PREVIOUS NEWS LETTERS

NEWSLETTER                          ___________________________                                                         

Calendar of Upcoming Events.

Oct. 12, 2006

SAWC membership meeting

FOP Lodge, 3445 N Dodge Blvd

@ 7:00 pm

General elections, speaker, and door prize

Oct 17,2006

SAWC Board meeting

PSE Bldg.,2726 n Fairview Ave

@ 7:00pm Members welcome

Sept 9 2006

SAWC P/D silhouette shoot

Tucson rifle club, 3 points

@ 7:30 am

Nov 9, 2006

SAWC membership meeting

FOP Lodge, 3445 N .Dodge blvd

@ 7:00 pm

Board Election

Nov. 14, 2006

SAWC Board meeting

PSE Bldg 2727 N Fairview Ave

@ 7:00 pm Members welcome

December 14, 2006

SAWC Banquet meeting

FOP Lodge 3445 N Dodge blvd

@ 7:00 PM

RSVP required

Dec. 19, 2006

SAWC Board meeting

PSE Bldg 2727 N Fairview Ave.

@ 7:00 PM

Members welcome

State hunts coming up:

11/30-12/1 World championships, sponsored by Az. Predator Callers

!/6/06 Fur Donation hunt

1/20-21/07 Multi Club Hunt & Save-A-Fawn Hunt

3/3-4/07 Antelope Eaters

Information on these will be updated as it comes in.

2006 Officers and Board members

President:

Jon Goeke                 cathunter101@aol.com 

Vice President:

Doug Kidder                      (520) 762-1344

Treasurer:

Bob Anderson          Banders2@gci-net.com

Membership Sec:

William Donovan         justhunt@cox.net 

Records Sec:

Brandon Hess           bhess55@cox.net

Hunt Master:

 Eddie Hawkins            ahawkeye269@aol.com 

Board Of Directors:

Hank Gonzales          (520)790-1213

Andy Williams            candawill@cox.net

Charlie Behymer   ae35gunner@yahoo.com

From The President

October 2006

Hello All

Well the hunting season has begun and sounds like some of our members are fairing well. So far from what I’ve heard our two antelope hunters in Arizona scored well as you will see the story in this issue from one of them. Our first club hunt went fairly well except for a little confusion about time and meetings. From all Ive heard all is starting off well.

Elk season in New Mexico opens shortly and I will be on my way there the first of October. I will have a few days to scout and my hunt starts the 7’th of October. The latest forecast says that there is snow on the upper peaks of the mountains and it has been raining in the valley. They have had one snow in the valley and expect the rut to be in full swing when I get there. I will be hunting with two other guys, one from Sedona who I met shooting rifles and a friend of his. They were interested in hunting in New Mexico, so I hooked them up with ranch tags and guides.

Unfortunately though I will not be at the October general meeting for the board elections. We are still in grave need of at least a treasurer and a news letter editor. We now have the following members running for office with no contestants running against them that I know of.

Brandon Hess                 Vice President

Charley Behymer            Records Secretary

Billy Donovan                   Member Secretary

                                        Treasurer

Hank Gonzales     Director Affiliates

Andy Williams     Director Range Master

Doug Kidder                    Director Raffles

Eddie Hawkins     Director Hunt Master

                                        Director News letter Editor

And I will run for the President again.

The deal is though that we will find someone who doesn’t show up for the meeting to put into the two slots that are still open. So you should really make it to the meeting.

from the club to learn the hunting ropes you need to get to the meetings as the first come first served. We had several call the week of the hunt and all the top hunters were already paired up. We cant be bunching to many up as it becomes impossible to call predators with a crowd of people and no one wins in this situation. Also anyone wanting to participate in club hunts must be a member due to insurance restrictions.

Also we are gearing up for our annual banquet. The banquet will a little different this year as we will not be having Pizza. It will be at the be at the FOP, and the club will be providing a prime rib and the members will be asked to bring a side dish.  We will absolutely have to have RSVP on this as the club will furnish the prime rib and we need to know how much to buy.

We still look forward to all the suggestions and comments you may have. The club belongs to you the members and we, the board are here to serve you. So any thing you would like to see happen please let us know.

Well good luck to all and I will see you on the flip side.

