Attention Bowhunters!

[Snapshot]

I am helping out with an article for an up and coming hunting magazine and we are putting together an article

on early season archery deer hunting.

This article will be an overview of archery deer hunting in Arizona, the new regulation changes and information obtained from G&F, and some how too tips and tactics from those of us that bowhunt.

For those of you hunt the early season , I am looking to get your input on the following:

 

What is your favorite hunting tactic during the early season. Stand hunting, water holes, spot and stalk, etc, and why you use them?

What elevations are you typically hunting this time of year. Mule deer or whitetail?

What is the average time you spend hunting in the morning and evening relevant to temperature?

What gives you your best advantage and overall success to your hunt.

Any opinion you may have on the changing archery hunt structures.

 

Any information that you would like to share would be appreciated!

 

P.S - No unit specific info or hot spot locations required

[GameHauler]

[DesertBull]

I usually set in my lawn chair, next to a big cooler of brew, under a cedar tree, 30 yards from a huge pile of salt, corn and sweet feed.

[tjhunt2]

I am helping out with an article for an up and coming hunting magazine and we are putting together an article

on early season archery deer hunting.

This article will be an overview of archery deer hunting in Arizona, the new regulation changes and information obtained from G&F, and some how too tips and tactics from those of us that bowhunt.

For those of you hunt the early season , I am looking to get your input on the following:

 

What is your favorite hunting tactic during the early season. Stand hunting, water holes, spot and stalk, etc, and why you use them?

What elevations are you typically hunting this time of year. Mule deer or whitetail?

What is the average time you spend hunting in the morning and evening relevant to temperature?

What gives you your best advantage and overall success to your hunt.

Any opinion you may have on the changing archery hunt structures.

 

Any information that you would like to share would be appreciated!

 

P.S - No unit specific info or hot spot locations required

 

Snapshot,

Glad to be of some help. Hope your hand is healing alright. I, for the life of me, don't understand why some of the guys on here clam up when it comes to a little information.

 

1. Favorite hunting tactic during the early season....water holes because I can sit longer in a good ground blind.

2. Elevation around 5,000ft..... mostly whitetail.

3. I have sat many of days from daylight till dark but have found 9am thru 2pm to be the most active when most hunters are back in camp napping. Mid day here in Az can be a sauna in a blind.

4. The best advantage and overall success to my hunts.....Definitely the time I spend out in the field. Most hunters I know spend more time in camp than actually hunting in the field. That goes for the bunch I hunt with as well.

5. Opinions on the changing archery hunt structures.....I'm not happy about it but we all knew it was coming. We have had it pretty darn good here in AZ. It's not the end of the world. I wish more hunters would be more positive than negative, every time there is a change, and let time speak for itself.

 

Snapshot, hope this can be of some help.

 

TJ

 

 

[Snapshot]

Thanks TJ. I am trying to be as informationaly accurate as possible as to the best success strategies for warm weather hunting and techniques as possible, and just wanted to get a general consensus from archers.

 

Appreciate your sentiments on my injury. I will probably not be able to archery hunt this year.

[IHunt2live]

I'm intrested in others coments in this one. Just looked at the season dates and I'm looking at hunting the first 3 days before school starts. Can't wait.

I've mostly spot and stalk. Were I hunt, even low rainfall years, theres plenty of water that time of year. Last year I found a seep comeing out of the ground WAY up on a hillside, nearly at the top.

[tjhunt2]

IHunt2live........ sounds like the seep could turn out to be a good spot for ya. Check it out and if it's being hit then see if there is a good spot for a ground blind. Good luck!

 

TJ

[4Falls]

As for early season tactics, unless its actively raining i like to sit a well used water source just like everyone else.

But the best part about the early season is OPPORTUNITY - deer, turkey, varmints, lions all at the same time. Some places you can even add bears to the list.

[mikep35]

I like to sit in a tree stand up north and hunt mulies over a water hole or a few trails I have. I try to stay out til noon or so but sometimes the weather gets to me and I pack it in til 3 or so then head back out til dark. I get alot of animals right at daybreak, then slows down til 11am-1pm in which i've seen a surprising amount of activity.

[mattys281]

I love hunting the desert in the late season, but during the August hunt I ditch the rattlers, scorpions & triple digit temperatures by hunting the White Mountains. Our favorite area is between 8000-9000 ft in elevation & we sit in treestands. I see animals moving at all times of day, so I usually hunt from sunrise to sunset. We most often see mulies, but occasionally a coues deer will appear. We also see a lot of elk, bears, bobcats & foxes over there.

 

Matt S.

[Snapshot]

I wanted to thank everyone for their input. Unfortunately the articles have been put on hold until a later date.

[TLH]

Hey, i say keep it up--this is very informative thread.

 

I will continue:

 

I scout areas that have lots of special feed--like mushrooms and other types of feed that only happen one time of year--deer love mushrooms (i know there will be some stuff said about this one) but i regress--if you can find an area where you see some of these food sources and there is a trail near by i set my stand up there about 15 to 20 feet in the air.

 

I hunt a place in the Bradshaw's at about 7000 feet and i have done pretty well over the years getting my shots but i have not had much luck getting the job done (read: shakes here!)

 

Scouting is still key to success. There may be water sources out there but sometimes the deer will only water from one source until it is gone--kind of interesting actually because i have found water sources out there that are a lot harder for the deer to get to than others and they usually drink from the harder to get to one first.

 

Why is the article getting put on hold??

[coueshunter]

Early season for me & my son:

 

1. We hunt a ground blind over minerals we set up. I also created water so my thought is I got deer coming in to either water or minerals or both. I give them options. Also they seem less spooky at this water source than the known tanks that predators get used to hunting around.

 

2. I hunt at around 6000 feet and the location is right in their bedding areas so the deer come in at any time during the day.

 

3. Best times seem to be 8:30am - 1:00 then right before dark.

 

4. Early season for me is much more predictable, the bucks are bachelor grouped up and intent on food/water/safety. Late season they are moving around so much more and are not as predictable

 

5. I have really enjoyed the game cameras I set up last year, they show me that deer are really hitting the spot. I also set my cameras on video which gives me a 10 second clip and I can watch them seeing their responses/habits at the salt and water. I have noticed that it is really important to have 2-3 salt spots spread out around 5 ft from each other so when the dominate buck comes in, the other bucks can also have their salt so you keep more deer in your shooting area.

 

6. You need to keep your blind 25 yards away minimum from the salt/water. I was too close last year and any noise/movement bumps the deer.