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Fun hunts this year, we did about 10 days in the field. My arrow found it’s mark yesterday at sunset after spotting a herd 2.2 miles out earlier in the day. Pops was able to harvest his 18th consecutive archery pig this morning. 43rd and 44th pigs killed in this father/son duo team.

Got lucky and drew one of the 22 trophy lion tags in my unit. A friend of mine had the dogs. Hunting in 3 ft of snow made it a real challenge but super fun. Big Tom weighed in at 157 lbs and was 8 ft 5 inches long. Super excited to take a cat like this.

Had a great trip to Mexico and killed some great bucks. I should have killed this buck. I found him bedded in the shade tending a doe and had my brother shoot his biggest buck. I'm happy for him I made a great stalk on a cool buck and literally missed him 2 times at 20 yards. My plan was if I didn't find a good buck than I wanted to shoot one with my bow. Last morning I actually found a buck that I wanted. After a little rodeo and him soaking up 3 bullets he was done. Killed a good Tom as bonus One of my favorite things about Mexico

Went out with some friends to help hunt javalinas and this guy shows himself at 2 hours before sundown. Put on the decoy and made a stalk around a mountain. Came around a corner and was face to face with the buck at 50 yards. I believe he never ran because I had the decoy on. Perfect hit on a beautiful 4x3 and he didn't go more than 80 yards. Another awesome hunt with my friends. #nobusiness

Yes, 3' up in a saguaro....

I was lucky enough to draw a Wyoming bull bison tag last spring. I’ve put in for WY, AZ, and UT for a decade or so and pulled a AZ tag a few years back and was unsuccessful after sitting in a blind for 158 hours. I was really hoping for another chance as I really couldn’t bring myself to shoot a fenced one on a ranch or reservation (I’m 1hr from the Ft peck rez which has bison hunts but they are fenced). The season runs aug 15-dec31 and then they reopen it from jan1-31 if they haven’t had any buffalo migrate down from the park. They shut the hunt down as soon as they start feeding the elk in Jackson Hole which has traditionally been mid jan. I decided to go as late as I thought was comfortable without getting shut out. Turned out it was still early. These hunts used to be easy, the buffalo would show up in nov or dec and they’d be near 100% success. The last 5 years or so the buffalo just don’t come down. The snow was deep when we got there, so much so we needed horses just to get through it at all. The buffalo unfortunately still hadn’t come down. There was a rumor of one bull on the elk refuge, there were about 15 more on the park about 5 miles off and the rest were all way way off in the park and likely won’t be here before they close the season. Well my luck finally turned on wild bison. We picked up tracks in the river bottom first am and caught up to the lone old bull on horseback. I was able to get into about 125 yards. I tucked a 175 swift a frame into his heart with my 7mm STW, then another. He spun around and started heading out. Couldn’t believe it. I put the next two into his low shoulder to break him, which sort of worked. I had time to reload and put two more in the base of his skull before he finally tipped. All shots where lethal. Can’t believe how tough they are!!! We got him gutted and were able to get horses and a sled to him. They’ve got draft horses here to drag them out, I really didn’t think it was possible but they got him drug about a mile to the nearest retrieval road and loaded whole!!! He weighed 958# carcass weight! That puts him at about 1600-1700# on the hoof. Should make Boone and Crockett and we are gonna have a few years of great eating!! Super stoked to have finally ended this quest. We were able to get done early enough to get in a little skiing and are having him butchered and frozen right away so we can haul him home ready to go in the freezer (freezers!). Edit: Sorry about the sideway pics. They all looked the same on my phone.

My dad, cousin and I wrapped up the late coues hunt. My dad shot his buck with one shot at 500 yards. Mine was one shot at 430. We looked over a lot of bucks and had a blast while doing it. I am grateful to still be able to hunt with my dad. He follows me into some gnarly country. He was able to watch my shot hit home and I was able to do the same for him. Memories that will last a lifetime.

Though maybe you were selling some. My freezer could use some lamb.

My son used a 700 remmington 7mag with a break for his first coues deer at age 10. Still has and uses that rifle now that he is 21.

Only thing worse than a crazy cat lady is a crazy horse lady.

i went by there once and there was people looking at a herd, some old bag got out on the highway and started waving her hands to get me to slow down like i was gonna spook em driving by lmao.

I drive the Bush Highway often and it’s usually early in the day. I see people parked on the side of the road filming or taking pictures of these Horses. Sometimes they’re only 20’ away. You can tell they’re thrilled to be there. I laugh to myself almost every time because the wild animals I know won’t let you get 20’ away talking and making all kinds of movement and the passing vehicles spook the animals I consider wild. I try to figure out what can make a person so stupid as to consider these wild animals and the only thing I can come up with is that these people are city people and can’t think like we do. To them, they’re called wild horses on the tv, well damit, they’re wild.

people that consider going to the local dog park as being out in nature control what goes on in our forests and deserts. pathetic

Man, this topic went south fast! Love it! I am a horse owner and grew up in a ranching family and I HATE the feral horse plague. Cattle are regulated. When a cow escapes, the rancher loses money. Does it still happen? Yes. There are a lot of people that make money rounding up rogue cattle and selling them because the have monetary value. Horses are not native, plain and simple. AZBH88, do you shed a tear when you see people mowing down herds of FERAL hogs? If horses looked like hogs, nobody would blink an eye if they were shot

"4 Lions will and do eat feral horses. NM had a collared lion that pretty much lived on feral horses. " Where can we get a dozen of these collared lions? A couple three up in unit 3 to take care of the horses, unless AZBH88 doesnt think natural predation is humane, , and then the rest behind Lake Pleasant to eat the dang donkeys would be a good start.

Such a simple meal but looks so dang inviting. How was it? Eddie

You're honestly ridiculous. Horses were not in the Americas until the Spaniards brought them over. They are 100% feral and have no place on the landscape whether you like it or not.

All good. I glassed that shed up and had to go back for it as I was busy packing this guy out.

Good looking buck!

Dang, that's a good looking buck. Thanks for sharing the back story and pics.

Beautiful buck!

What a buck!

great job - well done