Brandenburg and Buzan Catchment Redevelopment

[Gr8 White Jr]

I am heading out this weekend to help out with the Brandenburg and Buzman catchment redevelopement. I was just wondering if anybody else was planning on volunteering there time?

[CouesWhitetail]

I will be there fri and sat. Anyone else going? This should be a really neat project.

 

go to www.azdeer.org and look in the upcoming events for a link to a PDF about the project. has a map too. This is in Arivaipa and should be gorgeous this time of year!

 

This project should benefit Coues deer as well as Desert Bighorns.

 

Anyone going????

 

 

Amanda

[Gr8 White Jr]

Well glad to hear you are going Amanda! I wil be down there on saturday and sunday.

 

Thought I would get a little bit better response.

 

 

-Tracy

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

Wish I could go.... I love that piece of country.... it changed my life forever.

[CouesWhitetail]

Wish I could go.... I love that piece of country.... it changed my life forever.

 

 

Well now....you can't just say something like that without filling us in on the story!

 

Amanda

[CouesWhitetail]

Well glad to hear you are going Amanda! I wil be down there on saturday and sunday.

 

Thought I would get a little bit better response.

 

 

-Tracy

 

 

Yes, I agree. It would be nice to have more CW.com'ers there! Come on guys, it's a great time to be out doing wildlife projects and a very scenic area!

 

Tracy, will be nice to meet you on Sat!

 

Amanda

[ghost hunter]

I'm glad you all are going. After reading the latest flyer on this project, it seems like it will definitely be an uphill affair.

 

Can't do...

Can't go...

Must do...

No...

Must not...

No...

 

Just the impression I got after reading it.

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

Wish I could go.... I love that piece of country.... it changed my life forever.

 

 

Well now....you can't just say something like that without filling us in on the story!

 

Amanda

 

You asked for it!

 

 

My personal photo shows it, but below is a short recap of the most important hunt of my life. I wrote it back in January 2002 and now rereading it, it is probably pretty poorly written, but it is all that I have...... and the fantastic memories & that Fabulous mount! I spent time all up and down that Arivipa Canyon and the surrounding mountains and feeder canyons. Brandenburg is an amazing place that holds more desert bighorn history than almost any other mountain in the the state. I was blessed to hunt for them there.

 

 

 

ONCE IN A LIFETIME

 

By: Gino Wullkotte

 

 

The summer afternoon that I pulled the 2001 Arizona Game & Fish draw results up on my computer probably changed my life forever. Not to mention the bruise I put on my head when it came in contact with the ceiling...

I stared at the screen with a dumb look trying to comprehend why I suddenly had no bonus

points for desert bighorn. When it hit me, I hit the ceiling. I did it! I drew an AZ sheep tag and

it was the one and only Aravipa tag! Honestly I don't know if I was the most deserving, but I'd like

to think that I was the most grateful recipient of this prize.

Well, the hard part was done, I had the tag! Now I had to prepare and set my goals for the hunt.

My first goal was to try and harvest my ram with a bow, second was to try and harvest the best

Class IV ram I could find, and finally have the hunt of a lifetime. I spent hours upon hours on

the phone to anyone who had any info on sheep or about Aravipa. I obtained as many maps of the area as

I could and began to draw a mental picture. I then began making overnight trips to different parts of the

unit to learn as much as possible about its geography and were I might find sheep. I put in six weekends

total (with the help of my son [Colton], brother-in-law [Larry] and friend [Rick]) and there was nothing

overwhelming about my progress. My first two outings produced four sheep, one

small ram. The third outing things began to look up...22 sheep. Then I began to formulate my game plan to look the hardest where I was seeing the least numbers, hoping to find a lone monster, but none materialized.

I then made up my mind to concentrate my hunting efforts in the areas where I had been finding sheep.

Two days after Thanksgiving I rolled into Klondike, AZ and set up camp with the help of my wife and son at Four-Mile Camp Ground. Sunday morning my family left me alone to scout the week before the hunt. This would be my home for a while. By Wednesday night I had seen 14 different rams and was keeping tabs on four class IV rams. My brother-in-law arrived that night and I filled him with chatter about my adventure thus far. Then I told him of my problem.... the largest ram was not the ram that I wanted to spend the rest of my life looking at on the wall. As luck would have it the ram that tickled my fancy was one of the smallest of the four rams.

