Drew my first blood in Arizona today!!

[yotebuster]

Headed out early this morning with the shotgun and AR-15, looking to explore the countryside a bit. Went north of Glendale on 17, then jumped off and bumbled into the darkness not exactly sure what I was after!!! Found a nice looking canyone at daybreak that allegedly had a spring a half mile up it (according to my sorry map!). Hiked in about a half mile with the AR and a predator call. Set up overlooking the canyon, and just barely got going on my first set when this fox came roaring in!! I'd never seen a gray fox before, but had a pretty good idea that was what it was. Stopped him at 75 yards, for a nice chest shot, but unfortunately my 50 gr. Vmax exited his back on the other side, messed his hide up really bad! I was ecstatic to have success in my first 30 minutes of hunting in AZ, but sad that I couldn't salvage my first gray fox.

Loaded up the .12 gauge and made my way up the next canyon, bumped a huge covey of quail (75 atleast is that normal?) They flushed to far for a shot, but lit in the side of the canyon above me, (which turned out to be more like a cliff covered in prickly pear!). I naturally clawed my way up to them, but they made a complete idiot out of me as I gasped for air and tried to shoot at them! I missed a few before I was able to get my breath and killed one. I ended up picking a few more up after that, which was plenty to make this guy happy!!! Didn't see any deer, and no tracks at any of the springs and tanks I saw. This surprised me as the country I was in looked excellent for deer. I didn't do a lot of hard glassing, but thought I would have bumped into something in the course of the day. It was a lot of fun, I'm definitely gonna get back up there and try it again, only this time I'm gonna get above the quail before I try to flush 'em!!!

 

 

[cramerhunts]

Looks like a good day for sure! Congrats on your first AZ success.

 

Phil

[firstcoueswas80]

Very nice! Thats a good size fox too!!

[Basser15]

Nice work. Were you close to the area that we were talking about last week? When it cools down we'll have to get out and chase those quail with my dog.

[COOSEFAN]

Quote: Didn't see any deer, and no tracks at any of the springs and tanks I saw. This surprised me as the country I was in looked excellent for deer. I didn't do a lot of hard glassing, but thought I would have bumped into something in the course of the day.

 

WELCOME TO ARIZONA

 

We definitely have more country than deer here in AZ, you got your first taste of that! Great job on your first outting! JIM>

[yotebuster]

Nice work. Were you close to the area that we were talking about last week? When it cools down we'll have to get out and chase those quail with my dog.

 

 

Yeah, I did a little recon on my map and google earth and found a neat little place, sure you've been there. The quail definitely like that area as the wash was full of tracks, it would be fun as heck with a dog, those dang things wore this flatlander out! Fortunately I was able to retrieve every bird I downed, I could see them being impossible if they werent killed DEAD. I'm excited to cook those bad boys up, remind me of little Hungarian Partridge, which are my favorite bird on the table by far! Thanks for the advice Rob, we'll have to go back up there and clean up the rest of the varmints too, lots and lots of tracks, I need someone to run shotgun for me, this is way different than hunting the open pastures like back home!

[CouesWhitetail]

Sounds like you had a good day! Those quail make some GREAT eating!

 

Amanda

 

[Snapshot]

Good job, with a nice looking fox!