Pistolpete

Hope everyone finds what they are looking for and that shots hit the mark! Waiting for my brother to get off of work then heading out towards the big sandy to try our luck. Didn't scout that area but haven't turned up much good sign at likely spots so taking a shot in the dark in hopes of getting my brother his first "big" game animal and something to put on the table this year. Here's a little motivation, my one and only, but it's cheating since I was on a ranch in South Texas where they are considered pests. Good luck everyone!!!

Hopefully my third year is the charm too!

Got skunked all weekend, was headed down in a wash and ran into a guy coming up with a pig in the back of the truck. Tried to find the rest but no luck then a small herd run in front of my truck at work today. Too bad I was in another unit

Glassed the big sandy all day, found some decent sign finally but couldn't turn any up. Trying another spot tomorrow

Nice one! With a smokepole too! What unit?

Figure I ought to introduce myself before posting. I'm 27 years old, been hunting for about the last 7. Only serious Hunter in my family and group of friends, guess some are born with it. Got a degree in Parks and Rec from NAU and I've worked as a Wrangler/trail guide, assistant park Ranger, wildlife tech on a high dollar South Texas deer ranch, pink jeep guide in sedona, zip line guide in the redwoods, Backcountry packer in the idaho sawtooths and now am working on a contract with the BLM in Kingman. I like to hunt just about everything, small and big game. I mainly shoot rifles, shotguns and my bow in that order. Had an exciting archery season but couldn't seal the deal. Looking forward to getting out there more this year, learning some new country, meeting some good people and seeing lots of game. Cheers

Sounds like we had similar experiences... I didn't hunt January except for a couple days out for quail but my December season was something else. First time going after muleys with a bow, new to this area since I moved in October. Splurged for some 15xs and a tripod, was able to glass up 10 deer feeding on a hill a little over a mile from my back porch a week before season. Started seeing bucks chasing leading up to opening day. Spotted the mature buck I was after on day 1 and within a minute he bedded down with a doe, got within 80 yards but couldn't spot him before he and his doe spotted me and he walked out of the wash up the hill and hung out for about an hour before disappearing. Chased after another small group of deer that evening, got inside of 50 on a one horned spike but didn't take him. Next day was waiting to ambush some deer in a wash that were coming down canyon, low and behold the mature buck is coming up canyon at about 75 I couldn't help but look around the bush and he spotted me but didn't scent me we played peek a boo for 10 minutes before he circled around and went up the hill behind me, stopping to smell the scrape I peed in on the way down and taking his time cresting over the ridge.story of my season, bucks just walking away from me haha After striking out stalking canyons I set up on a mud puddle with tracks. Sure enough, had 3 deer within 15 yards at 8 am but the forky never came out of the brush. No blind, just me In a chair staring at two does 30 feet away for 5 minutes, coolest encounter I've had. Hunted 18b for a few days over Christmas with my boss and saw lots of deer but never got an arrow off. Came back to Kingman and set up over that mud puddle (it's actually a spring, one that someone loves to drive through on their utv) with a ground blind and had 3 does come in again with no idea I was there but no bucks. Had a great time, saw a lot of deer, only one day without any, got a few stalks in, learned some important lessons, made new friends and have good spots to look forward to next year. Now time to get me a couple pigs with the bang sticks! VID_20181229_103938616.mp4

In the immortal words of Forrest Gump "We are of no relations sir"

Unfortunately I'm stuck at work till Friday, but luckily I can do a little bit of scouting at work, just not ideal locations. I've looked off Blake ranch Rd and around the McCracken's but haven't found any good sign yet. Taking a shot in the dark near the big sandy and hoping for the best this weekend

What calibers are y'all using for the HAM hunts? Planning on bringing my .357 but figure my 9 would offer some challenging fun too

I live in Kingman now, grew up in the valley and spent time up north too. I hunted the south cerbats and 18B for deer this year

Got after some quail this year but have them a break after seeing how low the numbers are. Good thing it's been raining

We managed for trophy whitetails but sold hunts for quail, Javi, pigs, doves, predators (LOTS of bobcats) and turkeys. Name of the ranch is Herradura if you're interested, owned by a famous MLB pitcher with lots of rich and famous friends. George strait, Willie Robertson Jason Aldean Luke Bryan and the rest of the buck commanders all came to hunt while I was there

Thanks!

Been wondering about this topic myself, haven't seen much sign scouting but lots of cattle in the area. Was wondering if the cows would push them out of an area but doesn't sound like it

AZGFD should work on closing some loopholes, a reporting system would be easy, other states do it with success. Minimal effort from hunters, I've done it online and by phone back east

Nice pig! Good recap too. Going out with my brother for our firsts this weekend

Looks pretty big to me, id hit that

I know this is an older thread but I got a 16a ham tag and am taking my brother after his first big game animal, haven't turned anything up on several scouting trips. Were you able to get on some pigs?