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Got to share youth deer camp with some good friends, with three youth tags in camp. My son had killed a spike last year and was looking for forked or bigger this year. One of the hunters was looking for his first deer and was first up to bat. Opening morning a buddy located a couple small bucks, including a shooter 2x2 with a small forky. They bedded them, and we watched them a few hours, waiting for them to get up and offer a shot. They finally did, and a first deer was harvested! The forky stuck around and even though he was bigger then a spike, my son decided he was too young and let him walk. Day two, another buddy showed us a new area. We worked a ridgeline glassing fingers on the ridges to the east and west. After a mile or so and the 3rd glassing spot, this guy was spotting working up a draw and feeding. We knew he was a shooter in an instant. He wasn’t in a hurry, but sure wasn’t gonna bed for us. He was moving towards a small saddle. He was at 650 yards, and we could maybe shave 200 yards getting to the next ridge but wouldn’t be able to get there before he was over the ridge and gone. It was a now or never type of thing, and the deer was broadside, slightly quartering to. I trust the gun and dope, and my son can shoot. We made sure he had a solid rest, dialed for distance and had him hold for a slight breeze. Kid was cool as a cucumber. At the sound of the shot, the deer hunched and I knew we had a hit, but he ran over the saddle so we couldn’t confirm. It was a long 30 minutes to hike down the one ridge and up the other but we found him about 20 yards from where he was the shot, piled against a tree just over the crest. Entrance was middle on onside shoulder, exit just behind off shoulder. His smile says it all and I couldn’t be prouder! The third hunter is still looking for something special, so send some big buck vibes his way this week!

Our family made plans this year to go bear hunt on my buddies ranch South of Colorado Springs the first week of October. My boy and I were sitting on a couple antelope points so with a little research I found a unit close by we could draw and had decent harvest 50-60%. The kicker was the very limited public access. I talked to the G&F officer and he said the unit does not produce many bucks over 70” and on public we better shoot the first bucks we see over their ears. I decided to go for it. My boy is a Sophomore in high school and I want to experience as much as I can in the field with him before he grows up. Just hunt….reasonable expectations….work hard to capitalize on the opportunity. Oh, we also could only hunt opening day 😬. Fortunately, we were there a couple days before opener so I spent two days putting miles on the tires and boots looking at every piece of available ground, walking to every high nob I could to get every angle I could to not miss anything….this is where it got crazy. I could not believe my eyes as I found not one but three bucks over 75” one of which would go easily over 80”. Was I dreaming?! Nope I filmed all them….watched them over two hours each of the two days before season. I was so anxious the night before opener I could barely sleep. Opening day arrived and we put together a team of 6 of us to try and locate our top two bucks. As it broke light the hunters started rolling in, and they kept coming. Where are the bucks? I could not find them. Guys were now pursuing does, shots fired!!! Were they dead? Wait, we found buck number two…my buddies are watching him from 1300 yards away. I am still 3 miles away desperately glassing and moving trying to find buck 1. I am passing a couple small bucks as I can’t get him out of my mind….i edge around a large bowl to avoid being skylined and catch movement 800 yards away. I throw up the glass…..it’s HIM! I call my buddy who was about to take my boy after buck 2 and get them headed to me. They arrive 10 minutes later and I tell them how to approach. I am watching them belly crawl cactus to cactus. I range them..906…I range the herd 740. They still can’t see them bedded. Another 10 yards on their bellies…they see them. My buddy sets up the Bogg to get him above the 18” grass and he locks the gun in. A doe sees them and stands….he stands!! BOOM! The buck runs 40 yards and stops…I see blood on his side…BOOM!! He’s down!! I can’t believe it! I literally run for almost 750 yards and tackle my son! We are in tears! We stand over him in disbelief! Bucks this big are not supposed to be here said the expert! Hunters were everywhere, yet we out worked them! We take dozens of pictures! My buddy texts us….buck number 2 is still there! Time to go. We quickly gut him and carry him a couple hundred yards to an access road we can drive to. We load him and off to buck number 2. My buddy and I head in. Topography and brush allow us to cut the first 700 yards quickly, then it is 400 yards on our knees. We are almost out of cover…wind is howling 15-20 so we agree that 400 yards is the max I will shoot. We get to 285 and set up the Bogg to clear the brush. I lock my gun in and ease up to shoot. A doe sees us and starts moving. He follows her and they are running. My buddy ranges….370. I dial and tell him I’m taking the running shot. I swing with the buck and when I’m about 4’ in front I squeeze it off and he cartwheels!! Buck 2 is dead. I am in disbelief! We came out for an opportunity hunt in a subpar unit and kill two giant bucks. We get pictures, gut him and haul him to the road. We butcher back at the ranch and hit the road for home early this morning. I still have not taped them. I am quite certain my buck is between 77-80 and Max’s buck is low 80’s. His buck is over 15”, heaviest mass I have ever seen and cutters are 10” up beams. Truly unbelievable!!! I don’t think we could ever top this experience again…but we sure will try!! Sorry for the long read but it was to incredible to leave any details out. Scouting video buck #1 IMG_7420.mov Scouting video buck 2 IMG_7415.mov Max’s buck #1 My buck #2 Our bucks!!

