Heinz57

My oldest daughter has decided she wants to try hunting so I'll be donating my December rifle tag to her! Really looking forward to teaching her how to hunt. Here are a few more pics of my archery hunt...Eventually I'll get the gopro video edited and put up. The buck on the top right is the old guy I ended up taking.

Finally got it done Saturday afternoon! Worked really hard at it this year, and it all paid off. I had lots of great bucks on my trail cam and got out to scout as often as possible. Took Friday off from work and stayed out all day with my Dad. He didn't have a tag but was helping me glass. Picked up a group of 5 bucks within 30 seconds of pulling out the binos at first light. Most of the bucks I had previously captured on my trail cam. All great bucks, but I was looking for one in particular that would have scored close to 100". Passed on the group of 5, wanting to hold out for the big one. Plus I had a December rifle tag. Got out again Saturday with Dad. Glassed up the same group of 5 bucks and watched them feed and bed throughout the morning. Took Dad back into town around 11am, and I headed home to kick my feet up and take a break from the heat. After about 30 minutes at the house, I headed back out. Sitting at home was driving me crazy when I could be out hunting! Glassed up the 5 bucks again around 3pm. One buck in particular was definitely the oldest, and had the largest frame with the most mass. Only a 3x3, but definitely a nice mature buck. Dad and I referred to him as the "big fork". Another one in the group was a nice 4x5, but with a much smaller frame. I watched them bed, and decided to put a stalk on them. Dad came back out to spot for me from up high, while I sneaked into the bottom. Got into position and waited for about 30 minutes before the big fork got up and started feeding my direction. When he crested the hill and started coming my way, I felt my heart jump up into my throat and started to hear my heart beating faster and faster. I remember thinking, HA there's that buck fever I knew would come! Tried to calm myself down and focused on breathing. I ranged him at 68 yards, but wanted to wait for a better shot opportunity. Ranged him again at 55 between two bushes. Still felt like I could get a better shot. He fed behind another bush, which I ranged at 35 yards. "This is as good as it gets," I thought to myself. "You gotta make this happen!" I drew back on him, and waited for him to feed out from behind the bush. Waited for what seemed like an eternity at full draw, 50 seconds in actuality, and the buck still hadn't stepped out from behind that bush. I decided to let down. Ranged him again...30 yards exactly. When it looked like he was getting ready to move, I drew back again. I was in grass up to my chest, so the kill zone on the deer wasn't entirely visible. As I was at full draw, I slowly made a few steps toward the deer, which got me up just high enough to see above the grass in front of him. Still didn't have a clear shot! After 40 more seconds at full draw, I let down again. Made several more steps forward to get the best shot possible. The buck stepped out from the bush, quartering hard towards me. Given the distance and my confidence in my setup, I decided to take a frontal shot. I let my arrow fly and saw it hit it's mark. The buck blew outta there, went about 20 yards, and dropped right in front of me. The realization that I had just killed my first buck with a bow hit me, and I have to say, that was probably one of the greatest experiences of my life. To top it off, my Dad was able to watch the whole thing play out through the spotting scope, and I got to share the moment with him. Not to mention, I captured the entire stalk and kill shot on my GoPro! Although I have no regrets, my success was bittersweet. Sad to see the hunt end so early, especially considering the fact that I have a December W/T tag. Lesson learned, but still no regrets. Thanks for reading!

NIIICE buck! Way to go!

Great job congrats on your success!

Nice job, congrats on a great buck!

Outstanding buck! Look how wide he is! Congrats!

Thanks guys. The rifle tag I have is for late December W/T on Fort Huachuca. Because of the specific requirements to hunt here, I've had trouble donating this tag in the past. Needless to say, I'd still like to try and find someone who could use it. Too bad neither of my girls are interested in hunting. Stanley, I sent HOAL an email asking if they might be interested. Thanks for the suggestion.

Great looking buck! Way to get it done!

Way to be! Great looking buck!

Well done! Now you're hooked!

Outstanding buck! Well done!

No Huachuca deer tag for me it looks like. Still not sure if my dad drew because he sent in a paper app. Hopin he'll atleast get a tag!

Went out with Dad yesterday to check a new trail cam and do some early archery season scouting. Was nice to just get out and spend time with him. No animals on camera over the weekend, but we did manage to find a couple coues sheds and a sweet deadhead. Haven't got around to putting tape on him yet, but he's a dandy. Any guesses on score? Check out the palming at the end of his main beam. Hoping his genetics are still running around! What would be the best way to clean up that deadhead and display it?

With archery season just around the corner I foolishly shattered my clavicle in a mountain biking accident! Treated myself to some nice titanium hardware last week. Went from shooting daily to being completely out of commission...talk about a depressing feeling. Here's to hoping I'll be all healed up by August 22nd! Take it easy boys and girls - don't want to end up in my predicament!

I considered applying for a crossbow permit, but after looking at the regs, it doesn't sound like an option for me: "A statement from an M.D., doctor of medicine, with a valid license to practice issued by any state, or a D.O., doctor of osteopathic medicine, with a valid license to practice issued by any state, that affirms the applicant has a permanent disability of at least 90% impairment of function of one arm and provides the physician’s typed or printed name, business address, and signature."

