Ron G.

No luck here. Good luck to the rest of you!

Actually, Dwight Schuh was the shooter. There was an article about it in the last Bowhunter magazine.

I was kind of ticked when I saw they took MOR off the air. I was even more ticked that my tv died on Sunday... Right now I'm actually enjoying not having a tv as I seem to be getting more done around the house and I can always pop a dvd on the computer when I need to watch some horn porn.

Sounds like a fun hike. Enjoyed the pictures.

Thanks guys. I think that one will be hard to beat, but I'm going to give it my best! I'll keep my eyes open for it Tony. Ron

Very neat! Just be careful... One of my friends a few years ago had a sheriff waiting for him by his truck as someone reported him for watering his crop... Turns out he was making his own private water hole and not farming anything illegal.

Here are some pics from this past weekend. The fire was about 1100 yards away from my parent's place, across East Clear Creek Canyon. Too close for comfort... This is how the fire looked while waiting on air support and ground crews to arrive... Here is the first helicopter to arrive on the scene... They pulled the water out of Blue Ridge Reservoir... Another drop... The second helicopter to arrive... What it looked like after they were done. The ground crews arrived sometime during the water drops. After taking pictures I was looking through the binos and could see guys walking around surveying the fire. They got it contained and 'under control' pretty quickly, although it burned throughout most of the night and they were still working on it today. Many thanks go out to the pilots and fire crews risking their necks on this fire and the others burning around the state. Ironic thing is, my dad was over supporting the Birdie fire over by Mormon Lake with Coconino Search and Rescue... Ron

Thanks! I was excited to see the article this weekend.

You might have seen those two helicopters on their way over to drop some water on the Clear fire. A lightening strike started a fire just south of East Clear Creek canyon (about 1000 yds south of East Clear Creek Pines Units 8&9 Subdivision) around 1pm on Sunday 7/8. Those same to helicopters were pulled off the Birdie fire to drop few loads of water on the Clear fire. I have some pictures of them on my camera that I'll try and get downloaded in the next day or two... Ron

GRRR! Everytime I hear about another camera popping up missing it ticks me off. I've got a couple out that need to be checked up on. Hopefully they are still there! Whoever took it must have really wanted it to have gone and bought bolt cutters... What does everyone think the main reason people steal or damage cameras? Someone wants what they don't have; infringement on 'their' hunting area; think they are 'unethical'??? I'm assuming most of the thieves are fellow 'hunters'. That gives me a big warm fuzzy. I've come across several treestands and a couple of cameras while I've been out in the hills. The thought of taking them never occurred to me. Making a funny face for the camera maybe, but not stealing it...

Those do seem pretty nice, although almost $50 after shipping is tacked on there. That's more than I paid for one of my cameras...

Lots of good things covered here already. I've only owned cheap moultries. They are pretty cheap, but they'e served me well. My best one is starting to fall apart, however. The plastic tabs that the bungies attach to have broken off and one of the plastic padlock hasps has broken. I wonder if Moultrie will warranty that??? I've used a Canon digital camera to check my cards out in the field just to verify camera position and such. Worked fine with SD cards. I personally don't feel the on camera viewer is worth the extra money, but it is handy sometimes to be able to view pictures out in the field. Things I'd look for in a camera would be good flash, solar charger attachment, quick trigger time, dependable way to secure to a tree, and price. Out of all of those, price probably has the greatest impact for ME. Everytime I put one out I wonder if I'll ever see it again. I'd rather only attach one Ben Franklin to a tree vs 2 or 3... I want to do an eye bolt modification to my moulties to make them harder to steal off of a tree, but haven't done it yet. Heck, if someone really wants it they'll just cut down the darn tree...

A big thanks to you on behalf of all the wildlife in the area! Awesome job!

It was probably the wrong year to do it, but I decided last minute to buy a sheep bonus tag. My dad already has an elk tag and I'll be helping him out. I had the money already set aside, but decided since the last time my dad had a rifle bull tag* he also got drawn for desert bighorn (1979), he just might get drawn for RM sheep this year! (*He's had numerous archery bull tags since he drew that rifle bull tag.) Not sure what the total was after I only bought the sheep bonus, but it was going to be near $500 with it. (That total included fronted money for a couple of deer tags for my dad and buddy.) Ron

I know the game and fish have the survey results that say the majority (~70%) of people want more opportunity (knowing quality and success will go down), but it doesn't seem like the current draw and harvest data supports that 70%. In looking at the harvest report data from the 2007-08 regs book from pages 37-38, it shows that there are 11 units/hunts (general season) that presumably have 100% draw odds. That is supposedly 11 hunts that if you put in for 1st choice you *should* get drawn. Why don't people put in for those hunts? Is it they don't think the quality is that good? I realize people have 'favorite' units and places they want to hunt, but I think a lot of people want more than the game and fish can provide... Those 11 hunts provide quite a bit of 'opportunity'... Am I off base here, or reading things wrong??? Not sure what the answer is for providing more opportunity for elk hunts. OTC tags for limited opportunity is a start. That provides opportunity, although limited, but you are ensured a tag. I'd be interested to hear what people think about the quality of those hunts... Ron

What do people think about a quota system similar to what is in place for bears? Set a specific harvest goal and once that goal has been reached they close the unit. I can't remember if it would require a rule change or not. Additional systems would have to be put in place, and there would be more severe consequences to those that didn't follow the mandatory harvest reporting. It would have to change from 10 days to 48 hours, as well. One drawback is that units 12, 1, 3A/3C, and others that are pretty crowded would be VERY crowded opening weekend and opening week...

Here are the units as I wrote them down last night that will currently be affected (meet the 20%)... Units that will be draw only: 1, 3A/3C, 3B, 7, 12A, 13A, 13B (currently no archery hunt) Units that will be OTC (over the counter) in Aug/Sep and Jan (lose December opportunity): 17A, 20A, 22, 23, 35A Units that will be OTC Jan (lose December opportunity): 37A, 42 Ron

Managed to go pick up the card out of my trail cam this past weekend. Was happy to see some deer on it. Last year they didn't show up until later in the summer. Hard to tell, but it looks like these two are bucks, can see some small bumps on their heads when I zoom in. Here they are on alert... Thought I would throw this freak in here also even though he's not a Coues... Is this a normal period of growth, or will he be a bit non typical also? Ron

I'm wondering if this guy might be the culprit to the chewed up wires... I've heard they like chewing up wiring. Of course, I've heard these can be pretty mischevious also...

Enjoyed reading it in the magazine as much as I did in the hunt story section. Congrats to your wife!

As of now, I'm planning on going. Not sure if I'll be attending the phx or mesa meeting though.

Gamehauler, Not sure if you were referencing mine or if you've had solar panel wires chewed, but mine was chewed up this weekend when I checked it. I'm wondering if it wasn't rodents or porcupines that chewed them up and not elk??? I'm wondering if something can be put on the wires so they don't 'taste' good? Ron

Very nice! Thanks for sharing the pics!

Congrats on making the summit. That is a great accomplishment! Good luck on the rest of your high point goal! Ron

If you have a kid carrier backpack you could do a little 'nature' hike. Highly recommend Veit Springs (I think that is what it is called). It's only about 1/2 mile but goes up to an old cabin and some petroglyphs above a spring. It's off of Snowbowl road. Makes for a great place to hike to for a picnic lunch and take in the aspens and nice temps. Of course, with the kid carrier backpack you could also go to the Mormon Lake 3D shoot. I imagine that falls into the same category as no shed hunting or scouting...