Dodger2

I just returned from a relaxing trip up to Lee's Ferry for some fly fishing. I had a good trip, caught some fish, nothing huge, but the scenery up there is some of the best. I'm seeing if these will work...

Here are a couple more....

That is a cool pic. I have lived and hunted in AZ my whole life (32 years) and have never seen a moutain lion. I was on the side of a hill with one once while javelina hunting. My brother glassed him up in front of me. I never saw it, but the whole time I was on the hill something didn't seem right.

Mulie hunter, I went through this last year and I went between an AR, a Bowtech/Diamond, and the Mathews. The owner at Robinson's let me shoot his switchback and it was really nice. I bought a AR-31 only because it was more in my price range. Definitely give the Mathew's a look. I'm not good enough to tell a big difference but I could tell the difference between the Mathew's and the AR.

I graduated from NAU in '97 and I sure miss it up there, especially in the fall and spring (OK, summer and spring too). I loved being able to get up in the morning go out hunting, come back and go to class/work, and then go back out in the evening. Some good memories from up there.

My water bladder leaked on my elk hunt, so for my deer hunts I put it in a large freezer bag...no more leaks, at least in my backpack.

What worked...My new Swarovski binoculars . I was able to pick out a lot more deer this year (could be the new hunting spot, but spending that much money, saying it was the binoculars sounds better.) My Modern Calls Products Coues Deer call worked! I was able to call a buck in from 120yds on January 16th. I screwed up the rest, so I guess you could say I didn't work. My Badlands 2200 pack. This is most comfortable pack I've ever had, carries really well. What didn't work...my shooting! It worked in Wyoming on my antelope hunt, but missed 2 bucks in November. I still lose sleep over those. One more weekend for archery. I have to go to Phoenix for a Friday/Saturday, but on Sunday one more last chance until Aug.

I'm thinking about getting the supplies to start building my own arrows. I was just wondering how difficult it is. I know that I would need to get a high speed saw to cut carbon shafts, I shoot carbons, so I wanted to start by just fletching my own arrows. I thought it would be something to fill the gap between hunting seasons.

Thanks again for all the helpful information. I was planning on use wraps as well. I've heard that they help with adhesion. I figured that everything needed to be cleaned if the glue would work correctly. Overall, I think its just my evolution as a hunter. One more task to complete in the fall. Thanks again Matt

Thanks for the replies. You answered my main questions about fletching, etc. I'm just tired of having to take my arrows in to get them reflected and I figured, if its like tying flies or reloading bullets, that it would save me some gas money if you know what I mean. Thanks

I'll second what ultramag said and holy cow, I wish I knew your secret for getting that many shots. I haven't shot my bow at a deer in almost 6 years. I'm finding deer, its just they are sooooo far away, and then I mess it up trying to get close.

DEERSLAM, I would also have to agree with the .243, but I may be biased since that is what I started with. I can remember my dad taking me out when I was about 10 and having me shoot his .30-40 Krag, since that was the gun he started with. I shot it twice and HATED it. When I was 12 I got a .243 for Christmas. It is a Remington model 700, I think its an ADL, the gun is light I was able to shoot it comfortablely and didn't flinch. I took my first 2 coues and an antelope with that gun. Just my $0.02.

Kevin, Thanks for the help. I know it is early, but I'm trying to plan if you know what I mean. I also sent you a PM. Matt

I was wondering if someone might be able to help me. My brother and I are interested in applying for mule deer tags in your state. However, I can't open the files on NM G&F site for some reason. How much is a non-resident tag and license in New Mexico? My grandparents lived in Silver City until they pasted away and I remember going with my grandfather hunting in the Burros on my very first hunting trip. This will be sort of a hunt to relive those days if you know what I mean. We are interested in the hunting the areas around Silver City. Is this a decent area for mulies? What would be our chances of even getting a tag? Thanks Matt/Dodger2

Runningbird, I have witnessed almost the exact same scenario this past Friday and Saturday. My brother and I watched somes bucks chase some does about 700yds away on the side of a hill and then disappeared into a wash. We snuck over to the edge of the wash and grunted and rattled and nothing happened. Around 11:00 we headed back to get some lunch since we didn't plan on staying the whole day. Went back out that evening and those deer came out from the spot that they disappeared and went back onto the hill. On Saturday I was out with dds, and the deer came off the hill and went into the wash again. I'm thinking an ambush spot somewhere between the hill and the wash will be the best bet. Good luck on your hunt.

