Tucson John

I've had the same reaction from people when I say "cows", and even though I know that is the correct pronunciation, I now say Coos, or Gray Ghosts!

I was down to help out with the Az Hunters Who Care clean up this weekend. Friday night I slept in the back of my truck at the intersection of 286 and the Arivca road, with everyone else who showed up. I pulled my truck to the back, (west) end of that area and noticed the 55 gallon water drums put there by some humanitarian group for the illegals. I didn't think to much of it thinking the illegals would probably not be nearby with so many people camped. Well I was wrong. There were at least 3 groups of 4 to 10 that walked within 20 yards of my truck during the night. And those are just the ones that woke me up. I guess needless to say I didn't sleep very well. The next day while we were cleaning, an old beat up truck passed us with 3 guys in the front and three in the back, all hispanic. They were in no hurry but it looked to me like the driver was showing some new Coyote recruits the area. Its bad down there guys, and its getting worse. I was even somewhat paranoid riding my quad around by myself. Its really a shame that we have to be nervous in an area that belongs to us and has always been safe. TJ

Great job Buddy! Any Bull with a bow is a trophy! I'm as proud of my 323 Bull as anything I've ever done. I also spined my Bull, but he did not die so quick. I was so keyed up I put 4 more arrows in him at point blank range because I was scared to death that he would get up and run off. What an adrenilin rush! My huntin partner showed up and told me he was done. I had one more arrow! Enjoy your sucsess! TJ

Wow! That's incredible... You know if they can eat an alligator, they can certainly eat..........US! I wonder how many pairs of boots you can get out of a snake that big? TJ

Casey, Casey, Casey.....................Have I NOT taught you better than that? Next thing you know you will be working overtime to pay for braces. Then selling your rifles to pay for ballet lessons. Then after you have saved for years to go to Alaska, you will be buying a car and insurance, and tuition and books instead. When you finally start to see light at the end of the tunnel, you get to use your life savings, your retirement savings, to pay for the wedding. Its a one way road with no off ramps, and it all starts with an innocent little scouting trip. You won't even know what hit you. You have been warned.........................again. TJ

Wow! Awesome job Buddy! There is nothing more satisfying then that! Beautiful Bull. TJ

Rusty is Randy's brother and a dentist in Tucson.

Ernesto, I think they give you a 5 year grace period for emissions on "new" quads. It can be a real PITA getting your quad through emissions. Mine failed three times and each time they make you unlaod it from the truck and drive it through, then of course you have to load it back up again. If you live outside the Phoenix or Tucson metro area, you don't have to mess with emissions. If you can, register it in a rural area. Also, the licience plate holders at the bike shops cost to much. I bought mine at checker for 8 bucks and hacksawed and bent it to work perfect. It has the 12 volt light on that is reqired. Take care Dude. TJ

Thank you for the advise guys.

I didn't get drawn, and have two quads I would consider renting to you for your hunt. Let me know how I can contact you offline and we will talk.

My wife called me Friday morning all excited to tell me she had just seen a Mountain Lion fron her office window at 40th and Camelback. There is a small strip of desert between her office and an elementary school, and that's where he was. She said he was only about 25 yards away, and she knows distance pretty well because she has shot 3D's for years. I told her to call AZG&F. She called me back later and said the gal she talked to treated her like she was an idiot and did not believe she had seen a lion. She was told that a "specialist" would call her back, but they never did. She said it was a full grown lion. Unreal huh? Bears in Tucson and Lions in Scottsdale!

We just thought they would like to know. I know my wife knows the difference between a mountain lion and a Bobcat. Her discription of the animal was perfect. If G&F doesn't believe us..Oh well, no skin off our noses.

Cool Video Amanda! Good job. Thank you.

Hi One Track! Don't let DB spook you. Welcome.

Great job TAM! Nice deer, and great story.

Wow, Nice Buck Becker! Good job holding out for Mr. Big. Where in 33 were you hunting? I took a 93 in unit 33 on the first day out of the Happy Valley area, he's on page 42 if you want to see what he looks like. To tell you the truth, I thought he would go 100 when I hot him, but I didn't spend much time sizing him up, like 1 second. Congratulations Buddy! and welcom to the forum.

