AZcoues_addict

One more pic, with a better smile!

She was only about 10 yards from the water when I saw her first, but the shot was 25 yards, actually at a trick tank. I was sitting on top of it so I was very careful moving around and drawing back! I saw a few good bucks, mostly spot and stalk, but it seemed only the smaller ones were coming to water in daylight hours. I actually missed a big 5X6 in velvet spot and stalk, arrow deflected off a branch in thick cover, but it was my only shot before the big guy was out of sight so I took it anyway. I was upset all trip until the lion, I totally redeemed myself! A buddy just called yesterday and said he shot a bobcat on a different tank, was waiting in his stand before recovering the cat, and a small 4 point buck (about 17 in) came in and he shot it too! I couldn't believe it, congratulations to him but I said I'll take the lion over his two anyday!

Awesome pics and video, thanks for posting. Hope u get him!

Absolute toad! Wow!

Totally awesome buck 4pt, sounds like you did a great job and had a bit of luck on your side as well! Congratulations, I think we're all envious!

Just ordered a Win Apex from Cabelas, seems like an awesome deal right now but they're backordered, so I'll have to wait. I ordered the mossy oak, stainless and hope i get to use it on my dec muzzy hunt here in AZ!

I had no idea so many people have dealt with the same issues my family has faced for the last eight years or so. In fact, my family has hunted in 30A for 30 years, and we do own a small piece of land there and have established many good people. For the most part, I agree with Sun Devil and the basic issue of locking gates to public land, it drives me crazy and I've walked that road many times to the top. In fact, as I understand it, the road used to be public access over the mountain to Bowie at one time, although this is definitely not how or why it was created. I consulted in person with Josh Avey, head of the landowner relations at the G&F office here in Phoenix about this same issue a few years ago, Skeleton Canyon more recently, and many others in the Southern part of our state. As I understand it the gate remains closed NOT due to creation of the road, but to maintainence of the road. The county has to "prove" that the road is regularly maintained, while the judge is to determine the evidence and decide if it is "regularly" maintained or not. You and I both know that some of these roads, depending on the precipitation and year, do not need maintenance every year, and due to this fact it may not be deemed a publicly maintained road. So what if the judge had grown up with the defendent in a small town or not, even when those who drove the plow for the county were testifying? Not a maintained road, right, or wait maybe not? All of these cloudy issues make one wonder about our access to public lands in the future if we don't do something now. The wording to these laws can be interpreted differently depending on the judge. For this reason, I wrote a letter to our governor stating my recommendation that these type of issues be addressed. We as outdoor enthusiasts, need to group together and think of a solution to these types of issues, especially with the amount of land being locked off every year. Since a large number of the roads here in Arizona were created by miners, ranchers, etc., we need some type of grandfathered law that specifically applies to maintain access to our public lands, since it is through these roads that we and others have always had acces. I'm not just talking about hunting, but camping, sight-seeing, bird watching, taking a drive with the family, you name it; the types of people who selfishly lock a gate are hurting THOUSANDS when public land is involved, and even more when you think of the long-long-term. The part that really angers me the most though is that these same individuals privately "select" those who can and cannot have access, and in turn have there own private, public land! Talk about a conflict! Personally I do not care who created the road, but IMO if it has always allowed public access or if public dollars were ever invested in maintaining it, I feel everyone should have access. With that said, I don't deny that we should also seriously address private land rights as well, maybe even monetary assistance to post private land boundaries, creatively think of ways to prevent trespassing, or even funding to create roads around certain private lands as a last resort. We need to voice our needs and concerns, and allow lawmakers to put their heads together in solving this issue, instead of just saying its private land so I'll lock a gate forever! All we're doing is hurting our sport, and more importantly our children's opportunities and access to public lands, not just for hunting either but for all types of outdoor activities.

That NT coues rack is amazing, WOW! Thanks for posting the great pics as usual.

Now that's impressive, character galore is right. He surely looks like one of a kind. Bummer his sheds were bigger last year, I wouldn't have expected that with all of the rain and feed we had last spring. Over-the-hill buck? Thanks posting the pics Josh!

That's great, it's sure exciting to witness young hunters and their first experiences in the field! It makes me remember all of my first hunting experiences all over. Congrats on a very big pig to Sam and his guides, and thanks for the post and great pics.

I'm right with KGAINES almost exactly, except I have one less elk bonus point! I also usually apply/draw a rifle tag for coues units with near 100% draw as an alternative for 3rd, 4th and 5th choices. For elk I hope to get the archery bull tag soon because I'm getting tired of waiting with 7 bonus points. I do study the units and draw quite a bit, but wish the AZG&F would reveal hunt draw statistics for the bonus point number and percentage of tags being drawn in each hunt. This way we would have more information on true draw odds, since those posted do not take bonus points into account. Here's some eye candy and proof that there are good bucks that can be found on 100% draw units since these hunts are the first rifle hunts of the year. Last year I shot this 105 coues on my fourth choice!

Those are great bucks Couesn'Sheep, I couldn't agree with you more about hunting in AZ, it's pretty great! Hope we all speak up about the Coues hunt changes and give our input to the G&F Dept. Thanks for posting such nice pics of an obviously good year for you and your crew.

Wow!!! That non-typical is outrageous, what a buck. Thanks for posting.

