Yuma Outdoorsman

Congratulations, nice buck! Thanks for sharing.

I saw this on social media and didn’t see it posted here. Thought I would share. Stud ram. Pretty cool story that the tag ended up being donated to a veteran. 👏🏻

I drew a rifle tag for this year. Last year was the first time I didn’t get drawn when I put in for rifle deer. 1999-2007 I was drawn each year, then I didn’t put in 08’ or 09’, 2010-2023 I was drawn every year. We mixed and matched some units but all less desired hunts I guess you could say. After finding some big bucks in the archery hunt in January, I can’t wait to get out there in November. 20250131_235607000_iOS.mov

They are probably like the snowbirds in Yuma. We have more and more every year that become full time residents and quit migrating back north for the summer.

I went out NYE and found small spikes/forks with does but nothing shooter size. I went back out on Saturday and found a nice buck with a herd of 10 does. They spooked about the time I saw them but ran to about 800 yards and stopped and looked back and the buck was sniffing a few of them. As of a few minutes ago, the units I’ve hunted have reported deer being shot in them. I even saw 46A&B had 1 buck being reported. I would love to see what that buck looked like. Anybody else been out and seen any rutting activity?

He was pretty dang wide. I decided to give him another year 😂😂😂

20250131_235607000_iOS.mov Well, I gave it one last shot this afternoon and the only shot I got was this video of this dude running off with his does. He was a dandy. Well outside his ears and heavy. Hopefully find him next rifle season.

Hopefully get on him this weekend. He’s 4 miles from the nearest hill out in the flats. Tough to glass the area but will do what I can to find him.

Archery hunting is so tough. Got within 100 yards but his does weren’t having it 🤦🏻‍♂️

I know a couple guys that shot bucks in December and they snuck in on them when they were sparring with each other. One of the ones they shot was broke off. They were around farmland though and my theory is with so many does around the farms, those bucks tend to rut a little earlier as it seems the higher amount of does, the more likely a few are to be hot.

Typical, the rut happens in pockets down here in my desert. Some areas it’ll be full on and other places non existent. For as much of a drought as we had in my unit, the deer health is very good. Big bodies on the bucks and the does all have looked healthy. Just hoping this next full moon really gets them going.

I took these photos of a ram I glassed up during deer season. I’ve got no idea on scoring sheep. Would this be a respectable sized ram or does he still need a few years? He made the other one he was with look very small.

Unfortunately, I never got a head on shot. I’ll be out that way around New Years so hopefully run into him again.

Ok awesome thank you. He sure enjoyed sun bathing on the south side of a knob. Wind was blowing 15-20 out of the north and it was in the low 40’s. Chilly but he was soaking up that sun.

Is he broomed enough? 😂😂 sorry, I had to say it.

Needs to be a wider curl then? If I had a tag I probably would’ve shot him 😂 I need to learn about these dudes. I see them a lot and when they look like this I just think they are shooters.

I haven't been active on here in quite some time so I am sorry if this topic has already been discussed. I got an email yesterday about a new raffle by game and fish for mule deer, coues, and mountain lion. After looking into it more, it appears they've already done it for elk, turkey and antelope and will be doing it for bear, bighorn, buffalo and javelina. The cost will be $10 a tag and you can enter as many times as you would like. Anybody going to buy some entries? 10 Big Game Species - Conservation First USA : Conservation First USA

I didn’t get a tag and neither did my brother so we turned our attention to two of my nephews. I wasn’t able to be out opening day but my brother and his step son got to 150 yards of a heavier antlered 4x4 and he took one shot and dropped him. This was his step son’s first buck. On Sunday, we watched another 4x4 bed down and walked my brother in law and nephew into his bed and my nephew was able to make a great shot and filled his tag. Now, we have 5 adults with tags left to fill. 3 of them are able to hunt the whole time so hopefully they are successful this week. I can’t wait to get back out Friday afternoon and help out. I absolutely love the desert.

My brother in law dropped this guy at 75 yards this morning. Not a giant but he was happy to have him.

I would shoot it. Not a 180" buck but I would be happy with it.

These pictures circled the Yuma area the first year the unit opened up. The buck was killed by a local hunter and scored in the 190's and the trail camera was from a Border Patrol camera on a drinker. I know a few people that have hunted the unit and it's pretty brutal and requires a lot of walking. There is a local that used to fly a helicopter for the BP and he said he has seen some deer in that unit that look like what is shot at El Chapparal ranch in Mexico. Just absolute giants but it's a lot easier to get to them with a helicopter 🤣

This bobcat and I have had 3 years of cat and mouse. I spotted him yesterday at 60 yards. I took a couple photos with my camera that I carry with me on a tripod while hunting, thinking I had a slim chance at even getting a shot with my bow so might as well get some pictures. To my surprise, he obviously noticed me too but instead of running off like he did in previous run ins, he instead walked towards me and sat down at 55 yards. I drew back and centered between my 50 and 60 yard pins and I center punched his chest. He didn’t move an inch. He’s a beauty of a bobcat and am looking forward to having him mounted.

Thanks guys!

I haven’t been on here in quite some time. I got out yesterday and found this younger buck with a few does. Not worth shooting with a January tag but pretty cool to see. Been pretty slow rut wise this year.