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Got drawn for the 1st general WT hunt in 33, had two locations I was tossing back and forth that hold deer. Well I went to the Redington location and it paid off. Started glassing at 0600 and by 7:15 had 3 bucks at 792 yds. Closed the distance to 438 yds and tag filled. Kind of sad that it’s over so quickly, but looking forward to WGP’s chorizo and snack sticks!!!!

I’ll start off by saying I don’t know if this is the proper “category” for my post, but I feel that it is as good as any. This is more of my journey as an archer than anything else. I am beyond blessed that I was born into a family that owns a large piece of land in Texas, in good deer country. I grew up hunting the place with my father, grandfather and cousins and have had many “firsts” there in the world of hunting. I started bow hunting when I was 12, exclusively here in Arizona and exclusively for deer. It was more of a way to spend more time afield with my father, I was never a very good archer as a child/young adult and the limited opportunities I had always failed to pan out due to lack of practice and nerves. I stopped bow hunting around the age of 15 and didn’t pick a bow up again for almost 10 years. When I did, all my childhood experiences and failures quickly caught up to me and I gave up within the year. Fast forward to mid 2020. Amidst a major career change and the pandemic, I knew that I needed a “new” hobby to occupy my time. My parents recognized this and my father who is an accomplished bow hunter generously offered birthday money in the amount to afford a modern economy type bow to get me back into archery. I ended up with a bare PSE BowMadness unleashed. I researched endlessly, watched videos, talked to pro shop employees, and came up with a solid setup. I practiced for a couple months and shot literally thousands of arrows and began to feel confident as an archer for the first time in my life. In early October 2020, I made the drive down to the ranch in Texas. Their archery season opens the first Saturday in October and I thought it would be a great opportunity in a target rich environment. I figured it would be easier to kill a deer there than in the desert, and even thought I may kill multiple deer during my week long hunt. I got a reality check. I missed 2 great bucks, and 3 does. Branches, string jumps, and nerves were to blame. I made an incredibly poor shot on a feral hog that was somehow lethal, and the glory of my first archery success was shadowed by failure just like all the years before. This time I didn’t give up. I took what I learned and started from scratch to build a “correct” arrow, properly tune my bow, and practiced consistently. I hunted all of the OTC season without a single shot opportunity. In March of this year, I drew an archery cow elk tag. I continued to practice and revised my setup as necessary in preparation for my upcoming elk hunt. In April of this year, my father and I traveled to the ranch in Texas to hunt turkeys and pigs and do some ranch work for the 2021 deer season. On that trip, I killed another feral hog with my bow - but this shot was far, difficult, and the arrow flew exactly as I had intended it to. I watched the hog expire a mere 32 yards from the point of impact. That was my first moment of pride as an archer. In September, I found myself in the elk woods on opening morning of my hunt. I had some good intel on the area and the elk showed up right on schedule. At 7:30 a large cow made her way in front of me at 35 yards and as I drew, she spooked. Simultaneously, I heard elk behind me. Knowing that the cow in front of me was gone, I turned 180 degrees to find 15 or so elk. I was already drawn, so I picked the biggest cow, estimated the range and let the arrow fly. I watched it sail 3” over her back. Discouraged yet again. I returned to the same location on day 2 of my hunt, and at 7:01am I watched as a bull pushed 2 cows directly to me. The bigger cow stopped at 22 yards and my arrow found its mark. After a 315 yard tracking job I had my first “game animal” with a bow. I still wanted that “first buck” with a bow. October 1st, I set out for the ranch in Texas. Opening morning found me in a new setup I had constructed solely for archery hunting. To say that things didn’t work out is an understatement. No shots fired, but plenty of frustration. The whole first day was spent working out the kinks. The second morning was foggy, and 30 minutes after sunrise I was looking at the largest buck I have personally seen on the ranch to date - a mere 120 yards away. He never came closer. The evening of day 2 and all of Day 3 were days of more frustration. No opportunities, poor weather etc. The morning of October 5th found me in the same blind where I had the encounter with the big buck on day 2. Before it was light enough to see, I could make out a deer about 70 yards in front of the blind. As the sun came up I realized that this deer was a good mature buck. I told myself if he came into range and offered me a shot I would take him. 10 minutes later he was 23 yards in front of me, oblivious to my presence. I drew, anchored, and let the arrow fly. The buck ducked at the sound of my bow, but not before my arrow reached him. Much to my surprise, the buck immediately hit the ground. I’ve watched enough hunting shows and videos to know that when deer drop from a bow shot, they have been hit in the spine and that is almost always a non lethal hit. I quickly got out of the blind, approached the buck and put another arrow in him. He expired quickly, and I watched it all from 10 feet away. The moments that followed were special in a way I will never be able to accurately describe. The light fog, the cool morning air, the sun rising behind me as I laid hands on my first buck with a bow. 16 years after I first tried my hand at being a bow hunter. All the failures, ducked arrows, twigs, straight up misses, all brought me to those moments and I wouldn’t trade that journey for anything. The buck is a mature 10 point that scores right at 120”. By no means a giant, almost enough to get into the Pope and young book. He will soon reside on the wall next to my first ever deer, which was taken less than 1/4 mile from him on the same property nearly 20 years earlier. If you’ve made it this far thanks for sticking with the long read. I hope that this post inspires those struggling to be successful as a hunter, and reminds others of the struggles it took to get where they are today. Good luck out there!

