So shoot me...

[Calif. Hunter]

Since I didn't draw any of my tags, my friend and I are buying two muzzleloader land owner tags for New Mexico. They are unit-wide tags, and we will probably end up hunting public ground. At least it is in an area we are familiar with.

I know this will not sit well with a lot of people on here, but the other options were to (A) not hunt out of state this year and to not hunt elk at all (B) Hunt some over the counter area that we know nothing about and have never been to (C) Pay some outfitter big bucks for a guided hunt.

I want to hunt, so I chose this option.

I'd rather be here -

than here -

 

[A-con]

The Arizona boys won't shoot ya, their eather saving all their ammo for USO, or too busy shooting themselves.

Good luck Rick, I hope ya get a good one.

 

[elkrack6x6]

A-con, I would be curious to know what your deal is with AZ hunters. After reading one of your posts last night about Arizonans not being justified in our anger about the BS with USO, and you remark about shooting themselves, I have to ask. I find that funny coming from someone who lives in a state that has some of the most F'ed up gun laws in the country, and people that are naive enough to believe gun laws make them safer while the state is full of criminals with guns who kill each other on a daily basis. I also think that your not informed enough to see what is happening with the courts and what a huge affect it will eventually have on all of us ecspecially the West, unless we attempt to stop the BS from taking our privilges. I think that the California way of thinking is dangerous to all law abiding people with guns... especially hunters, and maybe your opinion reflects a life surrounded by flower sniffers who work every day to change the hunters way of life. Maybe your just like the drama of getting people fired up. My friendly advise would be to let a sleeping dog lye, and please never move or hunt here.

 

[snake river rufus]

I think that A-con meant that they would be out shooting not suicide.

 

[A-con]

Elkrack;
I have NO problem with Arizona, or it's hunters. I vist Arizona on a regular basis, have relitives there, apply every year and hope to draw a tag there someday.
I have supported the fight against USO with E-mails to USO sponsers and my wallet.
My other post was intended to point out that just because this situation sucks, dosn't mean hunting is over for Arizona hunters. The internet hunt forums have been taken over with predictions of doom & gloom by Arizona residents, and it's getting depressing, and we should'nt be depressed this time of year.
I NEVER said you wern't justified in your anger over this, I'm mad too.
As I pointed out on another forum, you Az resident hunters should stop bashing on non-resident hunters, we (most of us) are your best friends in this fight, and the up coming "land owner tag" issue.
I just wanted to try to lighten the mood a bit.

I have faith in the AZ. Dept of G&F to come up with a solution that won't hurt AZ. resident hunters very much, maby even help.
You predict a 50% reduction in drawing odds for residents, and I say more like 3%, I'll tell you what, if you are closer than me, I'll buy you a "Hunttalk" hat embrodered "USO sucks" or even "Calif. sucks" if you want. Just keep this thread, and remind me when next years (2005) results are posted.
Happy hunting, A-con.

 

[Beer Hunter]

To be nice. There are a limited amount of tags offered in AZ and ten times the amount of applicants. It's only going to get tougher. I've been viewing other peoples post and it looks like a few people here don't visit the statistic sites on states game & fish web pages or know how to read topo maps. It may be a bust for USO, they'll spend a ton of money searching for animals their clients will want to hunt.

 

[Beer Hunter]

The drawing odds will change dramatically in certain "good" areas and not at all in others. I hope that USO realizes what may happen in AZ may also change things again in NM.

 

[Elkhunter]

Good luck and have fun Cali.

 

[JB Florida]

Cali,

Elk Hunting beats the heck out if sitting at the house!
I'm in the same boat as you are and I have NEVER been so lucky as to draw ANY tag.
So I just figure if I wanna play, I'll have to work hard enough to pay!
Man am I looking foreward to those bugles in the cool morning, Its seems as though we will never have a cool morning here!

 

[MarvB]

Get after em' Calif

When your able to go elk huntin' there is no bad choice (unless its a pen...).

Though we don't have the current USO issue's (yet?) I can definatley feel for the AZ boys when it comes to waiting to draw a tag in their own state...I'm 0 for 16 years for antelope and 0 for 11 years for elk in CA....deer draws are about once every 4-6 years for the units I put in for

 

[Calif. Hunter]

JB - when are you going to NM? We are going to be there around the 6th of October - the season starts the 9th. Having hunted deer in the area, and elk in the units around 13, we are fairly familiar with the area.

 

[JB Florida]

I'll be arriving around the 11th of Sept and the hunt is 12th to the 20th.
Good news, Archery Deer tags are OTC!
Bad news, there will probably be way more goofballs riding around the public areas during prime time!
Hey, I will be driving out a month from now!!!

 

[Calif. Hunter]

That could be good news. When we were hunting unit 13 for deer, so were a lot of other guys. Like us, they saw a ton of elk, but no deer - so it may work well for you on elk, at least.

Every turn out had a camp set up on some of those dirt roads. A lot of deer hunters, all right. Personally, I think they need to go to a draw for deer since the numbers seem to be pretty low.

 

[JB Florida]

I think you are right on the deer numbers.
We saw the same 4 bucks holed up next to a rock cliff we used for a look-out with a spotting scope. 4 days in a row! Until we moved on to another lookout. Other than those bucks I only saw a handfull of deer in 9 days of hunting all day and we covered a lot of ground.

We even ran into a turkey hunter during elk season last year.....I couldnt find a season listed though and I never even saw a turkey track.

 

[schmalts]

I would have done the same thing. Its better that whacking off on a outdoor life magazine in the can.

 

[JB Florida]

Yes Bro, that is EXACTLY right!

I'll tell ya though, I cant beleive what they get for Lope tags in SW new mex......

 

[Calif. Hunter]

My two buddies are going for antelope around Silver City. We saw some nice ones, but nothing THAT great, in my opinion. I refused to pony up that much money for an antelope...

 

[Nut]

Originally posted by Calif. Hunter:
I want to hunt

Nothing wrong with that in my book

 

[Deerslayer]

Good choice Rick......screw politically correct, go get your bull man!

It would be neat as hell if you were out the same time me and Acon will be and we could have you buy us a brew!

 

[tnctcb]

get them any way you can rick. good luck