By Friday morning we had video of each of the four and I was hooked on the ram with the really long left horn. That morning we relocated the ram and then returned to camp to practice with my bow. That afternoon Tina (my wife) and Colton arrived at camp as we prepared for the next mornings’ adventure.

Grey light December 1st found us on a ridge top looking to the west. It only took minutes to confirm that my ram and his group were not far from where we had left them the morning before. By 7:15 AM I was standing directly below my ram at a distance of about 500 yards. I wanted to make my stalk alone, so I parted ways with Larry and Colton. The first 200 hundred feet were straight up a sheer rock face and I reached the top of the bluff some three hundred yards down the canyon from the sheep. With the wind in my favor, I planned to circle in above were I had last seen the sheep...and hopefully cut them off.

An hour had passed since I had left the bottom of the canyon and I new that the sheep had to be very close, but didn't know which direction to look. I had an arrow knocked, and was as tight as my bowstring as I proceeded toward where I had seen them last. Where were the sheep? Did I spook them without knowing it? I was almost to a point of thinking that I had lost them when I peered over a bush and saw my ram looking directly at me! I froze while my mind raced to evaluate the situation. Directly below me at a distance of about 40 yards was a ewe, my ram and the other respectable ram with him...and I had no shot! He moved slightly presenting me with a broadside but the bush was in my way. Options?.... Draw, stand, and shoot. As I drew my bow the ewe bounced out about five yards pushing my ram away! He stopped, quartering hard away and I stood up. As if on a string he turned almost full broadside and I felt my bow jump to life. The arrow flight seemed very slow as I watched the broadhead find the mark and the fletches disappear.... then the arrow sailed off into the canyon below. My arms waved in the air as the sheep scattered.... My hunt of a lifetime was done...it was 8:24 AM.... but in my mind every minute was an hour and my 18 days of scouting brought it all together. About twenty minutes later I stood over my awesome ram not 90 yards from where I hit him. It was all perfect.... as it should be for a "once in a lifetime".

[CouesWhitetail]

Awesome!! A sheep with a bow is oustanding! Pic??

 

Amanda

[CouesWhitetail]

The Arizona Deer Association is asking for your help in supporting the following water catchments redevelopment project. This is your chance to give something back to Arizona Wildlife as well as have a great family outing. A Saturday evening meal and Sunday breakfast will be provided.

 

ADBSS/ADA/AGFD/BLM

COOPERATIVE WATER PROJECT

Brandenburg and Buzan Catchments Redevelopment

 

March 14-16, 2008

 

GMU 32, West Aravaipa Canyon

 

Additional Special Advisories for Brandenburg-Buzon Project

 

 

-No dogs allowed.

 

-No access or hiking into the wilderness is permitted (wilderness access is by limited permit only and no permits have been issued).

 

-Exclusive and mandated use of provided porta-johns is required when in camp.

 

-Narrow ranch entry drive (0.8 mile long) has blind corners and two-way traffic is not possible. All traffic will have to be monitored very closely and we may have to designate times for in-bound and out-bound traffic. Pulling over on undisturbed roadway sides is prohibited. Please look for a sign posting instructions at ranch entrance.

 

-Posted vehicle speed is 15 mph along the entire Aravaipa Rd. and shall be observed.

 

-Small travel trailers can probably make it to camp. Large trailers may have trouble because of the narrow private road. AGFD is leaving their large truck and trailer at the ranger station. I understand they are planning to bring in their smaller trailers. There is a huge field that we are camping in so there is plenty of space at camp to fit trailers but I'm not too sure about the condition of the private entry road. There is no nearby alternate campsite location.

 

-Camp is to be supervised to ensure that only individuals associated with this project are on ranch property. All participants will be required to sign-in and complete a liability waiver form before entering the ranch or setting up camp.

 

-Any damage to the property or excessive disturbance of surface soils will have to repaired to the satisfaction of the landowner. Please be respectful of private property, leave a clean camp, do not disturb any vegetation and rake out your vehicle tracks.

 

 

-EARLY ARRIVALS FOR WORK ON FRIDAY MORNING IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED. The sequence in which work needs to occur is critical and we are hoping to get a lot done on Friday to make Saturday and Sunday more productive.

 

 

Location:

 

GPS Coord. of Sites: Brandenburg-N 32° 53.34.; W 110° 35.46. Buzan-N 32° 55.06.; W 110° 34.85.

