bobbyo

Three years ago during the January bow hunt I was driving quickly down a dirt road in 36c. It was 1 hour before light and very dark. I came around the corner and was shocked to be completely blinded. I slammed on the brakes. After 15-20 seconds my eyes adjusted and I regained my sight. Two Border Patrol agents were pointing M-16s at me. Between them was a high powered towable spot light. They were ten yards from my truck. The agents said nothing and continued to point their weapons at me for a long time. Probablly only 30 seconds, but believe me it seemed like an eternity. I was frozen stiff and said nothing. I really thought it was the end for me. I am proud that I didn't soil my pants. Finally a radio broke the silence. Its only a hunter I hear one of the border agent say into his lapel radio. They then lowered their weapons and waved me through. Bob

I roll around in cow dung. The deer don't notice me, but some of the bulls give me too much attention. Bob

The main issue with overlap as huntumup has already said will be competition over waterholes in select units. Deer hunters like them and if for some reason there is no bugeling going on many elk hunters will resort to this technique. Throughout the ELK rutt there is many periods(days, week) where Elk will not bugle, especially if it is hot. If this happens it is very advisable to have some wet location as a backup plan. If the Deer hunt is still overlapping and there is a heat wave with no rain. waterholes will be very very desireable for hunters of both species. This will create intense competition for waterholes and possible violence. Of coarse if it is a wet monsoon, mild teperatures, with bulls bugeling there could be no problems and very few conflicts between deer and elk hunters which maybe a disaster in itself because G+F might think it is ok to run more hunts that coincide. Bob

Huntmup, 1. Yes I am bitter about not drawing an Elk Tag. I guess you have.(You don't have to be so cocky about it.) 2. We both agree that G+F screwed up by having overlapping hunts. 3. Your solution is to limit the hunting opportunities for us losers that did not draw a tag by banning us from elk units, just because we didn't draw a tag. My solution(read my post) is to move the archery hunt back so there is no overlap in elk units. 4. If we are to band together we should do it for the benefit of everyone and not just for those lucky few(5%) that got an Elk tag. Maybe your views would be different if you didn't draw a tag? Bob PS good luck on your ELK hunt.

Jim, I think if G+F would give scientific reasons when major changes to tags or hunts are made it would go a long way to eliminate the ill will toward the G+F. Game and Fish is a public entity and should be obligated to inform the people about the status of our wildlife. Why should we have to call or go to a meeting to find out why they are raising kaibab deer tags by 900.This is the internet age! When a proposal like this is made why can't there be an explanation of the logic behind it. If the decisions are scientifically derived it should be easy to place the numbers next to the proposal. " The B/D ratio has rasied this much blah blah, so we are proposing 900 tags." As you can tell with most of us the health of the wildlife herds come first. The misstrust comes in when these decisions seem to be made in secret. I think the G+F would be better served if it improved its openness and communication with its stakeholders. In reality we are not customers and Arizona is not a big gameranch. We want to work with G+F as partners, it is all of our wildlife.

Actually due to the waning monsoon season I feel that a later archery deer hunt actually benefit the waterhole hunting due to the lower amount of rain. Of coarse G+F could get creative and keep the current archery season in the southern units and move the deer season back a week in elk units so they don't overlap. I think these ideas of limiting deer hunting to those with elk tags only is really not fair to us losers who didn't draw an elk tag. I don't agree in improving someone elses hunt by limiting the hunts of others is fair. Bob

I think he just turns off his hearing aid. Bob

Just from the experience of having pig coincide with my deer hunt this last October. I will say you are not going to like it. In one of my favorite canyons it went from 3 people in 2005 to 20 plus in 2006.There was large groups in every direction. I was beginning to think my friends were printing road maps to my spot. When I finally asked one of these interlopers what he was doing. He said hunting pigs I knew right then and there that was my last october hunt in that unit. I think I will become a full time deer bowhunter and plan my hunts in late September in Elk units. I love hearing bugles when I am deer hunting. What unit do you have again Younghunter? Bob Ps Combo hunt when you have an Arizona Archery Bull tag? Let me say it again, Combo hunt when you have an Arizona Archery Bull tag?

