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AZ RANGER

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Posts posted by AZ RANGER

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Over the years I have been lucky enough to help each of my 3 sons kill their 1st deer when they turned 10 years old. There is  something real special about being with a kid when he kills his first.

    All 3 boys got it done in different units. My oldest son was a a leftover tag in 34b. My middle son was in 36c on a general tag and my youngest, Camm, luckily drew a youth tag in 34a. 

    We had never really hunted 34a before and our scouting trips mostly yielded places that we didn’t want to hunt.

    Luckily, the place we went on opening morning proved to be a good one. Within the first two minutes of glassing light we found two bucks and a few minutes later we had a third. The day ended with 5 bucks and a bunch of does located but no shot opportunities.

    Over the next few days this became our theme. We would find bucks, make a stalk, get set up on them,  and wait for the right shot angle. Unfortunately that last part proved to be the hardest. Camm had probably 5 different bucks in his scope before he finally pulled the trigger. Every time he would find them in the scope they would not be broadside or be partially covered by brush or they would start walking right as he would be set. It was starting to get pretty frustrating. 

    Finaly the stars all lined up for him and we found a buck in a good spot that gave him plenty of time to get ready for the shot. Even then, we had to reposition three times as the deer moved across the hillside. 

    After a couple of not so great shots, he made a great one that sealed the deal. 

    Really proud of him and all 3 of my boys that got to be here for this experience. We got up very early every day and climbed up a very steep and long hill every morning and stayed out all day glassing on most days.

    They did great. And got along pretty well despite having to fight over a limited number of binos and tripods.

    My wife and 3 year old daughter even made a trip to hang out with us one evening. It was fun having them around for sure but we didn’t see many deer that evening haha  

    Also big shout out to the mule deer foundation for setting up the youth camp in Sonoita. We only camped there a couple days because it was too far from where we were hunting but it was cool being around all the kids and seeing them so excited about hunting. 

     

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    • Like 20

  21. Posted · Report reply

    I went last year in July and swore off ever going during the monsoon again. The roads were a mess and the water was high and muddy. I also worried the whole time that a storm was gonna come in and flash flood the river and make the roads worse than they already were.

    Fishing was not great either compared to the month before.

    I didnt get to go this summer because of the closure before the monsoon. Im planning a trip once the monsoon winds down a little more.

    • Like 2

  24. Posted · Report reply

    My son shot a deer this last season at around 11am. We boned it out and hiked back to camp. The next evening we went by the kill site and there was not a piece of flesh anywhere. Bones were picked completely clean. There was bird sh!t everywhere so I assumed it was mostly from them and they didnt waist anytime.

    Granted thats not a carcass with full hide etc but it went quick.

     

    Ive also found human remains in the desert on several occasions some very recent deaths and others that were just sun bleached bones. I can attest that the summer heat seems to expedite the process.

    • Like 2
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