Alright so I got lucky and drew unit 10 early archery with 7 points and have never hunted this unit ever for anything! I had no idea where to start. After purchasing a unit map I realized just how large this unit is, at the same time I realized half of the unit is privately owned “ 700,000 acres just in the Boquilla’s, which after the fees you can gain access to. After many hours staring at maps and going back and forth we opted to start out in the Big Bo not knowing what to expect. First day Wednesday-went to seligman access point and drove about 8 to 10 miles back picked a campsite.Thursday Scouting- Not a single elk to be seen , no cows, no bulls, no nothing not even other hunters! Thursday night- packed our shoot and decided to move to new area lol! Midnight Thursday- set up camp and three out some cow calls for the heck of it , and we get an instant response! We call a bull literally into camp! Which was exciting to say the least. Friday opening day- Shafer access point- get out to sign in and threw out another cow call and a bull screams out 100 yds from the gate! We decide to go after him. He was a nice 6x6 we decide was a shooter! He screamed at every cow call but never committed just eventually headed away. As we walked back to the truck we called once more and to our surprise another bull 300 yds away answered. After 45 min of chasing this bull he also wouldn’t fully commit. So we went to him and got within 80 yds and then cow called , that got his attention and He came right in 60 yds and stood there! 6x6 , I drew back and wanted this bull, when I did my more experienced hunting buddy said he’s not the one, don’t shoot! So I filmed him instead with my phone! So to speed this up 6 more days go by with bad positions, other hunters messing things up , and I start to regret passing on day 1. Day 7- we find 10 to 15 bulls bugling during the middle of the day back and forth but not moving So we decide to stay out and see how things okay out . Just before sunset 2 bulls start just bugling non stop at each other , one is on our side of the ridge and the other is on the east side of another ridge, when all of a sudden the one in the east side comes running across without stopping with 8 cows ahead of him and he is a Beast, huge 6x7 runs straight at the other bull and they’re in a full on fight! At that moment I ran as fast as I could to close the distance before sun went down as I was 5 minutes to late. Next morning- we get to same spot early before sunrise and wait like most hunters would do right? Well as there was just enough light to see across the flats , we see a bunch of cows and all of a sudden he steps out and it’s the same big 6x7 from night before And he’s cows are leading him right to us. As we wait we see a white Dodge Ram road hunting and stop right in between us and the elk . Completely screwed our hunt. We watch as they try to make a move on them and end up pushing them away. 2 hours later after chasing other bulls at that point, we’re back at our truck and decide we’re gonna make a move on those bulls where I think they’re bedded. I cow call and sure enough he’s 100 yds away where they had pushed them. We get within 50 yds in thick juniper and I here a guys voice trying to get us off these bulls! Well I keep calling anyway and the satellite bull walks 25 yds behind some bushes and can’t get a shot off . We end up pushing all the elk from this heard across the canyon where I watch them bed . The other 2 hunters never saw this happen and they think the the bulls are still on this side haha. Evening hunt now- we get set up 1 pm same spot - we see these assholes 4 hours later park 5 ft from out truck , same white Dodge Ram with firefighter stickers in the back and walk up the same area where they chased them in the morning. All of a sudden 2 bulls start going at it again and they’re heading for a fight right now! We rush to get in position and see the bull with all the cows and it’s him !!! The heard bull from earlier . He’s 80 yds and closing fast , we opt to stay quite and let them go at it. 40 yds his cows stop and I start to draw back and my release malfunctions and my arrow flys 10 ft , wtf, and spoons the cows. My heart pounding because the bull is seconds from stepping out where they were . All of a sudden there he is oblivious to me just screaming at this other bull and I draw back aim at his lower shoulder area and release! So much adrenaline running through me I didn’t know if , or where I hit.. we look for blood and we have specks only and I’m dying !! Suns going down and we have hardly any blood. We track for 40 yds when we find him standing against a tree. I went to put another arrow in him but I’m shaking so bad I can’t draw my bow back! Adrenaline is dumping and I have the shakes LOL. The shot ended up double lung and all the blood was inside the cavity. Had a great time with friends and family , frustrating at times but that’s what makes the memories!

