deserthunter23

Thanks Nick! It was fun at the clinic and I hope you had as much fun on your hunt as I did .Is that your ram in your avatar pic? Let me know how it went ,I wil lbe at the banquet ,Clay from Mogollon Taxidermy is doing my mount ,going with a half body mount on a rock ,should be ready by banquet time and I plan on displaying it there.Once again thanks ,look forward to seeing you there.Steve

Heres one more from a different angle.The wildernerness area we were in was Mt Nutt on the Secret Pass side,about 3/4 of the way to the top.started in at 8am and got back to the truck at 6pm.thanks again to all who helped either glassing or packing out,you are true friends.Steve

Well......the story does have a happy ending ! I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to hunt these beautiful sheep in my own state.I trained for months and was kind of worried because some health issues had me on my back right before the hunt was to start.It is a month long season but is hard to arrange time off from my job and I had already planned my trip and so had my hunting buddies.Anyway I did leave on time ,although with bruises still on my arms from being stuck full of needles.I and my friends glassd for a few days and were lucky enough to see a 170 plus ram that been harvested in an area we had been glassing.we decided to glass into an area that was wilderness access only ,saw alot of rams(glassed up 16 total on the hunt) and did see way up top the ram iI did harvest.It was about a 4 hour hike in and the shot ,which I am lucky enough to have on video,was taken cross a small canyon up hill 328 yards.After settling in took the shot and one awesome ram ! Was aged by game and fish at 9 years and is just what I had envisioned in my dreams.Thought he would score in mid 160s but was busted up alot so 150 was the mark.So much character and have alot of live footage with him and the other 16 sheep on the hill that Im totally happy with him.Its not always about the score ,an awesome hunt in awesome country with my hunting partner of years made it one of my best hunts ever,its still sinking in.Anyway I thank God for the opportunity and being able to get my butt out of bed and do this hunt.thank you to all who helped and I hope as many as possible can someday do a sheep hunt,is the best .thanks Steve

Azunter84,Thanks,Ive been trying to do my homework ,any info you might help with would be appreciated,I had some economic issues like lots of folks so I am not able to hire a guide,moneys just not there.I have a mule deer hunt in 12BW Oct 22,I took 7 days off and am hoping to be able to go scout some during those days,(lots of driving) then I have 2 chances to scout in Nov and will be talking 10 days off the first of Dec,any advice you could give would be awesome,thanks,Steve

Got my 12BW deer tag about a week ago,think early cause it had the offer for free ammo.Got my sheep tag Thursday,slept with it that night !

Thanks to all for the help and advise,just digesting it all.......working out and thinking its only a short 4 months till it happens! thanks again,Steve

Arthur ,I saw your ram in the pic you have in the Boone and Crocket web site.......wow that is an awesome animal!!!!! thanks for all your help ,will be calling again if ok?

Eric,thanks for the words of encouragement !!

Sorry Arthur and Gino too...Arthur Im getting lots of emails and in my state of shock over the tag got a little confused.....sorry,at my age it happens Anyway to Arthur and Gino and all others who are pitching in with info thanks again.....will try to keep my facts straight,once again sorry and thanks for the help !!! Steve

Wow!!! Gino those sheep are awesome,thanks alot,thanks for the email too.I havent ruled out a guide just trying to make it work .This tag of course is my # 1 concern and goal,also drew a 12BW Oct deer tag, and a late 22N bull tag..........tough troubles to have ,this is my year to make it count !!!! tags are hard to come by these days.If ok ,as I think you said in your email, I will be calling you if thats ok ? thanks again Steve

Thanks for the responses so far ,yes I am a member and yes trying not to stress,thanks for the tips ,Steve

Unbelievable !! After all these years! got drawn for 15D sheep tag,also 12BW early deer tag !! Good luck to all who drew,Steve

Whew! finally results,no speed goat, 18 bonus pts now,late unit 22 rifle bull tag!Good luck to all in the draw.Steve

Just my luck dialed 100 times got thru to on phone ,same time web came up.......so blew off phone and now says server error on line ,so frustrated !!!!!!!

Common courtesy is always best.My favorite one is a couple of years ago I put a nice buck to bed in unit 31 and when I walked in the next morning in the dark I found a trailer parked where I was going to sit.no ones fault on that,actually I laughed on the way back out.Is common courtesy to leave the area if someone else is there first,dont have much use for people who are too rude to abide by that.Actually had some guys race by me once on an elk hunt on atv,s ,open the gate and shut it when I was standing right there and pretended not to see me.No heaven points in that behavior boys,only gets the antis happy when hunters are fighting against one another.If you cant respect your hunting brothers and sisters,stay at home,just my two cents.Good luck to all who drew,Steve

