Christmas at Roosevelt

[muskeg]

Dec az hunt

 

I caught the plane south on (dec 13th) the noon flight out of Ketchikan. My son Tod picked me up that evening at the Burbank airport.

 

We spent the next day packing the small camp trailer and running around getting last minute stuff. Visiting was also in order with Mona and my little granddaughter Brooke.

 

5 am Wednesday morning found us heading east on the #10 hwy. By evening we were hooking up the trailer at Lakeview RV Park just south of the Roosevelt Lake dam.

base camp

 

On the 16th we got a few necessary items in Tonto Basin and packed up our backpacks. On the way to the trail head we stopped in the low desert to check our guns. We noticed the wind was starting to kick it up as we headed up the road. I had made arrangements with Jeff (of Desert Bull Hunting Services) to set up a drop camp, complete with tents, pads, food and water.

 

Lucky for me some of the contacts I made on the Coues board, had suggested the same general area. By the time we got to the trailhead it was later than we hoped. There were some hunters there that have had a family deer camp at the cabin since the early 80's. After some hunting talk we headed out to find the spike camp. About an hour and a half later, following Jeff?s instructions we found the camp site. The wind was strong and building.

 

The light faded fast as we turned in with high winds pounding the camp.

 

Day 1 .. after a very sleepless night, due to the very strong winds. We were slow to get going. The elevation and dry winds are hard on me. Just below camp Tod sights a WT Doe. She just ran into a brush patch like she was being chased. A strong gust of wind hits her brush pile. She runs again. We ease down the hillside. Across a dry meadow, noticing some beds and some of what looks like rut activity. Over to a good glassing place. It?s not long till we sight 2 WT Does feeding sidehill. The wind kicks it up strong. The Does are nervous. They disappear in front of us. I get a glimpse of a good Buck about mid day but he vanishes as quickly as I spot him up range and high. Much later as the shadow works its way up the north slope in front of us Tod says ?deer?. There is a Doe and soon we spot a buck. Down range and low at about 400 yards. I put the scope on it in the low light. ?nice buck, Tod? It?s a Toad with at least 3x long tined rack. We hurried to get a little closer. Both fed away fast as the light faded.

Day 2 .. the wind howled all night. A little better sleep but not much. A little more used to the elevation but the dry air is hard on my throat. We got a little earlier start. Back to our vantage point. I gathered a little dry sage and smudged. The wind was still strong but dying down slowly. Soon just across the draw the Coyotes

light it up. I return a bleat on the deer call. They just go crazy. Then split in several directions and are gone. Nice morning show. We decide to move down range to large rock outcropping at the point of the ridge. It provides a break in the constant wind.

We spot 2 Does and a yearling working up and out of one of the steep hillsides. Late, as the shadow starts it crawl up the hill, Tod spots a dandy Buck. He is back up range by our other vantage point. We gather our gear and head into the wind. It is slowing down as the light fades. We get a good look at about 500 yards. He is at least 3 on each side and tall. We ease out of site behind some Junipers and back out at about 350 yards. He is gone. We looked and looked until dark.

 

Day 3 .. The wind died in the night. Sleep was good. We get a good start on down to our spot. We sight a young Black Bear feeding on Juniper Berries mid slope. No deer all morning, so we decide to walk some. Up to a pass and across the steep hill. Good views all the way. Lots of quail and even a good Cardinal show. I stopped along the way and smudged with fresh sage. I look down into a good looking draw. Some green grass and a willow looking tree or two. What a place.

We work our way across the hill. The wind has died and the sun is getting very warm. We ease down on the south slope of this new ridge to take a look at the north side. Down near the bottom there are two Juniper trees that are just flat tore up around them. Obvious rut stuff. The there is a Doe and a yearling and then more 7 or 8 in all with 2 Bucks. There Mule Deer. They move up and out. Tod hears voices. I move over and talk with a couple guys that are making a stalk. A bow hunter that had spotted a bedded buck and has taken about a 2 mile circle to stalk it. We had a nice chat and wished each other luck. They had just jumped 2 WT. We worked our way back to our glassing spot in the warm evening. No deer spotted except 2 miles down range. The bow hunter was packing a Buck up to his rig. Too far to tell what it was.

 

Day 4 .. the best nights rest yet. We will run out of water and food by tonight. Not a breath of wind. We get a good start and decide to take a quick look at our regular spot. No Deer. We decide to head over to the nice draw where I noticed the green grass. Soon we were easing to a vantage point. Then a Deer a nice buck runs half way up the opposite slope and beds down. Very hard to see. Even with the scope. The morning sun is strong in our eyes. There he is. Is it a Coues or a Carp? Nice rack, but too hard for me to tell in the brush. Then movement straight below at 125 yards or so. Rocks rolling. Then a WT Doe come running up out of the draw, then another, then 3 bucks. One does battle with the other. The other smaller one runs up the hill a little. I pick out the aggressive buck. I already marked the area at about 200+ yards. He stands broad side. Tod spots for me as the old 270 speaks. We don?t notice the big bedded Buck leave or the other ones for that mater. I concentrate on keeping an eye on my Buck as he lays down to die.

It was a long afternoon as we were about 3 ? hours out from the rig. After the meat (and some gear) load we headed back in to spike camp to get the rest of our gear and put the camp to bed. It was just about dark when got back with the second load. The cold beer that Tony offered was just too good. Tony?s hunting club sets up camp there every year. We had a great visit. The shower at base camp felt good.

