naturegirl

Well I had asked myself before archery season what kind of buck it would take for me to give up my Nov WT tag and I believe I've found the answer. We came on a group of 3 big mule deer bucks and the very 1st thing I saw was a big ol drop tine on the left side of the biggest buck. My husband missed a shot on him, but I'm thinking we may head back up since I'm pretty confident of his general location. I'm curious how often people come across bucks with a drop tine? EDIT: I completely forgot that last year I had an experience with a much smaller buck with a DT. It was about 10 or so miles from the one we saw this weekend. Very interesting.

The only thing my dad hunted was rattlesnakes so I do not come from a great line of hunters. Actually nobody hunts in my family except my brother who passed away. My mom is still amazed that I actually hunt. My ex-husband got me started and I'm always teaching myself with the help of other hunters, the internet, & time in the field. UPDATE Dec 2014 It's been a couple years since I posted this and I've come a long way in the last couple years. I attribute this to my love & dedication to the outdoors and hunting. The seed was planted by people around me, but then I ran with it and am now finding my own way.

Looking for a quality farrier with reasonable rates in the QC/Chandler area. I've got a horse & pony in need.

I was out in 6A for a couple days checking cameras and taking pictures. I sat for lunch on a rocky knoll and this yellow ferret/weasel came out. Even though my camera was sitting right next to me, I was not fast enough to get a picture. So, I repositioned and waited. Same thing happens again. It darts out, stands up, and darts back into the rocks. Again, no picture. So after coming back four different times to the spot trying to get a picture I decided to leave my last game camera there and let it do it's job. I've done on-line research and I'm not finding what I saw. I find information on the black footed ferret and it could very well be one, but I do not recall a black mask. This had the body of a ferret. Yellow is the best color description I have. It had dark brown feet and a dark tip of the tail. It was a couple pounds at most and about 12 inches long. I do not recall seeing a dark mask on the face, but the outline of it's lips were dark brown and the little line that goes under the nose dark brown. What I do know is I've told people about it and I can guarantee you it is NOT a fox, raccoon, ring tailed cat, squirrel, chipmunk, or anything else that I've ever seen here in Az . I read up on the black footed ferret and it was reintroduced years ago up by Seligman, but I was not near there. I was about a 100 miles away in 6a and I was not near any towns, etc. Anyone know anything about this little creature? A couple years ago I had a white cockatoo that was visiting camp during a deer hunt and now a yellow ferret in the woods. Go figure

Looks like a blast and secluded And great fishing to boot. Nice wife!

I'm quite honestly sick of spending money, time, and effort in this department. All of my scouting this year has been done washing my camo with my regular clothes and not paying any attention whatsoever to my scent. I seem to have done just fine getting close to a variety of animals, but the wind is my guide. Just curious what others do.

I like over thinking hunting. It's about all that I'm thinking about right now and believe I'm obsessed Bear with me Johnnie. I'll be better soon. And to think I have a zillion more questions in my head just waiting for answers.

I've always wondered about smoke and always avoided campfires during hunts well plus I'm always exhausted come night time. I like the "tea" spray idea with plants taken from where you're hunting. Ive tried those tablets years back. I didn't see a difference. Lots of good info here. Thank you Once in awhile I'll find a smelly plant/weed and rub my clothes with it.

I've used animal pee from the ground many times but not a pie...lol

Cool. I'm giving it a go for deer.

Awesome! I'm going crazy about now. It's all I can think about

All of my scouting efforts are centered around cows. Spikes are with cows too. The big ones will join them later. The big bulls will go back to their hiding areas if they don't get a cow so it doesn't hurt to know where bulls hang out as well but if you've got a good herd of cows, the odds are there will be a bull with them.

I got this from the site. ELK ARCHERY BENEFITS Length of Membership Number of Hunting Days Included 1 - 3 Years 5 Day Guide-Only 4 - 6 Years 5 Day Fully-Outfitted or 7 Day Guide-Only 7 - 9 Years 7 Day Fully-Outfitted or 10 Day Guide-Only 10 - 12 Years 10 Day Fully-Outfitted or 14 Day Guide Only 13+ Years 14 Day Fully-Outfitted

I'm a great archer when shooting a target or on close up kills but twice now in the 30-40 yard range I skirted the vitals. Why on targets can I pick a spot and hit it but on animals I pick a spot and my arrow seems to go left of where i want it to go? On an elk and on a deer Ive veered left. The were facing opposite directions. I shot the elk too far back and the deer too far forward. This is me on a target at 40.