Fortunately I only put in for a preference point for elk this year- just have my OTC archery deer tag to fill. Doc says 6-8 weeks so if all goes well I should be able to get out in August. Haven't drawn an elk tag in AZ yet, but I have 3 pts so we'll see next year.

Sounds like you're getting into the deer consistently well. I've had a similar January. Lots of great opportunities but never quite perfect. Keep at it and you'll get that muley to make a mistake sooner or later. It sounds like you made the right decision on the long shot. I would have to let that shot pass as well. Good luck out there....still 5 more days. Plenty of time!

Finally tagged my first coues last Sunday, and I couldn't be happier! What a great early Christmas present! Hunted for 6 days prior to taking this guy on Sunday. Saw quite a few bucks, and passed on several nice bucks opening weekend. Just wasn't ready for the hunt to end, so I figured I'd try and hold out for something a bit bigger. Sunday morning I got a late start, as the area I had originally planned to hunt already had hunters. Decided to try a different area that I've only hunted one other time. Parked the truck and hiked my way up top and was set up glassing by about 7:45. Couldn't have been 15 minutes later and I glassed up a nice 3x3 feeding with a couple does. Watched him for quite a while, and decided he would be a fine buck to harvest. Got the rifle all set up and ranged him feeding behind a tree at 502 yards. Settled in for the shot, and waited for him to step out from behind the tree. Suddenly he bursts out from behind the tree and takes off running! No way he could have seen or winded me! Then I realized he was actually chasing another doe that I hadn't noticed, and out steps another buck. Watched them for quite some time, as they were chasing those does in circles. Hadn't seen this much rut activity before, so it was really neat for me to watch. Eventually the two bucks decided to give the does a break, and fed together in and out of the trees. I tried my best to field judge them with my Swaro 10's, and eventually decided that both were nice 3x3's, one having slightly more mass than the other. Either of them would be a trophy for me. Ranged them again at 450 yards. Estimated the shot angle to be roughly 30 degrees uphill, and made some quick adjustments. Got my rifle set up for the shot, and bounced back and forth between my glass and my rifle, waiting for a good shot opportunity. I was alone, which made this a bit more difficult. The bigger of the two provided a broadside shot, but the smaller one was slightly in front of him - too close for comfort. At that point I remember telling myself, whichever one makes the first mistake will be my first coues. The smaller of the two soon made this mistake, stepping out into the open providing a nice broadside shot. Let my 150gr .30-06 ballistic silvertip fly and the rest is history! Finally reached him about 30 minutes later. Tagged him and got out my camera to take a few quick pictures, but of course, the fully charged camera I had packed a week earlier was now dead! Fortunately I had my phone with me, and was able to take a video instead. I couldn't have been happier to have this experience. I was on cloud nine the rest of the day, reliving the morning's hunt that I had dreamed about for so long. Decided to process the deer myself for the first time. I'm glad I decided to do this, and I learned quite a bit. Don't think I'll pay a butcher to process my deer anymore, as the butchering experience further added to the gratification of the hunt. Even made my own jerky, breakfast sausage, italian sausage links, jalepeno and cheddar summer sausage, and deerburger! Read some great reviews on Arizona Wildlife Designs in the forums here, and decided to have my buck shoulder mounted. Looking forward to the mount! Forgot to measure him...any guesses? Can't wait to get out there again in January with my bow! View from my shooting position. Buck was located at the top of the far ridge.

Congrats! Loved the write up. Looks like these Ulmer edge broadheads are the way to go. Been hearing more and more about them lately. Might have to make the switch.

Appreciate the congratulations guys. He was taken on Ft. Huachuca in 35A

What a great looking buck! Enjoyed the write up! Thanks for sharing and congrats!

Way to go Wayne! Looks like a successful family hunt!

Right on buddy! Not a bad lookin sticker yourself. Hadn't seen you down here before. U draw tags this year?

Exact same feeling here on getting "perfect arrow flight". I shoot a 360 and am also having tuning issues with it. Like scooter said, arrow flight seems inconsistent, with porpoising and fishtailing. Issue seems to be fletching contact on the rest. Replaced my string before archery season and now I'm getting fletching contact on the 360. My arrows are sliding left through the rest, with the fletchings making contact in two spots. I even noticed that the launcher and brush wore down on the left side from the arrow sliding off. Currently working out some kinks, turns out my draw length was way too long (can't understand how that could be when I had it setup by a pro shop) and I was torquing the release because of this. Corrected the draw length, reset centershot, hitting spot on out to 60 yards now. Problem is, still have clearance issues, so I know in my mind that the arrow flight is still far from perfect. Bought a new brush kit today, gonna install that tomorrow and see if I can get things lined up better. Looks like my d-loop may need to be raised a bit higher, so hopefully that will cure these issues. If not, I think it's time for an upgrade from my Diamond Stud. Love the bow, but have a heck of a time getting everything just perfect.

Ya that was me chasin coues during the archery season. Never had a shot opportunity but got on several great stalks and was within 20 yards of multiple bucks at times, thick cover never allowed for a shot, and those coues are crafty. I'm still new to archery and learned quite a bit more about em this year. Dad just moved here to Sierra Vista and was able to join me for most of the archery season, which was great. My wife and I still have rifle tags we're looking forward to filling in December. Hoping to get her first buck this year. Anyone holding a rifle tag on fort huachuca this year?