David, You are being a little sensitive. Part of the fun is ragging on other peoples bows. It is all good natured and most people except probably The Hoyt crowd know that an average archer can shoot well with any decent bow. It usually comes down to preferance and feel. Archer's should be sceptical of any new claim from companys though. The speed of this bow makes me imagine the possibilities, yet I have my doubts. I have been hearing about the mythical 40 yard pin from people and their bows for ten years. " I only need one pin out to 40 since my bow shoots so flat". Ect ect. More often then not these people can't shoot accurately at any distance. Even this video states there is a 4 1/2 inch drop between 30 and 40. Under perfect condition with maxed ibo specifications. Plus if you think you will have an accurate long distance hunting bow with 20 yard gaps between pins from20 to 120 yards like the guy in the video claims you are being naive. I am not saying it couldn't be done, i just think it is irresponsible for PSE to give the impression that all you need to shoot out to 120 yards is the x force and 6 pins! Bob

Feral hogs are tasty especially when compared to Javelina. Many people on this sight have had feral hog and love it. Some, myself included, like feral hog better than domesticated pig. Luau anyone. I even remember Desertbull complaining that his meat packer mixed in regular fatty pig with his hog and he was not very pleased. Bob

The pigs or the developers? Bob

Redrock/marana pig. I will tell you the exact spot of these pigs. Hunting will be poor. The previous sewer swamp is now an illegally bladed dust bowl. Save hunting. Shoot a developer. Bob

i second that!!! Yes a redraw is the only fair thing to do. Bob

Can you guys please list how many bonus points you had with your success. I am turning green with envy. 4 calls to mr. chase no hits. If you have more bonus points than me congratulations. If you had less . Bob

Here is a great idea. How about we keep it the way it is. What is wrong with the way we have it? Any change means more regulation. More govt interference. A new rule for this and a new rule for that will ruin the great bow season that we have. More rules mean more govt. Don't fix things that are not broke. What are you guys a bunch of big govt liberals! Bob

Ultramag, I believe you are right and this will eventually happen. To me it would be a disaster. I love our current archery deer situation. A total of 9 weeks is awesome. Is there a state anywhere with such a liberal season? Believe me I appreciate this and take advantage of it quite a bit. For the life of me I cannot believe that any Arizona bowhunter would even suggest changing the current system. In addition to this I am able to put in for rifle tags. I can see how some rifle only hunters might think this is unfair, since they are limited to one short crowded season. I have a simple remedy for this situation. Buy a bow. A draw only bow tag will shorten the season, raise the cost, limit the area we are able to hunt and limit hunting opportunities. What would we gain? Nothing. If you think GF will limit archery tag numbers in prime hunting areas with a draw you are being naive. There is a good chance that concentrations of hunters will increase, because once drawn for a unit you will have to hunt that unit in that designated time no matter how crowded. It is all about choice right now we have the ability to choose when and where we hunt archery deer. With a draw our choices would be drastically limited. I have never hunted the Kaibab archery season. I would like to, but I have heard what a zoo it is, so I choose not to. I would hate to see an archery draw for that hunt because too many hunters have complained about what a zoo it is. There are plenty of other great areas in Arizona to hunt quality animals. Lets not make the Kaibab that first symbolic domino. Bob

I have been reading Bill's anti unit, anti draw stance on hunting since I moved to Tucson in 1981. Quite frankly I thought he was "muy loco". I believed the availability of OTC rifle tags would mean the decimation of deer, which in theory seemed logical with a growing population and a limited deer herd. Now after 25 years of seeing how the majority of people actually "hunt" by either drinking or riding around on their ORV for opening weekend and then going home.( I am not judging people here. Just calling them as I see them.) I have to say that I am now on Bill's side of the fence on this issue. In addition, the current system has not increased the deer numbers one bit and may have actually help to reduce the total number of deer in this state. We as serious hunters should fight any regulation that actually decreases our hunting opportunities unless it could be proven scientifically that the regulation could help the viability of the deer herd. AZGF should not make regulations just to limit hunters in our favorite spots. Kaibab ect. Bob

Lark, That is the finest peice of criticism I have ever read. All undeniablly true. Personally I think the hunting shows are a bore much like porno. Why do I want to watch someone else have too much fun? I have seen two Barta shows and he is way too intense for me. I do have to give Barta credit. One of the shows I did see was the before mentioned doe hunt. He at least showed his misses and the non recovery of the animal. Who else on any hunting show would show that? You know it happens all the time. At least he was honest, unlike all the other fake stuff that Lark talked about. Bob

