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Surprised that there hasn't been any 'trophy' pics posted from the past weekend's early hunts. My crew did our usual hunt and ended up killing a couple. Had a couple of old friends come in from out of state to join my son and I & some local friends. Buddy from Utah killed a 2x3 and my son killed a nice 3x3 with good eye guards. Was a great time! Anyone else have some luck on the early hunts? S.

My wife’s opening day buck

Hello folks, Call it dumb luck, but I have the opportunity to take 4 Coues deer this year. Yes LEGALLY. I harvested this stud buck in Mexico in late January this year. That’s Coues buck #1 for 2022 I was also fortunate enough to draw a unit B San Carlos coozy tag for the last week of December. That’s potential Couesy buck #2 Coozy buck tag #3 comes from an any antlered tag in New Mexico’s unit 16 Lastly, I just got word that we drew a coozy rifle tag in Arizona’s unit 33. That’s coozy tag #4 Here is where it gets fun. According to SCI and Boones and Crockett, no one person has taken more than 3 coozys in one year, most of those coming from Mexico. I’m going for something that’s never been done apparently. My question. What would be a respectable buck in each of the 3 remaining hunts? The Mexico buck scores just shy of 118 Thanks Donkeyman

Found

Get out and scout as much as possible, look for sign around water. Once you have found an area that is holding a decent population of birds try and locate their roost trees. From my experience, a flock of birds will usually have 2-3 possibly more trees they like to roost in. I usually tend to find them about 2/3 of the way up on a ridge but can be just about anywhere. I am usually out in the field 1-2 hours before sunrise trying to find a Tom in the roost and getting him to shock gobble. I like to use a owl or coyote call but have also had them gobble just from the sound of a car door. If they do not shock gobble after initial calling I will use my gobble call, that has worked many times to get them to gobble back. If you get a response from the tom more times than not he will continue to gobble off and on until he flies down from the roost. That will help you close the distance and get set up. Best advice I would have is to get in close but not to close, be patient and do not call to much. It can take time for a gobbler to commit and he may come in quiet so give it sometime. Practice, Practice and Practice some more on your calling, last thing you want to do is mess up a call and blow your shot at filling a tag. Like stated above, make sure you take your gun out and pattern it so you know your effective range. Good luck, our group did not draw this year, bummed!

I struggled. Not much deer movement at all, especially friday through sunday. Missed a big buck on monday, my buddy and i doubled up on a couple decent bucks this morning. All in all, it was a very tough year for me.

Got 21 mule in a few days. Leaving Thursday with a new approach. Taking the ranger as far east as I can drive from Dugas, taking the pack loaded up and waking out. I need to get away from the roads this trip- found some really good areas I’m hoping will be good for me this time. it’s pretty interesting trying to pack for this- usually I have a base camp with everything I need. Now I find myself going over the gear - do I really wanna carry this for a few days? Usually the answer is no… not so much. Going lite and fast. We’ll see how it turns out.

It is difficult to say "no" to the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado. Seems that each year, Utah and the eastern Sierras make voices heard, but Colorado shouts louder. So again, I pointed the truck northeast from Flagstaff and spent the first week of October around Durango, Ouray and Telluride. The aspen colors seemed to be a week behind the usual time frame, perhaps due to the rainfall and warmer temperatures. Still, pockets of color could be found to oggle the eyes and point the lens at. Here is a link to the gallery of Colorado fall images for your perusal. https://www.plateaulightphotography.com/New-Work/Colorado-Fall-2022/

If anyone shoots a mature WT this year and doesn't want the cape, I will do a free euro mount of your buck for the cape. I offer this every year so please don't hesitate to call or text me if you ever have one. Only thing is, it has to be a mature buck, and in good condition. Good luck to all of you! www.hdskulls.com My phone number is on the website Brian Also here is a little video of a shoulder mount that was just finished with a cape I traded for last year IMG_4510.MOV