After a really hard rain one time, I found an 1866 penny in a small wash. I found it in the Chiricahuas. No telling were it came from or who's pocket it fell out of. I also picked up old ox shoes along some old timber roads up there. I've also found fossils of trilobites and other types of shellfish (clams, etc.) in the limestone down in 30A and just north of Pine/Strawberry.

OK, I missed 3 times during my hunt shooting at 2 different deer (including a nice 90ish buck) and I know that it was my horrible shooting that let me down...no excuses! But...this was probably the most rewarding hunt I have ever been on. I was able to hunt for 5 full days and at the end of the hunt I was more disappointed that the hunt was over than not shooting a deer. I was able to hunt with my dad, who had a heart attack in August. Sure we didn't get to climb all over the hills like we use to, but we saw bucks every day and I was able to teach him some things. I will never forget his reaction when he glassed up his first deer (after I had been watching them for 10 minutes). I watched a fawn get lost on a hill and then find its mother and come running towards her, I could almost hear the fawn yelling "MOMMMY". It was fun to watch. We had a doe sneak up on us. The wind was at our backs and we heard the snort and turned to see a dust cloud at 10yds and a doe heading away from us. I saw javelinas making new javelinas. I know it sounds weird, but its seeing nature doing nature things. I saw a doe kick a barrel cactus trying to get the fruit off the top of it. Sure we saw bucks everyday, including 8 on the last day, which was one of the ones I missed, but being out there and just watching was what it was all about for me this year. It was a really rewarding hunt. Sorry for being long winded, but I thought I would share my experiences this year. Those little buggers better watch out come December though. I'll be out chasing them with my bow. Thanks Dodger

That is a bummer. There must be something about that unit. Four years ago, myself, my dad, and my brother had a tag in that unit. My dad and I headed to the area up near Klondyke on the NE side of the Galiuros early one morning. My brother had to work that day and he was going to meet us there that night. That evening after that days hunt my dad and I were sitting around the campfire waiting for my brother to show. He should have been there around 8pm...9pm...nothing...10pm...nothing...11pm...nothing...finally around midnight this Ford truck pulls up to our camp. My brother drives a Dodge so we have no idea what is going on. Pretty soon my brother steps out of the truck and he is not happy. Turns out, on the road between Bonita and Klondyke, which IS the middle of nowhere, the left rear wheel falls off his truck. Not just the wheel, but the whole thing comes right off the axle. He gets out of his truck and remembers that he forgot his flashlight. He then decides to start walking, but where...so he grabs his valuables, gun, etc. and heads to our camp walking in the pitch black. Luckily he found a ranch hand that gave him a ride. The next day we drive out to look at this truck and the Graham County Sheriff towed it. It wasn't a fun trip for him. The next year, 32 again, he decides not to drive. When we get home, his truck had been stolen. We only hunted there one other time and he drove his truck but only if someone else followed him. I also had my sleeping bag blow out of the truck on the way once, that was a cold hunt. There must be some kind of bad karma in 32...

I was just thinking the same thing...Good luck to everyone with the October hunt. I'm hoping I can go out on Saturday and help a friend on his hunt if he doesn't fill his tag tomorrow.

I'm sorry to hear about your dog. I had to do the same with my dogs that I had for about 12 years. Its very hard to go through and I haven't gotten a new one yet.

Congrats on a fine bull!

Congrats on the great bull!!

Thank you! I shot him in unit 107, Sweetwater area, between Rock Springs and Lander. It wasn't real hard to find them. I was able to harvest a doe that morning and then my buck about 5:30pm the same day in two different units. The number of antelope up there is almost unbelievable. Its almost like hunting rabbits that can see forever since there are so many of them. My hunt for my buck started at 3:00pm and we passed on probably 10 smaller bucks before I took this one. We probably saw close to 50 antelope in just that afternoon. It was a good hunt, but like I said earlier, coues are still my favorite! Amanda, I was using the wrong program to try to resize the picture. I'm still figuring this computer out. I can remember when I got excited about figuring out how to email pictures. Matt

I just got back from my Wyoming antelope hunt. Can I post this here? I know that it has nothing to do with Coues deer. I can say that coues deer are still my favorite animal to hunt!! Matt

Lets see if I finally got this figured out... I was able to take this antelope in Wyoming on September 10th.