Leaderboard

Just recently returned last week from 20 days in the desert. I left shortly after Christmas to try to fill my 2020 tag and then stay to hunt my 2021 tags. I usually hunt a little later in January to coincide with the rut, but I wanted to give 2020 one last hurrah as well. I was fortunate enough to fill my 2020 tag with 1 day to spare, and with the longbow to boot.(Decent older buck, I wasn't picky) I had no intention of using it to fill that tag but it just happened to be convenient at the time. (Crazy story in itself). With the Monkey off my back I decided I would shop for a really good buck during the rest of my hunt and also fill my javelina tags. I had a couple decent opportunities at some really great bucks under 50 yards that just didn't materialize, no shots fired. On the last day I decided I would shoot the first deer I could find a long as it had 6 points, and well I shot the first deer that I saw with 6 points. Not a trophy buck but I do love coues steaks.... Great times, got to hunt 9 different units, killed an animal in 4 different units, got to hang with my brother and a good friend in the woods for a few days also.... A couple cool buffleheads...

My dad picked this up in the late 60's for $75 at a garage sale I've considered selling a few times but not so much these days.

What an adventure. I think most of us hunt to get closer to nature, but I don't ever want to get that close again! And I'm not just talking about the game I was hunting. This could be long so I'll write it in stages as I get time. First let's start with my inexperience camping in the desert. In the past I've slept in the back of an SUV so in anticipation of driving out this time I bought a new tent and tested it out in elk country last Sept. It's an Oztent which claims a 30 second setup (it's more like 5 mins with the awning and guy lines). It's really nice, I also have panels to enclose the entire awning but didn't need it out here with just 1 person. Since it has a tall bathtub floor I got lazy and didn't bother to zip up the bottom of the door. Besides snakes and other creepys are not out now so what's the worry? Around 2 am the first night I wake to hear something inside my tent, of course my reaction is the yell Hey! and in the moonlight I see a kangaroo rat jump out the gap in the bottom of the door. I tell you what, from a nearly ground level position they look pretty formidable! But it was some time before I could sleep in peace as the next night one was banging on the side I think trying to get in again. More yelling and tapping on the side of the tent finally convinced it to go away. OK, rule #1 in the desert zip up the tent fully at night.

Once you sell it. Swing by my place for a good nut punch

For years I put myself, father in law, and daughter all in for deer, separately. Basically it was 3 chances for her to get a tag. Ive transferred a couple of my tags to her, and my father in law has done the same. Out of 6 years there was only 1 year we didnt get to hunt. Its a great opportunity for the kids.

We received a gracious invite from our buddy in Texas to bring Max out for a 4 day youth hunt on his lease. Needless to say Max put the 6.5 PRC and crossbow to work. Freezer is full and memories made to last a lifetime.

Lol Nearly sold it a few years ago, can't now. So if you need to nut punch someone, punch yourself. Sorry op, just saying these are around. Saw one in a pawnshop downtown but it was a .45

Haha! I just watched the video....are you sure that buck wasn't killed 3 days before and they finally found it? That thing is STIFF!!! Holding it's own head up, they have to muscle it around to turn the head.....

A parent or guardian has to be there, not necessarily the transferring parent. I have done this.

Mixed opinions on this subject and subsequent story. Anyone can fling an arrow (or bullet) and make a poor shot, then want to claim a big buck is "theirs", even though they can't find it again. It is fair game for another hunter. But, if I saw it happen, and watched where it went, I would be the guy that tried to get the hunter's attention and "walk the hunter in" and helped get another attempt at the buck. Not keep the location to myself of asked and then go after the buck when the hunter gave up. But...if I had been actively hunting the buck for days or weeks myself, and saw the event, but the buck was not mortally injured and escaped, it might be a different story. You had your chance, but blew it. My turn now. I have had my share of people trying to obviously beat me to an animal, or take a VERY unrealistic shot in an attempt to either get the animal before I could, or scare it away so I would not get an opportunity at it. Believe me, in those cases, if they made a poor shot and could not locate the animal, and I could, I would be a lot less inclined to help them find it and just wait them out. Call me an asshole if you want, but there are two sides to every story like this. Of course the first hunter wanted to find the buck he hit poorly and could not recover, but got irritated when someone would not help him locate an animal he was incapable of doing so himself. Of course the guide wanted his paying client to get a crack at the buck, even if it was previously poorly hit.

