BASS

Yeah, they have all crossed the river, and now live near the dam. As for the javilina, just drive slow

If I remember right there is a road that goes up the North side just about half way. If I can find that road again, I should be able to get these guys an elk (or three ) They all have cow tags, so I'm hoping for an easier hunt. I'm going to try and sneak away tomorrow morning to get up there to find out what is closed and what isn't before they get there Thursday. I'll be in the redish orange Silverado with the USO sticker on the back window, if any of you see it, and have time, stop by and chew some fat.

Alright he is saying that the road directly North, (across from Yager Tank) that leads to the bottom of the draw has a gate there (I know there is a gate there) but he says that now it's locked, and has signs up. Does anyone know how far this goes? Is there another way into the draw besides this road?

You have helped out a lot, thanks! I think we are talking about the same place, but I'll have to go check and see who locked that gate.

First off, Welcome to the best hunting site on the net! Now let's get down to business. The only houses that I know of are way down in the flats toward the twin arrow two guns hunt area. I wasn't aware of any homes near the draw. I guess it wouldn't be the first time I missed a house. I have been scouting 6A for over three months, and just noticed a house last weekend. The house (almost a ranch) is farther out in the open scrub brush type of country, not so much the pines, I would guess about 10-15 miles from I-40. Is the private property north, or south of the draw? If I remember right the draw also runs East to West.

I'm not sure how he could have went to the wrong spot. I gave him a 3D map from EarthGoogle, GPS coodinates for the right road to turn on to, and waypoints every 150 yards. I'm going up Wednesday afternoon in hopes of solving this problem.... I hope. If not... does anyone know of another honey hole in 5B? JK

LMAO I was going to post the same thing. I just wish there was a huge 6X6 Bull in there.

You might want to take one of your old rifles, and buy a new (sythetic) stock for it, and then make it fit him for the time being. I know I only used my youth 12ga for one year. I always like the "hot seats" that were popular back in the early 90's when I went out with my dad, and I also lost a small pair of binos (and a slingshot the next year) somewhere up on the rim. He seems old enough to put him to work glassing for you too. BTW good job on getting a new hunter started.

Where do you go to donate your tag? I can't use my 32 tag, and would like someone to be able to use it. Thanks

Okay, I was thinking about how long it had been since I first e-mailed the AZGFD and it has been just about a week. I knew I had seen the info in the 05-06 regs so I went looking. On page 51, A.R.S.17-332 (D)(1) reads A person may transfer the person's big game permit or tag to a qualified organization for use by a minor child who has a life threatening medical condition. The commision may prescribe the manner and conditions of transfering and using permits and tags under this paragraph. For the purpose of this paragraph, "qualified organization" means a nonprofit organization that is qualified under section 501©(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code and that affords opportunities and experiences to children with life threatening conditions. Acording to that, the Hunt of a Lifetime falls right into the slots. I just hope that I didn't wait to long, but I think I might have.

I thought that the GFD said that a tag could only be donated to this organization, because the kids wanted to hunt, but may not get the chance. I'm still waiting on a reply form the AZGFD, as well as from the actual hunt of a lifetime place. I'll keep you all posted.

