shanehamblin

Me and my brother in law just pulled into town from 35A. It was his first coues hunt and I was just along to be a spotter. We got there monday night just as the storm hit and had to come home this morning at 11 since i've got to work tomorrow. Tuesday morning we were able to glass up a load of does and the element kicked our butts from about 10-dark but we hunted hard and were SOAKED!!! But we were having a blast in some of the most awesome coues country I have ever hunted. This morning we woke up to a fresh coat of snow and we were pumped. We got to our glassing spot and found loads of deer right away. As I kept glassing he decided to follow some fresh tracks that had left the canyon. I had just glassed up a spike when I heard him start the shooting. I gathered up all my stuff and made a mad dash to where he was shooting from and he informed me that he had hit the buck but didnt know how good. We picked up the tracks and got on blood but he wasnt bleeding to bad so luckily we had a coat of snow the follow his track to his bed and able to put the finishing touches on him. Im proud of my bro in law for sticking with it thru the tough weather. This was my first trip to 35A and I loved the country. We wouldve been lost without some info from some friends in the area. Will post pics soon as we just got home. I will be going back to 35A for sure

I'll buy you one if you buy me one.... I just bought a brand new spotting scope and my wife swears up and down that I am not giong to have anything to unwrap on christmas morning... This could solve that problem

I just hope somebody finally figured out how to make it look like a "lightning strike" hahha

Me and my brother once again drew New Mexico archery mule deer tags. With the monster bucks we hunted last year in the back of our minds we were very excited and began scouting as soon as we were able to get on the forest due to fire restrictions. Scouting trip after scouting trip wasnt turning up much and New Mexico is a no bait state so it was a lot more difficult to get big bucks on camera and we hadnt got a whole lot of pictures to get very excited over. Late in July I drove over to glass a little bit and to check our cameras and I picked up a shed off of one of the bucks that we hunted last year and this immediatly had us pumped and ready for Sept 1. A weekend camping trip and a few more day trips and opening day was just around the corner. We both had to work on Sept 1 but we had everything packed up and ready for the road trip that night. Our first morning our was kind of slow but we had a couple nice bucks and a few younger bucks passing by one camera in particular. So that afternoon I was high off the ground in a tree stand. Around 5 o'clock here came a nice 4 point, a 3 point and a couple forkies. Thinking that they would for sure come down the trail I was sitting I tried to be patient as they fed out in front of me for about 30 minutes at 65 yards. Well the 3 point and one of the forkies began to feed back into the thicket and the 4 point slowly began to follow. With light running out I drew my bow and took a 65 yards shot and watched my arrow fly inches in front of him. Knowing what this area holds I was able to laugh it off. When I got back to camp it was already past dark and Lee was there waiting for me with some awesome news. While I was in the stand he went to a different area to try and locate some more deer since we hadnt been able to turn up the big bucks from last year. He glassed up 3 nice bucks suprisingly 2 of them were Cactus bucks. He watched them for a long time before he talked himself into throwing a stock on the bigger of the 2. After a long teadious stalk he sent an arrow thru this buck at 55 yards and he is the most unique buck I have ever layed eyes on. Bases as big around as a coke can carries that mass all the way up. Its hard to get good pictures of him but he ended up being a 9x8. He feels real tough killing deer that dont even have NUTS haha just kidding bro that is a once in a lifetime buck there. Saturday brought a lot of weekend warrior hunters and they had deer scattered everywhere we were still able to glass them up but they were on the run before I was even able to begin a stalk so I thought the best thing to do was climb back in the stand and wait but nothing was wanting to move. Saturday my dad showed up to play camp cook and hang out and it was nice to have him there in camp as well. Sunday morning started off the same as saturday with glassing up deer and having them scattered by someone else so we headed out to do some glassing were my brother had killed his buck. As luck would have it Lee made an awesome spot on a big buck bedded down in some shade about 3/4 mile away. So I was off on my stalk while my dad and brother watched it all unfold. An hour later I was within 50 yards from a doe and a 3x4 and was unable to see the bigger buck. So as soon as I had an oppurtunity I drew my bow settled my pin and watched my arrow disappear in the 3x4. As soon as they ran it seemed like Lee was on top of the knob with me and I tell you this was a STEEP knob. I dont know how he got up there so quick but it took us a minute to find first blood but we only had to follow it for about 30 yards before we were able to see my buck at the bottom of the knob tangled up in a juniper snag. As we slid down the hill it was easy to see that my buck did cart wheels all the way down and unfortunently he snapped the 4th point on his left side and it was hanging on only by his velvet. He wasnt the bigger of the 2 bucks but I couldnt be happier with him. We had a heck of a time over there and tho we were unable to locate the big bucks from last year we were able to find some awesome bucks anyway. It was awesome to have my brother and my dad there with me when I killed my buck. They have taught me everything I know. Cant wait till next year!