Jon

Hunt Masters Message

     The first club hunt went well we had 10 hunters. Cory, Cade and Cole Davis, Dan McDermott, Paul Nagengast, Charlie Behymer, Alan Gemson, Jeff Stewart, Jeremy Van Haren, and me. There were 4 coyotes checked in 3 by the Davis clan, and 1 by Dan McDermott. Sounded like everyone had a good time hope to see more people at the next one. Octobers club hunt will be on Saturday the 14th we will check in at 2pm at the Dairy Queen at the Pichacho Peak exit off I-10 it is exit 219. Hunt where you like then we will check in, from there you can decide to continue to hunt the rest of the day or call it a day. Anyone interested that wants to be paired up get a hold of me and I will see what we can do. A reminder the monthly meeting raffle will start on the October 12th meeting I will have shotgun at meeting. If you attend you can by one $10 ticket per meeting at the December meeting we will draw the winner for the shotgun along with the other two rifles. If you have any questions about club hunt competition hunt or raffle get a hold of me.

 Eddie H

 September Range Master Report

By Andy Williams

 For this month’s shoot, we had 5 shooters and 6 guns participating in our Prairie Dog Silhouette this month.  Our competitors were:  Charles Behymer, Sid Peel, L.W. Fox, Neill Freeman, and myself.  In the Heavy Class, L.W. Fox took First Place, I came in Second Place and Neill Freeman came in Third Place.  In the Light Class, L.W. Fox came in First Place, Sid Peel took Second Place and Charles Behymer came in Third Place. 

 5 shooters this month – wow!  What a change.  Hunting season is in and as you can see, all of our hunter’s have gone hunting.  Of course, the guys that were there are the ones who usually shoot in the top positions.  What a shoot out it was this month.  Our top spot was only a bullet away from second place.  It was close and it always makes these shoots so much fun.  You gentlemen hurry and fill your tags, then get back to shooting with us because we missed you.  Hopefully, our snowbirds will be joining us again this coming month.  All of you guys who have been thinking about this, don’t be shy.  Come out and have fun.  If you have any questions, just give me a call.  The best way to reach me is via my phone.

Tip of the month:

 To further enlighten you on last month’s topic (the gun), I’d like to go a little more in depth regarding my particularly favorite gun:  The Savage 112 Varmiter. 

 I really like the accura-trigger on this gun.  Anyone who shoots long range knows that a good trigger goes a looonnnggg ways.  The accura-trigger is one of those that can be adjusted for target shooting and still be safe for hunting.  The other feature I like about this gun is the laminate stock.  It’s probably one of the best functioning factory stocks I’ve found to work with.  With only a couple minor changes, this stock can be made to function quite well in both hunting situations and from a rest at a bench. 

 Tune in next month for more information on the stock changes.  J

 Our next silhouette shoot will be Sunday, October 08, 2006. This shoot will be at the Three Points Shooting Range.  We will start at 8:30 a.m. with a warm up and sign in/sight in at 7:30 a.m. 

 Here are more future dates for you to put on your calendar ahead of time:

             Sunday, October 29, 2006 – Iron Man Shoot – 8:30 a.m. start time (7:30 sight in)

            Saturday, November 11, 2006 – Prairie Dog Silhouette – 8:30 a.m. start time (7:30 sight in)

            Sunday, December 10, 2006 – Prairie Dog Silhouette – 8:30 a.m. start time (7:30 sight in)

 If you have any questions or need any additional information regarding the Prairie Dog Silhouette shoot, please call me.  You may reach me from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at (520) 884-1330.  You can always email me at:  candawill@cox.net.  Thanks.

 Andy

Hunting Antelope With Bill

Imagine my surprise when I checked on line and found I had drawn once again for antelope this time in unit 34B, after nearly 30 years.   I couldn’t believe it.  That fortunate event started the ball rolling for my hunt.  There was much information to gather and things to do or buy.  First I looked at the Arizona Antelope Foundation website and saw that they were putting on a seminar in Phoenix in August and made plans to attend it.  Maps were of great importance so I got maps of the Empire Cienega National Conservation Area, a BLM map containing the area I would hunt and then made copies of the area that I would be hunting.  On those copies I began to indicate areas that I wanted to scout, roads that were useable and the land status of the area.  There were people I contacted, Wildlife Manage Mark Frieberg of 34B and Martin Monreal ranch manager of the Vera Earl Ranch.  It was important to talk with Martin in that the Vera Earl does not allow hunters on the ranch.  Martin was very helpful, offering to meet me and take me around and show me just where the ranch boundaries are and answer any questions I might have. 

