Silver Bullet

I may use that to photoshop in lieu of what I'll end up shooting next weekend. Nice find!!!!

My son and I are heading down to hunt 36b for the early hunt, which is new territory for us. Pretty much have our game plan figured out as to where we plan on hunting, but will be camping at the La Siesta Campground near Arivaca. Will there be any other CWT members camping there as well? We plan on arriving the day before the hunt, and sticking around all week if necessary. We'll be tenting it, driving a silver four door Jeep Rubicon. If anyone else is camping at La Siesta, walk on over for a visit.

My son and I both drew October 36B rifle tags, and are excited for the opportunity. The units we're most familiar with are 32 and 33, so this will be a whole new adventure. We've hunted mearns quail near Sonotia and Patagonia, so we know what it's like to run into "hikers" that aren't suppose to be there. My Jeep Rubicon with lockers will be our mode of transportation, and our method of hunting is sitting behind good optics on a tripod glassing the hillsides all day. Our plan is to get there the day before the hunt, and stay there all week if necessary...which is fine because for me it's not about getting a wall hanger, it's about spending time with my son. Due to work commitments, we are unable to do any pre-season scouting....but I have no intention of asking where to hunt, as there's deer all over this unit. However....because we plan on camping the whole time, I'm thinking it makes sense to camp at a location that's within shouting distance of other hunters, so I'd like to ask for suggestions on areas to camp that other hunters have found to be somewhat safe compared to me just picking a spot. The way I see it, if there are deer scattered all over the unit, why not start with making a decision on where to camp, then figure out the hunting location from there. Any thoughts or suggestions on camping locations would be appreciated very much. Thanks, and good luck to all.

One thing I learned the hard way is the importance of wearing a pair of knife resistant gloves when slicing and dicing. Let's face it, when the sun is setting and everyone is in a hurry to get back to camp, and you have a couple of sharp knives working in close quarters.....accidents happen. You can buy these pretty much anywhere, and there're not expensive. After what happened to a friend of mine (almost lost a finger), I always include a pair in my pack frame.

Cool looking rack. I'd do a euro mount on that one for sure.

If I was in your shoes, I'd take that deer at the first opportunity. First of all, that is a very nice buck. Second, any nice deer that you can locate while scouting, then find again come hunting season is an accomplishment in itself. Besides, it's hard to tell by the pictures if this is a younger buck that still has some growth left in him, or possibly an older deer that's beyond his prime and starting to regress. Wait, and someone else will get him.......so SHOOT IT !!!

United Nations Ammo Company in Phoenix, on Glendale Ave. They even have .22 tracers in green and red. These tracers are a must-have! They trace VERY bright out to about 150 yards.....just be sure to not shoot them on a hot/dry day, as they can cause a fire. I shoot them out of my suppressed .22 and they are a blast!

United Nations Ammo Company in Phoenix, on Glendale Ave

Good luck to those who drew a late bull tag for any unit! I'll be hunting 22N with my son and a friend, and can't wait to get up there and glass up (hopefully) some bulls. In the past 5 years we've hunted this unit several times, but always the late hunt following the one we were drawn for this year. Some years we were successful...other years not so much. But the opportunity to hunt with friends and family is what it's all about! Last year in preparation for our December hunt, we scouted during the November bull hunt and in one day counted 16 bulls glassing from one of our usual spots....man were we stoked 😃. Only to get skunked a week later 😩. Let's all hope Mother Nature cooperates and brings us some snow! Again, good luck to all on a safe and successful hunt!

Congrats!!! Great story, and a fantastic buck! It's a great feeling when a well laid plan comes full circle!

You didn't mention if this is your first elk hunt, but if you plan on hiking any distance, a good pack frame is a must. Plus know how you plan on processing the animal once it's down. For me, I prefer the "gutless method". If you are not familiar with this, there are plenty of videos on YouTube that are a great help. Be prepared for any kind of weather......rain, snow or both. Also, I prefer to be visible to other hunters by wearing some orange.

Good optics on a tripod are a must. Start glassing at first light, and don't stop until it's no longer legal to shoot. And like others said....don't go back to camp for lunch....just keep on hunting and most of all have a great time!

