bchoitz

Haven't been down yet, still focused on the other hunts for this year. After the jr hunt in 12A I'll turn my focus to 35B for December. Sounds like you know the answer already. The known sources are not being used due to the water available in more secluded areas. Look for those spots, Canyons with rocky pools in the bottom etc. Good luck.

If it's legal it's hunting. If it's not fun or enjoyable for you, Don't do it. Baiting is illegal in Arizona as far as I am aware. Sitting over water is not, and that is pretty common here. That is not where I am likely to be found, but I won't fault you for doing it, and I won't get upset if your sitting on the water hole that is being used by the animals in the are I'm hunting. Do what's legal and what you are comfortable with. Have fun, and I hope to see you in the field. I'll say hi and ask how it's going for you. If your sittin' in a blind, that's good for me 'cause I'll know where you are and I can avoid that area while I'm out hunting. Bret

Is that really necessary? I've heard a lot of things and I've jumped to the wrong conclusions too many times. Not to be critical, but... Get farther off the road! If they can't see it from the road they probably won't be driving past and coming back... For whatever reason. It is possible they wondered what the heck was going on with a blind set up so close to the road and just came to investigate. Bummer about the stuff that was stolen, but it's also possible you are thinking the worst of everyone based on this past loss. Just my .02 worth.

Well, I personally think a great deer round would be a .308 Win necked down to .257. Just doesn't seem to be out there. The closest I've seen are a .250 Savage or .250 Savage improved or the .260 Rem. (Having a .300 Savage I'm not too keen on the savage cartridge for reloading due to the short neck and sharp shoulder angle) Anyway it's always cool when someone asks you what you shoot with and after you answer they say: Huh? Never heard of it. Bret

Congrats on a successful hunt! .243 Ackley? interesting round to choose, particularly with a handle ending in 2506.... Sorry to hear the wife didn't tag out as well.

I love the story taking place over three years! What a joy to watch the same animal all that time. He definitely has some character and a great story to go with it. Congrats to the whole team on a great hunt. I hope you scored for that gal you were helping as well. Bret

I grew up in Colorado, never had altitude sickness in my life that I could recall. Never even heard of it really. That is until I moved to Arizona in 1991. Fall of '91 I went back home for Elk. Had an incredible headache and nausea that first night. I got better. figured it was the long drive or the beer or something I ate. Next year, same thing. Hmm, I wonder. Summer of 1998, lets go home and visit, and oh by the way, lets go up mount Evans and see the sheep and mountain goats. Can you say excruciating pain! guess what.. I get altitude sickness. Now every summer I go back to Colorado for fishing, hiking 4 wheeling etc, but I know enough to stop for a couple days between 7000 and 8000 feet and get acclimated. There is NO other cure. If you think you are experiencing altitude sickness, (nausea, headache, dizziness, disorientation,) the ONLY remedy is to get to a lower altitude. This shouldn't be a problem here in Arizona, but if you are leaving this state, plan a few extra days before reaching that 10,000 foot camp to ensure you are acclimated. It's worth it. Bret

I'm a trophy huntin' fool Great big antlers make me drool. I dream of a big ol' monster buck Can't wait to put him in my truck Now with the season gettin' near All I think of is huntin' deer I go out on weekends doing scoutin' But I can't shoot now so I'm poutin' Now my time to hunt is here I'm in the field but where's my deer? I hike and glass and sit all day My hunt's not supposed to be this way Now here I am on my last day I see some deer so far away I'm so excited I could pee! I'll shoot the first spike that I see! Happy Hunting and Good luck to all! Bret December Tag 35B

That's a real bummer, but it's also a possibility all of us have to face when heading out on a hunt. My first December whitetail tag (2001?) ended that way with a deer I didn't recover. Like you, I knew I could not in good conscience shoot another animal that year, and I looked for that buck for a day. Great blood trail for 1/2 mile, then over a deadfall, decent amount of blood where he landed and then nothing. Uphill, downhill, sidehill everywhere I looked, just nothing. I know it was hit bad enough that it died, I just could not locate it. I feel your pain tommat... Still

Three in the same place from the same rock at the same time? Wow! Congratulations to you all!

Congratulations to your son on his first buck. Great Story and Pics.

If you had the time I'd recommend handloading, otherwise the only advice I can give is use a standard caliber such as 30-06, or .270 that will have a greater selection in the stores. Bummer on the $64 pricing, that is outrageous.

