conch,
I did notice that irony of us drawing the same tags...kinda weird. It's still blowing here, at times really hard gusts. Came home to 8 cottonwood limbs in my front yard to go along with the downed salt cedar.
I too really enjoy hunting with vintage firearms. I thought of taking an old Savage 99 in .300 Savage along for the hunt and carry it when I prowl around in the thick stuff. Thought better of it as the rifle is in too good of condition and it will have to wait until my daughter's cow elk hunt in December. I'm going to carry the same rifle I hunted with in 1990, a battered Winchester 70 in .270 Winchester with a hand painted kevlar stock. It has tan and grey-green speckled zebra stripes at the moment. Ugly but functional.
fin,
I do have a tube of #35 sun block, a couple pairs of cargo shorts, and some camo dove hunting tee shirts packed in case accuweather.com is on the money and we're all gonna be hunting in tropical conditions. Well, at least for November that is. I'm going to take my Dad out and get him in a nice spot overlooking some good country and then set up the tripod and glass and go to work and see if we can't find a good buck. Like everyone, I'd like to tag as big a buck as is out there. Hopefully, I'll see one with some character to his rack and a weathered look to his old gray face. That will be good enough for me.
Hate the idea that this could be the last go around in that country with a rifle, but at the rate of 15 year waiting periods between tags, I'll be over 60 the next time. That's sobering. You never know, I just might draw the Strip in '06 with only 2 BP's.
My Dad's rolling out in the AM, I'll follow the next day. You all be careful and enjoy yourselves. Good luck!
Jim