fatfootdoc

Thanks for the replies guys, I got the J 13 and I would really like to try it out. Brett- do you think they are coming off of the flats by the windmill or across the road in the thick stuff? WBGS- I mailed you Thanks guys, AG

Bret, It really sucked because it was the first stalk my buddy had ever tried, he probably would have blown it anyway but at least it would have been more fun for him. They were bedded by the 2 tanks in the saddle just above where the draw comes up so he would have had good cover all the way in. Man that buck was the spitting image of the one you killed this year. We are going to go manage some coyotes within the next few weeks. They need to be thinned out, we saw 4 of them running together on the flat. AG

So I was hunting NM archery and we had glassed up a nice whitetail tending a doe. They bedded down in a saddle with a covered draw approaching it to within 30 yards. The buck was about 90 and apparently they had been hard at it because they both bedded down and fell asleep. So I sent my buddy on his way and he was sneaking across a small open area( the last one before he was in before heavy cover) and I was watching the doe and the buck through the old fujinons and not a move out of them when suddenly a darn coyote howls across the canyon and just happened to be in the same direction my buddy was in and sure enough instant bust. Now I have never had that happen before, just wondered how many interesting ways that you all have been busted!? The buck was is the same area as the one bullwidgeon killed and was the spitting image of his. Oh well. Needless to say we are going to go predator hunting out there in a few weeks. AG

Jason, When I lived in AZ there were always whitetail tags left over because there were no dedicated whitetail hunters. Now you cant get drawn for the November hunts anymore. I am just worried that people will use the whitetail for the 2nd choice if they don't get drawn for muley in the unit they like. That will suck up all the tags. I have gone after dogs for several years. There is nothing like seeing them come in at full tilt. There were tons of dogs in 23 this year. they need some population management , ag

Tommy, If your buddy liked him then thats me, if the name was preceded or followed by a cuss word it must be someone else I have been in Silver since 2001 and love it. Great place, great people. What are your thoughts on the new regs? They seemed pretty tight with the archery and rifle whitetail tags I thought. I am putting in for muzzleloader elk this year instead of archery as well due the new point restrictions in 16 B, I have a hard enough time getting near any bull much less a 5 point or better!! Do you guide for groups? There is a group of us crazy foot docs that try to arrange hunts and then have evening lectures for continuing education credits. So we get to hunt and get lectured to at the same time. Might be able to set something up for next year or the year after, does not have to be coues deer. Let me know, you can send me a IM if you want. AG

I live in NM( no nasty emails guys! ) and I think georgie porgie sucks. This whole thing would not be an issue if it weren't for money for him to pad his wallet with. I love to hunt in AZ for whitetail and this bozo is messing it up for every one. The letter his lawyer just wrote is ridiculous. I agree that some of the price jumps were high, but alot of them will end up being on par with what NM charges nonresidents. Maybe NM should raise all of the nonresident tags as well and that would take the heat off of AZ. The only way to take care of this is to pass the legislation will negate the whole commerce restriction avenue. We need to face it though the guy is a moron and will always find something to sue about. It will be down to him suing AZ because he can't have a special lottery for his own hunters and therefore is having his business restricted. The guy cracks me up, he advertises about his well trained guides and he hires people off of the street with absolutely no training, sure they may have some hunting experience, but that is it. He also had Coues mispelled the last time I checked his website. It is a good thing that NM does not have a season for jackass, he would be the first one tagged I have this strange feeling. ag

I shoot a T 3 300 WSM and it comes with a 22 or a 24 inch barrel, the 270 does as well depending on which stock you choose, I think the synthetic is 22 and the walnut is 24. Good accurate rifles with awesome triggers out of the box. AG

Jason, I hope that deer has a run in with your dart! Post some pics after you stick him! Kevin, Sorry to hear about your shortened hunt but at least you did not get washed away. Get that knee ready for next year!! take care guys AG

I was supposed to go out Wed. after work, but have to go to ABQ to take the wife to the Doc. hopefully I will be back for Fri and Sat. I would at least like to get out and see some deer. Good luck to you! AG

SO the silence is ominous!! Did you guys connect this weekend or what? AG

Kevin, Unit 29 could have been better. The guy I packed into pridham canyon with had to leave the morning after we got there as his great grandma was dying(priorities man priorities) so after a 3 1/2 hour drive back to NM and picking up my new hunting partner(my 8 year old boy) I headed back. Thursday before I had to leave saw 8 does so was optimistic about Friday morning with my boy, so imagine my excitement when while sitting over a tank and glassing I heard something walking down the flat above us heading toward the tank! It was getting intense as it got closer and closer and then it BLEW ITS NOSE! Some dingle berry thought he would walk down and check the tank for us and see if the deer were using it. So Friday I saw 10 hunters( 2 were in white t shirts and tan shooting vests!) and no deer. But my boy and I had a great time so it was worth it. Next year I am packing into john long if I can afford a tag and get drawn and my boy will be with me again. The other thing I learned was that the alaskan outfitter packs from Cabelas can carry a he** of alot more than my fat out of shape body can. I still have bowhunt in NM for coues in Jan so am looking forward to that. Take care AG

It would have been nice if they would have left archery deer OTC instead of making a draw out of it. AZ has the best system, if you don't get drawn you can always get out the bow and go. AG

