scott

My dad and I have Unit 1 archery bull tags. Heading up Thursday.

Unit 1 archery bull.

Thanks Allen. Funny Brian.

We tried that before Casey. Will you get out of the truck this time?

Happy b-day Brian.

I got a Renzo Antelope decoy. Want to trade/

Brian and I just taped his buck. 110"

Here is the story. I was hunting 3B south, there was only 5 tags issued. Azpackhorse(brian) and I hunted opening day without much luck. I got sick on saturday and didn't hunt all day. I saw lots of antelope sunday and monday and made a few stalks. I just couldn't get any closer than 80 to 90 yards. Tuesday I spotted a herd about a mile away and made a stalk on them. They had moved by the time I got close and had to relocate them. Finally spotted a doe about 100 yards out and started to get closer when the buck stepped out about 50 yards away. He must have seen some movement and was coming to investigate. He finally offed a shot at about 45 yards and when I drew he looked right at me. When I released he spun and ran. It looked like he jumped the string and I thought I missed. He ran about 75 yards and layed down. I waited and watched them but it started to rain and lightning was hitting very close by. They got spooked and took off. I followed them slowly, it was a very good blood trail. He eventually broke off from the does and would stop every 40-50 yards. I spotted him laying down behind a cedar and stalked to 51 yards. I tried to get another shot off but he saw me and got up and took off. It was raining pretty hard at this point and I was worried I would loose the blood trail. I watched him bed up again and watched until it was dark. The coyotes must of found him soon after I left. I could see where they jumped him up and chased him. He would circle around cedar trees to get away. I eventually found him about 200 yards from where he last layed down. There was a coyote still on him and I tried to shoot him but missed. I couldn't belive how quick those coyotes ate him. He was pretty much all gone. I will be back there this fall to do some calling, time to even the score.

Casey, I know where you live.

I shot him at 4:15 in the afternoon and watched him in his bed untill it was too dark to see. I backed out and came back well before light and eventually found him around 9:00 am.

I wasn't smiling because coyotes found him before I did. They pretty much ate all of him and destroyed the cape. I was devastated when I finally found him.

After 4 days of tough hunting I finally got it done.

I'll be hunting 3B SOUTH.

Thanks for the comments. I'll try and keep the story short. My grandfather has hunted all over Arizona for about 70 years. He still has the desire he had when he was a young man. I can only hope that I to can hunt when I'm in my 80's. He had told me that he didn't think he could hunt Coues deer anymore. His eyesight had gotten really bad and he just couldn't get around like he used to. I convinced him to give it another try. When we found out we were drawn for a late hunt he got really excited. Him and my dad spent alot of time getting his rifle ready for the hunt. He decided he wanted to shoot his 30-30. He grew up shooting left handed but when he had to get a pace maker he had to learn how to shot right handed. It was tough but he mastered it. I watched him shoot a 6 point bull elk on the run at 300 yards 5 years ago. Him and my dad came down from Vernon the day before the hunt. We loaded up the 5th wheel and headed to our camp spot. Opening morning we were set up on a hill top glassing when my dad spotted a small buck and some does. We were watching them and I turned to glass the ridge we were on and spotted a buck laying underneath a oak tree. We got my grandfather on his chair and his rest that I made for him, I ranged him at 200 yards. He found the buck in the scope and said I can do this. 1 shot and it was all over. You would have thought it was his first buck, I have watched him shoot lot's of animals but he was never got this excited. After lot's of hugs between the 4 generations we made our way down to the buck. The emotions were running very high. I have never been on a more rewarding hunt as this. To have my son watch his great grandfather take that deer made it even more special.