Coues 'n' Sheep

Not much different than sitting on a hill watching two bucks or two bulls go at it, or two rams knocking heads on a mountain top.... I don't know if that gets your heart pumpin', but it sure does mine!!!

Wow..... I must say I never thought that I would see such opposite opinions on this thread.... Mr. Q and Tony..... You guys are on the forefront of the written hunting world and I never thought about these things the way that you do..... and it has a ring of solid truth. I think I speak for many of us, when I say, that both your words and opinions are always respected and well thought of. In this case, I honestly do not agree. I do, however, see the wisdom in what you are pointing at and drawing from. But..... I believe the softer people of todays world require softer wording. I do not think it Cowardly to harvest a deer... which is what I do.... I kill coyotes and prairie dogs..... I harvest the animals that I eat.... and I did (when it was legal), harvest fur bareing animals. You see, they are a renewable resource, and sustenance in my life... just like corn, apples, and wheat. I consider the killing part of hunting the ends to a means and a very small part of the process, not unlike that of a farmer butchering a chicken for dinner. I go afield today more for the hunt itself than the harvest, or kill.... to me killing is random, to harvest means that I chose that one animal and removed it from the field, very similar to how you would pick (harvest) an apple off a tree full of apples. It is a term that has completely different meaning in my life... and is a good, wholesome term that correctly depicts who I am as a hunter. As a management tool, hunters are harvesting a crop of animals that would otherwise in short order, over populate its shrinking habitat..... and without the hunter generated proceeds of that crop, there would be little or no management at all. I thank everyone who has posted on this thread. It is all a very good read and all well said.

Well, now I am on pins and needles..... Huntn' Coues & Mrs. HC are on their way out to the stand for opening morning!! The wait begins...... all day at work I will jump like a shot deer when my phone goes off!! Today is the day we all wait for..... and I enjoy being the support staff as much as I enjoy the hunting in the field..... today is day... the day we live for..... Opening Day!!!!!!!!!! Good Luck Everyone!!!!!!!!

Guys, I think that there is common ground here... I am sorta hearing the same highlights on both sides. As good hunters I/we respect animals more than most people do. We respect their beauty, majesty, and life...... But Mother Nature is the Cruelest force on the planet.... far more cruel or brutal than any one human or animal. I think that we can all agree that, Vick is more animal than human, based on his inability to harbor emotion for an animal. I, for one, consider pitbulls as working dogs.... not pets. They are killing machines... I could care less if they live or die as a breed, but intentional torture of any living thing is just morally wrong, and bad karma to boot. I don't think that the original concept for dog fighting or cock fighting were meant to made so evil by man... but competion and money drove them to the sick and cruel things they have become... as well as inhuman people like, Vick. I also agree that in order to stand for what is right we have to be on the same side of the fence as our arch enemies (Anti's). It pains me to do so but, right, is right. I/we are not the kind of poeple that take joy in brutalizing any animal... and we should not support those that do, lest we be grouped in with them and lead to slaughter before the public eye. Our national groups should stand up and be heard that hunters don't support this kind of travisty, in order help support and strengthen our own case and point. As far as the pitbulls.... let 'em fight... that is what they are and that is what they do.... natural born killers. I wouldn't give you a wheat penny for the whole dang breed.... they have no other real purpose than to kill.... they are a senseless breed....IMO. CnS

Thanks for posting the pics Lance. That bull is gunna make some hunter really happy this archery season.... he is a cool bull!!

Ooooops! I gotta do it...... A-MEN Sorry..... I'm back on the bleachers now.....

uh-uh. I vowed to stay out of these go-nowhere food fights from now on. You ain't suckering me into this again. Here's a good read that might address some of your questions. Mule Deer Working Group Be sure to use the links at the left side of the page, especially the ones about predators and precipitation. -TONY Bah HaHaHaHa!! I think I am gonna sit out, too, Tony..... My eyes gave out... this thread is now a novel!!!

Got any pics??

Way to go, Jimbo!!! Possitive, outgoing people like you are what make this Site soo Great.... and having you as a Moderator will only make it better! Oh, and by the way.... don't get all power trippy on us.... we know where you live...

Well put.... In other words put up or shut up?????