Here is the Coues deer I was able take with my statewide tag with the help of Kory and Bobby of A3 . There knowledge of the area and with the deer was truly amazing. Once we found this deer they spent hours breaking it down. It was decided that we would try and harvest this deer. We had to relocate to find him again and after 8 hours of waiting he finally reappeared just before dark . Now he was with another buck of similar size but was a typical 3x3 with amazing eye guards. To be able to have two 130 inch bucks standing next to each other I thought I was seeing things. Now I had to make a decision it was an easy one for me. I like em trashy . After we ranged him at 600 yards I let my Axis works 280 AI do the rest. It was now almost dark Kory and I hiked down to the deer When I put eyes on him I was speechless it was bigger than we had thought . I told Kory I was going to do a life size mount so he was very careful field dressing the deer. He then proceeded to load the deer into his pack whole it’s a pack that he has designed and just now starting to sale it was his smaller one about 3200 CI it was amazing all of the room it had not to mention it’s the best built pack I have ever seen I am getting one. His company name is Desert Mountain Outdoors Well after many miles of packing we got back to camp about midnight what an epic day. Still in shock of being able to take a deer like this thanks to A3 and there amazing guides Kory and Bobby.

SPECTACULAR!

We have spent 5 or 6 summer vacations up there and have always wanted to see that million dollar highway in the fall - just so hard to get up there in the fall with school, hunts and holidays. The year I retire (about 5 years longer every year since Biden) and hit the road, my first fall will be there! Thanks for sharing.

Man that’s a nice tall buck! Hope you are able to find him for your wife to shoot when her season comes up.

Be ready for a steep learning curve. Turkey can either be the easiest hunt or most difficult one - sometimes both on the same day. Good luck!

Deer there get hammered but you will see a lot of deer. they did drop the tag numbers this year to like 1300 total tags between jr and general hunts. The numbers were much higher before at like 2500 total tags or close to that i think. I spent a few days there during the summer this year and saw plenty of deer. Lots of does and a few bucks.you will see so many does you will start trying to put antlers on them lol. Unit is managed for success and opportunities. First hunt is always amazing in my eyes and then it gets harder after that. The fire didnt hurt much from what i see.And there was plenty of water thru these droughts years. The deer know were its at and mt lemon all the drainages leak water out of springs all over the place. The fawn crop was great and lots of grass for them to hide so i am betting next year will be even better. Lots of hunters during every hunt but most hunt from all the roads all over the place. Put in work and it will happen. I know you got the late december tag so not many hunters but there will be archery guys. Rut will be slim to none existing. That hunt to me is a waste of points. Would rather have first hunt. Just my two cents.

Two for two in 35a, my daughter and her husband.

Javelina and turkey

Javelina and turkey for me and the warden.

That is a great tag Christian!!!

Great story and pix. And the pix deserve to be correctly oriented since the story is so good. Eddie

Thats awesome! Craziest thing Ive seen in lower AZ I saw whole hill side with tall grass moving. I stood there kind of freaking out like some magical thing is happening. By the time the grass hill side moved to the bottom a whole family probably 80-100 of them came out. I just stood there in amazement !

Those dark horns against the light colored coat are amazing. Congrats

"The wilderness; I've never been lost, but I was mighty turned around for three days once." Daniel Boone

Way too many "stop liking what I don't like" types on here

I get what you’re saying, but the opposite is also true when you think about it . I agree not many 300 yard muzzleloaders/ shooters thatre capable at 300…. Problem is that I don’t believe that has any effect on how many people are WILLING to take that 300 yard shot that they shouldn’t . out of range is out of range, and the people willing to take that 300 yard muzzleloader shot are the same people willing to fling arrows at 100 yards or 1000 with their rifle. Few can pull those shots off effectively and ethically, a whole lot more THINK they can. I don’t buy the more wounded animal argument for those reasons, a good hunter knows his effective range for the weapon he’s using, and the conditions,and sticks to it