I think many people are arguing over more or less tags each year, it's sad and not what I want either but we have a problem here. Why can't we think outside the box, and possibly come up with a better solution? I don't know the answer, but it seems we could all put our heads together and come up with something better than what the game and fish dept suggests, and still address some sort of compromise? If we want more hunter opportunity, to me that means ultimately getting drawn but this fact depends on the hunt you apply for. Therefore in my opinion this means having higher odds of getting a tag, but not necessarily every year. Why not then limit hunters who draw a premium tag from getting drawn the next year or two? Maybe limit premium hunts only, maybe limit the season in which they can apply, maybe limit them from getting drawn period (especially as for bull elk, rifle or archery). The can still apply for the bonus point so they or the G&F won't lose out there, just increase everyone else's "opportunity" to get drawn for those years the hunters are taken out of the draw. Maybe this would circulate premium tags better (not on a yearly basis) but allow people to draw the hunt they want in a shorter # of years? In the end I think this would increase opportunity, not simply put more hunters in the field today, but give them a quality hunt and a chance to draw the tag they want in more of an expected time frame. Now this type of proposal would indicate if the G&F dept really was interested in providing increased opportunity, or whether this decision is simply for more $. For the previous year(s) successful applicants, they can hunt coues during the shortened Dec-Jan archery season that year if they want to hunt and buy the bonus point, or apply for carp. As for elk, they can buy the bonus point and wait, or apply for cow. Ultimately this does take away some opportunity yes, but maybe it would distribute it better, especially with the increasing number of residents. IMO we need to think of a better proposal, since as we said AZ is only increasing the resident hunting population. What about limiting the size of antlered deer that are harvestable, this would decrease hunter success and may allow for more tags and opportunity? We all need to be more creative with the ways in which we solve difficult issues such as this. I don't know how many of you would support some type of modified draw system, but I still find a way to hunt even if I don't get drawn for the hunt I want. I'd support some type of change, but not simply making hunts less desirable and the desirable hunts less likely. As mentioned, simply increasing the # of tags may have other affects not yet known, or could lead to increased harvest in certain years (or at least a less balanced or buck size harvest). I don't complain about not getting drawn, I'm just trying to find a better solution for a difficult issue that needs to be addressed. I don't know the solution, but I do think the AZ G&F needs to be more proactive in surveying hunters and getting large-scale feedback, and then be more creative or seemingly insightful about the changes. That's my more than 2 cents!

Coues n sheep - your buck has amazing mass and is very unique. Congratulations on a real trophy.

Wow, great post and pics! Amazing bucks, thanks for sharing.

Looks like a park deer to me too, if not shoot now and ask the taxidermist how big he is after you hold that rack in your hands!

It's hard to judge from those pics, but I'd guess he's near 95 inches gross.

Absolutely huge!!! Thanks for the pics.

Yep, I think you need to take another look if your schedule permits! Sometimes we're so focused on an area we think the animal should be, that we overlook it. Also, if he did bleed well, he might be clotting and the trail may be more difficult to follow. I shot a buck a few years back, followed the blood trail and it too seemed to vanish. After nearly 100 yards of almost nothing, I picked it back up and shortly found the buck within 250 yards.

Now this is the kind of post that will keep me excited all spring long until the archery season opens in fall. Great photos, thanks a ton for sharing, and keep at it. The good part is if you can't get him in Jan, he should be bigger in August!

Very nice bucks, congratulations and thanks for sharing the pics and info.

Sounds like an incredible day of hunting, great memories! Nice pics and respectable bucks, thanks for sharing. Wish I was there for the 3rd! Tell your dad to think positive, now he has the whole year to scout for the big one come next year.

I'm with the other posts, there is a distinct sound you should hear if you hit the animal correctly (?thwack? or ?Poof?- pop of lungs), and the sound is different if you hit the animal poorly or bone as stated. However, you should be able to see the arrow hit the animal. I only use brightly colored fletchings and nocks. Using both will help you watch the arrow flight and find the arrow easier. I can always watch my arrow hit the animal and my actual arrow speed is over 300 fps so no excuses that your bow is too fast. This won?t help now, but try to practice doing this when you target shoot, without flinching or closing your eyes of course. I?ve found this is not only more accurate for me but trying this may pay out in the future for you too. Secondly, spend more time looking for the arrow since this will answer your question. Carefully mark the spot you and the animal were standing in when you shot the arrow. I?d retrace the path repeatedly and beyond since the arrow is usually always nearby on a near straight line path. Spend the majority of your time walking this straight line and looking for sign of a buried arrow, under pine needles, in yucca cactus, etc. Only much later, then start to expand your search beyond and then side to side. I have watched the arrow exit the animal at a different angle (changed course during pass through), but this is not very common and in my experience it is not very significant. If he was hit well (pass through) he?ll leave blood everywhere, the arrow will usually be easy to find and we wouldn?t be having this discussion. You may have hit him bad or completely missed. Get on your hands and knees and track the deer?s steps after waiting for at least 20-30 minutes, looking for tiny drops of blood. Track the animal meticulously and look for blood not only on the ground but on small bushes about the height of the deer?s chest that the deer inevitably brushed up against while running off. The blood may not be dripping much and may be only on the hide if he?s not hit well, which he will rub onto brush as he runs through thick cover. If the animal took off bolting he may not leave much blood for the first 100 yards till he slows down, especially if hit poorly. My guess is if you really can?t find the arrow or blood, then (1) the animal is hit poorly and initially ran off with the arrow; (2) the arrow deflected off something, which you probably missed completely. (1) Requires much more work and time, and as stated I think you almost owe it to the animal to look harder. If (2) then look harder for the arrow as this is the only thing you can do. Don?t get me wrong it sounds like you have given a very good effort and you probably already do many of these simple things. Maybe get some new fresh eyes to help you next time if you can. Good luck!

Great last day buck! Congratulations and thanks for sharing.