lucky2hunt

TJ the hunt was fantastic! I can't seem to post pictures on here using my iPad so it have to wait until I can get back in the States. Roger say "Hi" back to ya! Hush Amanda! Yep I'll have plenty of time on that 14 hour flight!

Here I sit in the small sea-side village of Kaikoura New Zealand, we were suppose to begin our day with a nice hike up to a beautiful waterfall..... Instead I sit here trying to get on AZ G&F website to see if I got drawn! AND the website is down It's driving me crazy!

Good Grief! That's a long day... but heck, to go fishin' I guess it's worth it! Nice fish TJ

Very cool TJ! Love Roosevelt this time of year.... Way to go Peg

Saw you Saturday on the Flag tank road.

March 27 @ 11:03 a.m.

One of the highlights of the weekend for sure! Those girls are awesome!!!

Cliff, Roger and I are so sorry about the loss of your friend. I wrote Javier an email to tell him how sad we were to hear his father had lost his battle to cancer. While we were there Javier told us his dad was very ill. We wish we could have met him. I could tell by all the pictures on the walls that he was a man that loved his family very much, it was also quite evident that the Ranch was a place he loved. I know his family and friends will miss him dearly! Prayers sent! Ilene

Amazing!

Congrats on your javis! Sounds like fun!!!

Nice! Your son will forever remember that day... awesome!

Wow! That's a huge flock of kids!!! Congrats on the pig and a very awesome family outing!!!

Awesome memories made and time well spent! Good job getting the family out and about together.... Congrats on the pigs.

Great mount! Love the wood, what kind is it?

WAY TO GO! Nice job with that bow Geneva, very awesome!!! Congrats

I've used Vacation Rentals By Owner several times and have had great luck. Below is a link to No. Arizona rentals. VRBO

Prayers for strength sent Kevin's way!

Nice!

Beautiful buck and awesome video! A big congratulations to all involved.

Great looking Barbary Ram! Congrats!

Ohhhh I need to learn how to do that! Awesome!!!

Flagstaff Archers will have the annual Max Hamilton Shoot May 19+20 @ Willard Springs. It is a great shoot and a beautiful area to spend a weekend camping! I'll post more info as it gets closer...

Yes Sir! I've bought my last 3 Mathews from Bull Basin Flagstaff, great service! Tucson is a Mathews dealer as well!

Amazing! Simply Amazing!!! Very cool buck, congratulations!!!

Last February at the ADA Banquet, after some low bidding and a few whiskies my husband bought me a Sonoran Mexico Coues Hunt with Mexafari Outfitters! The hunt was planned for the day after Thanksgiving but was postponed when Javier called and said the ranch had received an unprecedented 3" of rain in one day! Finally, I get the call, the ranch has dried out a bit, the moon is right, my 5 day hunt starts Jan. 15th! After reading Amanda's past stories of hunting at the same ranch, we decide to drive so we can see the country. Being comfortable with driving through Sonora we agree to meet our outfitter Javier Monge in Hermosillo. Along with Javier is another hunter who won his hunt on a $5.00 raffle ticket at another banquet (lucky him)! We are in for a long day... To Hermosillo 3 hours, Herosillo to the ranch, 6 hours! From Hermosillo it is only 180 miles but roads are narrow, winding and steep! And full of hazards! We got to the ranch well after dark, about 10pm. After getting gear ready for morning and a quick bean burro we hit the sack. The plan was for me to use my bow, I would sit in a blind at a natural spring while the other hunter would go with Javier's son and another guide and rifle hunt. Roger and Javier would go scout some other locations for me, there is still too much water for my liking! View from my blind! First day was a bust for me! 11 hours of watching birds Get back to the ranch and hear stories of tons of deer seen by everyone, with 15-20-30 bucks seen! Day 2 - 11 more hours in the same blind! Ahhhhh I see 2 cows! Same stories from the night before, yes, I am getting jealous! Day 3 - I switch to a different spring, Miguel the cowboy has seen some recent action at this one. Roger and Javier sit with me for a while. While glassing a nearby hillside, Roger sees and points out a nice buck. I see him for a split second before he walks into a saddle. YAY! my first deer sighting! Javier leaves me, Roger leaves me I sit for 8 hours and nothing.... do you see a pattern here? Javier keeps imploring patience on my part but with time running out for my hunt and I've only seen a handful of deer I'm loosing any hope on these waterholes. Day 4 - I go back to the same spring as the day before, the wind is at my back, I wait for it to change but it doesn't. I hear deer sounding an alarm, I've been busted! The plan is I sit all day. Nope, I decided to change the plan, I walk out and back to the ranch. I find Roger and Javier glassing a nearby hill, they said they had been watching bucks chase does all morning and most headed my way. I explained the wind, Javier wanted me to go back, but I said after sitting 36 hours, I was ready to go see some deer! This country is NOT for sissies! Every day I walk about a mile into the blinds, there are bushes that poke, stick, scratch and grab you everywhere! And it's steep! That afternoon we took my bow and Javier's 7mm rifle, we made some stalks but were busted, the vegetation is so thick, it's hard to be quiet. Javier took us on a grueling march over several ridges to a place where the cowboy had seen a big buck hanging out. Once there we spotted deer... about 3 miles away Javier did glass up a Jaguar so that was pretty cool! Running out of daylight we decided we better get off the mountain while we still could. Last day of the hunt... The Bowhunter in me relented, I decide to use Javier's rifle! We go to the place where Roger and Javier have watched the same buck for 3 days now. Amanda, you should recognize these hills! We spot him right away at daylight, it's the same buck Roger showed me 3 days ago. They had watched him every day. Javier and I decide to move closer, we leave Roger back to watch and guide us. It's so thick we can't see anything, Roger motions to us that he can't see the deer any longer. We continue to where we saw him last, all of a sudden a doe jumps through the brush heading right at us, turning 30 yards into and past thick bushes. Just then we see the buck we are after chasing her, I get down on a knee, prepare for a shot thinking he was going to take the same path, instead, he dips into a deep arroyo and is gone! He was so intent on that doe, he never saw us. We didn't want to push him so we decided to back out and try and glass him up again. With no luck at finding him and the day getting hotter we decide to go back to the ranch for lunch and come back in the afternoon. We glass and I'm just about resigned to the fact I will not get a deer this trip... With just 2 hours left in the hunt, Javier finds the buck! Not seeing how we can get any closer he ask if I am ready for a long shot, I'm game! I rest the rifle on a downed tree, it is sighted in for 300 yards, the shot is 385 yards, I take my time (Roger & Javier said it was a very long time) hold a bit high, and squeeze... Bang and WHACK!!! Roger said the magic words "He's down" I was elated!!! We make our way over to the deer and I couldn't have been happier! No, I didn't get him with a bow, but I worked hard and feel like I earned this beautiful deer! My Guide - Eagle Eyes Javier And my best hunting partner - Roger Looking through his antlers you can see the ranch in the background Enjoying success and the view! View from above We enjoyed this trip so much, wonderful people have become good friends, the food was fantastic and the countryside was amazingly beautiful! We can only hope to return again!