donniedent

Dude, you are a muley killing machine. This is the 3rd desert buck I've seen you post and I'm very impressed. I actually chased that 3 point you killed a couple years back and couldn't get a shot. I wish I would have had the chance to follow you around the desert before I moved up here to Wyoming. Great job, keep getting after those desert dogs and keeps posting those pics. Big congrats man!!! Donnie

Well, if a guy wants to ask... let him ask. If a guy wants to answer or not its up to him. Don't get offended if someone is curious about what unit it was shot in. Just politely say "you know, I'd rather keep that to myself". Shoot if a guy really wants to know what unit animals came out of, all he has to do is go back to the posts from June where everybody announces what units they drew. 90% of us tell in June, whats the big secret come Dec.????? To each his own I guess. Also, I was just giving DesertBull a hard time in my last post, if he wants to sell his scouting time, its his decision and theres nothing wrong with it. It is however a little funny to be starting a thread like this considering the fact that you do sell info, then complain because guys ask about a simple unit number. Donnie

In the words of the great Ricky Ricardo "Luuuucccccy... you got some splaining to doooo"

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound sensative in my last post. I can understand if a guy wants to keep a spot secret, even if its only to "feel" like nobody else knows about it. I also have/had secret spots around the state. I've never been so private that I wouldn't share a unit number though. One thing I've learned from being up here in Wyoming is that you have to be a dang good hunter to consistantly find big deer in Arizona, I don't care if someone has a deer tied to a tree and gives you a map. Even if I know a unit number, I still have to hunt my butt off to find a deer. A unit number alone will NOT point you to big bucks Donnie

I noticed one of my posts was one refered to. I could really give a rip less what you guys think, I just found it interesting that he shot the WT in Saguaro country. I live in Wyoming now and probably won't hunt in AZ for a while. People want to get all possesive about where they hunt and thats fine, but there's nothing wrong with asking a question and if he wants to answer great if not, I understand. Like I said, I don't have a horse in the race I was just curious. Donnie

If you don't mind me asking... what unit were you guys in??? Just curious. Tell your dad big congrats on an awsome buck, I love the rack on that badboy!!! Donnie

I've been using Hornaday 139's and they've done great. I shot an Antelope at 400 and it didn't take a step and a deer at 375 or so and it didn't take step. BUT, I don't think I'll hunt elk with that load. I'm going to keep using my 30-06 for elk with a 150 Nosler. If you go with a 150 or 160, stick with it and use it for everything, if you don't, you'll spend too much time dialing your rifle and un-needed wear on your barrel. Plus the fact that 7mag loads aren't the cheapest. Donnie

Yeah, times are tough and it ain't much fun when you know you're taking food out of the cupboard to take on a hunt. Time to get back to the simple life if you ask me. Thats what I'm doing. I can tell you right now, when I'm on my death bed, it'll be the times I've spent hunting with me kids that I'll remember and be thankful for, not the fact that I had a brand new truck in the driveway. Time to get simple. Donnie

Yep.... sounds like you need a hunting partner. 2 reasons.... 1 they keep you motivated and 2, 4 eyes are better than 2. There have been plenty of times I would've given up if I were alone but because of partners having another idea or another spot to check out, it keeps me going. Tough part is finding a hunting partner that thinks like you. I had a buddy down in AZ that I hunted a bit with and we were non-stop, even if we saw nothing. We just motivated each other. Now that I'm in Wyoming, I need to find a new hunting buddy. It'll be tougher here because there are ALOT more road hunting types that there are down in az. I hate road hunting and everyone I've met here likes to road hunt. I need to find someone that likes to run tread off boots finding that ONE animal. Donnie

Tell them congrats on the success!!!! I'm still a non-resident until next may so I'm not hunting any horns this year. I did shoot a doe goat and a doe muley though... gotta get that meat!!!!! I'll extend the same invite as AZ4life. Anybody from AZ that makes it up this way should stop and say hi!!!!! Tell your dad and bro if they need any help with anything let me know, I work at Fremont Cadillac on 4th and Main... just ask for Donnie. I've also got a huge freezer if the need to store anything between now and when they leave!! Donnie

Hello from my new home of Lander Wy I spotted a CouesWhitetail.com sticker yesterday out in front of my work. White Dodge truck with a cooler in the back. The cooler lid was open with snow packed in it. All those fine details I noted and still didn't get a plate. Donnie

Does az4life live up here or down there??? They were AZ plates, I do know that.

I second that one.... The 150 Light Mag Interbonds have the best ballistics of Hornadays '06 line-up Donnie P.S. Hornadays 7mm mag Heavy Mag 139 loads are insane. Awsome all around 7mag load!

