kphunter

Ok, here are the pics: Yes, we were in Mearns country: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/kpa...pg?t=1194926847 Proud wife with her first buck: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/kpa...pg?t=1194926883 The guide had to get a pic too! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/kpa...pg?t=1194926914 One more view from the side: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/kpa...pg?t=1194926968 My first impression when I looked at this buck was that it might be a hybrid. If not, then it's a very "couey" looking mule deer. KP

MadDawg: She was definitely holding a mule deer tag. It was quite evident it was a mule deer from the backside. It may be a hybrid, I'll let you know what G&F thinks about it as I sent the unit officer a couple of pics. We did bust a few coveys of mearns and scalies while we were hunting. Can't say they were in great numbers, but they were in there. KP

Ok, here are the pics: Yes, we were in Mearns country: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/kpangler/IMG_0887.jpg?t=1194926847 Proud wife with her first buck: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/kpangler/IMG_0903.jpg?t=1194926883 The guide had to get a pic too! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/kpangler/IMG_0901.jpg?t=1194926914 One more view from the side: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/kpangler/IMG_0896.jpg?t=1194926968 My first impression when I looked at this buck was that it might be a hybrid. If not, then it's a very "couey" looking mule deer. KP

Well, here's another example of persistence and hard work paying off. My wife and I went back to 34B for one last attempt at a mule deer. Saturday morning - new moon, cloud cover and cooler temperatures made for ideal conditions for the hunt. We climbed the peak and almost immediately I glassed a lone deer that looked like a doe on a hillside. Hoping he/she wasn't alone, we decided to hike down and get a closer look. We made it down to the flats and started glassing the opposing hillside. I spotted three more mule deer coming down a hill. It appeared the group had been spooked by road hunters coming down the gasline road a 1/4 mile away. I followed them as they walked behind a hill an out of sight. We continued walking the flats and we busted the lone "doe". We followed "her" until she disappeard in the thick brush. It appeared to us the deer were starting to bedding down, so the plan was for my wife to walk the thick brush in the flats and try to kick up a deer. For this hunt, we decided I would get first crack at it so I would perch up on a hillside and wait for a buck to pop out. Well, I should have known when my wife goes wandering out on her own, good things seem to happen (see last year's story on our elk hunt). I lost sight of her as she vanished in the thick mesquite forest. Suddenly, four deer pop up on a hillside 400 yards from where I'm sitting. I put my optics on the deer, strain my eyes trying to detect antlers but I'm unable to decipher whether any of the deer are bucks. I watch as the deer in the rear stops for a moment, looks back and bammmm!!!! Deer's down!! Next thing I hear is, "Kenny I got one, wooo hooo!" By then, the other deer are in the next county. She had walked to within 70 yards of the deer and froze. She looked through her (my) 8x42 Alpens and spotted the antlers. One shot through the neck, blasted the heart and exited out the ribs on the other side. The deer went right down where he was hit. Let me tell you, none of the bucks we spotted on this trip had a full head of antlers. G&F was correct in saying the unit has many 2-3 year old bucks, at least in the area we were hunting. We had multiple opportunities at deer we just couldn't tell were bucks or does (even with 12x50 binoculars), so we were forced to close the gap to verify the existence of antlers. Many of those stalks ended up in busting the deer, except for one. Her deer is a 3x2, very small rack for a mule deer but hey, we're not complaining! Since this was her first buck, we decided to have a head/shoulder mount done. It will be ready in 6-9 months. Have pics to share, I'll post them when I can. KP

Pred8r: That's a super buck for 34B, congrats! I may have seen you out there, my wife and I were hunting for muleys in the unit. She wacked a 3x2 on Saturday, but it's not even as big as your coues. KP

Grande Bear: I have the same model binocs, except they're 12x50's. The one thing I'm not crazy about with this binocs is the separate focusing knobs. You have to do each eye separately. Other than that, it's good glass especially for the money. KP

Are these porro or roof prism binocs? What is the model? Any pics? KP

Hunted 34B for muleys hard this weekend, but couldn't find a buck if our life depended on it. Spotted muley and whitetail does, just no bucks. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as I may head back out next weekend. KP

Congrats, that's a big-bodied coues buck, nice mass too! KP

I didn't say 125 grain wouldn't kill a mule deer, my comfort zone for that sized animal is a larger bullet. KP

That would work for coues, but I wouldn't try it on mule deer. KP

Will be deer hunting south of Tucson, and in case we get lucky will need a game processor in the area. Any recommendations? KP

Not sure I understand what you mean by processing d-boned meats. Are you saying they don't like to process meat that comes into their shop already deboned, or they prefer not to process the meat boneless? KP

Thanks azpackhorse. KP

azpackhorse: I'm not familiar with Tucson, what does WGP stand for? We're hunting near I10 and Hwy 83, how close is the processor to that area? KP

Be careful using #6's at long ranges. If you plan to shoot beyond 35 yards, go to #5's or #4's or Hevishot as these shells have more impact and knock down power. KP

That poor woman died from a Mojave rattler - those suckers are the most toxic of all the southwestern rattlers. KP

Here's a link to the Arizona chapter: http://www.hoalarizona.org/ Click on the Donate a Tag link in the left column. Thanks,

Apatkelley: You've got a PM. KP

This is from bowsite.com. Man, what a great bull coming from an area not known for monster elk. KP

It's been out a while, I've seen it in various catalogs such as Sportsmans Guide and Cabelas. Good point, if you're skinning/quartering then it's a moot point. KP

Tony: Any experience in the field with this tool? KP

I think you're scouting the right area. Not much of anything if you go north or west of where you're looking now. I would concentrate on the south and southeastern portions of the unit and possibly to the west of I10 in the Silverbells. KP

I also have a Buck - the Vanguard which is not a folder but a great fixed blade knife with ATS-34 steel. For a folder, Buck is just coming out with the Kalinga. It's priced a little on the high side, but it looks like a very sweet knife. Other brands I'd consider are Kershaw, Gerber, and Benchmade to name a few. KP

Maybe I missed this, but what is the advantage to daisy chaining two 6 volt batteries as opposed to using a single 12 volt battery? KP