Over this last weekend my dad and I were scouting for his muzzleloader hunt next month. We decided to sit two different water holes, to see if anything would come in. Well on the way to my spot, we jumped a herd of Elk, we cow called to them, and they would call back as they slowly walked down the hill. But one little calf wouldn't follow the rest of the herd. This loner decided he was thirsty, and was going to head to the water instead of over the next ridge. At the time I didn't notice this, but thought that calf was going a different way. So here my dad and I went our seperate ways. As I came to the water, I stepped on a large rock about the size of a tire. Right as I got balanced on it, it gave away. The rock rolled a little ways, I was wobbling around trying to catch my balance, and stepping on every twig in sight. I pulled out my hoochie momma, and gave it a couple pushes for a lost cow call. Immidiatly a brown blur was running down the opposite hill towards me. My first thought was coyote, but it was making calf sounds. I got to a small grove of bushes, and sat down. As soon as I got my pack off, and looked up I was face to face with this little guy. He was no more than five feet from me, looking straight at me. I froze. He would lean towards me, smell, then mew to me. I just sat there trying not to make any movement at all. Then he started moving his head in strange motions. Then all at once this wonderful expiriance came to a sudden wet hault. He sneezed on me. I jerked, and spooked him. He ran back to the water, but never left me alone for the rest of the night. At one point he layed down in the yellow flowers and had a sneezing attack that lasted for some time. But he would sneak back up on me, then run away again, only to come in again from a different direction. Then the fun started. As I was playing cat and mouse with this calf moving from tree to tree I looked up on the ridge to see the big guy. A nice Bull that I would say was around 300 or so. He bugled, and the calf called back. The bull then came running full speed down the hill and into the water. He splashed the water with his rack, then crossed onto my side of the pond. The calf now decided it was time to leave, and started walking back up the hill from which he first came, and the bull went back to the water to drink. I pulled out the Cow Estrus Puffer from Gbow.com (thanks Muskrat!) and checked the wind with it. The wind was blowing right towards the bull, he must have smelt it, as he turned quickly and bugled. Then came walking right towards me. Not knowing what to do I layed down back in the tree. He walked up to the tree and was looking beyond it then bugled from 14 yards away from me. I was a nervous wreck, but the thrill was too much. He then turned around and started following the calf. I puffed the powder again, and gave an estrus bleat from the hoochie momma, and he came running back past where I was sitting and bugled again. He sat there for a while, then walked away. By now it was dark, and I quit calling to let him leave. And once I could hear him on the other side of the mountain I made my quiet retreat back to the quads. I have to get my video camera working right, so next time I can show you all the video. Has anything ever happened to any of you?

Thanks guys. I remember at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation seminar in Mesa, they mentioned that some one donated a Unit 1 Bull tag. When I heard that, I started thinking what terminal illness I might of had.

Great story treestandman! I thought about putting my hand out, but thought that it may have spooked him too bad, and put us both in danger. I also couldn't believe that even after he smelt me, that he wouldn't leave. In fact I kept moving to different trees to try and loose him, but he would find me in no time. I should have brought him home like they did that little cow in City Slickers.

Atchoo! .... Amen

Does anyone when they break ground for Bass Pro shop in Tempe?

Naw, he's much younger than that! Happy birthday!

Is this the ranch that you have to drive through his corral with the mean bulls, and horse? I swear that bull hates my quad and truck.

That was one of them. I think over half of those trails are just that, trails! I was thinking of taking my US Army jeep up there next time just to get around. Just a heads up to anyone up there, US ARMY jeep 51946 is a little rough, and the brakes don't always work!

I doubt they are going to ruin a hunt. The most they might do is call to have someone to come check you out. They arn't out there with M1919A4's looking to burn a belt at everything that moves.

Right, I don't go out of my way to try to help, but you need a ride (hunter) and I'm going that way, I will give you a lift. Same with a blown tire, most people will say no thanks, but atleast I offered.

I was thinking of ordering one of the CouesWhitetail.com stickers for the front of my truck, just so you all know who I am! I think the problem was I wasn't in my camo any more. I wasn't hunting, just scouting, and I had all the clothes a "weekend warrior" camper would wear. It's all good.

I too asked a GFD officer about this. He laughed, and said that as long as it's out of their view they can't find what they can't see. Not the answer I was looking for, so I asked if I could always carry. He said that the rules say you can't carry anything more powerful than what is on the tag. IE No firearms during an archery only hunt, no centerfire rifles/pistols during a Muzzleloader hunt. But during a general hunt anything goes. As for just buying a lion tag, he said you have to choose what you are hunting, then carry what the least powerful weapon tag says. IE if you have a bear tag, a lion tag, and an archery deer tag, and you want to hunt all three at the same time, you have to only use the archery tackle. Kind of like Microsoft Word, the newer can go older but the older can't go newer, you can carry a less powerful weapon, but can't carry a more powerful weapon than what the tag says.

Both great bulls, nice job.

heh, at first I thought you might have been one of the guys I helped out in 6a! The guys I helped blew a tire out on a rough road, and hiked back to our camp to see if we had any fix a flat. We did, and I gave them a ride back to their camp to get their spare, then back out to their truck to fix the tire. Really a nice couple of guys. I also picked up a hunter (two different ones) and gave them a ride to their trucks down the road. If I see a hunter in need, I'll help out if I can. But on the same day (Sunday) I blew a tire out too on the dirt road to Apache Maid, and had to send the other truck back into Flag to fix it. We sat there for over three hours AND NOT ONE truck stopped to see if we needed help.