First hunt(s)

[skyhawkbowhunter]

I was fortunate enough to grow up on a ranch, smack dab in the middle of 6A and 6B. I think I got my first .22 when I was 7, in a matter of months you had to head at least 2 miles away from the ranch to find a rabbit or tweety bird. In the fall when my Dad was done with roundup and had everything situated he would (and still does occasionally) guide for Jarred Nichols and whoever else we knew that had an elk tag. Some of my best memories are tagging along on hunts with dad. His deal was that as long as I had good grades in school I could go hunting and we faithfully kept our parts.

 

I killed my first buck a 5X4 carp in unit 10 on a jrs. only hunt when I was 10. I don't recall the amount used but I do know ammo stocks soared after that hunt.

 

I killed my first bull elk in 6A when I was 12. He scored 353 and took two days to pack out with horses. To this day you won't catch me without a flashlight and at least 16 extra batteries.

 

He ultimately got me hooked on whiteys in 6A as well. To this day I have yet to kill a buck in 6A. Although theres a handful that now can correctly identify what a .270 sounds like hitting within 3 feet in any direction of them. I finally killed my first whitey in 35A a few years ago and have been on fire in that unit ever since, my .270 (Black Death) has been as well. The last 3 times its been in the unit, it hasn't missed.

 

Thanks Skyhawk for starting this thread, its great to see where everyone got there start at.

Thanks

I thought it would be interesting as well

[KGAINES]

I grew up in Surprise, my neighbor used to buy me bb's to shoot the birds out of his fruit trees and garden area I was probably around seven. Started hunting dove around ten, my grandfather took me out for my first dove hunt. My dad who coached and had me involved in all the team sports, decided if I was interested in that then he would be too and we started dove and quail hunting whenever we could. He pretty much encouraged me to hunt or do whatever and he provided me the opportunity.

 

 

[Gr8 White Jr]

I grew up in Phoenix. My dad started me out with a .22 for my 8th b-day. I shot my first rabbit with it when I was 10. for my 11th b-day my dad bought me my first shotgun, a single shot .410. Only used it for a year and a half before I upgraded to a 20 guage semi auto. We hunted dove and quail religiously every year. I drew my first big game tag when I was 14. It was my last choice and I drew the last tag of that hunt, tag number 50 of 50. It was a unit 8 muzzleloader cow elk hunt. I killed my first elk on the second day of the hunt. I got my first bow for christmas when I was 15. I drew another unit 8 muzzleloader cow tag when I was 16. The hunt started the day after the last day of archery deer season. I killed my first deer with my bow ten minutes before dark on thursday night( the last day of the season) and then shot my second elk with my muzzleloader on sunday morning. Was the best weekend I've ever had. I then drew the same tag the next year when I was 17 and took my third elk on the second day. Three years later when I was 20 I drew an antelope tag in unit 8 and killed my first antelope with my muzzleloader on the first day of the hunt. Some of the most wonderfull memories of my childhood are in unit 8 and that is why it is still my favorite unit today.

 

-Tracy

 

BTW what a great topic!

[25-06]

I started out huntin when I was about 10 shootin pigeons with my recurve bow by the railroad tracks in Fontana California. We moved to Tucson when I was 13 and I got my first bird dog witch was a brittany named April. Being a teenager that I was I got into girls/dirtbikes and other things until I got married and had children, thats when I started getting into big game like deer and lions and here I am today with my two sons, wife and another bird dog named Tug (GSP)

[COUESAZ]

I grew up between unit 30b and 34b ,32. Used to be some monsters in those units. I wish my boys could have seen it int the 80s and even the 90s. We have hunted Coues our whole lives except a few mulie hunts. Man the deer i have seen in those units.

[Snapshot]

I moved to Tucson with my parents in 1973. My dad and I started hunting quail and mule deer in unit 37B, then we started hunting unit 30B, which back then was a fantastic unit for mule deer.

In 1979 we started hunting unit 27 which back in those days had 5000-6000 permits between the different hunts and there were tags to spare. Unit 27 has been my first and second choice every year since then even though it is much harder to get a tag. My Dad passed away 2 years ago and we scattered his ashes in unit 27 last year as it was his favorite place. Good times, good memories.

[FOGGER]

I grew up in phoenix area started killing birds with BB guns since i can remember..Shot my first Antelope when i was 10 on my gp's ranch in nm and have shot one every year since so far 15. Shot my first cow elk when i was 12 with a rifle in 4A, another one the year after in 4B. Killed my first deer when i was 17 up in seven with my bow after 5 days of stalking little fork horns. Killed another a couple months later in january out in 42. Shot my first bull in 6a west when i was 19 scored 320 and got another bull tag the next year in 9, he scored 373..and have another bull tag this sept in 22...sor far 15 antelope bucks with rifle, 2 cow elk with rifle, 2 bulls with my bow, 3 mule deer with my bow and 2 whitetails..ive been lucky

[cdenton]

I grew up in Springerville and pretty much got hooked on hunting due to my bro-in-law (dds). He used to always take me out archery deer hunting in unit 27 when you could still shoot "at" does. Used to be a mule deer hunter until there were always left over WT tags in the unit. Been hooked ever since, and pretty much only hunt 27 for everything you can except antelope.

