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Hunting is hard. I don’t particularly think that hunting is “fun.” Especially when it’s mid day and it’s 80 degrees out. It’s usually looking back on the hunt when I think wow, that was pretty cool actually. This hunt was no different. One minute it didn’t look like I’d get one, then the next minute it’s time to break out the havalon. Was with my dad. He’s 67, he can still hike good thankfully because I needed his help. With the moon and how warm it was this morning I wasn’t that hyped about the day. Got out there early, started slow a couple does and some carp. at about 7:45 or so the sun went behind a cloud and all of a sudden the deer started coming out of the bottoms and feeding on the hillsides. My dad said I think I saw a buck running down there. So I start looking and after a while I see a buck standing down in the low hills. Looked good enough for the last day we were hunting (Today). Ranged, 809 yards. I couldn’t get closer there wasn’t any other vantages to shoot from so I had to send it. Shot and hit but he didn’t go down he walked to 776. it’s thick bottom and I got lucky he stopped in a wide open window and I shot again and dropped him.

My son was able to harvest this pretty buck here in NM this this past weekend.

Just a proud post. Wife has killed 3 bucks in a row from 97”-99” she finally held out. Wife and I had a rough 4 days with wind and weather. Looking for 2 specific bucks I had found on my previous hunt that were substantially bigger. Found 12-15 bucks over the first 3 days with her turning down a high 90s” but turned him down on the 3rd day. With no luck we were about to call it quits on the last day when I glassed up this guy. Wife was okay with him so we made our move and she made a great shot at 169 yards. No long range needed with her stalking skills. She is a real trooper and loves her some Coues bucks. She finally broke her 100” goal.

Well it was an interesting year and stressful year. Rewind 3 weeks before hunt. People that know me know that I shoot long distance quite a bit even have my own course I shoot by my house. I started shooting suppressed last year and to be honest not sure if it contributed to my issues last year but we missed alot of animals, too close that i'm use to. For elk and deer. Before the suppressor we were 18 for 18 on deer on my 300 win mag from 400-800 yds. With suppressor we missed quite a few. It really messed my head up. Well i headed to the range just to check and make sure i have a perfect zero and first shot i blew my suppressor off my rifle 50 yards down the range. I was extremely happy my son and I were not harmed. See the suppressor in the pic. Well here we are short time before hunt and now i have to re-zero, re-chrono, Check long range on the mtn again. What a mess. Well I was able to get this close as possible for my hunt and hoped for the best. Day 1 on the hunt and its flat out cold. Its my 2 kids and by neighbor who is a Pilot at Luke. Good guy. We found some deer but no bucks today. Day 2 and my oldest boy finds a buck at 840 yds and its a go. We set up and 1 shot he hammers the buck and its down. My 2 boys head over to get the deer and my neighbor and I stay and keep glassing. Well I glass over to the ridge over and I see a giant Mtn lion, and its going right where the deer is junior just shot. I jump on my 300 and my neighbor ranges 500. I have severe buck fever and am shaking. I take a shot and just below. He continues to walk slow and is under a tree at 540. I take my time and BOOM he takes hit (i believe) and hunches and jumps and straight down the hill where my sons deer is. Long story short, never find the lion. Day 3. No bucks in the moring. Later in the evening Junior and neighbor go out on there own and make a nice 330 yd shot. Long night for them Now day 4 with 1 more tag to fill. My youngest son. During the day we come across this bear two times. Click on the Bear Video Link Bear Video.MOV Last light I glass the buck up at 740 yds. My son jumps on the 300 and our scope is 5-25 power. At 25 power you couldnt see at all so we had to move down to 15. I said Dylan can you make a good shot that a long shot at 15 power. He said Dad I'm good and steady. I said OK let her rip. 1 shot and the deer rolled down the mtn. Was a great trip with my boys again. Late night that day and we had Green chile and Fresh deer backstrap when back. f

So as I mentioned in another thread, we bought some llamas this year in hopes of making a small side business out of it. I'm a horseman by heart, but llamas have grown in appeal to me over the years. We've done some camp trips over the summer, I took them Mule deer hunting in Colorado, but we didn't use them much. Last month a friend and I went into the backcountry to try our hand at some Colorado Elk. We took 3 llamas, 2 of which were rookies. We went a few days early to scout. We found the elk the night before opener, but due to the terrain, we decided to pack up the llamas and move closer. On the second day of the hunt, my buddy was able to harvest his first Elk. We packed half the meat out to our spike camp. We went up the next morning and a bear ate a whole hind quarter that we failed to hang high enough in the meat tree. Overall, we spent 7 days in the backcountry and packed the llamas over 22 miles of the roughest country Id care to take stock. They did phenomenal. Definitely one for the books.

So it was a fantastic hunt. Never tagged out. Hunted 6 of 7 days.. saw some nasty storms I didn’t think would be that bad. Saw Muley doe at all locations. (About 50 for the hunt) Never saw a buck or a coues. (or Bear for that matter, apparently I was camping on the troubled bear release site for a few nights and that was a heck of a conversation with a passerby) A lot of alone time. Glorious nights and views. Even had a guy at one point get off his quad and say “you look just like your picture” and handed me my drivers license and credit card. (The nicest guy in the world) I walked alot deep into the Pine Wilderness, moved to Grapevine Mesa and then New River Mesa- and deer were in abundance once you left the roads, just nothing with horns. I think I need to upgrade to some Vortex Kaibabs- some deer at 400 yards were hard to glass. Great hunt. Wish I had more time.

hunt with an ugly gun. drink cheap beer.

