Search the Community

Well my friend here needs help with his score. Will add pics as we go..

First post, I am 15 years old and want to get into bow hunting I've killed deer and javelina before with a rifle but I would like to try bow, any budget bow recommendations?

Late tag holders had some great weather the last few days. Anybody hear of some of the bucks taken so far?

Good luck to the lucky hunters that drew a late tag. Should be great weather up north. Post results !

Don't miss this event! Tons of prizes, plus over 30 firearms to be raffled off!!! Come out and help with the conservation of Mule Deer and have a boat load of fun. Hit the link to buy tickets or for more information: https://muledeer.myeventscenter.com/.../Flagstaff-Chapter...

Any word on the Utah case with Hatch? Last I saw was sentencing in Feb.

Have not seen much about the Strip and late Bab hunts. Very interested in results. Please share. Thanks.

Headed up to the Bab. Anyone been up there yet? Show the goods if you have.

I'm a pretty new hunter. I have hunted Coues a couple times before in the unit but am completely new to hunting mule deer. I live in Tucson and would like to get more into hunting. I'm not looking for any honey holes or anything, just trying to gauge how far North/East I should be driving from Tanque Verde before I start getting into good mule country. Any help is appreciated

I bought this table about 25 years ago at the Mule deer Banquet. It is solid flagstone with a desert mule deer scene etched in it. It weighs a ton. My wife remembers better than me that the artist said it is a one of a kind. I think I paid around $1000.00. Getting new furniture and doesn't match. It is 53" long, 28" wide, 20" tall and 1 1/2" thick. Asking $750.00 Very unique table. Thanks.

Gentlemen, Having been in a motorcycle accident last year, I am hoping someone can help me keep a few miles off of my hip by leading me in the right direction for a NM Unit 23 archery mulie hunt. This hunt will be my first act as a civilian after nearly 24 years on active duty since the first day of the hunt corresponds with my first day on the retirement rolls (woo hoo!). My tag does not allow me into the Burro Mountain Hunt Area, but the rest of the unit is fair game. I am willing to abide by "no shoot" restrictions if you are willing to put me in an area you have been running trail cams; a satellite buck will feed my family just fine. I have heard there are bucks in the southern portion of the unit, but they're hard to find (meaning fewer hunters in my mind). Thank you for any help you can offer. Kind regards, JD

Mule deer antler lamp. Made from real sheds (not reproductions). 21'w x 18"d x 29"h. $150 OBO. Local pick up only (Payson, AZ). Craig (816) 806-2559.

I am putting this question out there. I would like some recommendations for Deer Guides. I have had some bad experiences (supposed to be the top guide for Strip), and some great experiences. Since the draw results will come out in a week or so, lets have a collective discussion and share some past experiences. My son drew the early rifle Kaibab tag so I am looking around for recommendations.

Headed up to north rim 2morrow. Anyone know how the roads are and snow level down on winter range? Thanks

Story of my first deer. (Shortened) After glassing, and stalking other bucks I eventually found myself at the top of a ridge overlooking a wash filled with cattle. As soon as my eyes focused on a calf I saw the white bottom of a 2 point buck jump behind a bush. I briskly started walking to get even with the buck as I was on top of the ridge and he was in the bottom of a wash. I was using an ultimate predator decoy, a silhouette of a doe that I Velcro on my bow, to hopefully lure in the rutting buck. I chased him from ridge to ridge til eventually I cut him off and waited for him to walk right in to me where the wash ended. Seconds after stopping my movement he emerged from behind a bush at about 65 yards. His eyes immediately locked on me, the doe decoy, and began walking right towards me. I ranged the cactus 17 yards in front of me that he would have to go around. I drew my bow without him noticing because of the decoy. When he approached the cactus he turned broadside to go around it and that’s when I let the arrow fly. The Rage broad head penetrated deeply into his vitals from what I could tell at the moment. Instantly blood spurted out of him and he took off down the wash he came from. After waiting an hour I started tracking. After finding little to no blood I eventually made my way back up the wash where I thought he was. I found a large puddle of blood and 10 feet farther there he was; crashed in the wash. I had finally killed my first buck and it was an archery otc hunt. It took a lot of hard days, sleepless nights, and practice to get it done but I did it. Super happy for my first buck. He’s not a monster but for my first deer I can’t complain. Thanks everyone for all the tips and advice. I couldn’t have done it without y’all. 9F8FCEC8-3952-4732-83AF-844D2E2DF364.MOV

My Brother in law in South Dakota found this Shed the other day. He had seen him on the hoof. He said the other side was a typical 4pt. When he spotted the horn in the snow he said it looked like a piece of driftwood. Thus he named the buck "Driftwood" Wonder what he will be next year?

It doesn't look like I'm going on an Elk or Antelope hunt this year so switching my hopes to deer season! I've been hunting Kiabab for almost 15 + years (mainly 12B West and 12A) and wanted to get some thoughts on rifle hunts for 13a/b vs. 12b late. If you had your pick, which one would it be and why? And yes I know 13a/b are the infamous "Strip" hunt 🙂 13a/b rifle (50 & 80 tags last year) vs 12b late rifle (20 tags last year). I have my own thoughts but wanted to get thoughts from others that might have hunted both units before.

I found this old picture about 30 years ago in a truck I purchased. If anyone recognizes these guys, maybe an uncle, dad, or grandad, please let me know. I am sure that someone who knows these guys would enjoy it. It is a large photo, 14" x 9". Could be Kaibab Bucks.

Any reports on the Strip or late Kaibab from anyone ?