 In August I made the trip to Phoenix to attend the Arizona Antelope Foundation seminar.  I found the seminar very interesting and informative.  AAF President Dave Laird made the introductions and welcomed us to the seminar,  The topics covered were Pronghorn history and behavior; optics; field care, taxidermy issues, and photography; rifle hunting tactics and trophy evaluation; archery tactics; the panel of speakers answered questions from the audience and there were AG&FD representatives there to answer questions for specific units and information.  All the speakers were very knowledgeable of their topic and were excellent speakers.    The things that had impressed me the most were; don’t shoot at a running antelope and why, when running they are almost impossible to properly lead and the chance of shooting an antelope which is running behind the buck and the legal troubles that would bring.  Jim McCasland, AAF a past president and current guide was most impressive to me.  His views on what is a trophy and what the hunter should get from the experience of the hunt were most interesting. 

 Knowing that if successful my antelope could be a long distance from my truck and off road driving is not allowed on the Empire Cienega I had to come up with a plan.  I’m now too old to be packing out an antelope, even cut in half, or dragging it out ( it ruins the hide).  Cabalas sells several 2 wheel game carriers.  A call and credit card had that work saver on the way.  While talking with friends they offered to let me use their range finders.  I accepted the offer from my coworker David Garcia and was very glad that I did.  It came in handy both while scouting and during the hunt.  I even checked its accuracy at the range and it was right on.

 When they did come out the buck was mingled in with the does moving now from the bottom to the top of the next ridge and I had no shot.  All I could do was to wait and hope that they would work there way over the next ridge and I might try the same tactic again.  As it turned out they needed to go over 2 ridges to be finally out of my sight.  Eventually they went over the 1st ridge and I went back up hill to retrieve my back pack/hydration pack that I had shed to cut down on my silhouette while crawling to get into position.  Then it was off again to try and get into position for a shot at the buck.  When I found them again they were in the bottom of the valley, with a couple of does running around on the lower portions of the hill and back into the valley.  I again crawled into position behind some century plants.  I wanted to make sure the shot would be true but I had left my shooting sticks back at the truck.  I looked around a found a small stock of a century plant laying close by and stripped the dead branched from the top and carefully got it into place.  At the shot the antelope dropped and never moved again.  The 140 Nosler BT really worked well.  Looking to the west it was obvious there was little day light left. So by the time I got it gutted and got back to the truck to get the game carrier and get back to the antelope there was very little twilight left.   My wife and I used the carrier to get the antelope back to the truck ¾ miles away and it certainly made that chore a lot easier.  At the time the folks and the B&B preferred I not hang my antelope and skin it there, so we loaded up and headed home.  Once there I skinned the antelope and got it in the cooler.  The next day I got the carcass to the butcher and the cape and head to Lippet/Doyle  Taxidermy.  The next afternoon we return to Patagonia to spend a couple of days in Patagonia and other areas in Southern Arizona.  In a few days I should have the meat back and in several months a beautiful mount to remind me of the hunt. 

 Three of the next 4 Saturdays I used to scout my unit.  I talked with locals, drove the roads getting familiar with where they would take me; to get vantage points I’d climb hills and set up my tripods with spotting scope and binoculars looking for antelope.  On one of the trips Michael and I observed and helped an archer after he got his antelope.  At the end of 3 trips I had seen 29 does and 7 bucks.  The bucks were either immature or average. 

My hunting partner is my wife, Lulu.  Camp was a concern both with set up and available time.  The hunt could last the whole season or just a day and the time for set up and tear down was a factor for us.  We decided to stay in a motel or bed and breakfast.  The accommodations in Sonoita were more than we wanted to pay but Lulu found a very nice and reasonable bed and breakfast in Patagonia, the Black Dove. 

