$ to just any group or organization. After Wetmule decribed the things that ADA was doing, it was obvious that it is a great organization that I need to support (AND SO DO OTHER AZ DEER HUNTERS!). I almost feel that I am obligated to join after picking on Arizona's deer the last decade. I really appreciate you, Kevin + Amanda + Allen Taylor + all the others spending your time and expertise to help Arizona's deer and protect deer hunting in Arizona!!! Thanks a lot!!! Amanda, can you explain the difference between a 'regular' membership and a 'sustaining' membership? I really wanna do more than 'regular' but am pretty tapped-out right now. Amanda, there is no other muley forum that I know of that is worth linking to. Except the one that I may start......... just because I can. Wanna design it for me???

A buddy from the upper Midwest sent me these today. Evidently, these are eastern whiteys and this is in Iowa................but due to my aggravated, diseased, infected, drugged-up state................my vision is blurred. Ain't that mesquite and ocotillo and catclaw covering them thar hills? Ain't that the foothills of the Galiuros over near Turkey Creek and Aravaipa? Ain't that a trailer-load of 150" Coues bucks? Ain't that Lark and Bullwidgeon standing there? Holy cow. Please tell me this is so! All I can think about right now is Coues, Coues, and more Coues. Aaaarrrrggghhhhh!!!

Hey Wetmule, Still owe you some pics of them '04 13A bucks, don't I? See that buck that Kip got his client (the Doc) in Tuweep? What a TOAD!!! What a magnificent Strip trophy muley! Some other toads were taken while driving down the main roads between hunting areas. You just won't believe it. Why doesn't this ever happen to guys like you and me? I need to get some pics scanned and then they are on their way. Just printed out the ADA application and am ready to send my $$$, Wetmule, but found something really disturbing on the ADA website. This thing may be the downfall of the ADA. This thing really upsets me, and I just don't know if I wanna contribute my hard-earned $$$ to ADA now. Under 'Discussion Forums', it is suggested that the viewer visit MM.com. This is incredible, irritating, unbearable, unbelievable nonsense, as anyone with half-a-brain knows that that forum is a disaster zone full of phony, envious, pathetic, clueless wannabe's and grown men with a bad case of LWS. Mainly when it comes to AZ muleys (or any muleys, for that matter). Any deer hunter with intelligence knows very well that this forum is the best in AZ for Coues deer or even muleys with a few pigs and bears and elk thrown in. This is indeed the "primo" AZ deer forum and website, and is also getting better for muleys and other AZ species. I'm sending ADA my money, Wetmule, but if'n the ADA doesn't modify their policy regarding MM.com, I dunno if I can give again. I might just spend my days pissed off and stewing about the stuff on MM.com instead of traveling to the Strip to help install a water encatchment. Think about it.

This ain't a random post. It is indeed hunting related. In fact, it is VERY trophy hunting related. This subject is my weakness in trophy hunting. If I practiced what I preach here, I would have twice (at least) the trophy bucks and bulls that I do. I have had the great privilege of knowing several top trophy hunters in my life. And I listened closely to what they said. I also have read books and articles by others that I don't know. They all share some traits that I believe are important to consistently harvesting big animals. Here they are: 1) They truly believe that they are going to kill a big buck each time they go out. This is the positive attitude thing + knowing they are in a great spot. Pre-season scouting helps this belief along very well. They hunt every minute like it's going to happen the next. 2) They have never-ending enthusiasm about their favorite animals. This means that they live for hunting success and spend MUCH time in the off-season scouting, watching, learning, and applying. They live their animals 24/7/365, and enjoy doing so. They know that this is what it takes to consistently harvest big animals. This takes super duper motivation. 3) They believe at all times that there are big animals out there. This comes from a combination of positive attitude and scouting, again. 4) They are completely dedicated to doing trophy hunting the right way. And the right way is................learning the complete habits and behaviors of the animal so that they can think like one. Anyway, some important stuff about positive attitude for the younger hunters looking to learn from this forum. This is all just my opinion.

A Positive Outlook Jerry is the manager of a restaurant in South Philly. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him "how he was doing", he would always reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" Many of the waiters at his restaurant quit their jobs when he changed jobs, so they could follow him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was always there, telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious. So, one day, I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! No one can be a positive person all the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, I have two choices today, I can choose to be in a good mood or I can choose to be in a bad mood. I always choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I always choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I always choose the positive side of life." "But it's not always that easy," I protested. "Yes, it is," Jerry said, Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. It's your choice how you live your life." Several years later, I heard that Jerry accidentally did something you are never supposed to do in the restaurant business: he left the back door of his restaurant open one morning and was robbed by three armed men. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found quickly and rushed to the hospital. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Want to see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, after they shot me, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or choose to die. I chose to live." "Weren't you scared?" I asked. Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the Emergency Room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'He's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action." "What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything." 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Please operate on me as if I am alive, not dead'." Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day you have the choice to either enjoy your life or to hate it. The only thing that is truly yours --that no one can control or take from you -- is your attitude, so if you can take care of that, everything else in life becomes much easier.