Do you think its ever going to be back to normal? If not, does anyone want in on this "deal"?

Poor deer.

My favorite aunt passed away recently and I helping my uncle re-home some items. Instead of dropping this at goodwill, I would like this wheelchair to go to someone who can truly use it. It’s in like new condition and collapses down for quick and easy storage. I’m located in far north Peoria.

How about... killed.

My coworker said he's out. Thanks.

Premium Hunts or Hunt Hard. Both local outfitters that know the unit better than anyone

I’m non res with 17. That might not do it but it has to be close.

Mine are also still in place & available.....

Killing a buck wounded by another hunter is a non issue in my opinion. if the guides knew where a wounded buck was and intentionally didn’t help them in hopes of getting their client on it, that’s about as shady and unethical as it gets.

That sucks about your buddy wounding such a good buck. I think you did a good job describing the event without going into complete outfitter trashing. What you describe happens with lots of outfitters and it has become somewhat expected. Clearly a terrible shot that led to a deer suffering for a few days. Sucks, but it happens. I would most likely help a guy out find the buck the first day, but after that, that buck just needs to be killed to end the suffering. I'd make no attempt to locate the original wounder after day 1. I have no doubts that the guide made 0 effort to help, even on day 1. Its an expected result of the pressure guides have on themselves. It has become, Produce big animals for their clients or fade off into the background and lose potential future customers.

Thanks!

Just finished Elk and Antelope Apps for myself and my father. Everything worked well and our license numbers automatically populated. Good luck with the draw.

Behind every monster buck is a story that no one will ever hear, big deer make people do stupid things. I don't know Duwane or his guides well enough so this isn't me just randomly talking trash, but based on my observations in the field personally, I lost a lot of respect for there outfit. We hunted this buck from opening morning and hunted him several times, including several other hunters. This buck was hit back by a friend of mine named Rod on the Saturday before Duwanes client killed it (they killed him on a Tuesday), his guides were up on a hill at the time of the shoot and watched the entire thing as we tracked the deer and attempted to place another arrow into the buck, he was hit bad in the back legs, the buck worked into some thick brush where we lost him and the blood trail ran dry after about 1/2 mile of tracking. We randomly ran into two other hunters that we did not know, that also saw the buck hit and told us where they last saw the buck and even offered to help, we exchanged numbers, and we talked about the other guys watching from a distance(which where duwanes guides). Those two hunters later ran into Duwanes guide (the guy with the beard), and when they asked him if they saw where the buck went, he at first tried to play if off as if they didn't see that the but was hit bad (even though the bucks legs were soaked with blood) and then replied "look for our Jeep in the morning, and you'll know where the buck is at." So I understand that they had no obligation to help us find the wounded buck, but come on...... the bucks hit, wouldn't you help someone finish it off, I will be the first to admit it wasn't the best hit, so Rod is the only person to blame for not making a better shot, but we where trying to finish the deer off, what happened to Sportsmanship and help others (I guess it doesn't apply when your guiding). In any case, during the many days leading up to this buck being killed, almost everyday we kept seeing the same exact truck driving constantly up and down dirt roads, back and forth and just constantly driving, me and my hunting partner being up on the highest peaks glassing constantly kept seeing this truck alway driving slowly and usually taking the same roads, its stood out to us both because of how often we kept seeing the truck and in how the truck kept making loops almost every morning we saw it..... well guess who's truck that was.... you guess it, Duwane and his client. So heres how nice these hunts are for these clients, they come down from out of state, pay $4-5K, drive around all morning in a warm truck, and wait until the numerous guides glassing for them scattered throughout the area find them a buck, and then they get called and just show up for the stalk, talk about how hard these poor hunters are having to hunt. That my friends is the state of outfitters and hunting today. All this is first hand and in person information. Remember the 150" hybrid that was killed last year by the Raffle tag holder that was guided by Duwane, well someone got very screwed on that deal, thats a whole other story that not mine to tell, just remember ya'll big deer cause people to become irrational and fight stupid things like water holes, and put 40 cameras on one tank.... which brings us to why the AZGFD wants a trail camera ban. Rant over. Awesome buck regardless on a drought year.

Couple of beanies I got from the AZ Deer Association. Free for a kid. $1000 for an adult. Come get them, bring your kid who will be wearing it. North central Phx area, by Sportsman's Warehouse area.

Ok, gotta here the story????