runningbird

the only thing I would add is to check used trailers. most people buy new then never really use the trailer. just like 4x4 trucks that have never been in 4 wheele drive here in phx. mark

I think the waiting period would be a great idea. even when I first started bow hunting in 83 I thought this. I remember I got drawn 2 years in a row in 86 and 87 and thought the waiting period would have been good. I believe that and elk hunt in AZ is one of the best hunts in the world. I've never even hit an elk with an arrow but there are not many things I would rather do than hunt elk in a quality hunt. mark

I also have been using ACC's since about 1997. they work the best for me.

yep thinking the same thing. just put my cam up on tues. checked a few spots. also got a new string on my bow, I got the winners choice string and so far really like it. hope we get some good monsoons.

I'm thinking 2.50 was a good chunk of change for a 17 y/o kid back then.

I would bet that most casual archers had no idea they were suposed to report a kill.

well I have hunted pigs in that area a lot. I can almost garentee that the pigs are down low close to the highway or klondyke rd. it always been this way when its dry. were the prickleys paper thin? its not fun but the pigs will be in the thick mesquite. if you can get up high and glass down you should find them. there are a ton of pigs in that unit but when it's this dry it's just hard to find them in the thickets. good luck

thanks for the info Dan. I always felt that was prob the case. sometimes archers get a bad rap.

I would still go out and look. at least you could get your antlers. it is amazing how these things can blend in. I once walked right next to my dead deer following a blood trail. it was my first buck and wasn't positive on the hit. very little blood so I was looking close to the ground trying to follow tracks thru a thick area. I looked back at my buddy who had come over to help and he was just standing there. I asked what he has doing and he said waiting for you to find your buck. He said to come back to him and we would talk about the shot and figure it out. I went to him and he say which way did he run, I pointed over a scrub oak thicket and he says to go check it for sign. he comes with me and just stopped I again asked what he's doing he say's the same thing. anyway the buck was laying right of the trail the whole time. it was a quarting away heart shot where the broad head ended up in the other shoulder. no blood trail and the buck only went 60 yards. anyway go back and look you may have overlooked the obvious. good luck!!!

wow, I want to hunt where you do. 2 bucks in a few hours amazing.

IMO regarding the groups like ADA and big horn sheep, rocky mountain elk, and so on. these groups send a few individuals to the meetings, usualy the same people. they all say the same thing (we represent our membership). I don't think this works any more. each year it becomes easyer for the commision to say no to these few individuals. they don't hear a public outcry. I think we need to do something more drastic. for instance we could all attend meetings, our groups could help organize us. or we could even set up some kind of prostest at the G&F. we are all making it too easy for them to make unwise, thoughtless decisions. mark

NNNIIICCCCKKKKYYYYY how ya doin. get the hide off. early hunts are tough you got to be fast. but the later hunts are much different. Just wait till you spend your first winter night in the desert after a 70 degree afternoon. man it can get cold and its a different cold than back east. I'm sure you've heard all about the dry heat wait till you feel the dry cold. your deer will be fine in the shade this time of year and freeze good at night. have fun and welcome.

Don'n know don't care what he scores, I'd take him. look's like some extra points on his left. GREAT mass at the bases. and fantastic pictures, thanks.

I just thought I'd ask your guy's opinion. 2 weeks ago I found three bucks running with 6-8 does. two 3 pts not counting eye guards and a small forky. they are on a large fairly open hill side with many different small washes comming down to a large VERY thick wash. each morning the deer stay bedded down till about 8 am then get up and feed in the open for 2 hours and head down to the wash to bed. or at least I think they bed down in the wash, it is so thick that even when I'm 100 yard away and above them I can't see them. I have not been able to stay and hunt in the afternoon because of commitments to my daughter, (horse back riding every afternoon). but now she will be back in school and I'll have the whole day. So my question is should I sneak into the wash and try and wait? hope to get lucky that they will come to me. should I get to their side of the hill and hide and wait? maybe spend another day and just watch and see where they are in the afternoon. they have been showing some signs of rutting. I've watch the two bigger buck rake bushes and make scrapes. lock horns twice, but not really chase each other off. they are following the does closely and do split the does up when it's time to bed down, (they each take 2 or three does). they have only chased does maybe three times that Iv'e seen in the last couple weeks. anyway any idea's, thoughts, comments would be appreciated. most of all I'm having a great time and have never gotten to spend this much time with deer before. thanks mark

