Need some Advice

[gbocardo]

Okay This is my second year Archery Hunting Mule Deer and the excitement of getting my first kill has made me obsessed. I go hunt and glass every chance I get and it seems to be the only thing I think about. I have been fortunate enough to have a good friend who tries to help me every Chance he gets. Thanks Joe. Luckily my wife loves going with me or she would start to think something was up.

 

This past September I saw a lot of Deer still in velvet and made several stalks. I was able to get within 90 yards of a nice 4x4 who was with 3 other bucks two 3x3's and a small 2x2 but could not close the distance due to no mover cover. It was killing me to be so close and not be able to make a move especially since the wind was in my favor. Then I spooked four more bucks on a two track near a water trough while i was driving my ranger to my glassing point and of course did not have my bow or release ready. I was still able to make a stalk but as i was making my stalk a single buck came in the area and the four bucks took after him. On the same evening I glassed up four different bucks and was able to make a stalk on another nice 4x4 and was able to get within 70 yards but the Palo Verde trees were too thick and was unable to get any closer. To me it was still a successful weekend seeing so many deer.

 

In the last week of December my buddy and i glassed up a few bucks and attempted a stalk on a nice 4x5. We last saw him walk down hill into a wash and believed he bedded down as he never came out. Low and behold while near the area we last glassed him up he jumped up only 30 yards below me but I was never given the opportunity to take a clean shot as he only gave me his tail end

. Needless to say I have nightmares about that one.

 

 

Last weekend we glassed up a 2x2 way in the distance and again believed he bedded down as it was getting hot pretty early. Not seeing anything else we decided to see if we could find him. we were able to get on him within 50 yards. I did not even think about taking the shot as I wanted a bigger a buck.

 

Yesterday my wife and I glassed up another 2x2 with 8 does but I was in no hurry to make the stalk. My wife kept telling to make the stalk as it would be my first deer. But after seeing much bigger ones I keep holding out.

 

I guess my question is, since it will hopefully be my first deer kill with a bow, should i not be so picky and take what I can get or should I hold out for a nicer buck?

[hunt crazy in ca]

Its January buddy.....hold out for a stud for sure....sounds like your on um....thats half the battle...keep puttin in the work it will come togather in the end! good luck brotha!!

[Camofreak]

Honestly, it would be your first buck, so just get it done, you can hold out for a bigger one once you have one under the belt. But do whatever makes you happy!

[bmf1321]

Only you know what will make you happy. But think, Your tag is filled and your done hunting once you have a buck on the ground and it's a long time to next January.

[briant_az]

YOU need to be happy with the buck that you take. The first buck I ever shot was a small 2point Muley but to me it was a 200" buck. Do what will make you happy.

[CouesWhitetail]

Only you know what will make you happy. But think, Your tag is filled and your done hunting once you have a buck on the ground and it's a long time to next January.

 

+1

 

Most people would just shoot whatever they could the first time, but that doesn't mean you have to do that. Just think about how much experience you are gaining everytime you do a stalk...even if it's blown or you can't get close enough due to lack of cover. If you have the time to get out there and pursue the big bucks, I say go for it! If you are running low on time or energy, maybe you should modify your goals. But it sounds like you are doing awesome and I bet if you stick with it, you can get one of the larger bucks.

[tjhunt2]

I would have to agree with Amanda here. You will know when it's the right choice with what time you have left to hunt. My first was a doe with a bow, after many failed stocks, and I was the happiest guy in the world at that time. Good luck and keep learning all there is about these deer and it will finally all fall together for ya.

 

TJ

[natureboyfloyd]

For what it is worth,

be ready at all times. Repeat, at all times.

I am hunting with a friend, he has the bow, and I am tagless, carrying the big binos and the pack to haul out the venison.

 

This weekend, we feel crowded on a high hill, and are ready to get off said hill (another story), and my friend puts his bow in the sling, and is reattaching the trigger. A guy is had walked right between us, to glass, managed to get to notch one by signaling us a buck we'd been off and on was basically right there. coming up quick.

 

The buck was up in our laps fast...and my friend could not get the sling off in time...

the mule deer walked 40 yards by us, by the rest of others, who missed. Had that trigger been on, and the sling off? (Had I had my recurve and tag and arrow....?)

 

Floyd

 

(Oh, and for me, sometimes I listen to my wife. Sounds like you guys have a god team.)

