Coach

+1

Wow - what is your video setup? That 3x at 800 yds looked like he was filmed at 200, at least until you zoomed all the way back out. I wonder if that snake ever got the jackrabbit swallowed

I've heard of them too - some people call them a Sonoran Fantail. A guy who used to work the ranch behind Jackson Butte (Pinky's) said they used to see them around the White Ledges, and that Pinky actually had some sheds and/or skulls. Interestingly, the smallest 3pt shed I have found was from that general area. On the other hand, I was reading a book once (Deer of the Southwest, if memory serves) that basically said there was no such sub-species. It was just smaller bodied (young) coues with full, albeit smaller racks. The auther seemed to be very convinced of this after a lot of research. Sure would be cool to actually get one, if they do exist.

A guy I talked to from G&F in Tucson said that he recommended buying the access permit in the San Carlos Recreation Mgmt office and telling them exactly what you were planning to do - also to get the name of the person you spoke to. That way, if it did become an issue you would at least have some leverage.

Well, I headed down to 31 on Wednesday and not knowing the area very well hunted near Safford and Stockton Pass. I saw a few does and spikes and one little forkie but overall not many deer. All of the country I was hunting in looked good but I think I was glassing too fast - that tall grass is decieving. Anyway, I had planned on hunting through the week but Sunday morning as the pressure started dropping all of the does and pigs I had been watching since sunup abruptly bedded right around 7 - 7:15. This was my second solo hunt in the past couple of weeks, and for whatever reason, I just went back to camp, hooked up the 5th wheel and headed home. I've never quit a hunt early - I'm not sure if I'm losing interest or just don't enjoy hunting alone anymore. I was really looking forward to the hunt but by about the second day I just felt - I'm not sure - unmotivated for whatever reason - kind of depressed. I'm just trying to figure out my funk - Hunting has been a true passion all of my life, and I love hunting coues most of all. So here I am with a tag and the ability to get days off and not even sure if I'll go back out. At least it was a leftover tag. I would hate to think I took a tag from someone who was able to give it their all. Anyone else ever get in one of these funks? Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks, Jason

Time for the follow-up. First and foremost, I want to give Cory Barker (CRB) and his wife, Michelle a huge THANK YOU! Within a couple of hours of posting this thread, Cory sent me a PM offering to help out if I got a chance to get back down there. Not only did he hike all over the mountain with me and glass his eyes out, his family invited me (a totat stranger at that point) to stay with them for the last couple days of the hunt. We may not have found the buck we were hoping for, but his hospitality and company made the last two days much more enjoyable. I also just wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone who has posted on this thread with similar experiences. There is a lot of food for thought in many of the posts here. Finally I want to thank Amanda for this site as a medium for getting to know other hunters and not just share our trophy pictures and stories, but our experiences - both positive and negative. Happy Hunting, Jason

Thanks AZ Ranger - yep, that was me - PM sent.

I hope you got him! Got a story to go along with that pic?

Thanks for the responses so far. I know you guys are right about the "solo" aspect being the problem. I had a hunting partner that basically grew up hunting with, but after 15 or so years of hunting and fishing together we had a pretty bad parting of ways. Since then I just haven't met another partner that is also solo. Maybe I should try eHarmony.com The good news is, I have 3 sons and they are all going to be pretty into it from what I've seen. They love hunting pigs and turkey and, well basically all hunting and fishing. A little young yet to have the attention span for long spells of fruitless glassing that we need for coues, but they'll get there.

Awesome job!!! Thanks for sharing it with us!

Wow - what a great buck! Congrats to Sarah on a real great looking buck.

Wow! Great buck!!! Congrats to Colton!

Excellent Job! That's the way to get it done! Thanks for sharing the story and pictures.

Prayers sent. I'm very sorry for your loss.

Another vote for the Petzl Tikka XP. Very bright and light weight.

Or maybe the fact that the number of permits has more than doubled over the past couple of years??? 24A used to be my favorite unit, but I don't spend much time there anymore.

Wow Brian, you're slayin' em!

Ahh - the mother ship, I've been looking for that!

Wow, that stinks. It looks like that's the gateway to a lot of great country. I wonder how the talks with ranchers in 32 will affect this, if at all.

Hey guys, I've got a hunt in unit 31 at the end of the month and haven't had a lot of time to explore the unit. I was wondering if any of you know what the access is like North & East of Aravaipa canyon - particularly the main road up Stowe Canyon to Araviapa and the next set of roads and Jeep Trails that head up past Imperial Mtn alon the west side of the Santa Teresa Mountains. Thanks in advance, Jason

I'm hoping to get one with either my flint lock hawkins or 1858 (replica) cap and ball revolver. Not sure what unit though, my old honey holes in 24A have dried up so I may be looking at 22 or 23 to find some new piggie grounds. Gonna put the kids in for rifle too - it will be one of my sons' first hunt - but would like to find a place where they'll see lots of pigs - any suggestions?

Yep, that's the one at Trapper's Den. Word is it came from the Maverick area on the Ft. Apache. That brow tine that looks like a split on the left (his right) is actually a 3rd separate tine - I think the other side had it as well, making his thirds technically 4ths. The even have a shed from him 2 years ago. By far the coolest looking bull I've seen up close and in person.

I saw the 459 at trapper's den - awesome bull.

Wow. Great buck! Congrats and thanks for getting the pix up.

Huge horns this year. I'm lucky enough to live right up the street from Trapper's Den, so I get to see a lot of the racks coming off of the Reservation. Let me just tell ya, there is one in there right now that will blow your lid. Would have loved to have taken and posted pics here of it, but since I don't know the shooter, didn't figure it was my place to do so. According to the very knowledgable staff there it is the new #5 in the world scoring 459 (gross, I assume). They even have a shed from two years ago. I've also been helping a buddy in 3C this year, and I've been amazed at the number of exceptionally big bulls we've seen so far on his hunt.