I was lucky enough to have Mike as my best friend growing up in high school. We treked all over Arizona scouting for all kinds of game. Mike was an awesome shot with his bow, and had an uncanny ability to find snakes out in the wild.
Here are all the places I remember hunting with Mike:
East Valley areas: Salt River recreation area, Superstition Springs foothills, Florence junction, Queen valley, San Tan mountains
All over the Mazatzal mountains, particularly four peaks, sugar loaf mountain, mount ord, Barnhardt trailhead
Payson area: star valley, all over control road, little green valley, mountains South of Young
Mammoth- we had a spot in the Galiuro mountains we spent countless trips bow hunting deer on.
White Mountains: we found ourselves all over area 1 and northern unit 27.
Kaibab Forest
Mountains south of Prescott
One could not begin to document all of the good times we had and the fun stories. Every trip we made was unique and was it's own memory. Over time we became proficient enough that we would rarely go anywhere without being able to track down all types of big game and other rare animals.
Here are just a few memories:
We spent days and many trips trying to stalk deer in the Galiuro mountains with our bows. It was actually quite a learning place to bow hunt as animals could hear anything far away due to the rocks and canyons. Deer are everywhere there and that was one of the reasons it made it so fun. Also because we were able to perfect our glassing skills there. When we first started hunting there, I remember we would pass hunters on the road who were glassing and when we talked with them they would tell us they could see deer over here and over there and we couldn't find them. Soon enough we became very proficient in glassing and we could sit down anywhere and over time find much of the game that was in our view. Our strategy in this area when bow hunting would be to climb up a ridge, and when we would get to the top, all the game in the area on the other side would not have heard us or smelled us. And we would sit atop the ridge to either wait for deer to come by or choose ones to stalk below us. One day while we sat atop a ridge, a very large adult mountain lion passed 50 yards in front of us. From that moment on, Mike was obsessed with mountain lions - as it was such a thrill to see one in the wild up close.
Interstate 87 just north of Mt Ord, after the steep decline and on the right where the power lines sit, and over a small hill is a large herd of Javelina that we found which were not hunted that much. One morning we hike up the hill, glass for Javelina and find the herd. AS we stalked them down the hill, Mike and i split up following different sections of the herd. I approached an adult Javelina, draw my bow back with a great 30 yard shot and someone pops up behind me saying "Devin, where are you" losing my best shot that year as the Javelina scampered away. Mike had apparently scared his section of the herd away and thought they were all long gone. He felt bad for a while, but it was a funny story.
Although we spent many days scouting and hunting off of Colcord road east of Payson, this day was the best. There is a section of hills at the eastern end of Colcord road that backs up to 260 as it climbs up on top of the rim. We were wandering around these foothills one August, preparing for the elk hunt that Mike had got drawn for later in November - the one where he shot his first bull elk. while slowly walking through the woods, we encountered a medium sized bull lounging on of the many shelf's we were hiking over. After stopping and watching the bull for some time, we became bored believe it or not. At this time the Bull was only 30 yards away. (This showed our skill at the time I might add, as we could be that close for that long without the bull having a clue. ) Finally we decided we would run at the bull and scream and make weird sounds to see what it would do. As Mike and I then got up and ran at the bull screeching and yelling, we were instantly shocked that the bull did nothing. We slowed down and reached 10 yards away and the bull just sat there staring at us. We didn't know what the heck was going on - this was so contrary to everything we had experienced. It took the bull about a minute or two to slowly turn and walk away with him stopping an looking back at us several times. That was an all around amazing experience and was the closest I ever got to a live bull. I'm sure those that knew Mike well had heard this story from him before.
It's hard for me to remember the year this happened, but it was a year we spent many days off Barnhardt trailhead in the Mazatzal's. We had placed several salt licks in hoping of tracking deer for the archery season. One morning, I got there before light and got set up and when nothing appeared at the lick, I began covering the ground northward until the land dropped off into a creek (about 1/2 mile). It was not long when I thought I was seeing the largest mule deer I had ever seen before in my binoculars about 100 yards out. For several minutes I was taken back. When the animal moved i then saw the body was not a mule deer but an elk. I went home and told Mike I had seen a bull elk in our spot and he thought I was lying! At the time, this was not part of their observed range and so he really thought I was lying. We went back the next weekend and with a similar approach but farther north, Mike found the bull and he could not believe it. He called the game and fish to report the bull sighting and apparently argued with them as they also did not believe the report. So apparently we were the first to identify the species that far south. It wasn't but a few years later when the 22 elk hunt became a 22 North and a 22 south hunt. That same day we found the bull elk again together, Mike found a herd of Javelina. Some of them had some smaller offspring which I think made them a little more protective / aggressive. At some point, Mike pulled out his rabbit squealer and when he blew it, a Javelina came back and started lunging at him. He only had his bow with him so I remember him drawing on it to protect himself. When the Javelina would then start to leave, he would blow it again and the Javelina would charge at him again. Never getting closer than 5-6 feet but it was a hilarious thing to witness.
Well, there are just a couple stories from our times together. Some of the best years of my youth were spent with Mike in the wilderness of Arizona. I will never forget the great times we had. Personally, Mike was a Rock to me in my teenage years. Although I was a busy youth involved in many things, Mike was my only real friend. That friendship helped steer me in good ways through those tough years for any teenager. My parents and family always loved Mike as a great friend to the family and as a good influence on me. His family and children should know that I am but one of many who were deeply affected by Mike and his goodness.
