A team effort - Early December Hunt

[M@tt]

I have to start this post with a huge thank you and shout out to @CatfishKev. The man is such a gent and frikken amazing at glassing. It’s a privilege to be learning from you bud! I truly have learnt so much from our outings- here’s to many more! 

I managed to get some time off work to assist Kev for a weekend on his son, Caliche’s hunt and do some scouting for this hunt. 

This one was actually my friend’s first big game hunt in Arizona and he’d asked me for some help, of course I reached out to Kev as well 🙂

We arrived on Thursday evening, filled with hope which was actually well placed, as we found about 16 bucks during this trip. 

On Friday morning we glassed up 4 buck in a meadow. They weren’t big, but they were also a bit beyond a comfortable shooting range. Friday afternoon we visited a different spot where we glassed up some more smaller bucks and quite a few herds of does and fawns. We were also caught in a rainstorm that resulted in one of the most vivid double rainbows I can remember seeing.

Saturday morning had us in the same spot, this time with Kev’s  hunting pal Bucky the Boston Terrier in tow, where we found 2 beautiful big buck, who were feeding towards us. We made some plans to put our hunter in position but they picked up on something and turned back to where they came from. Feeling our cover blown we visited another area- no deer this time, but we found quite a few javelina and coyotes. Saturday afternoon had us in another spot- loads and loads of does and fawns but no bucks this time. 

Sunday morning was our last chance. We went to our most promising spot where Kev glassed up a beautiful buck before it was even light. A big Roman nose, big bodied and a good rack. We put a plan in place, but devastatingly bumped some does who ran straight to the buck who hightailed it with them. Feeling rather dejected, we returned to the glassing point to resume the search. 

We glassed up some sparring spikes very far away, and with the thinking of something is better than nothing again, hatched a plan to put our hunter in position. This time I stayed with Kevin and we guided him in. He managed to get extremely close (from where we were it seemed almost archery range) while they continued. While this excitement was going on- we spotted 4 additional buck, 2 of them certainly big bucks making their way straight to where our hunter was currently hidden. 

We excitedly told him to wait for them and our anxious wait started. They kept coming closer and closer and it seemed like they were about to step on him while we continued waiting to hear a shot. The hunter then excitedly told us he could see one. It was one of the smaller buck, and the bigger two were still approaching…

The smaller one however knew something was up, he backtracked around a bush to get a look from the other side and fortunately one of the big bucks stepped forward and into our hunters target and we finally heard a shot!

We waited a few minutes, watching for any movement before we packed our scopes to make our way down to find our happy hunter- with a beautiful, hugely bodied, mature buck. I’m almost convinced it was the buck Kevin had spotted first thing. 

What a beauty for a first time AZ hunter!

[muledeerarea33?]

Kevin is a gentle giant and an amazing hunter!! Good job to you all!!

[stanley]

Heck ya, Nick!  Kev is solid!!  He helped me a LOT in prepping for my bison hunt a few years ago!

A good guy helping a good guy!  Love it!! 
 

S.

[CatfishKev]

Nothin like it all coming together at the last minute! Bucky was tuckered out when we got home. 5 miles is a lot for a pup with little legs.  Did the buck get to the taxi yet?

[bigorange]

Nice job all around. Congrats and thanks for sharing. 

[no worries]

Way to stay focused and make it happen. 
Congrats to everyone involved.