Keep toxic relationships in your life.

Due to school and work my oldest son could only hunt today. We boogied out to Remington to where I shot my deer last year. Past a lot of vehicles and camps and heading out to our destination. I was thinking to myself that it was going to be tough hunt due to all the activity and being the 3rd hunt so far. We get set up and start glassing, about an hour into it I see movement near the top of a hill. I see a deer, small spike…but there is movement behind it and it’s the big one I saw 2 years ago with a palmation left side. I range them at 380 yds. Very doable!!! Jake stays on them while I get into position. While I’m dialing scope in for the shot Jake says it’s moving back over this ridge. I quickly find him and he disappeared. I asked Jake if he wanted to take the spike. He said, why not. As we were watching him feed he says “dad, there’s another deer in the bush next to him.” I glass that area and there’s another buck, I could see antlers and tell him to get on it. I range it at 375 yds and I dial my rifle in for that range and hand it over to him, I take his rifle and get ready for sloppy seconds. For about 15 minutes it is milling around eating behind some Ocotillos. I hear him taking some deep breaths trying to calm his nerves while I watch him. A few minutes go by and the buck turns broadside. I tell him ready when you are, a few seconds go by and “boom”, deer drops and tag punched. His biggest deer to date. We high five and look for other deer movement, he keeps telling me “ dad, I’m shaking too much to keep my binos still”, I know the feeling all to well I tell him. We pack up and head that direction. I leave him with the deer to clean while I look for the bigger one. No luck for me. He started to drag it, but kept getting hung up on the prickly pears and Ocotillos. I tell him it might be easier to drape it over your shoulders and carry out. Sure wish I was 19 again!!!! Mile and half hike out, carried out without any issues or complaints. Very proud of him. Dropped off at butcher for more burger and steaks and a real nice Euro mount.

From the regulations: "Legal Animal Definition Bull elk means an antlered elk. Antlered means having an antler fully erupted through the skin and capable of being shed. Antlerless means any elk, any age, without antlers." I don't think 'nubs' shed. Either way, I can't imagine a G&F officer would issue a citation for killing one with nubs. (Plus, the likelihood of running into a G&F officer to even get checked is VERY low, IMO....) Kill one with nubs and walk with a clear conscience! S.

My buddy got him yesterday evening

I have had it all- pop-up, camp over, travel trailer and now toy-hauler- each serve a different purpose- but i do miss the pop-up for short trips 3-4 nights- as long as you don't haul a bunch of crap they are great- when you add a outside stove, pop up shade tents, outside showers, etc they lose all room. Light, easy to turn around and can get into small spaces make them a huge plus- we lifted ours and took that thing into some crazy places. 2 people are great, 3 is a crowd and 4... forget about it. The little stove heats them up quick on cold mornings - All depends - everyone I know that enjoys camping on longer trips - eventually gets a travel trailer or toy-hauler. Be great to own both (for short trips)

I rested the gun on 2 back packs and the back of my wrist.

So the past year has been a real roller coaster. Last year my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and it has been super tough on my daughter and family in general. We struck out on all youth tags, but picked up a 3rd choice general hunt coues tag. I wasn't sure my daughter was ready or could handle the challenge. Long story short, I'd like to thank Kev for his help. He found this buck for us opening morning, in a location my daughter would be capable to make a decent shot, and we were able to make it happen. Seeing my daughter being herself again made this one of the most memorable hunts I'll have.

The love grass is so thick in most areas I’ve been that it’s chokes out a lot of the other little bastards like the one that produces those little needle like seeds that get into everything.

People can also use this email address to inquire about volunteering as a hunter safety instructor: azhuntereducation@azgfd.gov More volunteers = more classes.

I absolutely am for mandatory reporting. I'm mainly a bowhunter. bowhunter harvest limits are supposed to be 20% of the total. Without mandatory reporting for all, what are the totals? They're just making a guess! I'm sure us bowhunters are probably getting the weiner!

At 200-400 you should be able to see if it's a spike through your binos. Just look close you will be fine.

Good buck man! I like the extra point. 800 yards is a heck of a shot

Enjoyed the video, thanks for sharing. You guys do a good job of keeping the kiddos entertained and a great job of setting them up for success when shooting time comes. Your niece absolutely drilled her buck. Congratulations again, it's awesome that you took so much footage as they'll always be able to come back and see your video over and over again. Thanks for helping three young hunters through the ranks.

Yes, 7mm Magnet.

Thank you! The shot was 515yds

People always mention our 20 year drought. Yes this has been part of the problem but a much bigger part of the problem that most people forget is the trapping ban that went in 30 years ago. This has had a HUGE impact on our wildlife. Never forget.

Was a tough hunt for us. We saw a total of one buck the entire hunt. I started this hunt with a target buck in mind that I got on cam last year, but not knowing if he was still alive this year, I wasn't overly optimistic about finding him. I didn't end up finding my target buck, but after hunting the entire hunt and not seeing a single buck I was definitely stoked to see this guy at first light this morning. My dad and I started out early and got onto a small hilltop in the dark. Right about first light spotted this guy. After the shot he ran and disappeared in some trees. Waited about a half hour to see if he might try to slip out and he never did. Feeling confident in my shot decided to go check things out. Getting close to the area he disappeared, he stands up , seeing only head and neck an off hand shot put him down.

My buddy took this pic while she and I were getting in closer to him. Can’t believe she almost didn’t kill him because she didn’t want her season to end at 8 on opening day!