Congrats, Scottyboy!! Best of luck and best of wishes to you and your family!! When you get a line on Rocky Mountain Sheep hunting up that way, will you drop me a line? Also.... if you plan on hunting in AZ ever again, you should definately buy a lifetime hunting lic. before you leave! It will save you Tons of money in the long run!! You will still have to pay non-res. tag fees, but you won't have to ever buy a non-res. hunting lic. ($151.00 per year) Plus you are not part of the 10% cap!! Best of Luck!! CnS

Welcome Trish!!! I guess it took one BIG Ol' Buck and Jimbo's Bat pic to get you on board, but now we got competion!!! Shoot a bunch this week!!!! G

The funds would be better spent if the took twice or three times that many and made them into food for the Prisons and Jails and even suppliment the homeless shelters..... would save a ton of money just in shipping costs.

No, I read the whole thing. "They see tags as revenue, we see tags as opportunity" ...that told me all I needed to know. cmc I think your pickin' him apart a little too much. The general consensus I've seen around here is basically don't fix it if it ain't broken and thats exactly what G&F is doing. In their minds they're thinking "Archers are taking more than their share of deer and paying less than the rifle guys to do it". You see the department don't like that. Thats a money minded mentality. I can gaurantee you one thing, we'll be payin' rifle tag prices for those archery tags... mark my words. That will be when we find out what their really after. I wouldn't mind one bit if they were making these changes for a good management reason but they aren't, their managing money (hunters). This is the same reason all that crap went down with Taulman, money. If they make decisions based on wildlife management and they can relate that to hunters, 99% of us wouldn't make a peep, as long as it makes sense. But when you go making changes that make absolutly no management sense then yeah, guys are gonna make a stink! I've seen a few guys around here that are for it for the simple reason that they want to see less hunters in the woods, which I can understand but I think its a very short sighted train of thought. If you think these 8 or 10 units is where its gonna stop, you've got another thing coming. Donnie Again, I'll just say...... Well put, Donnie.

BAHHHHH!!!! Look like a timber rattler to me, man!!!! And a big'un too!!!!

azryan..... I get ya... I bought an Optia Logic (sp?) for bow hunting and it works great! Really important whebn hunting in steep canyons or mountains if you have to take shots over 35-40 yds.

Thanks, but I can't take all the Credit.... my buddy HC has been with me a lot this summer...... we have put some miles on the Wheelers and the hard work has given us a lot to look forward to this fall. .....And Mrs. HC has been with us almost every time that we have been out scouting for her deer hunt..... so she deserves to harvest a good.... or a GREAT deer!

I think the rangefinder is geared mainly towards rifle...which at longer distances on steep slopes etc. I think it could possibly be helpful. For archery I think its a waist. They do not have alot of options to set it up for your bow unlike the rifle. From what the instructions say inside the box if you are at a 40 degree angle shooting at 40 yards there will be a 4 yard difference so the rangefinder will tell you to aim as if it were 36 yards... Casey since you already spent the money on the Duovids I would go and buy any of the Leica Rf's/ i love them, I think they are great. The Lrf 900 dropped to $400 I believe and the 1200 is down to $500. The one I recommend is the CRF 1200...its a sweet rangefinder..it goes for $600. Its really compact and just like the other leica rf's the bright red read out is awesome.... by the way how much did you get for your Duovids...they dropped down to $2095 brand new I think that tilt compansating range finders are far more important for archery than rifle..... especially in steep conditions......

Thanks for sharing. Kinda weird how much foot traffic...... are you close to roads??

I don't think we're opportunity folks. I think we're good management folks. Donnie I agree.

What the Heck!!??? You gotta go see what is on that card!!!! Might have a pic of the perp.... Damnedest thing I ever heard of....

I'd like to know I have a brand new one that I have only used once or twice.... heck, I didn't even realize that you had to set it up, yourself!!???

That is right.

Don't sweat it, Jimbo! Troy's Bride doesn't look nuthin' like that critter. He found himself a pretty girl that took pitty on him.... His wife, Trish, and I were hunting together the day I shot my Lion. Here is a pic.

Here is a couple more bucks that Mrs. Hunt'n Coues will have to pass up if she plans on baggin' da biggun'!! I don't know if the average bow hunter could pass these guys up at 23-26 yards.... I don't care which'un you shoot Trish.... They are ALL bigger than the one your Ol' Man has ground checked with a bow!!!!