Heat

Missed out on the opening weekend fun when I normally go due to my wife being ill. We also had a small ceremony at our Church to introduce our daughter to the congregation officially that Sunday. There were two other little ones there so it was a special occasion for all. Certainly wouldn't have wanted to miss that for any hunting trip. I finally had a chance to get away for a weekend during the long weekend for the MLK holiday. I went to hunt with my cousin who lives in the Valley. We hit up a couple of spots near his place. The first morning we went to an area that he hand't been in a while and we got started with a short hike towards some higher country to glass. After glassing the nearby hillside for a while, we spotted a knob on a ridge that looked like a good overlook for the nice looking habitat below. As I neared the top of the ridge at the knob, I heard a javelina woof and break out down below me. My cousin and I soon saw the cause of the noise and noticed his friends as well. Normally I don't get this lucky and literally walk right up to a herd on a ridge I want to glass from, but I'll take it anyday. They must have winded us because they took no time at all to cross the hillside across from us and go over the next ridge. We figured we could climb back down to the bottom and go around the corner and find them easily. Well, we were not so lucky, because they completely vanished. We spent the rest of the day hiking and glassing not coming up with anything else. The next morning we were anxious to try the area where he killed his pig last year and he had been seeing some fresh sign on a few short scouting/hunting trips. He really wanted me to get one so he didn't mess with the herd until I got there. What a great guy! Anyways, he knows where there is a great bedding area that we wanted to try first. Sure enough the pigs were there, but they were already alert and ready to split when we arrived. They busted out across the flats before either of us could get our bows ready. We attempted to track them across the flats but did not succeed. We went back to the area where we saw the javis the first morning that afternoon, but were unsuccessful locating them again. We had a nice long hike and glassing session but didn't see anything else but a father and daughter who were doing some rattling or something. Oh well! Last morning of my hunt we went back to the bed in the flats. We were much more cautious in our approach this time but it still didn't really matter. The pigs were on full alert again and broke out running parallel to the wash their bed was in. We decided top jump over a wash or two and continue upwind just to see what happens. Luckily after a few hundred yards of slow moving we heard the sounds of a young javelina in the wash ahead. As I was moving forward to approach the sound I saw my cousin draw. I figured the herd was right up ahead so I moved forward. As I did that I saw a javelina come directly towards me across the wash a ways. He saw my movement so I froze. He decided to head back across the wash. When he did that he came back into my cousin's view who was on the other side of the wash. He shot and hit it. After a short run, he was down. I continued to scan the wash for any others and still heard the baby ahead so I moved forward. The lost baby was the only pig around so we went back and started working on the one my cousin shot. Seeing the baby by itself we were both sure he shot the mom and felt kind of bad, but when we flipped the pig over to check it out, low and behold it was a boar. The mom got out of there and left the baby behind for the boar to defend. He took one for the team! I was bummed our hunt was over for me, but happy with my cousin's success! He deserves it, because he's a great guy and hunting partner. I don't think I'll quite understand why my luck is the way it is with these. This trip was full of sightings and encounters but little to no shot opportunity for me. At least I got to spend some wonderful time in God's country doing what I Iove best. The monkey is still on my back though and that stinks!

If you were ever interested in entering a kill in the record books the bow mounted rangefinder is a no no!

I have the Bowhunting in AZ record books at home. I could find the top 10 on there pretty easy for you if that is of interest, but not sure if that perfectly corresponds with Pope and Young or not. Let me know if you want me to dig it up for you. Nick

BINGO! That's the very point that Director Voyles and Steve Clark raised at the meeting. Neither the Department nor the AES was happy. One commissioner in particular just doesn't give a rat's arse. The new commissioner, however, voted against all of the changes in protest. Personally, I think they were walking a very fine line legally speaking. The assistant AG that was present probably should have let them know that they were in danger of violating the open meetings laws. The Guidelines process is opening up again. Make yourself heard. Where possible, let the commissioners know that you expect them to respect the public process that has worked so well for many years. The new commissioner is our man Jim Ammons from Yuma. He's legit!

You and I think a lot alike Mr Quimby. I appreciate the advice.

