AZbowhntr

We have pretty much started hunting the flats in the unit I hunt down south. We see bucks every time we are out. We are rifle hunting so we can find spots to glass from a distance and take longer shots. We watched the biggest buck I have ever seen here in Arizona cruising through the flats with a couple smaller bucks. They were using the washes to travel and any time that they popped out onto the flats they would run to the next clump of trees or the wash again. Never seen anything like it. And unfortunately we did not see the buck again. We used to also see a lot of great mule deer bucks when we quail hunted. They bed down in the washes and are unseen until we would basically walk right up onto them.

Congrats to you and your dad on a couple great bucks. Sounds like an awesome hunt.

Looks like a cat ear to me. And like someone else said it has a smooth coat.

I think a good spotter with quality optics are going to be one of the most important parts of this.

We have called in one lion in all of our calling. It came in at almost the 30 minute mark. We were trying to call in a bear that we knew was in the area. My buddy shot it at about 7 yards and it scared the crap out of him. Showed up out of nowhere. We had an electronic call and if I remember correctly we had changed call sounds a couple times.

I hope that the guys in this thread that are asking the questions are not the ones going down to Mexico this January. I have gone down a few times and always have had everything in order long before the hunt. The one year we may have hit 15 checkpoints on the way back home between all the different agencies down there. The rifle permits are the one that makes me the most nervous. Everything needs to match exactly as it is on your rifle. I have seen some of the officers down there really eying some of the rifles as they are checking the numbers.

If I was able to hunt whenever I wanted to early in the season I might pay attention to the moon phases. I have hunted down in Mexico 3 times in the past and tried to hunt the moon phase 2 of the 3 times. Both of those times we saw way fewer bucks than when we hunted the rut and didn't pay any attention to the moon. Needless to say I am going down this year and could care less about the moon. We are going the 3rd week of January hoping to catch the rut.

Look up Ernesto here on the site. He is the man and can take care of you. I have gone down 3 times through him and have shot a 109 and 105 inch bucks.

I can't believe he is still available. I grew up on a farm and we always had a couple. Best dogs there are.

I put an EGW rail and rings on my Tikka and really like it.

The best thing you can do is spend time out there. Depending on where you live and how far you want to travel will decide where you hunt. Everyone has their own method of hunting. Some guys can't sit still for very long so they will cover lots of ground where the guys that can sit all day will set up and glass everything. The units I have been hunting for years I can go out and see deer right off. It makes it hard to go out looking for new areas but sometimes you need to. One of the units I hunt used to have no one out there. Now it is overrun with hunters. But bottom line you have to get out there and figure it out for yourself. Good luck

I have seen two while deer hunting and they were both in 36b. Got a shot at one and the other was too far away.

Congrats on a great buck. If I remember correctly you just go in like you are going to purchase the stickers from the CWT store. But there is no charge and Amanda will mail it to you.

One of my buddy's son had a unit 1 tag. They saw 30 bulls opening morning with at least 20 of them 6X6s. He ended up shooting a nice 6X6. I think the snow definitely helped this year.

Congratulations Bob on a great buck. I have seen a few pictures of some studs shot so far this year. Seems like more and more people are not posting pictures anymore.

I have an angled spotter that I only pull out when I want a closer look. The only problem I have found with that is I have to make sure that I have land marks to reacquire what I am looking at. I wonder if the straight spotter might have made that easier.

Both great bucks. Awesome eye guards on his buck.

Sean, I bought the Sig 1200 and will be testing it out today. I will let you know what actual distances I get for a reference. I already have the Leica 1600b but wanted one for my golf bag that was still useful. So far I really like it plus it has a mode where you can set it to actual distance or horizontal distance.

Congrats on the bull. Oh how it is nice having horses to haul that meat out. I got my late archery bull because he bugled. Happens a lot if you can catch some cows that happen to go back into cycle.

I have had a couple late season rifle tags and treat them pretty much like I hunt coues deer. Set up and glass feeding areas at first light. The good thing about elk is they stick out like a sore thumb. I have seen elk at several miles away while glassing. Depending on where they head to bed we will either work in close or come up with a plan for the afternoon and catch them when they leave the bedding areas. I have shot both of my bulls in the evening and like Flatlander said you have to be carefull with spoilage. I lost some meat once because of it.

Any bull on those late archery hunts is a great bull. Looks like you did your homework too. Congratulations

Someone else mentioned Accuracy Speaks. I have had them do two for me and you will never even know that they didn't just come with them from the factory.

So what does everyone do to store their chainsaws when they don't use them for long periods of time? I got one for Christmas about 5 years ago and have used it maybe 3 times.

There are turkeys in 23 from the top of the unit to almost the bottom. Just pick an area and check out tanks for tracks.

Like oz31p said you will get about as many different opinions of the best boot as there are posts in this topic. However I just recently bought some Kenetrek uninsulated boots and cant be more happy. I have worn them on 2 hunts and have had zero problems. I bought them off Sierra Trading Post for about 1/2 price.