Exactly how we do it bill. Kind of a spot and stalk crawdad fishing haha. Drag that bacon right in front of them. Game over. Probably the funnest thing to take the kids to do my 2 year old son loves fishin for those "crabs" haha

Lark is right about getting the poop chute out. Me and my 2 year old son just got back from the river and im getting ready to cook some up myself. If there is one thing I remember that my old man taught me is that that poop chute fin is the easiest way to do it.

I typically just lurk around the site and dont comment much but that was an awesome story. Kind of makes us all think about what hunting really means to us. Awesome write up I appreciate it. Something I find myself getting caught up in sometimes is forgetting what the hunt is all about. Congrats on a heck of a bull.

Awesome buck congrats.

They hunted this bull and this bull alone since August of 2010. Bulls like this dont get that big by being stupid. They finally sealed the deal. you can read a short story that chad wrote up on the mossback az blog. awesome story. I respect everything Alan has done. From what I understand Alan and the Mossback team have become good friends, "hunting buddies". And someone with a lot a lot of money helping out the working man. I love that. Congrats Alan and Team MossbackAz once again.

All the money goes straight back into wildlife managment. heck I can tell u straight up if I could, I would be all over this tag. And nobody works harder than mossback az. They deserve all the credit in the world. Congrats Jay an Chad and everybody witb mossback az you guys r animals. An a big congrats to Alan Hamberlin. Huge bull..

Well it was a busy month even clear into Feb. Hunted everyday possible in Jan. missed a giant and was absolutly sick over it just got the famous "buck fever" and blew it. January 23rd I climbed into my stand first thing in the morning. Around 8:30 a decent 3 point walked straight behind my stand about 40 yards, checked a scrape and left. About 5 minutes later a doe came in an hung around for about 2 or 3 minutes before I could hear a buck grunting and coming in quick. He came in rounded her up and pushed her right under my stand and I drew my bow. He stopped at 12 yards and I smoked him. He went about 30 yards and piled up. I was PUMPED!! He wasnt the monster that I missed a few weeks before but I couldnt be happier with him. Thanks to my brother who hunted hard with me everyday even after he killed his buck.

what do u guys care if he road hunts? do what works for u. some people just get more hard core than others do. i have seen a ton of big bulls an bucks killed road hunting an im not sure that the hunters feel any less accomplished than those that hike their butts off. i dont road hunt im just saying who the heck cares? its not hurting u.

every tom dick an harry thinks they can call a bull in with a hoochie momma. its such a joke there is no more destinct sound in the woods than a moron using it and it seems like every bull in the woods is getting more and more call wise because of the hoochie momma

Got a Savage .17 Mach 2 with a Bushnell scope on it only been shot a hand full of times but its a sweet gun I could just use the money. Askin $300

haha u said "decent" bull... thats a BIG bull... for sure a solid 340 bull... keep an eye on him and post some more pics

Ya I saw a gut pile right by the road up there saturday morning.

haha alright alright you win. congrats to both hunters tho. good to meet you too

Technically 2nd bull of the season haha. We heard you guys shoot as we were taking pictures of the bull our hunter shot.. Good bull tho. About the same size as the one we killed, to bad we shot the wrong bull. Definently a little different hunting elk in july.

your a lot better off scouting for a large concentration of cows....

+1 on the limbdriver by vapor trail.... best rest out there

wow what a price... wish I had the extra money right now

Montana Black Gold "Flashpoint" sight thats is what I shoot and have pins from 20-110 yards. Not quite as pricey as spot hog either. it comes in a 7 pin an can add pins to it easily if u need to.

A River Runs Through It.... The Cowboys.... Tombstone.... Open Range... Cinderella Man

I think you should go in and shoot one... I wouldnt buy one on other peoples opinions tho im positive you will love it. I havent shot one yet but like was said mathews makes an unbelievalbe bow. I shoot the Monster and i love it.

dang u allen!!!! haha 500 bucks ur kidding me!!!!