from what I've seen this year in 22/23 it has not been as intense as compared to 2 years ago. last year I was cut off from alot of my usual spots due to the rain. I'll be out this week and let everyone know what I see. but last week it was not in high gear at all. bucks were with does but just following not really chasing and harrasing.

well I do plan to try the ambush tactic tomorrow and thurs. maybe fri. Ive watched them enough now to have a good Idea of where they go into the wash at. I have a camera at that spot now. I will be sitting there waiting for sure on thur. so we'll see. also I agree with your idea that sent is not always bad. it seems to me that many times it take 2 things to scare them off. like sent/movement or sent/sound, I know it's not always like this, but if they are not on high alert than this has been my experience.

nice pics. especialy for inside city limits. I have the same camera and love it.

it is so thick in there that once they are in the brush I don't think I can get in there. But now that I have decided to hunt on their side of the canyon it may be more simple, they are on the south facing slope I have been on the north which is much more dense.

well I got out wed. afternoon and all day thurs. wed aftnernoon I saw nothing. wed morn I went out and watched the hill side till about 9:00 and saw nothing so I decided to head up the mountain for a better glassing spot. just has I got up I heard rocks tumble on another hill side near me. at the same time a covey of quail flew away from the general direction I had heard the noise from. well I looked and looked and waited about 45 min but saw nothing. So I headed down into a wash so I could get to the next hill. I'm telling you it is thick down there. I'm sure you guy's now what I mean. it's one of those places where you either belly crawl or just bust thru. there are little tunnels every place that I always thought were from javalina or coyotes. anyway I'm busting thru and finaly come to a little clearing and I look ahead just as I take my last step and hear comes a coues buck in one of those little tunnels he was taking his last step at the same time as me. boy did he look rough. he was a little tiny 4x4 not counting eye gaurds. we were only 10 yards apart at the most. he just stopped and stared there was now way he was going to relax and keep going so I tried to noc and arrow but of course as soon has I did that he took off. I could not believe he was in that tunnel let alone turn around in there and head the oppisite direction. Man this guy was tiny. anyway after that I made it to the next hill and found deer in the distance right away. I moved to them and they were comming my way also but on the other side of the wash again. and they came from quiet a long way but entered the wash near the same spot as last week. I left them alone and plan the be on that side hiding next week. I'm not looking forward to crossing that wash in the dark but it seems like the only way I'll get a chance. I do have a spot picked out.

sounds like a good hunt. both you pig pictures are very nice, its always nice to see some pictures that even a non hunter could appreciate. also what I do with my arrow if I don't see blood is give it a sniff. I have had an arrow pass thru a deer that apeared to be clean, but did smell, found the deer 60 yrd away in the thick stuff. mark

CRB thanks for posting the picture I know its not to great but the best I could do at the time, the buck was on his way down to the wash. I have accually back out of the wash twice now and not disturbed the deer. can't wait too get back up there wed. morning. my plan is to sit about 500 yards away where I can watch them all day and see where they go in the afternoon and evening. maybe I'll get lucky and they will come to my hill. I know there is a big buck in the area and I wonder if he'll show up next week? thanks for the help.

here is a picture of one of the bucks heading down to the wash at noon. well it looks like i can't figure out how to post a picture. can anyone tell me how to do this?

where is everyone hunting durring the dec-jan season..I'll be in 23, I've been chasing the same buck for 2 1/2 years.... he's made it thru the early rifle season I'm hoping he's not found durring the rut.. last jan he was out in the open alot.

way to go!!! It's a blast to read the stories along the way, it's so hard not to skip to the end..

I'll be picking up my pig sometime this week....