That-a way! You gave em heck and that's what's important. Now get your stuff dried out and get ready to do it again tomorrow! H appy New Year Bud!

Gorgeous Buck Mike! He must have really wanted YOU to kill him because he gave you so many chances! Good job buddy! God Bless.

You to Buddy! May Santa send you a 120 class buck! I can't go until January because I just got a Buck last week, but I'm going to hit it hard then!

I wish I could tell the story of weeks of pre season scouting, hiking miles in the dark, and using high dollar optics to spot this guy, then making a textbook stock and executing a perfect shot. The real story is not as romantic. I did hike to a high spot before first light and set up my tripod with the Alpens I bought from Casey. I glassed until about 8 am without seeing a single deer. At that point I couldn't glass anymore because I was shaking so bad from being FROZEN! I told my hunting partner Stan, I had to either walk, or drive somewhere because I was going to freeze to death, and that would make it hard to continue hunting. We walked back to the truck and turning the heater on full blast. Stan wanted to glass some bald hills south of where we were so headed that way. On the way, I was scanning the hill sides when I saw movement. I told Stan STOP! BACKUP BACKUP.........STOP! I glasses the hill and there stood this nice Buck facing me and looking to his left. I could tell he was a nice Buck and I told Stan I wanted him. We pulled the truck forward a few yards into a dip and I got out. I peeked around a clump of Catclaw and was surprised and delighted that he was still standing there. I noticed that I could use the cut we were parked in to work my way up to a big flat rock about 20 yards up the wash that would give me a solid rest and a clear shot. When I got to the rock I peeked over again and Yes! he was still standing there! I judged the distance at about 300 yards and I knew I could make the shot. I had spent several sessions at the range practicing out to 300 so I felt confident. I settled the cross hairs on his chest and squeezed off the shot. BOOM........the buck danced a few yards right and went down to his knees. Stan said, that's a dead deer, good shot! I waited about 10 minutes for my heart to return to my chest and headed up the hill to claim my Buck. About half way to where he was, two Does got up from right below where my Buck was and they bounded off. That must be what he was looking at so intently. So there you have it. Its not the way I imagined it, heck I feel guilty for not suffering more for what I know most folks have to go through to harvest a nice Coues Buck. I guess sometimes its better to be lucky then good!

Hey Buddy! The camper may have kept me alive, but not warm by any stretch of the imagination. It was friggin COLD! The temp was 14 degrees according to my truck gauge. My 5 gallon water jugs froze solid! Yes Solid! I asked Santa for a Coleman space heater for the January hunt! Also the Alpens are great for the money, but I made the mistake of looking through Martins Swarovskis, and, Oh my God! , got to fiqure out a way to get some. His were the 10x42's and they were,well...phenomenal!! Happy Holidays my freind!

Ernesto, I could not believe it either! If you were to see the tangled mess of Cat Claw, Spainish Dagger and Ocotiila, nobody would believe it. But its True! Like I said Better Lucky than Good! Happy Holidays to you and your family.

Good job Guys! Beautiful Buck! No wonder you make the big $. Hey, changing the 2 to a 1 worked for me, thanks for the tip. I'm going to concentrate my January archery efforts on the Coues, I always end up chasing the Mulies around, but now I have this "obsession" ? Is that the right word? Doesn't matter, I know you guys KNOW what I'm talking about.

Thanks Guys! Casey the Alpens worked Great! I'm really impressed with them, especially for the price! Thanks Buddy. I used my 243, mostly becaue its so much lighter than my 06, and I felt more comfortabe with it. Yes the pictures are on page 42, Amanda posted them for me. Thanks Amanda. I suspect that these Deer were in prerut activity and that's what contributed to this Buck's demise. He was so intent in the Does that he never even saw me. We spotted a lots of Does over the weekend, but none had a Buck with them except this guy, so maybe the Rut is just getting started. Thanks again for the kind words. And a big Thanks to Mr. Shed Hunter for the clues he gave me, it helped more than you know. Hey maybe Josh will hire me now as guide for old farts. Merry Christmas to everyone!

Scotty, The definition of stupidity is to continue doing the same thing and expect different results. If the BP is remotely interested in inproving the catch rate, they need to get off the pavement and work at night. The desert lights up at night with illegal traffic. JO.