Venison- Trim off ALL fat, use small steaks or kabob sized pieces. Marinate in red wine (Burgandy, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon), with white pepper and tarragon. Grill - medium rare. Enjoy! Simple easy and tastes fantastic. Bret C

I was in Unit 36A for the Junior Deer hunt this year. Camped out both weekends, not really close to Unit 36C though. I saw no UDA's, but did see lots of sign. There was lots of helo traffic, and there are plenty of Green&whites on the Arivaca road. Anywhere close to there should be ok, or as has been suggested use the Caballo Loco in Arivaca. Somewhere closer would be the loop that starts at 31° 36.78'N, 111° 23.69'W and comes out at 31° 37.60'N, 111° 24.86'W. This is within the Buenos Aires NWR and you must camp in the marked spots. A trailer can enter from the western end, the eastern end is a bit rough for a trailer. UDA's are more likely on the western end of that loop. There are also several camping spots close to the roads that enter the NWR farther west, but again UDA's seem more likely in the flatter country. Good Luck, the deer are in there.

Congratulations on your elk! It's nice to hear that you can still get good advice from guys in the field. I spoke with a couple guys during the Nov. rifle whitetail season that would probably have sent you off on a wild goose chase just to get a laugh from it. Now smile for the pictures will ya? Bret C.

Last week I drove through Tucson south on I-10 to reach I-19. What a mess! It took nearly 40 minutes to get through the construction in Downtown Tucson at 8:00 AM. I will be heading down for my son's Junior hunt on thursday and was wondering if the locals can suggest a quicker way through town? Should I get off in Marana ans go south through the west side of Saguaro National Park? Would I need to pay an entrance fee if I did? Or should I get off on cortaro and take Silverbell Road through town? It will be mid-day on Thursday when I go through town, and my ultimate destination is unit 36A for the Jr deer hunt. Thanks, Bret C

OK, Thanks, I'll take I-10 through. It just seemed bad last weekend at 8:15 AM when it slowed to one lane for work on one of the overpass, I think it was at Speedway. Must have just been bad timing. I'm off in an hour or so, after I pull Curtis from School! His first deer hunt! I can't wait! Bret C

Thanks, for the info, I was planning to drop by the ADA camp off the Arivaca Rd on Betamonte Rd before heading in to a camping area. Still don't know which of the options my son want to exercise for the first day or two. I'm leaning toward the hills north of Martinez well off the Las Guijas road, but want to let him choose from several sites we have looked at. Most are accessed easier from the Arivaca road, so I'm looking to meet I-19 south of Tucson. Bret C.

Congratulations of a successful hunt! Woohoo! Good Job! It's not the size of the antlers that ultimately matter, but the size of the memories and the effort required to get them. Bret C.

Mike, Congratulations to your son on a fine buck! I'll bet dad was even more excited than his son! Way to go! Bret C.

Yep, That about sums it up. I'm not happy when I find someone in "MY" spot, but really its "PUBLIC" land and NOT my spot, or yours for that matter. IF you are sitting on a road, don't get PO'd if someone comes along driving on that road. You are setting yourself up to have a miserable experience if you do. When I see you in sportsman's or Cabela's or where ever and we talk of hunting I'll feel camaraderie with you, and hopefully if I find you in the field I'll treat you the same way. If I see where you are I'll avoid you and try not to compromise your hunt, but if I see your truck parked where I was intending to park, It's a big world out there and I'll probably head into the area anyway. How am I to know where you went from the truck? Lets get real. AND, don't push quads off the road because you are PO'd, and don't flatten other hunter's tires. What kind of sportsmen are we anyway? Bret C.

Thanks for sharing your hunt with us! Congrats on your very successful hunt, Bret C

Agreed, If I had to pick ONE, I'd go for the 7mm-08. 10 years ago, that was the choice I made with my wife for her rifle, but after waiting forever for the rifle we finally gave up and got the .308. Great rifle, but I have a soft spot for the 7mm's. Personally I don't notice a difference between my .280 Rem, my son's .270 win, or my wife's .308, except I seem to shoot better with my wife's .308. Bret C.

I'll second what ultramag said. Find a gun or several to borrow for a trip to the range. I would think any of the cartridges based on the . 308 would be tolerable. .243 Win .260 Rem 7mm-08 .308 Win Probably more important is the stock size, so look to find a youth model with a shorter length. Bret C

Whether you like it or not, you can't control what other people will do. When you scout, scout several area's and keep your options open. We all know that the deer behave differently when their backyard fills with people with guns, and the easier it is to get to an area, the more hunters you will see. Those that pack in are definitely going to find a better, less disturbed, area in which to hunt, and those that camp by the road in their tents or trailers are going to take their chances. Getting P.O'ed over someone else beating you to a spot, or doing what you feel is “not right” isn't going to enhance your hunting experience, and if you can't get over that, then you should probably stay home, or only hunt on private hunting leases. Thank God for our public lands, and the ability to hunt on them. Enjoy your time in the field, and don't fall into the same traps you do at home by getting all worked up about what the other guy is doing. My time off is too precious for that, and I'm sure yours is also. Bret C PS - There are no "prime" hunting spots next to a road, so that is where I will set up camp. If I am in the camp you had your heart set on, I'm sorry, but drop in and talk, maybe we can work something out.