Dang it boys and gals. I am fairly unhappy today. Just don't know if I wanna see tomorrow. I really wanna die. Had my 22 late Coues deer tag, which is fairly hard to draw. Couldn't wait to get away from here the last 2 weeks of the year to hunt the beautiful, magnificent, challenging, fantastic, neat, Coues deer. Had to fight the bosses to get away. Even had to threaten to quit.......... but I got it done. Had a great spot researched and picked out in the lower country. Just couldn't wait to get down there. Unfortunately, I breathed the wrong air 6 weeks ago. Must have been my fault for breathing. I don't know which breath did me in, or the %$#*& that contaminated it. But I got the dreaded whooping cough. Been an almost epidemic around here this fall. Bad sheet. I hacked until my throat was raw and needed a pain killer. I hacked up my meals. I hacked up my breakfast all over my new truck and my clothes, and had to go back inside and change. I hacked up all over my carpet (several times). I didn't break a rib hacking, but I know 2 here that did. It still is several weeks (or months) from being over, with me. This sheet can go on for months, I am told. The doc has given me 3 different anti-biotics, which are bad enough themselves. I live for hunting these wonderful deer. I had a really good fall going so far, and was sure to harvest a great Coues deer buck in 22. But..................Pertussis rained on my parade. As a result of this unbelievable, untimely horsesheet, I can't go to Arizona to pursue the beautiful, magnificent, challenging, fantastic, neat, Coues deer this year. I am defeated and crushed..............and don't wanna live no more. I have had it with health problems -vs- hunting. I have lined up the following options for myself. Let me know which one you think I should do. 1) Slit my wrists (I have the razor blades lined up on my kitchen counter) 2) Hack myself to death 3) Crawl into a dark corner and die 4) Give up hunting deer altogether 5) Take up model railroading as a hobby (this looks like fun!) 6) Hire somebody to shoot my Coues bucks for me, and then claim them as mine 6) Relax, take my pills, and be grateful for life, and look forward to next year! Which do you folks think I should choose??

CB1, sure don't mind you askin'. I traced the e-mail back thru several people, and unfortunately there's no mention of the specific area. Prolly No-Tellum Hollow, anyway. You don't wanna hunt there anyway, since it seems those boys cleaned out the decent bucks. Doug, I like the sound of your recommended med. I also like the Codeine Cough Syrup my doc has given me. I conned him into several refills, too. Mixed with Wild Turkey, that cough syrup is some mean stuff!!! Maybe I should mix in your Claroxin, too? Maybe it will make me forget my 22 tag soup? LOLOLOL.

Hey Mike, I get your deeeeeeeep stuff, man. Always have. I just never told you so. You and I don't always agree, but I can associate with your mind that has waaaaaay to much time on it's hands, just like mine. At least we are in the same neighborhood, which is much more than I can say about me and the rest of this planet these days. Also, you and I share a (former for you) vice, which I noticed you mentioned on a previous post. But, unfortunately, deeeeeeeeeep posts tend to go nowhere on this forum. That's the problem I have with it. I happen to believe that we were all were given a brain to think and reason with. I like to get deeeeep into things, but that scares the sheet out of most, same as my intensity. I think you know what I mean, Mike. Anyway, Amanda has done a first-rate job with this site that has a ton of great info about these magnificent deer. Much of this info can't be found anywhere else. I have learned a great deal here. If most website publishers put as much effort into theirs as Amanda has done here, the web would be a MUCH greater place. I like the other aspects of this site, not just this forum. The constantly updated pics are just fantastic. I have learned a great deal here. Anyway, some more deeeeeep stuff. Take care everyone. PS- Mike, my personality is obviously a lot more colorful than Lark's!

Sure don't mean to hijack this thread, but your posts bring back memories of my childhood 30 years ago. My grandparents lived in T or C their entire lives (it used to be called Hot Springs, NM), and I still have family all over that country. Spent half my childhood in T or C and Deming (where my great aunt/uncle lived). Some still ranch @ Dusty on the west slope of the San Mateos (Sullivans). Been to Wall Lake (with lots of skunks!) and even fished Lake Roberts with my Grandad. My Grandad grew up a cowboy at Old Horse Springs. My mom grew up in T or C and went to college @ NMSU in Cruces. I tagged along in 1972 with my Grandpa when he worked fire patrol for the USFS in the Black Range that summer. Sure wish I could do that again. Life was much simpler back then. I whacked my first decent muley on the White Sands Missile Range (San Andreas) in the early '70's. I was 11. I took a better one 2 years later in the Oscura area of the missile range. I turned down a decent job offer in Silver City 3 years ago. I looked at it REALLY hard. At any rate, thanks for taking me back to some pleasant times tonite you Southern NM boys, even if it was inadvertantly. I grew up in Los Lunas, which sure ain't pleasant memories. Take care.

Much as I hate to admit it, I............I...........I.............I...........agree with Lark on this one. I whack many coyotes a year. I even ran one down in my Jeep in September while coming down the hill from scouting elk in the Bookcliffs. I almost totaled my Jeep and killed myself on the steep, hair-pin-curve hillside, but I got the dirty $%*&. Next weekend I ran another in the same exact spot, but he was a little smarter and quicker and survived, unfortunately. My fault for valuing me and my Jeep over a fawn-killer. Whacked a thick-furred one a month ago with my 7mm WBY Mag. The Strip is THE BEST trophy muley place on this planet. But it could be better given some attention. The gene pool for big antlers on the Strip is by far the best on the planet, IMO. Find a 5.5+ year old buck, and he is a TOAD. The feed is terrific there....................but the deer numbers just aren't there like they could be. I have pics of 5 whoppers killed in '04 in 13A. I have buddies who guide there, and I keep close tabs on it. What a goddang waste of a terrific muley area to let the predators run rampant. We deer hunters should be pushing for more tanks to be built and predators controlled in this WORLD CLASS muley habitat. The AZ Deer Association believes this too, and I am joining. You all should too.