Youth hunt - unit 23

[DesertBull]

Wow, what a tough hunt this weekend. We glassed HARD for 2-1/2 days, in an area that holds a lot of whitetails and Mule Deer, and saw exactly 1 doe and a fawn. That's it. I saw the doe standing in some think brush in a creek bottom, and she stood there for over 20 minutes without moving anything but her ears!

 

The temps were very warm, but not unbearable. The area still had a lot of fresh tracks and droppings and the water holes all had fresh tracks, but the deer were just not moving, or else I am blind.

 

This is an area where I have seen as many as 30 deer in a single morning of glassing. The only think I can think of is that they were in the deep canyon bottoms, where it's impossible to glass, eating the acorns. There are a lot of acorns on the ground in the bottoms of the canyons, but there are also a lot of acorns on the oak brush on the slopes. We also saw a lion in the area 3 weeks ago.

 

Oh well, that's hunting. We have the unit for the general tag next weekend. Maybe things will change by then.

[CouesWhitetail]

I was out in 23 helping at the youth hunter camp that the AZ Deer Association and AGFD sponsor. We had some kids come through with some deer. I didn't get there until Sat afternoon, but we had some whitetail come through Sat morning and some mule deer late on Sat and early Sun.

 

I spent an hour and a half glassing on Sunday morning in some very nice country and didn't spot a single deer! So Jeff, maybe you and I are both blind! It didn't seem too hot to me to find deer out moving around. I did spot a gorgeous fox and a large herd of javelina. And then on the way home I saw three deer on the side of the highway at about 11:30!

 

You should have stopped by the camp. The game warden from Unit 23, Jimmy Simmons had two whitetail bucks spotted on Sat and couldn't find a youth hunter to go after them!

 

Here are some pics of a couple kids who got deer. the bottom pic shown is the son of one of our members, azyoung. His son is Riley and this was his 2nd deer ever. Shane Hogan is the other boy (the one wearing the SWAT shirt). It was his first deer!

 

Congrats to all the kids who got to go hunting!

 

And a big thank you to Stanley and the other folks who helped make this camp happen!

 

 

Amanda

[DEERSLAM]

Great to see our youth out huntin

[DesertBull]

Hey, we still had fun!

 

Glad to see the young hunters had some success.

 

I saw 4 mule deer on the side of the road on Sunday too, at about 10:00 am. Just south of Globe, in 24b.

[azhuntsmen]

Wow, CONGRATS to all the young hunters who harvested this year. To all the ones who didnt remember the deer will be even bigger next year. Way to go to all the adult hunters who helped out, man thats a great feeling.

[andrewprentice15]

I spent the weekend in 23 as well, didn't see alot and the quail hunters were shooting up a storm so this week will be interesting to say the least with 750 tag in there, I don't know how the mule deer herd is doing lucky I have a whitetail tag

[stanley]

Hey Amanda:

 

Thanks for posting the pics from last weekend. I always have a good time on the youth hunts! The look on those kids faces when they bring those deer in is VERY cool. Never get tired of that....

 

Never get tired of those awesome quail either! Nothing like bacon wrapped birds & eggs for breakfast. Just as anticipated, the little ones thoroughly enjoyed the birds I cooked-up for them on Sunday night.

 

Thanks to you to Amanda, for coming out and participating.

 

Best regards all,

S.

 

 

PS: If anyone runs into Jimmy Simmons (WM for 23 south), be sure to salute him! Him and his G&F buddies were a pleasure to hang-out with!