Ethan pulled it off. 4pm last day of the hunt and a cow walks up on us at a new area we had good vibes about. Wanna find elk? Take a walk.. This is his last youth hunt. He’s growing up! The interaction we had with the herd was magical and it turned out that baby hoochie got em’ talking after all! Even the bull wanted to play. never had so much fun with a call.

Maybe a warning shot is warranted ?

My family had some tags this spring and I made a video of our javelina hunts. Check out and let me know what you think!

Went on our first scouting trip and wanted to post a few pics. I hope to add to it through the hunt.

So guys, gals, how does it feel to be 34?

happy birthday CW and BO

This is is basically the exact same thing as men going in the women’s restrooms. 38 genders, etc.

Way to stick with it buckwheat... that's a good buck and cool chocolate antlers.

Captivating writing up and better ending. Thanks for sharing. Beautiful antler color and love how those beams curl back in. Headed to So TX mid-Dec and would be tickled pink to duplicate your success.

The color on those antlers is unreal! Beautiful buck.

Nice buck. Congrat's.

I welded up some jacks out of 2” fence staples for just the occasion. Tires eat em up!😂

ya, thought of this. I think they are overloaded with much bigger issues. oh well.

We are headed back to sheep country in the morning so should have some more pics to post.

I’ll take the Reloder 19. Thanks

I recently got a box of the 215m. If you’re ever going through Safford look me up.

I don't see any brand name marked on the scope so it's probably a Swarovski.......or maybe a Bushnell.

I found one of those fishy sites about a week ago. What is one of the hardest cases or factory ammo to find right now? Spoiler alert the 280 AI, they had the 160 gr. AB load and lots of it for 32.00 a box I didnt even bother thats a big red flag.

i will not support an obvious rifle being used on a so called handgun hunt.

Worth it? It depends on what you’re looking for. We used to get off work at 2am Thursday, drive up, shoot birds, eat lunch at the lodge, sleep and drive home. Later when my kids grew up we would make a weekend trip out of it. Both kids have had great big game tags since then but always remember the Kaibab turkey trips. There’s nothing like early October in the Kaibab. Priceless. If worth is measured in money then definitely not worth it. You will spend 300 on gas, 100 in food for a 7 pound hen or 12 pound Tom.