Bradne,that you for your service and the info.When I started this topic I had no idea Id get this big of a response.I am going to hunt down south(35B)ut I am going to be conservative in my approach ,and use caution.I am fairly good in the woods and have been passed by by my guide budddies many times who had no idea i was there.This is our turf ,this is our state(no disrespect out of staters) and I will not be intimidated by the illegal activity going on.As stated in another reply you would have to be a moron not to believe there is some danger and act accordingly.That being said God bless the USA and all of you fellow brothers and sisters of the hunting community.I will not bow down.Good luck to all who drew ,Steve

Now that the draw is done and I say "way to go" to all who drew,Ive been looking at the leftover tags.Seems like the majority are either in hard to access units or south of the line where Homeland Security issues may exist.I have hunted in the past in 29 and 34A buts its been over 10 yrs or more.I hunt alone alot I want to try for some of the leftover tags in the 34,35 ,and 36 units but am concerned about safety in those units.Would appreciate any input on the subject,Thanks,Steve

Well,I went online and put in for a leftover muzzleloader tag for unit 23 mule deer.I havent hunted there since 2002 when I had an elk tag.just wondering if down low there are deer or to focus north of the mule creek road.Any help would be great ,not wanting spots jus general area guidance.Also wondering of you can still by a bear tag over the counter,during the elk hunt I had done that and spent a day trying to sneak the biggest fattest bear Id seen,he was grazing on acorns.once again ,just some general info,being out of state ( Az) I probably will only have one chance to scout.Good luck to all who drew,thanks ,Steve

Well,I got my wish.As I stated on another post,I was wondering about the safety issues in hunting units south of the Homeland Security Line.I put in for some of the left over tags,and as I was informed by a nice lady at G & F today,I did get an early tag in unit 35B.That being said,I am ready to deal with hunting down south ,its beautiful.Im not going to ask for any honey holes or tips,my main concern is access to the unit.Its the Canelo Hills and Patagonia Mts in the Coronado National Forest.Just any thoughts on access issues,theres 425 tags and i dont mind a tougher hunt to get away,just wondering north or west for access.Thanks and good luck to all who drew.Steve

Thanks for the info.I am pumped to hunt a new unit ,always nice to see new country.I have already got all my maps from Wide World of Maps and have been pouring over them.I have some 15 X 56 ,a spotting scope and 10 x 42.Sounds like the 10xs might be the way to go if its that thick.Going to try for at least 4 scouting trips bfore the hunt.Once again thanks for the info and good luck.Steve

Best of luck to you !I also have a 35b early tag,just got it in the mail today.I put in for some of the left over tags and am quite happy to get one.All I can say is, as many days before the season scouting ,and get good glass and use them alot.Coues is all about being patient and glassing.I dont know much about the unit,there are deer there and should be fun.Good luck to you,if I run across anything specific I will let you know.Doing my homework now too.Good luck to all who drew.Steve

Thanks am pumped ,just to check out a new unit.last big deer was in unit 31 102 score that was in 2000.Been hunting mule deer up north since.Hopefully will be a fun hunt,any hunt is worth it.Just hope to have a little space between the other 424 tag holders.Good luck to all who drew.

I have been lucky enough to have been here for 31 yrs.I guess that would give me 2 more bonus pts under the proposal.To me it all comes down to what we have here.We arent like Colorado with 200,000 + elk,or Wyoming with huge antelope heards.What we do have is quality,even in a non trophy hunt (elk or deer) the chances off shooting a book animal still exist.I have 17 bonus pts for antelope but really dont see anyway to make it more fair except to possibly raise the bonus pt 1st pass to say maybe 50%.That would still leave room for those hail mary shots at a tag.There are always stories of people drawing trophy tags with 0 points.Problem is the animal populations just arent big enough to have a waiting system work.Good luck to all who drew.

Wow,thanks for all the replies.My main concern was just because I hunt alot alone,and yes I was really more concerned about my vehicle than myself.I do get like to go into the country and am often a long ways from my truck.I take personal responsibility for hunting alone,although as some have said,the violence seems to be notching up along the border.drug smugglers are more my concern than farm workers.I really dont think a drug lord from a cartel would have any problems popping a person off in the bush if thought they had stumbled onto their operation.The numbers may not be there yet ,but then 5 yrs ago they werent popping off Americans in the border towns or doing all the kidnapping either.I guess we all take responsibility when we hunt the southern units.The thing that really ticks me off is that this is US soil and shouldnt even be an issue.(am still going to try for a left over tag,dont be scared ,be alert).thanks for the responces,Steve

Thanks for the responces ,especially from you lucky enough to have grown up and hunted down south.Ive always been taken with the beauty of the grassands and oak down there and am definately trying to go for a left over tag.As you say just keep your wits about you and should be fine.You are probably right ,should be more concerned with the amount of people huntind(tag #s) then the illegals.Good luck to all in your upcoming hunts.