[Millhouse]

Another thing to think about...how cool of an experience would it be for you to get your first archery deer with you wife there? Even if it's not the biggest buck out there, that would still be a cool experience for both of you to share. Just sayin'....

[Coach]

Everyone has to gauge each hunt by their own personal objectives. For me, a spot and stalk mule deer in the desert would have very little to do with antler size. I've tried it, over and over again and just have not been able to connect. I've had good success with rifle, archery and ML coues, archery and ML bull elk, lots of javi skulls and only one mule deer - a high country, Navajo velvet 3x3 buck with a good frame.

 

Stalking hard-horned mule deer in the desert with a bow is daunting for sure. For me, it's the next big challenge in AZ hunting.

 

But when you come on this forum, you see guys killing HUGE muley bucks, better than any I've seen while out hunting, and they do it year after year. There is definately a skill set that takes practice and hard work to achieve when it comes to hunting mature mule deer in the desert.

 

Sounds to me like you are putting in the ground work. You are into deer regularly, passing on smaller ones (shows patience and persitence) and you are learning their habits and habitat. IMO, that's 80% of hunting with time in the field and, frankly luck, making up the remaing 20% (15 and 5 respectively).

 

Time in the field sounds like something you've already got covered. The last 5% reminds me of one of my favorite hunting quotes. "The harder I work, the luckier I get" -- Samuel Goldwyn. (although the quote was not originally related to hunting, it is spot on).

 

Good hunting. I look forward to seeing you posed next to a desert mule deer. Just keep doing what you're doing and be patient. It will happen.

[azslim]

glass the flats and NE facing slopes

[soccerstar2013]

I would hold out for another week or 2 and then shoot anything you can get in range of!

[200"mulie]

I always say if he gives you an opportunity take it. Any buck with archery is a great buck and a great accomplishment.

 

But then again it's only first couple days of the year....so hold out for a big one. Cause you'll have early archery and December to fill your tag.

[gbocardo]

Thanks for all the advice,

 

I will say, my wife and I went out again the next day after seeing the 2x2 with the does and picked him up again. And yes I made the stock but no did not get em. I won't go through the whole story but I watched him and one doe move over a small hill in the flats and they were moving pretty fast so I figured they would be a little further ahead than expected. As I made it to the same hill I knocked an arrow and slowly made my way up the hill and low and behold the buck was still near the top and he made me. i did not spook him but did not want to keep pushing him. He made his way to the other does so I called it.

 

Wife and I are going out this weekend. Due to the Monday holiday we were able to get 5 days away from work.

 

Again thanks for all the input, and I agree, I believe what ever I'm fortunate to take will be worth it.

[gbocardo]

Okay everyone here it is, It was the last day, last bit of light and I see a buck with does. Whatever, it was not like the TV shows. However, my last day for January turned out to be fun and a learning experience. Me and my buddy Lew headed up to a spot I have been glassing quite often this season. I spot a couple of does in a bowl near some flats and eventually find a buck drop for his morning bedding. Before I make a stock we glass to make sure of how many does were in his area. We come to the conclusion the buck was with five does. I make my stock which I will say was quite a hump but was able to use the ridge line until I had to cut across the flats to make my way to the bedded buck. It was perfect I had cover, wind in my face and deer was below a cluster of rocks which would have given me a great advantage. I was only approximately 50 yards from making it to the rocks when I see two does pop up approximately 120 yards to the north west of me in the flats no where near the buck and does I was stocking. I slowly go to a slow crawl out of site and make it to a juniper. I glass up the two does and see another buck bedded in the flats where there was no shade. He was a nice 4x4 with mass and bigger than the buck I was stocking. Eventually seven more does gathered around the buck and were obviously spooked but the herd I was stocking still did not have a clue. If the spooked herd would continue Northwest I would be good. But if they run Southeast they would run right into the other herd. So yep! They High Tail it Southeast which made the buck I was stocking curious. He stood up from his bedding area along with the other does. They did not seem to spooked but decided to walk in the same direction of the running herd until they were out of site. Needless to say I was not able to pick them up again. I couldn't figure it out. You spend so much time trying to find even one buck and out of know where and unexpected two herds were in the same area. Has anyone ever had this happen to them? Either way I am always learning. Can't wait till August. Thanks again everyone for the input and advice. Oh and by the way. If I would have made it to the rocks, I would have only had a 35 yard shot to where the buck was bedded.