[BowNut]

I grew up in the same house I live in now in East Mesa. Started shooting lizards and birds with my BB gun when I was 7 or 8. Then my dad took me out to shoot doves and quail when I was about 10 with his old 20 gage pump. After I took my hunters safety class (taught by my 3rd grade teacher) I started hunting in 24b. Missed a few deer in that unit and then got into archery hunting when I was 14. Killed my first deer when I was 19 in 24B and first elk (cow)when I was 22 in unit 4b. There was some time in there from 14 years old till I was 19 that I didn't hunt much you know the girl thing!!!! Well I married her and have been married going on 17 years!!

Skyhawkhunter Great Thread I could ramble on for ever!!!

[jeffd]

I grew up in Brea,Ca and started hunting big game at 12 years old. Taking bear,deer,pigs and antelope.I took my 1st coues deer from unit 32.As a non-resident I took 2 more from 32 and 3 more since moving here in 05. My son enjoys coming along and starts his hunters safety course next week.

[thunderbolt]

Well i used to tag along with my step dad and family when they went hunting in 27. Never got to hunt till i moved out of the house. Really didn't have enough time because of sports. Picked up a bow and began learning unit 28 and 31. First deer was a doe with a bow.

[RoughCut]

I was fortunate enough to grow up on a ranch, smack dab in the middle of 6A and 6B. I think I got my first .22 when I was 7, in a matter of months you had to head at least 2 miles away from the ranch to find a rabbit or tweety bird. In the fall when my Dad was done with roundup and had everything situated he would (and still does occasionally) guide for Jarred Nichols and whoever else we knew that had an elk tag. Some of my best memories are tagging along on hunts with dad. His deal was that as long as I had good grades in school I could go hunting and we faithfully kept our parts.

 

I killed my first buck a 5X4 carp in unit 10 on a jrs. only hunt when I was 10. I don't recall the amount used but I do know ammo stocks soared after that hunt.

 

I killed my first bull elk in 6A when I was 12. He scored 353 and took two days to pack out with horses. To this day you won't catch me without a flashlight and at least 16 extra batteries.

 

He ultimately got me hooked on whiteys in 6A as well. To this day I have yet to kill a buck in 6A. Although theres a handful that now can correctly identify what a .270 sounds like hitting within 3 feet in any direction of them. I finally killed my first whitey in 35A a few years ago and have been on fire in that unit ever since, my .270 (Black Death) has been as well. The last 3 times its been in the unit, it hasn't missed.

 

Thanks Skyhawk for starting this thread, its great to see where everyone got there start at.

Thanks

I thought it would be interesting as well

 

Hey Skyhawk, What ranch are you talking about? My Fam owns the Windmill Ranch in 6b and 6a.

 

[Dodger2]

I grew up on Tucson. I remember going with my grandpa near Silver City, NM on a mule deer hunt when I was about 6. I remember the rain, the canned corned beef hash sandwiches, and coffee. We didn't see anything, but I was hooked. Hunted with my dad in 29 for whitetails from our cabin that my other grandfather built in the 1950s.

 

My first big game hunt was for javelinas down near Gleeson. It snowed and snowed and snowed. Didn't see anything.

 

My first deer hunt was a mulie hunt in 30A down in Starvation Canyon when I was 12. Opening morning my dad tells me to go to one set of rocks and he goes to the other. Next thing I know I hear "boom, boom, boom"...I come stumbling out of the rocks and see my dad shooting up the canyon. He looks down at me and yells "shoot". I look up and see probably the biggest 4x4 mule deer that I have ever seen running away from us. I wait until I get a good shot and shoot. Missed of course, but I remember shaking so bad that I could hardly stand on the rocks, first taste of buck fever. That was the same trip I almost got trampled by a herd of javelina. Scared the you know what out of me. I was terrified of junipers for a long time after that.

 

If I ever lose my "buck fever" (of course its not as bad now) I'm hanging up the gun...I'm looking forward to taking my son down to 29/30A soon on his first hunt, that will be 4 generations....

[jim]

I grew up in payson, First deer was in unit 5a. I have killed deer in 5a,22,6a,1,23,27 and 20b. Elk in 6a and 27. I loved hunting birds in tonto basin as a kid. Payson has to be the best area in the state, outside of antelope, you can hunt everthing else within 20 minutes of town. I also thank god my dad took me and got me hooked on the outdoors.

[coues krazy]

Roughcut, how are you related to Glen Morrison? In the early 90's my dad and grandpa would clean out stock tanks like grey tank, in 6b. Glen would give us half a range fed beef for helping keep them cleaned out. Ask about A.C. Newton when you see him again.