Rio Rico sure is a pretty area

These came out of the kitchen and then went into a 10x10' re-loading room. They are oak and have older style Corian countertops. The lower cabinets filled 3 sides of the 10x10' room and the uppers two sides. There are more cabinets/countertops behind these pictured. Make me an offer if you're interested.

Paint, mud, or charcoal whatever is available. I also wear a very lightweight gator around my neck that I can pull up if i want but it covers my neck. And a leafy suit top. Hood is always on.

My daughter likes her Cinderella poles. She can use any closed reel pole but she likes the kids pole. We've caught a lot of fish with it.

Patience, kindness, etc. Dont force it. My dad very strongly encouraged me (I won't quite say he forced me) to shoot prairie dogs as a kid. I didn't like it at all. I never hunted until my mid 30s. I believe its the choice of the child. I had this conversation with my 7 year old this weekend. Leah "I don't think I'll kill an animal." Me "OK but I think you should try it at least once before you decide." Leah "I think I should try it 5 times before I decide." Me "I agree. I think you should try it 5 times before you decide." Then last night she sat for 10 minutes with me watching my daily dose of Randy Newbergs gutless method video. Time will tell. The verdict is out on Leah but I do know she loves the outdoors. She also said this...."I dont like camping in a camper anymore. I like sleeping in a tent or the truck." That's a score for me

That completely sucks. I left mine on top of the Rhino once and went a half mile or so before I remembered it. I was beyond lucky. A very tough lesson for sure

I ran up this week to get in a quick scouting trip. I've been trying very hard to curb my hunting ADHD by working on patience. This means spending a set amount of time in certain particular areas. Early Friday morning, I was down low in an area where many trails intercross and I've been forcing myself to sit here and watch the deer and elk go by. My goal was a few hours, but almost as soon as I sat down next to a huge pine tree I heard this loud noise coming from somewhere south of me. This was a noise I've never heard before, but whatever it was kept on and on and on. I sat for 30 minutes before curiosity got the best of me and I followed the noise. The ruckus was up above me on a ridge, but just below the knoll of a mountain. I VERY slowly started inching my way up the mountain. I could tell the animal would face different directions and make the noise, but I hadn't heard it for a few minutes. My eyes were zero'd in and scanning. Gun was unsnapped and bear mace was hanging out of my pocket with plastic safety pulled. Then I heard it again. It was CLOSE and right above me! I froze and didn't move a muscle as I watched a mountain lion come down off the ridge in front of me and cross just below the knoll. I was smiling from ear to ear. I had just seen my first mountain lion and it was up close and personal. I was beyond thrilled. My camera was also ready, but I didn't get a single photo because it all happened so fast and to be honest I was afraid to move. Even though she had moved off my senses were still extremely heightened and I was paying close attention to everything everywhere. If you've ever been in a similar situation, I know you understand exactly how heightened senses can be. All of a sudden from my left, I see a lion coming back toward my direction. This is the only time I felt extremely uncomfortable and this was because I couldn't tell if there was more than one lion. The thought definitely crossed my mind that maybe they were stalking me. Thankfully, and I do mean thankfully, I quickly realized it was just her pacing back and forth as she kept periodically screaming. Now I started clicking away with the camera trying to get a picture. I never moved except my fingers that were controlling the focus ring and the shutter button. I was in 100% FULL HIDING MODE! I watched her pace back and forth calling for a mate for 15 minutes before she finally caught some type of slight movement from me because she instantly froze in her tracks and was now staring right at ME!! For six seconds I was looking eye-to-eye with a mountain lion until she turned tail and ran. I guess I wasn't the mate she was looking for, but I thank her greatly for the experience I will kill a mountain lion one day, but this was not the day. I was alone, armed with an LCP & bear mace, and she was about 30 yards from me. This is not my ideal situation to attempt a mountain lion kill, but I had a few things at my disposal if the need arose, including the tree I was standing next to. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better first encounter, and I'm home safe and sound. I took this right after the encounter with the knoll in the background. I haven't been this happy in a long time :)

You know I value your opinion but I'll politely disagree with you. I'll agree she was on the younger side but she was hardly a kitten calling for her mother.

I was reading up on some wildlife photographers and they say it's about impossible to photograph a mountain lion in the wild. I've seen other CWT members get good pics too. Hunters have an advantage I do believe. I submitted it to AZ Highways/G&F for their yearly calendar. I find humor that my lion pic was the only one not taken at a zoo

I wish....my brain doesn't work that way. I'm a fixer. I don't think it's wise not to look at your performance and find ways to improve it, especially when there is something that keeps repeating itself.

Nice! I really want to take a deer wearing a flannel and jeans.