Sorry about the bad luck Andy, hope you find your Hound!

Way to get it done man! Congrats!

Nice buck! Congrats!

With loyalty and hunter ed points I've drawn the archery tag every time I've put in, but I think it's getting tougher and tougher to draw since it became an a draw hunt.

Its over for the season for me as well. Streak is alive and well. Got into javelina every day on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday but didn't connect. Of course my cousin killed a nice boar right in front of me yesterday. Oh well, at least I didn't wound one and not recover it this time.

It all depends on the draw preferences of the max point holders for that year. If none of the max point holders who had a low enough number to draw in the bonus round selected the hunt with one tag it will go into the 1/2 pass where anyone could have access to the tag including someone with zero points. Remember for sheep 20% of the overall number of tags go into the bonus round, not 20% per hunt like other species. I know this for a fact because I drew sheep with way less than maximum bonus points and I had tag number 1. If sheep tags were set aside by hunt number my hunt, which had 5 tags, would have had one set aside for a max point holder, and there's a sheep on my wall to prove that didn't happen.

Good Luck Havasuhunter!

If you are a Resident of Arizona there is no hunt that is "impossible" to draw. 80% of the tags are available to folks who may not have any bonus points. If someone with no points draws a low enough random number during the 1/2 pass they can draw ANY tag!

Try Arizona Hiking Shack and REI also.

I have a tough time glassing them up sometimes, and other times they just appear out of nowhere in my binos or I bump into them walking back to the truck or something. I've even seen them from the road while driving a couple of times. One year I was putting my boots on for a last morning hunt and pigs came over the hill right towards our camp. We heard them up there growling and it was on from there. Last year we heard them before we saw them once as well. Another time near the same area as the over the hill experience, I bumped into them as they were coming out of a mine in the early morning after a rain and pretty much had to take a shot at one in self defense. One thing I have learned over the years is that you have to expect the unexpected from these critters! Most of my failure is due to my poor shooting and lack of scouting for sure.

If you come up empty I can highly recommend Davis Tent. Keep an eye out for the "Scratch and Dent" sale they normally have in the Spring. That is how I bought my tent and honestly I can't find anything wrong with it. I got it at a pretty good discount from their regular price, which is already better than most in the business. Good Luck!

Way to go! Great job taking your first archery javelina!

I hate hearing things like this! This is why I took about 2 months with many phone calls, emails, posts on internet chat boards like this before I decided who to trust with my trophies. Not only did I find a great taxidermist but feel like I have made a friend. Good Luck in the future!

Yes sir!

Thanks for the heads up!

Some of us here have been doing some talking about a Texas Hog Hunt. This thread is intended to see who might want to go. So far there are 4 of us (BigBrowns, SEAZCoues, Desert Bull, & Heat) that have shown some interest. The idea of a group hunt is to enjoy some time in the outdoors with some new friends and pool resources for driving and gas to Texas. Also, everyone will have some different ideas and hopefully some good places to recommend or think about. Who is seriously interested in doing this? Once we have a good number of folks in mind, maybe we can narrow down a time frame and then maybe figure out which place? Open for any other ideas or suggestions! I will volunteer my 1/2 ton extra cab truck for the trip. Who's in? Nick

I never said you get to pay resident tag fees for life, I said you will be considered a resident as far as the draw is concerned and I stand 100% by my statement!

I've been incredibly blessed by the draw. Some years I waited my turn for good hunts like everyone else. Others drawings have stood the odds on their heads. I drew Sheep and Pronghorn in the same year (2010) with 8 bonus points for each of those. I drew Unit 1 Bull Elk with only 4 bonus points in 2012. In 2012 I also drew Archery Pronghorn. In 2013 with only 2 bonus points I drew 23N early antlerless elk. 2014 I didn't draw anything. We'll see how 2015 goes but I have a fair number of deer points and hope to have at least one good hunt this year. The draw works just the way it says it does in the regs. Don't believe the hype!

I know Mike had an outstanding deer hunt but have not heard about the sheep. Hope to see the report as well.

Is there a way to qualify or quantify worst? I'm sure I have you all beat by a mile!