2014 Arizona Semi-Live Hunt with Bowuntr and RosinBag

[RosinBag]

6 hours down, passing Los Angeles. This is a clear air quality day...

 

[Shrek]

I flew into LAX in '87 on a bad air day and wondered how anyone could stand to live there. The air was dingy yellowish brown and visibility was probably about a mile. Terrible place to live.

 

[Tuffy]

Doug, Ed, dump a couple good ones!

 

[RosinBag]

Like most long trips, we are behind schedule. We are stopping at the Cabelas in Glendale Arizona. We can buy are license and tags there. A quick stop for dinner and should get to final destination at about 11pm.

Just an average 19 hour travel day. All worth it getting there. It sucks bad on the way home though.

 

[JNDEER]

Good luck guys!

 

[Browtine]

Good luck! Looking forward to tagging along electronically.

 

[Jager]

Interesting Doug, look fwd to seeing a few pic of scenery as well.

 

[trkyslr]

Good luck guys... Hopefully roy left a few for ya. He did well!

 

[RosinBag]

So it begins.....we had 4 hours to sleep and were up at 5:30 Arizona time. We have about 45 minute drive and about an hour and some change to sunrise. Weather is about 27 degrees and clear. Try and get a picture posted at sunrise.

 

[Buster]

Can't wait. Day one jitters!

 

[breacher]

This ought to be good! Good luck guys!

 

[Muledeernv]

Good hunting guys and shoot straight

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Day 1 javelina???

 

[Eagle]

Good luck guys!

 

[RosinBag]

Well no sunrise photo. We didn't get a half mile from the truck and we were into deer and bucks. So I just forgot.

Ed brought a buddy along names Tom, who had never shot a deer with his bow.

So we were in deer all day, just about every where we looked and bucks in just about every group.

We also saw every thing they had to offer, javelina, mule deer and coues deer.

 

[RosinBag]

So the first good group of deer we saw had about a 20" ish or so 3x3, the buck was chasing does, but the whole group were in a bad position for a stalk, so we moved on.

We also had a real small buck about 100 yards from us chasing a doe just like a cutting horse works the cattle. It was pretty cool to see.

About 10:30 we were watching another good sized group with 18"-19" fork horn keeping the does in check. This group very stalk able and Tom was willing to try a stalk on them.

More to follow, dinner just arrived.....

 

[realunlucky]

Tuned in

 

[RosinBag]

So Tom and Ed take off and I stay back and keep and eye on the group. About an hour later. Ed and Tom seem to be getting close, but the buck seems to be pushing one doe further away from the group and Ed and Tom.

There are a couple of does bedded between the buck and Ed and Tim, so they are stuck. As luck would have it a yearling deer hears them and stands up to investigate. This deer starts to bleet and the buck comes up to check it out.

At this point they are about 60 yards from Ed and Tom, but the slope and topography blocks out their line of sight, they can only hear it.

At just about the same time, a couple of does bust out of the bottom for an unknown reason and the entire groups lines out, buck number two in line.

From my point of view they are going to walk right by Ed and Tom. I am certain I am looking at a dead deer walking.

#1 doe goes by, then buck starts up also. Dumb buck pauses at 20 yards, Tom draws and let's go on a money shot. The buck jumps up and heads down the hill about 40 yards.

I am watching and can see the ahoy is slightly back but the deer can't hardly move. I signal Tom to move down and finish him off and just like that 1 of 3 deer tags is punched.

Ed and Tom are obviously excited. I grab my Duplex Timberline and strap both there packs and our gear onto mine. A quick trip to meet up with them and a bunch of photos.

Ed took the nice photos on his camera but I took one also. Tom was super excited and I was glad to be there for it.

Day 2 will start in about 10 hours. Hopefully more of the same.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Very cool! Congrats tom!

 

[realunlucky]

X2 awesome congratulations Tom