Did You Know?

Many hunters have long believed most big game animals cannot see in color. While I have no experience or evidence to the contrary for most big game animals I do have some interesting information regarding pronghorn.

Upon investigation it's been determined that a pronghorn's eyes contain both rods and cones. For those of you unfamiliar with eye anatomy rods are the black-and-white receptors and cones are the color receptors. This means that it's highly likely that pronghorn, unlike most big game animals, can actually see in color! Pretty cool!

Also, for it's size, pronghorn have the largest eyes of any ungulate!

Rumor Mill - WR5

We've heard through the grapevine that "WR5" may have been taken last season! We have no specifics. This was one of the bucks we were excited about finding this year, but if the buck is no longer alive there's no reason for us to spend a lot of time looking for him. If anyone has any information about this buck or any leads please let us know.

The rumor has the buck scoring around 93 after sixty days of drying.

Unit 10 and 18A History

Awhile back an Arizona Game & Fish officer asked us about our Unit 10 and 18A hunters - he was wondering how many big bucks we had taken in those two units. I prepared a little list for him and emailed it to him. I've been keeping track of the list ever since then and I've posted it below.

We've had quite a bit of luck since we started guiding and have been fortunate to take as many big bucks as we have. So far, in just Unit 10 and 18A we've taken 10 bucks that score over 90-inches out of 30. Our average B&C score has been 86 4/8! If we looked at only what we've done since 2000 the results are even better with an average B&C score of 87 4/8 and an average SCI score of 90 1/8!

If you've drawn one of the coveted Arizona Unit 10 or 18A pronghorn tags this year you may have a chance at a whopper! Good luck.

Arizona Draw Results Out!

I didn't draw anything. Neither did anyone in my family. :(

If you drew a tag then post a comment and let me know where, I might be able to help.

Things You Don't See Everyday

In New Mexico last year on one of our ranches we were hunting and came across this - I couldn't help myself, I had to take a picture...

First Arizona Auction Tag 2008

Dr. David Meyer bought the Arizona Auction Tag at the Arizona Elk Society Banquet on March 22nd. The tag was auctioned for $62,500. Dr. Meyer hunted with us in 2001 and 2002 and took four giant antelope in that time period - 0ne of them was the 95-inch B&C World Record! Two of the other three were over 90-inches, including the one picture below.

What I love more than anything about this auction is that it usually signifies the starting point for us - the time when we begin to plan our scouting schedule, get our equipment ready, and wonder about what's hiding out there for us to find. Also...the rumors start to find there way around.

Baseball Stuff

This post has nothing to do with antelope or how to kill a 90-incher. As many of you know I'm a huge baseball fan and an avid "Fantasy Baseball" player! XM radio 175, baby! It keeps me going when I'm in the middle of nowhere scouting for 90-inchers. A few of my gut feelings for the 2008 baseball season are below...

Paul Konerko, Carlos Pena, and Ryan Braun hit fewer than 100 HR

Ryan Zimmerman, Kevin Kouzmanoff, and Hanley Ramirez hit more than 90 HR

Prince Fielder and Mark Teixeira duke it out for the HR crown

Rickie Weeks becomes a 2nd round draft pick

Eric Byrnes repeats last year

Alex Rios and Ryan Braun switch ADP's

Miguel Cabrera hits under .300

Stephen Drew becomes a Top 10 SS

Rich Hill and Tim Lincecum K 400 batters

Ben Sheets is mentioned mid-season as a Cy Young candidate

That's all I've got for now. I always look back at last season and say that I knew Prince Fielder was going to hit 50 HR and that Andruw Jones and Travis Hafner and Jason Bay were going to flop, but I had no proof that I said any of that. That's why I posted this...just in case this stuff does happen I'll have proof! If everything happens the exact opposite of the way I say it will...hm...I think I'll just go back and delete this post. Haha! ;)

The Biggest Antelope Ever!

I got to thinking (as I occasionally do, but not too often, my fiance says I might hurt myself) how big could an antelope possibly get?! As far as weight goes I'd have to say around 250 and it would probably be a corn fed monstrosity from Wyoming, but I'm more interested in horn size.

Would 100-inches be attainable? Heck, there has already been a buck that big. It was taken in 1878 and currently stretches the tape to 101-inches. What about 110-inches? Is it possible? How could we know?

If we did an impromtu survey of the largest measurements from each of the top 90-inch antelope in the world we might come up with a reasonable expectation for an absolute maximum size. Those measurements are:

L: 21, 20 7/8
P: 8 5/8, 8 5/8
B: 8 2/8, 8 3/8
1: 8 6/8, 9
2: 7 6/8, 7 3/8
3: 4 7/8, 4 4/8

T: 118-inches!

Although some of these measurements might not be the absolute largest in the world, they're probably not far off. Also, we have to realize that the traditional "above the prong" 2nd quarter measurement would have to be taken "below the prong" to achieve a measurement over 7-inches.

Outside of a potentially farm-raised genetically engineered pronghorn we can believe that a buck with a score like this will never really exist, but it's fun to think about. Even more fun than what the actual measurements might be is to think about what the buck might look like and how the horns might be shaped. I'm picturing a giant heart shape about 20-inches wide!

Gisi's Auction Tag Buck

This is the buck John Gisi took in 2006 on one of the Arizona Auction Tags. The buck officially scored 93 7/8 SCI, but would have scored higher if not for the broken prongs!

Remember This Buck?

If any of you read AZOD's forums than you may remember seeing the buck photographed below. I've been told that the buck scores 93 and is 18 inches long. I'm not 100% positive that the two pictures are of the same buck, but it looks reasonable. I know the buck was taken in New Mexico, but I'm not sure where exactly and I don't know who the hunter is or I'd give him credit. I'll try to find more information.

Arizona Draw Results?

It's been rumored that the Arizona Draw Results may be released as early as March 24th. Keep your ear to the ground. More likely it will be a little later in the month or in early April.

The Yukon

I saw this at the ISE show yesterday. It's a Yukon Spotting Scope featuring a 6-100 power lens with a 100mm objective. My Dad and I looked through it at the show indoors and it looked good, but you can never really tell indoors. It retails between $300-$400, so it's relatively inexpensive. If anyone has actually used one outdoors in a hunting/scoping situation let us know what you think. At that price it's might tempting just to get one to try out - you almost can't go wrong.

Hunts Available!

Usually we're booked solid by now, but this year we've got five hunts available. These five hunts are in the northeast corner of New Mexico near Springer. The area is loaded with antelope and vast country side. If anyone is interested contact us at 623-566-8708.