Ernesto, AMEN to that! So is it not hunting to not want to pass up a buck on the other side of a canyon that a .243 may not reach across accurately? The reason I use a 300 wsm for deer is I know that it is accurate for long range shots across canyons and etc. I still consider myself a hunter even though I may take a 350 - 400 yard shot. I feel that with a coues deer that is an acceptable yardage. It is still hunting because you still have to glass and HUNT them up so whats the problem if I shoot one at 100 yards or 400 yards. I know where my rifle hits at both ranges and that is that. AG

Brian, you can probably ignore that last post, not trying to be rude or anything. 27 is a booger of a unit for long canyon shots. There are so many thermals, updrafts, and down drafts in that stinking unit it amazes me that anyone ever kills anything there. It is very disheartening when you miss a big animal. I missed a 100+ whitetail in 36a when I was a pup and did not know about down hill trajectory. I missed another toad last year in NM when I used a buddys rangefinder to range a deer at 350 only to shoot and miss by a mile. I later checked the stats on it and it was only good on non reflective targets(NAMELY DEER) out to 250 yards. I was real happy about that. So hopefully you will get another tag before you are to old to walk and will have more success. AG

I was talking with some good ole boys the other day and we were talking about deer rifles. Mentioned that I was hunting with a 300 WSM and they started giving me a hard time about overkill and if I ever had meat left. Tried to explain to them that I use it for the range and that for Coues the shots are often over 300 yards. YOu can guess where that got me with the Carp hunters-- If you can't get closer than that , then you should not be hunting them. They all said they could "injun" up closer than that. So my question is what is the average range that you guys have killed your deer at? My average is well over 200 yards, but I guess that is because I am not a good enough injun to sneak through a canyon! Adam

I just hope this is not the start of a bad cycle for Arizona hunters,(non residents as well). ag

Mattman, Heck of an attitude, if you cant afford the tag you could not afford to spend the necessary money on the hunt anyway? They are raising the tag fees and this will cut into the money we have to spend on the hunt. There are people out there who are residents that this is going to be a hardship for. If I were you I would be concerned that this is going to be a trend with your current G and F commission. Might be singing a different tune when they realize how much they make with these increases and therefore continue to raise them just a LITTLE every year.

As far as a gun being overkill, if you hit a deer in the lungs for the most part all you take it is rib meat, possibly the far shoulder, but when it really comes down to it is there really a big difference in the amount of blood shot meat? the smaller bullets tend to have more velocity and the larger bullets are slower so it may be a wash (or nearly so ) anyway. All I know is I like my deer dead and if I have to cut out some blood shot meat so be it. At least I will be eating deer steaks in the near future!!! ag

Unfortunately raising the game and fish tag fees is not going to affect USO that much. The hunters that use them are going to pay the fees and not really care to much. It is really going to affect the guy that really cares about what he is doing and maybe can barely afford to hunt out of state now. The people (for the most part) that this is going to price out are the ones who actually had nothing to do with USO, and that is someone like me who is a dreaded out of state hunter, but that does not use a guide. I paid 220 for my tags this year, with the new rates assuming they go to the max cap I would pay around 375, about an 80% increase. It seems like you guys are getting dinged as well, my question is WHY, what basis is there behind it. Seems to me like azgf is using this whole USO thing to really TAULMAN all of us without even giving us any KY. I know my opinion a s an out of stater is not as important to you all, but these tag increases are going to price out the average hunter that loves to hunt and do it alone, but will not affect USO at all. For what its worth, AG

I guess the other question is, if you see a monster at 350 yards and it is one of the biggest coues you have seen, do you try to get closer and risk spooking him or let him have it from there. I would let him have it from 350 since I am comfortable with that. It all boils down to how good you are with your rifle, how much you trust yourself and if you have done your homework at the range. NMT, I was just pulling your chain, that is a nice buck. I think I need to hunt with you because I have NEVER had a buck on my side of the canyon! Most of the terrain I hunt in AZ is different than in NM, NM is alot thicker for the most part. I am a transplant to NM from AZ and use to hunt alot in AZ for Coues, and where I hunted it was definitely more open in AZ. Of course there is alot of area in AZ that is thick as well, like the Blue River up Eagar way, but I still glass that and it is so thick that you would be hard pressed to find a buck you glassed up once you have tried to move in on him. SO the solution is shoot him from where you see him if possible. AG

I got drawn for javelina and am going to enjoy what might be my last OTC spring turkey license in NM for awhile . Think I will take my muzzleloader or handgun on the pig hunt since my boy is going with me so we can get up close and personal. I think that a bow may be pushing it this year with him, still likes to kick rocks now and then. If we haven't bagged any tamale meat near the end the hunt I will get out my rifle and see what we can do from long range. ag

.270 USO has to be very good at guiding for pigs, as who better to know a pig than a pig himself AG

NMT, Sounds like you are the exception rather than the rule, are you sure those are Coues? . I actually remembered that the first coues I shot was at 100 yards but that was by far the closest to ever fill my crosshairs. Still think that longer distances are the norm in areas with canyons etc. AG

I figured that the consensus would be longer ranges, the closest that I have ever seen a nice shooter is about 240 yards, unfortunately I had no tag, my buddy did and suffered from a severe spell of Mr. Magoo eyes and missed it. AG

That's gonna leave a mark!!