I sure hope we get snow in 22N for the late November bull hunt!

To help get a better response, you should post your question in the "Elk Hunting" portion of the Forum. Good luck.

I've used Millers SW as well. They did a great job on my son's elk two years ago.

My son and I have the late rifle bull hunt that starts the day after Thanksgiving in unit 22N, and every day leading up to the hunt seems like an eternity! We've hunted this unit in the recent past, but ours had always been the 2nd rifle hunt that starts in early December right after the late November rifle hunt. Our pre-hunt scouting in years past has always consisted of locating plenty of Bulls in late November, but by the time we got there for our December hunt it seems that many of the Bulls had moved into some very deep canyons due to the pressure from the November hunt. We're excited and optimistic that this will be a great year for many hunters, and wish everyone a safe and successful hunt.

I have a shirt that shows a picture of a hunter taking aim, with the quote "If God Intended For Us To Be Vegetarians, He Would Have Made Broccoli More Fun To Shoot At".

I would like to know the opinions of other hunters when it comes to wearing some form of safety orange during the rifle hunts. For the purpose of this discussion, I'd like to keep it limited to hunting elk with a rifle in the state of AZ. I've been fortunate to draw a late November bull tag in a unit I've hunted 3 of the last 5 years, and it amazes me that 90% of the hunters I encounter in the field are decked out in full camo without a hint of orange.....and I'd like to know why? I get that most (including me) have a closet full of hunting clothes, and most of which is probably in some form of a camo pattern. But why is it that no one seems to think it makes sense to at lease put on an orange hat or vest? Not only does orange offer an element of safety (not getting shot), but it helps us not disrupt someone else's hunt, or visa versa. Some of these units become very crowded, and I think it would help everyone to not be "hidden" from other hunters. There's nothing more frustrating than spending 45 minutes glassing a ridge or the side of a canyon, only to finally see some movement then realize it's another hunter glassing back in my direction. Had that person been wearing orange, I probably would have seen them sooner and moved on to a different location. We all know that elk see movement...not color, so why is it that most rifle hunters chose not to wear orange?

Are you sure about that?

Wow...guess I hit a sore spot! Sorry if I stepped on your camo toes, but if I am the dumb butt you make me out to be, then that's all the more reason you should be as noticeable as possible....LOL. Seriously...I know it's a personal choice...I get that. I'm NOT saying it should be required by law. All I was asking is if there is a reason why most hunters choose to go without. And from the response I'm getting, it appears that some hunters just don't want to wear orange....and that's fine. The unit I'll be hunting has way too many tags, and plenty of hunters on CWT forum have mentioned "it's like a war zone out there"...so why take a chance? BTW...my son and I both hunt with Swarovski binocs on tripods, and can spot an orange hat over a mile away. Most often we spot bulls while glassing from a long distance (after a long hike...not from a road) then decide whether or not to close the gap. But if we were to spot another hunter who's closer to the same bull, we would probably decide to not ruin someone else's opportunity, or waste our time. It's called hunting ethics.

I'm no attorney, and correct me if I'm wrong, but the title reads "Colt files Bankruptcy" when in fact Colt filed Chapter 11 which I believe is for holding off the creditors while the company reorganizes?

Now that is the coolest deadhead I've ever seen....congrats!!!!

Guess your teacher never taught you that there's no such thing as a stupid question, only a stupid answer

I was up scouting yesterday for my December rifle hunt in 22N, and it appears someone thought it makes sense to do a controlled burn in 22N right off the Control Road. This burn runs the Control Road for about 4 miles going west from Whispering Pines. The canyons were full of smoke....kinda reminded me of last years hunt with the snow and fog...ha. My question is what does this do to the elk? Do they tend to ignor it and stay put, or do the move to a different area due to the smoke? May have to change my plan and hunt closer to the Rim? Good luck to all....

The 300 (Rim) road is out of the 22N boundary, so did they come in from on top of the Rim and hunt down toward Washington Park? If so, that's quite a nasty hike out.....especially with two bulls. Good luck!