bchoitz Report post Posted November 27, 2009 My son Curtis had a great year last year, bagging a cow elk on opening day at 10:00 AM, and then bagging a doe in the Jr. hunt on the Kiabab at 10:00 AM on the last day we had for the hunt. This year he wanted something with antlers. Curtis has a Jr. hunt in area 42 that started on the 20th. We spent three days last weekend searching for deer with only a couple of does and a javalina to show for it. Obviously we were not in the right places, even though the country looked promising. I guessed it was time for a change in tactics from what I've become accustomed to. Thankfully, his hunt area is very close to where I work, so after I got done on Wednesday I called him and asked if he wanted to go out that evening. He said he didn't, so I took a drive and started walking through some very flat country broken by several washes. I started towards a water tank near a very imposing barrier and checked for tracks. I was definitely seeing more tracks than I had over the last weekend and the several days of scouting leading up to his hunt. I follow some fresh javalina tracks into a nearby wash, and sure enough, there are 4-6 javalina there. I put in 5 miles of walking down one wash and up the next, and decide I will try to get him to come back to this area. It looks promising. Well, when I get home I check with the boss who is making Thanksgiving dinner Thursday. My older son who is in the Navy arrives late that evening, and she tells me she has dinner planned for 2:00 PM. I ask and she gives me permission to go out in the morning after I promised we would stop hunting and head back at 10:00 AM. Then I ask my son if he want to go, and he tells me no, he is still tired from last weekend. I tell him that's OK, it is his hunt, but deep down I'm not so happy. After a bit he asks when he would have to get up, and I tell him we can leave a bit later than usual, so he doesn't need to get up until 4:30 AM. He decides maybe he will go, because you certainly can't get a deer if you are not in the field. Cool! Now here is where the story get's kinda boring... We get up and drive to the area. We walk in and watch the tank I checked on the day before until after sun-up. shortly after, we watch two coyotes come in for a drink. after about 1/2 hour he is ready for walking, so we go into the tank and check for prints. Nothing other than the two coyotes has been to this tank since I visited the day before. We pick a wash. Down we go, nothing but dove. It is going away from where we want, so we cross to the next. down that one we go, nothing but dove. Now we are getting close to 9:00 AM, and we need to start back. We cross to the last wash we will walk that day and start up toward the general direction of my jeep. Nothing but dove. About 9:40 and he tells me what time it is and asks how much further to the jeep. I tell him it's about a mile and a quarter, and we should probably move a bit quicker than we have been. He's looking worn out and discouraged, It's getting warmer, and still nothing but dove in the wash. Noise in the wash! Wow, there are deer in there! A doe exists to the left across the wash from us, two more deer exit to the right! They are both bucks! (Now dad is the excited one ) "They are both bucks Curtis, shoot one of them! " "I can't,....I can't get a good shot..." Hmm, no bcuk fever there I sure hope they don't get away. One of them stops briefly, and he is only about 60 yards from us. BOOM! He takes off again. "I missed ". "No, you didn't. I saw you hit him, but he is hit too far back. he stumbled and isn't going too far. I think he is under that tree over there" The tree rustles and out he comes, and he is off, but definitely hurt. We check for blood and tracks. Yep, this deer is dead, just doesn't know it. I send a quick text to my wife... Tracking blood. (It's 10:07, just after I said we'd call it quits.) We track and follow and follow some more. Good blood trail, It can't be far. Finally, after 3/4 of a mile tracking, at 10:40 Curtis gets to put a finishing shot in his first ever deer with antlers! Pictures, clean, hang, walk back to jeep, drive to deer, drive to house, Thanksgiving dinner only a little late at 2:30 PM, but I am assured that I am forgiven for being late. Only picture I currently have is from the cell phone... Sorry about the glare. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willhunt4coues Report post Posted November 27, 2009 Great buck now I bet you are glad you went. Congrats Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
buglethemin Report post Posted November 27, 2009 Great, buck, my daughter also has the 42jr hunt and so far all we been seeing is does, a bobcat and a lion and few coyotes and foxes. We were out yesterday morning near aguila and found 9 does, no bucks yet. Opening morning last week just does as well, we tried near the hasayampa wash near wickenburg, nothing. Going out tomorrow for one last chance. Congrats on a nice buck, the jr hunts are so fun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Str8Shot Report post Posted November 28, 2009 Nice deer ... I bet he was thankful his dad got him to get back out there and not get intimidated by the previous days of hunting with no success ..... Right time right place can be the first day or the last and is a great lesson for all young hunters to learn .... Good job Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted November 28, 2009 Nice job way to stick with it! Congrats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