[Rembrant]

Right on, Johnnie!

I'm glad just to hear that you have pics and a story!!

Looking forward...

Mike

[muskeg]

Day 5 .. we decided to take the meat into the shop. We too the Apache Trail to town. It was a great day for the ride. About half way along the route we spotted a young Big Horn Ram. Rugged beautiful country. After the meat was turned in we drove over to visit a friend in Glendale.

 

Day 6 .. after giving up on a few rough spur roads up around Jakes Corner we took the A+Cross road. Spotted 2 Does and spent the late evening glassing the Solome River bottom.

 

Day 7 .. started out up the Cherry Creek Road in strong winds doing some glassing. We headed out the main road and over toward Young. Just over the top on the Young side a large WT buck bolted across the road. It was nice being up in the timber. We ate at the Antlers and a long drive back to the Lake.

 

Day 8 .. found us hiking up a wilderness area trail after driving up from Roosevelt after sleeping in, after the late drive back from Young. It was 2:30 or 3 by the time we reached the spring and the sun was behind the ridge and the wind had quieted. It was cold. We jumped a deer at the spring but could not make it out. We checked the area a little and eased off to the rock pile on the riverbed side. I got cold and had to move some. Tod moved over to the fence line, I climbed up a fallen dead tree. After a bit Squirrels came to drink. Those large Grey Squirrels that have the tufts on their ears. They made a lot of noise. It was so still and quiet. Then they left hurriedly. Then I hear deer steps in the dry leaves. Sounds like the deer is doing battle with a bush also. Then quiet. I hand signal Tod. Snort ?. Snort the deer charges out of the brush. Below and to the left of my tree stand. Tod can?t make it. It has a strange NT rack. It stops for a bit. It snorts again and charges across the dry river bed and up the steep bank. Stopping at the top and then disappearing into the Juniper thicket. I give Tod the signal to sit tight. A few minutes later some noise and movement. It?s brown. I see a tail, a long tail. I signal Tod. ?The water tank, the water tank.? The large Tom jumps up on the tank and drinks. I plan on jumping straight for my gun at the bottom of the tree if the cat comes in our direction. Tod slowly readies his gun. The cat look?s at the movement. Eye to eye at 40 yards. Jumps down and slowly lopes away into the thick brush.

 

I get down out of the tree and talk things quietly over with Tod. We slowly head out and back up the trail. A Golden Eagle caught currents down range above us. Quail holler in the fading light. It?s getting dark fast as we reach the truck.

 

What a day ?.. I?ll have a Lion tag in my pocket on all future Arizona hunts.

 

Christmas Day ?? we tried a little fishing in Roosevelt Lake after a down home family meal at the Butcher Hook in Tonto Basin. A real lazy day.

 

Day 9 .. first light found us back at the cabin and trailhead.

I wanted to go back to the spring head but Tod wanted to head back out past the spike camp. To our spot. We had seen Deer there every day. Soon we were glassing into the morning sun. Tod spots two does right of the bat. Then another steps out. They feed up and away at about 200 yards. Then another Deer a little higher up. ?it?s a nice forky? Tod don?t take long to decide and has his 7mm on it. I get the scope on it. The shot rings out. Buck down.

After the photo session and boning it?s the hike out. We stop to take a needed break in the canyon bottom.

 

What a hunt. We look forward to the next time we draw the December WT tag.

[muskeg]

I think we spotted between 40 and 45 Deer during our hunt. About half were Bucks.

 

Three of those Bucks were very nice long tined 3x or better racks. Most of you Coues hunters would have shot at the distance we spotted them at.

 

I held my shot distance at 250 yards or less.

 

We also sighted Mt Lion, Pigs, Quail, Cardinals, Rabbits, Coyote, Eagle, Ringtail Cat?, Big Horn Ram, Osprey, and a ton of tweety birds.

 

Thanks again Amanda to the info on this site and the contacts I made for info and to Jeff Rogers of Desert Bull. He put us in'em.

 

Johnnie

[ScottAdams]

Wow, great story Johnnie!! That's what it's all about. It's nice to relive a hunt like that, especially a successful one. Thanks for the sharing your success with us.

 

Scott

[25-06]

Way to go Johnnie...Congrats

[stanley]

Outstanding story and great pics! Thanks for the day by day report. Good job!

 

S.

 

[ultramag]

congats johnnie that is a great story.looks kinda familar,

[az4life]

Great story and couple of decent deer there. You almost made us feel like we were there with you!

[Couesi1]

Congrats,

Coon creek is a wonderful place to chase those little devils.......

couesi1

[Red Rabbit]

Congrats on a successful hunt. From the day-by-day account and series of pics, the whole experience, aside from the wind. was rewarding. Thanks for sharing your hunt in the detailed way you did.

 

Doug/RedRabbit

[CouesWhitetail]

Glad you had a great hunt. And glad this site and Jeff helped make you successful!

 

Thanks for sharing all the details! I enjoyed hearing about all the other wildlife you saw along the way.

 

Congrats!

Amanda

[CHD]

Wow Muskeg,

 

Congrats on a great hunt and a neat buck!

 

Thanks for sharing your terrific story and great pics of some neat countryside!!! I appreciate it!