Highway 77 between Winkleman and Mammoth turn east at MP 124 for the Aravaipa Road. Proceed east on main Aravaipa Rd. a total of 12.3 miles to the campsite on the Wagner Ranch. Landmarks you will pass are pavement ends (4.2mi.), BLM Ranger Station (8.7 mi.), Bridge (9.5 mi.) and Wilderness Trailhead Parking Lot (11.6 mi.). At parking lot stay to the left and proceed through ranch entrance and travel another 0.7 miles to large open camping area before ranch house.

 

project map

 

 

Description:

 

These projects involve the redevelopment of two existing BLM catchments that have fallen into disrepair. Depending on the number of volunteers attending we will endeavor to work both project sites simultaneously. The Brandenburg site consists of two 3.x16. ring tanks with rock wall screening, a 24.x40. collection apron cover, 3. trough, collection dam, 90. feedline and livestock exclosure fence. The Buzan site consists of one 3.x20. ring tank with rock wall screening, a 20.x24. collection apron cover, 3. trough, collection dam, 120. feedline and exclosure fence.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE NEED EARLY ARRIVALS AND A GOOD TURNOUT TO COMPLETE BOTH PROJECTS DURING THIS SINGLE WORK PERIOD.

 

The Brandenburg site will be the first priority for completion and a subsequent work period maybe required for the Buzan site.

Difficulty of Hike: Relatively easy but very rocky with considerable cactus.

 

 

Special Advisories:

 

Please note that we will be camping on private property courtesy of Langdon Hill of the Wagner Ranch. This will be a unique opportunity to camp this far into Aravaipa Canyon at the edge of the wilderness boundary and the views will be spectacular. Please be respectful of ranch property and use the provided porta-johns when nature calls.

This project is a joint Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society. Arizona Deer Association effort.

The project site is in a very rocky, prickly, setting and construction activities during the day will at times be very intense.

Please closely follow the map, flagging and signs to the campsite and do not wander onto any other roads or private drives.

Please bring your own firewood, charcoal, or propane stoves for cooking/heating. Collecting firewood is not allowed on the ranch.

Dirt road to campsite is in very good shape and passable with most vehicles.

Please bring your own water and plenty of it.

Projects are funded by the Arizona Special Bighorn Sheep and WT Deer Tag funds

All campsites must be within the designated clearing on the ranch. There should be sufficient space for all vehicles but spacing will need to be tight and more of a group camp.

 

General Advisories:

 

Please minimize disturbance to soils and existing vegetation. Respect private property when parking and haul away all trash. Fire rings and vehicle tracks should be completely raked out when leaving the campsite. This is a very remote desert area and the possibilities of danger and life threatening injuries exist. Volunteers should have a reliable vehicle, be in good physical condition and be familiar with desert terrain. Bring plenty of water. Volunteers should wear protective clothing and bring a lunch, rain parka, sunscreen and water (enough for one day) to the project site. Please follow your map and do not drive off existing roadways. Campsites should not be located more than 50 feet from the apparent two track roads in and around the camp area. Vehicle tracks leading to camps should be raked out upon your departure. Project sites are often unsafe for young children due to the steep terrain and the use of construction equipment. Parents or guardians must maintain direct control and supervision of any minors on the project site at all times. Projects will take place regardless of local weather conditions. All ADBSS projects feature a catered Saturday evening meal and Sunday breakfast.

 

 

Please don't forget to visit our website at:

www.azdeer.org

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

Awesome!! A sheep with a bow is oustanding! Pic??

 

Amanda

 

 

Bring your optics you will see sheep and Coues deer from the the ranch if you are looking hard enough! Have fun it is awesome in there!

 

 

BTW.... that is a Mathews!!

[tjhunt2]

Awesome!! A sheep with a bow is oustanding! Pic??

 

Amanda

 

 

Bring your optics you will see sheep and Coues deer from the the ranch if you are looking hard enough! Have fun it is awesome in there!

 

 

BTW.... that is a Mathews!!

 

Gino, I just read your sheep hunt story and thought it was outstanding. Made me feel like I was there with you. If I ever draw a tag I wiil start with my bow and hope to have the good fortune that you experienced. I have been putting in for 30plus years. I can't imagine drawing a tag. It will definately change my life that is for sure.

 

TJ