That is my point. We can't have it both ways. The more people we recruit to hunting will mean the less we will actually get to hunt. This is due to the limited amount of tags. Archery bull tags are once a decade now. Antelope are once every 100 years. This year I believe they reduced archery cow tags by 50% across the board. More hunters and less tags mean less hunting. Oh, by the way, are we not the fastest growing state in the USA? What will the odds be when we double the amount of hunters in this state? This is why GF will be able to raise prices significantly without seeing any drop off in applicants. In 20 years, hunting in this state will be only for the extremely wealthy, much like Europe today. I agree we need more hunters on the first Tuesday in November, I just wonder how much hunting we will be actually protecting when we vote. Bob Desert Bull, have you seen any bears yet?

Gee that is a 4% increase in applicants. So much for the theory that higher license and tag fees will keep people from putting in. Can you say fee increase for 2008 and so on forever. Who says that hunting is dying and that we need to promote it? Once in a lifetime antelope? Sure. In a few years it will be, "once in a lifetime Bull tags" and maybe someday for my kids "Once in a lifetime Buck tags." Introduce a new person to hunting it will help protect our sport . Bob

She's my new American idol. I think I am in love. Bob

What weapon's do terrorists use? Never seen a Remington 700 in Bin Laden's hand. I think Zumbo's only mistake is actually apologizing. Come on Zumbo stick to your guns. This is the worst thing that could of happened to gun ownership. How is this 'fascist like' follow the party line overreaction going to look like to the general public. Will gun owners now be refered to as "GUN JIHADISTS" in the media? You have a different opinion and we destroy you. Please. This is not good public relations. I have a feeling Zumbo will land on his feet and still work in the hunting media in some capacity. I also believe that the NRA could lose significant membership if they are seen as BLACKLISTING their own loyal members for a differing opinion. Does the NRA want all gun owners as members or only the one's with the Terrorist Rifles? Bob

The edges are sharp on the zeiss. On every kind of binoc I find eye cups bothersome in extended glassing sessions. I have learned to fold eye cups down and where a shirt or towel over my head to cut out ambient light. I feel this method cuts down on eye strain and makes my dermatolgist happy by covering my pre-cancerous white skin. Another bonus with the zeiss is that they are so tiny i can put them in a two pocket camelback and strap my tripod to the outside. It is really nice to be able to carry high powered binocs in a light, streamlined pack.

Tyson, Is this how HOYT fastens their limbs to their risers Bob

I used a pair this year and love them. Can you say "20 oz".Of coarse I went from 16 x 70 fujinons that weigh 6 pounds and I like to hike up the tallest hill around, so you could understand my delight. Optically they are very very good. Comparable to any german glass. I was worried about narrow field of view, which turned out to be a non issue that I didn't even notice. Light gathering is a noticeable difference between my fujinonon's, but there is a noticeable difference between the fuji's and 15x swarvos. Fuji's are brighter than any high high end, high power glass. My buddy probably had 5 extra minutes glassing time with his 10 X 50 swarvos (very bright glass) when compared with my zeiss. So you may miss a buck at twilight. Toughness is probably an issue. They don't feel as solid as a pair of swarvos, but since the classic none of the zeiss feel as tough as the swarvo slc's. I do have a confession. ( I know no one else has done something this stupid.) This october I was walking between glassing knobs when I thought I heard hooves. I set the tripod down a little off balanced to take a look with a rifle at the noise. You know what happened. A gust of wind blew the tripod over into a cluster of rocks down hill. I was sick, yet no damage occured to the binoculars optically or physically. Honestly, I don't think you can do this too often with this binocular, I feel real lucky there was no damage. I feel the biggest drawback in this binocular is that there is no tripod adapter made specifically for this binocular. How much money does Zeiss and Leica lose to Swarvo for not having a decent tripod adapter on their high powered binocs? How much does Swarvo make on their overpriced adapter? The Leica platform deal with the rubber straps will work on this model, but I didnt like the ergonomics, so I made my own out of wood. The tripod adapter is the biggest issue with this binoc. Sorry this is so long winded, but I think if your going to sink alot of money into something you need an honest appraisal of the pro's and con's. The bottom line is I am very happy with the 15X 45 Zeiss and would buy them again. Bob