Yeah, my family moved to the Blue River in the late 1880's. Ranchers back in there. You ever here of the Balke cabin at Hanigans meadow??? That was Rob Balke's place. He's a distant uncle of mine. If you look on google earth, theres a spring called Balke spring, its named after my uncle Rob. Actually, now that I think about it, I'm 6th generation, my son is 7th. My mistake. My great, great, great grandfather Max Balke was the first in our family to move here. My Great Grandmother isn't actually a true native, she was born in Alma New Mexico just over the state line. Everyone else was born here. Needless to say, I've got alot of history here and it will be hard to leave for that reason but I sure as heck can't wait to get out of this God forsaken Phoenix... I'm DONE! Its really too bad that Phoenix has turned out the way it has. It sure seemed to be a different place when I was a kid. When I look at how Arizona has turned from a good western conservative state into this mix of every kind of A-Hole that was tossed out of those rust bucket states back east, it makes me sick. Now, don't get me wrong, there are plenty of good people that have moved here and I've yet to meet anyone here on CW that I don't like but as we all know, a good portion of the "newbies" here have brought thier crap attitudes and bad politics with them and I wish they wouldn't have come! Donnie P.S. I don't hold any records. Theres an Apache that runs around here that has me beat by about 10,000 years!

"Oh and congrats on the OTC tags, I will just have to suck it up and continue to hunt and help hunt world class elk and deer during our mild winters" LOL.... hmmmm. 300" bull (and cow) every year or 350" bull every 7 to 10 years. I dunno... tough choice. LOL!!!! I will miss coues deer but there are plenty of WT's up there to make up for it. Seriously, I will miss winters but I dang sure won't miss working outdoors all summer. The other thing is that I'm the 7th generation of my family to live in AZ... Loooong roots to pull in order to move. I'm gonna miss it. Donnie

I think it will force G&F to be a little more carefull about how they do things. Pretty simple language but it also leaves alot of room for dispute. Overall I think the authors are trying to establish hunting and fishing as a right and not a privledge but I can see a real mess brewing. "I'm sueing g&f because I haven't been drawn in 10 years".... kinda stupid! On the other hand it will absolutly force G&F to really manage wildlife the right way and not the helter skelter way they've been doing it. heck, I don't even care.... I'm moving to Wyoming in 2 months. Can anyone say "over the counter deer and elk tags"!!!! To heck with this mismanaged, over populated, over priced state!!!!! Donnie

Wow, took a long time and alot of B.S. to answer a simple question. Thanks Dave, I was wondering the same thing kast1 was wondering! Donnie

NICE BUCK MAN!!!!!! Where'd ya get him??? Looks like down south somewhere. WOW, NICE JOB!!! Donnie

Great job DB!! Donnie

Nope... no big bulls in 22! Donnie

If Sportsmans has it I buy it there, if not I go to Cabelas. The service I get at Sportmans is second to none. I've been trying to get my bow ready for Jan and have spent alot of time at the archery counter (N. Phoenix Store). Theres a young guy named Rich at the arch counter, you wanna talk about a cool kid. He has gone out of his way to help me get my bow squared away. Always makes time to help me out and never acts like he's got something else to do. If you guys go in there, ask for Rich, darn good service! Donnie

He isn't e-scouting, he's asking behavior questions. What the heck is wrong with that. Isn't that why we're here??? Did he ask about a spot or even a unit??? As a matter of fact he offered to help with any Colorado questions we might have in a different thread. Don't be the reason he stops coming to this website. colorado ultra mag, don't be affraid to ask the questions you've been asking, you've been very respectful and have asked very good questions. If the weather keeps going the way it is and its a late wet winter like I suspect it will be, there should be a strong rut this year peaking around the 6th-7th of Jan. The cool thing about the desert southwest is that the rut lasts alot longer than other places. You should see rutting activity throughout Jan., especially when the weather cools off and it gets overcast. As far as how many deer... it only takes one good one to make a hunt! Honestly, the G&F website provides great info but don't be affraid to get a little mavrick and strike out on your own. When you get down here, go with your gut, its usually right anyway! Donnie

I agree 150%!!!! Donnie

Good advice here, listen up!!! Donnie

Wow a .600!!! I didn't think they made anything that big without 8 wheels and tracks under it! We disagreed on the last post but I'm with you on this one Lark!!! Except I prefer my Winchester model 70 7mm rem mag shooting 139 grain btsp's. I would use that gun and that load for almost everything in North America. Fact is, there are so many good calibers out there now. Its like with different makes of bows, whatever fits you and you shoot the best... thats the caliber for you. Donnie