PatrickJr Report post Posted March 28, 2015 During the school year, when I had any successes (or failures) I would share with buddy (Reyes) from school who also hunted, and he would do the same. He is a good hunter and not the kind that goes out once a year and hunts from the truck. And one day he mentioned that he had never been predator calling before. I said that we had to change that. We planned to go out On Wednesday of our spring break, 3/18. We took off to an area where I have called in fox, and where I figured it wouldn't be too hard to get one in for him. I explained the ropes of predator calling to him on the way there (1.25 hour drive). We arrived and made our first stand. We had a hawk comes in multiple times, trying to grab the decoy attached to my call. On my 3rd sound, 4 minutes into it, and 14 into the set, I thought I heard something to out left. Reyes was set up to my left, facing into the wind, with the call in from of him and holding my shotgun. It was a very faint sound. I kept moving my eyes to the left and was astonished to see a fox standing inside Reyes shooting range! No sooner do I see the fox, Reyes raises up the shotgun and drops this fox. I figure I was more excited than he was. He said he watched it work in from about 75 yards to 24. I kept calling but ended rather quickly because I could tell he was excited and wanted to get to his first fox. We did 3 more fox stands to no avail. Here are some pics of reyes with his first fox! This was he set up, you can see a white spot in front of him, that is the fox, call is to the right. We went to a coyote area, and I saw two coyotes off the road and took off. I ended up shooting one, hit really well, and it ran into thick brush, never to be found. We went to a rock outcropping to call and after the set I ran into 2 Diamondbacks. The bigger one (pictured) rattled, 🙏🙏🙏. I only got photos of the big one, but there was 2. We didn't call anything else in, but I was fine with that. Reyes got his first fox and that was my goal. I later watched a video that was about the reintroduction of the Catalina desert bighorn sheep, it got me going, I wanted to see these sheep. I had never seen a wild desert bighorn before. I asked a couple friends (Chris and Jim) that were either part of the reintroduction or glass them up regularly. They gave me tips and I found myself glassing for sheep. It took about 3 hours but I found them, 25 of them! I photographed and videoed these amazing creatures until dark. I watched them react to a javelina walking with 100 yards of them and got to see some new lambs. Since them, I have gone out 3 more times and found sheep every time, I have not seen any older Rams since the first day, I believe they have split off. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 And I may be wrong, but it seems to me, that each day I get better a taking pictures...😂 13 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rossislider Report post Posted March 28, 2015 Very cool, we need to get your buddy a new hat though! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PatrickJr Report post Posted March 28, 2015 Very cool, we need to get your buddy a new hat though! Oh, I know!!! He needs a new one that says " Pac 12 South Football Champs" and "Pac 12 Basketball Regular Season and Tournament Champs" 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4Falls Report post Posted March 28, 2015 Cool story. I wish I had been more like you guys when I was that age. Good job! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rossislider Report post Posted March 28, 2015 Very cool, we need to get your buddy a new hat though!Oh, I know!!! He needs a new one that says " Pac 12 South Football Champs" and "Pac 12 Basketball Regular Season and Tournament Champs"LOL, as long as it contains the score of their most recent match up! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KidBowHunter Report post Posted March 28, 2015 Now that's how you spend a spring break! Awesome man. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturebob Report post Posted March 29, 2015 Nice. Keep up the work on those predators.........BOB! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rancilio Report post Posted March 29, 2015 Great write-up Patrick. Thanks for sharing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Sparky Report post Posted March 29, 2015 Cool story and pics. Is that a radio collar on that one ram? Looks like it to me but I could be wrong. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnnie blaze Report post Posted March 29, 2015 I'm betting you will be doing something a lil diff when you get out of HS. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesPursuit Report post Posted March 29, 2015 Good stuff, Patrick! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PatrickJr Report post Posted March 29, 2015 Cool story and pics. Is that a radio collar on that one ram? Looks like it to me but I could be wrong. Yes sir, all of the adult sheep in the Catalinas have radio collars on them. All these sheep have either been born here in the past 1.5 years or relocated in the past 1.5 years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PatrickJr Report post Posted March 29, 2015 Went out early this morning and found the rams I was looking for. They went over and i circled around on them, but they were never to be seen again. Found the rest of the herd but not them. Thinking that they just bedded with the herd at night then split off for the day? And if anyone knows what AZGFD calls this ram, please let me know, as of right now, he is known as the "big ram" I bedded the rest of the herd at 8:30. Big Ram Smaller ram with an edit Rest of the herd Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gonhunting247 Report post Posted March 30, 2015 Nice work! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mocha1545 Report post Posted March 30, 2015 Great write up. And yes the pictures are getting better. Great way to spend spring break! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