 Opening day finally came and we finally made our way to Sonoita.  When we first turned into the Empire Cienega on the south road there were two antelope on the west hillside nearly a mile away.  I wasn't ready to do any glassing so I drove past the antelope until I was out of there sight and assembled the glasses and tripod figuring to go back and do some  glassing.  I looked back at the entrance to the Empire Cienega there was a truck parked at the entrance.  I looked back in the vicinity of where the antelope had been and but now they had moved back into view.  I decided to make a stalk and got prepared and started out.  Just a few yards from the truck I looked up on the eastern slopes of the valley and saw more antelope, 11 in all with 2 much better bucks.  After more glassing 0f the new band of antelope I decided to drive on by and to make a stalk from the north coming from behind them with the wind in my favor, sneak over the top and try for a shot since they were on the south facing slope.  I got to the top and located the antelope and sneaked and crawled to get into position for a shot.  However they moved into a low area on the hill and I couldn't get a better position for a shot. 

A letter from ATA, a sister club

Attention Groups, I have sent this to some already but the ATA is currently struggling within the association in trying to regroup. With that said I know there is also alot of Predator Callers in the State. Those that also belong to other group organizations. Helping out the ATA would not only benefit us but them as well by giving them a place to sell their fur harvested. As well as learn techniques in regards to said. I ask that you please help us out by running this little blurp in your newsletters from now until February.

Also if you have any info you would like us to advertise for you please send that info along to myself for our newsletter.

It is time to begin a new process I believe and become active in other groups by sharing info. The hunters in Arizona do many different things and sharing info would be a benefit to us all.

I am working on a plan to develop a page in our newsletter for this project and welcome info to help out the other clubs as well.

I thank you in advance for your understanding and support

Arizona Trappers Association

Annual Fur Sale

Gila County Fairgrounds

Globe, February 17th , 2007

For More Info contact- Fur Manger Bill Strauss 480-375-1183

Members Only Sale - non-members seller fee $10.00

The Arizona Trappers Association encourages and welcomes all to become members.

This enables the ATA to host this annual Fur Sale as well as their annual convention also held in Globe yearly in July.

This sale gives you the opportunity to receive top dollar for your pelts!

Becoming a member of the ATA you will receive all info and newsletters in regards to ATA events.

Become able to participate in these events by being assured of receiving info in regards to them.

The annual convention not only gives you an opportunity to share camaraderie in a family event with other Trappers and Callers but also the opportunity to see Trapping and calling Demos from expert individuals from within the state as well as famous and knowledgeable persons from other states. Each year the ATA strives to bring in a featured guest for this event.

With you subscription you also receive a yearly subscription to the Trapper and Predator Caller Magazine.

ATA Membership $30.00

Terri Miller
6891 N Blackpoint Rd.
Pima, AZ. 85543
Phone: 928-485-9608
EMail: skunkblastenchevyman@hotmail.com

Hunting tip

There is a lot of talk about what is important when predator calling. Some people will tell you the most important thing is the wind, others your camouflage, your calling techniques, noise, on and on and on. Granted all the above are important some more then others but to set you straight on the most important thing in order to ensure success is your scouting. If you find an area and go out and scout the area paying particular attention to water holes (looking for signs) you will greatly increase your chances for success.

            We are lucky here in southern Arizona, predator’s are everywhere but doing your homework and studying the area will improve your success rates. Things to look for are places to set up your stand – areas you will have the high ground for the best view of the area with the most amount of concealment still allowing you to have fire lanes. Another thing to keep in mind is when do the predators move during the day? What are they eating; this is usually found out by looking at scat. If there is fur in the scat you have found the area you are looking for. Remember, Coyotes are the best at adapting to their environment and knowing what they eat in the area will help you to decide on what calls to use. If you hunt near corn or wheat sometimes the best call is a little squeaker. No need to even use a distress rabbit call, not to say it won’t work, but they are the most used and sometime that is the problem when dealing with educated predators.

            I pick calls not used by most people, the easier the call it seems the more people use it. Most people like closed reed calls because they are easy, I prefer open reed calls because you can change the tone/pitch a lot more then you can with a closed reed call. Remember this, I don’t care what sound you make – If you sound like a wounded/dying animal predators will come. A lot of times you will call in a predator and not even know it because you have to train yourself in what to look for like movement, color and ect, as I said, coyotes are tricky and adapt very well to their environment so it become a game of who is more prepared and which one will outsmart the other.

Billy Donovan

Membership Secretary

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