Hello everybody, i need some help, i am a hunter from Spain currently living in phoenix until February, i have got a over the counter deer tag for bow in December. i have been looking to go hunting to unit 22 or 21, just because are close to where i live, both have good acess (i don't have a truck to go far off road) and i have just weekends to go hunting or scouting. Already have been scouting three weekends, hiking and camping in unit 22, first one , i went to the left side of highway 87 in Sunflower, i hike about 7 miles and camp in high spot to glass, i didn't see any deer but a lot of tracks. Second time i went to Tonto basin, right side of the 188 rd in the way of Roosevelt lake, i saw just two mule does in the hills but i did see and a lot of track . the 3ª weekend i crossed the rio Verde just below the horseshoe dam and hike a few mile into the Mazatzal wildenest, i saw again just too doe mule deer and 2 doe White tail deer, but i didn't see many tracks. This weekend i will try 21 to go to the left side of Seven spring road, trail 245 in Onx map, near to Camp Creek. It is been very difficult to me decide where to go, i am not looking for a big trophy, i don't mind if it a mule deer o coues, i just want to have some fun and at least try to spot and stalk once in Arizona before i go back home, i am already having a great time jus scouting such a nice mountains. If someone can give some help, not saying that i want a honey hole but meaby some better areas to look for or any other advise will be great. my brother is coming all the way from spain just for the hunt and it would be great at least see some bucks. we will try to film the hunt and posted in our hunt channel in youtube " Certeros Ballesteros " it is all about hunting and fishing video in Spain. thanks all!

Hey y'all, my name is Devon and I'm from Va. I've been hunting east coast whitetail since I could walk and have had a bow in my hand since about the age of 9 or 10. I'm 23 now and have been stationed in California for about three years. I shot my first mule deer last year out here in Cali and have became obsessed with spot and stalk hunting. I've always dreamed of hunting coues deer and the more I read into it the more I learned of the OTC archery tag and realized I could make it a reality. That being said, I know nothing about Az. Any and all help or advice to point me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. I've made two scouting trips so far this year and have found some small deer herds here and there but I was mainly just admiring the landscape to see what was out there! I'm not necessarily worried about harvesting a giant or even harvesting a deer in general, I'm honestly not expecting to my first year out but I'd like to at least see some animals and get some filming done! I just want to learn as much as I can. I've been looking into units 32 and 33 but am up for anything, I don't mind hiking at all and prefer to hike way in and get away from crowds! Again, any insight is huge for this Az newbie!

So after seeing some of the latest big "Coues" deer in various threads and other places, I was wondering what GnF and the record books use for the definitive call on these. If a nice 175lb buck clearly has a big forked Mule deer rack and a "white tail" tail, can you hang either tag on him? Even if you saw them both prior to shooting, which way does it go? Or do you just wait for archery season and not worry about it? (Doesn't help with the record books though) I just searched the 2017 Main Regs and couldn't find anything about it. Some of the F1 hybrids may be easy to spot but as time goes by, it's going to get harder and harder to distinguish the differences between the two. Makes you wonder how many F2's, F3's etc will end up in the books.

My wife drew 12AW early hunt, got out there Thursday evening after a long drive from Queen Creek got camp set up by just before sun down and there was already sooo many people.. After at least 10 other hunters drove right by our camp scouting that night,the morning hunt was looking crowded to say the least... Set the alarm on our phone to be up at 4:30am to beat the crowd hoping everyone would turn around once they saw us there..Opening morning woke up after a sleepless night anticipating what the morning would bring, I did not see one truck light as far as I could see!! Wow, maybe we got lucky and everyone had better spots... After sitting for what seemed like an eternity and wondering WTH was going on thinking the horizon should be lighting up by now and still not one truck driving around..How weird ,I must be going crazy!! That's when it my wife looked at me and asked"WHY DOES THE TRUCKS TIME SAY ITS 3:30 AM?"....it's on satellite time by the way..uh oh.. No wonder there's no one out😂Long story short we fell asleep in the truck to wake up late with three trucks next to us...Not the way we wanted to start out.. After we got to our spot I picked up 2 small bucks pushing each other around about 400yds away with about 3 does...I watched them for 15 min hoping for a bigger buck was with them to no evail..Started glassing other areas and saw just does.. 15 min later a shot in that general direction where they were fighting but not at them.. After another 10 min From below them I see a big bodied deer feeding but still no antlers yet... All of a sudden he looked up and my stomach dropped, huge 4x4 with nice spread..I knew we had to act quick due to all the orange specks propped up on every ridge around us.. I ranged him 387 yds broadside with 10 million burnt trees in the way lol...After an agonizing 5 min of my wife trying to find him in the scope she finally said those words we all want to hear" I Found Him"...Hallelujah now take the shot I said...Before I could finish saying that she shot and he dropped where he stood.. I could not believe what just happened...This was her first deer hunt ever and I couldn't be more proud of her!!

New to this forum. I was hoping to get some insight from the members regarding the elk hunting possibilities and the pros and cons between resident elk hunting between Arizona and New Mexico. My wife wants to relocate to a warmer area. We are from the midwest. I have taken elk in montana and colorado. Never hunted new mexico or arizona. I am a preferred archery hunter. Just would like some insight on how hunter friendly each state is and if it is more then likely possible to hunt elk in the state you live in. I am not after trophy bulls. But would like a chance to get an opportunity at a 250"-300" every year. I know i can do that in colorado or montana but my wife will not move there Too much snow! Lol I have the time to spend year round scouting. So i am looking towards public land hunts without tresspass fees. Any insight would be great. Thanks