October never fails!!!!

Well guys. Today was first day I didn’t put a stalk on. Tried different parts of u it to see if any rut and dang 3am -6 am not 1 bugle. Things r tough. Went back to glassing and glassed up that nice 5 but chit. 2 sets of hunters already chasing. There’s a big pocket of elk but about 8-10 hunters all doing same. Not much of the unit to glass so everyone is where I am to find and spot and stalk. Just hope last few days some how they get horny. Just not here at all. Talk to u guys tomorrow

Rifle shoots great just don’t use it like I thought I was gonna 700$ I put the factory grip and bolt knob back on it since this picture , rifle only

Bought brand new in March of 2024. They have been very lightly / seldomly used.. they just don't make it out of the backpack often enough the way I hunt.. Asking $2100. Located in Bagdad, and in Prescott quite often. I have the original box/packaging, they were never registered with Swarovski. Will ship if paid in full prior.. shipping included. thx!

Awesome buck and good shooting!!!!

An Elftman Tactical model R700

Way to go guys!

Check with Ia Born he's a hunter safety instructor and posts class availability . He's in Flagstaff but might be able to steer you to your answer depending on your location.

If he is a resident he can do his hunter safety all online and no field day required. If non resident he will have to find a field day to come down to. Or he completes a hunter safety course in the state he is in if possible. List of available field days coming up https://www.register-ed.com/programs/arizona/113-hunter-education-hybrid-in-person-field-day

Good job guys! Congrats. Big buck vibes sent for the third hunter. Good luck!

Super awesome!! Congrats

Finally got the fender flares to finish the lines. Not painted yet but I wanted a season on it without putting it on its side before spending the money

My favorite month!

What trigger is in the rifle?

No impact on San Carlos as most of the runoff went towards Roosevelt. San Carlos area had its own short-lived flood event but most people don't realize just how far the water has to travel to reach the Lake and most of that route is very sandy with big S curves that don't help. Current water level is 0.39%. On a positive note a bunch of our dirt ponds filled back up and should be ready for restocking immediately. DAN

Bad a$$! Congratulations!

Nice deer . Just another week and a half and I'll be in 6a for elk .

Congratulations on a nice bull……and to think some say there are no big bulls this year. 😉

Well guys tough hunt. I’m sure everyone thinks of archery bull u think of rut, calling, lots of elk and chances. Well not this one. Been tough but we know the unit well so we are still getting chances. Up at 345 am looking for bugles for 2 hours and not one. Frustrating. We head to our glassing knob and run into a herd leaving a field. No giant bulls but I have both my sons with me and if I can make another memory with both I will try. We get in front of the herd and boom perfect. I see them coming but slightly different angle. We move up about 100 yds and fuk!!!!!! Herd cow was way ahead of them in a cedar tree and busted. They run out. Crap. There was 3 smaller hulls that u never know might have shot. Head back to cabin and guess what. Prairie dog time with the new pellet gun. Took out another 5 and took a nap. Evening hunt. Glass a herd 3 miles away. We head out there and park about 1/2 mile away. Wind was my big concern but there was just no way around them. Decent 6 bull with 30 Cows. We get about 500 yds away and notice they are acting weird. We sit still and I swear they winded us at 400 yds. They gone. Back at it tomorrow. No good video just them running away. IMG_0822.mov

Dream bull. Congrats

Annihilator broadheads 100 grain brand new $40 Queen Creek

Quick, remove every last jackass from Arizona, before they completely ruining this place!