Never thought i would turn this tag back in

[codyhuntsaz]

 After waiting 26 years to draw this tag, I never in my wildest dreams thought I would turn it back in. After two scouting trips to unit 10, I can honestly say this is a terrible year for antelope in that unit! At least for me, I couldn’t find anything over 80”, maybe not even over 78” in five days of Scouting. That’s on the Boquillas ranch and on public land. Super disappointed! I hope whoever gets the tag makes the most of it! 

[trphyhntr]

My friend is up there right now he said it sucks 

[bonecollector]

I've heard the same thing recently.

[yotebuster]

Moisture doesn’t always equal big antelope.  If that were the case ND would have giants.   Our bucks wade around in chest deep alfalfa and soybeans all summer and rarely break 78”.  I think in the really dry parts of NM a wet year will throw out some big ones but I honestly think for a majority of AZ, particularly the higher country units, an average or even drier then average year is best for antelope growth.  The feed gets watered down and doesn’t have the protein it needs to grow big horns.  

[codyhuntsaz]

21 minutes ago, trphyhntr said:

My friend is up there right now he said it sucks 

He’s not wrong! 

[codyhuntsaz]

1 minute ago, yotebuster said:

Moisture doesn’t always equal big antelope.  If that were the case ND would have giants.   Our bucks wade around in chest deep alfalfa and soybeans all summer and rarely break 78”.  I think in the really dry parts of NM a wet year will throw out some big ones but I honestly think for a majority of AZ, particularly the higher country units, an average or even drier then average year is best for antelope growth.  The feed gets watered down and doesn’t have the protein it needs to grow big horns.  

 That’s been a theory floated out by a lot of  people. What I’ve heard is that on a dryer year it forces the antelope to feed on a different plan that is higher in protein. The antelope numbers themselves are way way down! In five days of scouting I saw maybe 100 antelope. That’s on the Boquillas and on public land. 

[1denogean]

hopefully i get the call

[creed_az_88]

Just got back from 10, if it sucks, then I would love to see what it's like on a good year... must be unbelievably amazing. 

[creed_az_88]

I will agree that the numbers weren't great, but buck quality seemed great to me. But I'm a rookie so take that for what it's worth. 

[codyhuntsaz]

1 hour ago, 1denogean said:

hopefully i get the call

Hopefully you don’t spend too many points on it. 

[codyhuntsaz]

35 minutes ago, creed_az_88 said:

Just got back from 10, if it sucks, then I would love to see what it's like on a good year... must be unbelievably amazing. 

I’m new to antelope hunting, but i couldn’t find a single buck over 80”. 

[codyhuntsaz]

[codyhuntsaz]

[codyhuntsaz]

^^^^^ these are two of the best three bucks that I found while scouting. The other one, I didn’t get a picture of him, was a little bigger than these two. 

[trphyhntr]

58 minutes ago, creed_az_88 said:

Just got back from 10, if it sucks, then I would love to see what it's like on a good year... must be unbelievably amazing. 

show us the one you got sand bagger