Well I’ll start off by saying this was one of the most challenging hunts of my life. I scouted my unit two weeks prior to the hunt and turned up two good shooter bucks. Not a ton of animals but the two I saw would work! Fast forward to the day prior to opening day and I was unable to locate these bucks I had seen scouting. I had a few friends with me for the first weekend of the season to help.
Opening morning, zero antelope were observed. Decided to pull audible and head to an area that was known to have antelope, but I had never been before. For the next six days I mainly hunted in this area. Got after quite a few antelope, some that were nice bucks some that were just ok. Definitely not the numbers of animals I had hoped for. Some of the stalks ranged from crawling hundreds of yards in the wide open flats to trying to get close in the juniper’s. I probably had three stalks that I got within 75 yards of a buck. One that I was at full draw on but, the buck and does spooked about one second before my pins were settled.
On Monday morning, my buddy left and I was solo the rest of the hunt.
After chasing bucks all around the country, I started seeing less and less antelope.
On day eight of the hunt, I decided to try a different area about two hours away. I arrived at this area in the late morning. I immediately glassed up a shooter buck with a few does. I decided to sit a water nearby in hopes to they would come in for a drink. From about 9:30am to dusk I sat this tank and they never showed.
The next morning (Day 9), I glassed up the buck and does in a good spot. While stalking the buck, I had a good ole experience of Arizona combat hunting. Long story short the buck was spooked by another hunter when I was within 100 yards of the antelope. After this, I did some glassing around the area and did not see many antelope. Just a lot of hunters…
I decided once again to call an audible. I drove back to the area I had been previously hunting. I put a stalk on a smaller buck that I thought would be a sure thing. Wasn’t the case. There were other antelope with him that I did not see. With the help of a decoy I got somewhat in range. Missed a longer shot and a closer shot due the buck matrixing my arrow. After this, I decided to make sure my bow was still on. Good thing I did… My bow was still on but, my rangefinder decided to bite the dust. Thankfully I had a backup with me.
For the next hour, I got stuck my truck while a monsoondecided to dump rain and hail. After the cell passed, I continued to an area where I had stalked a buck with 10 does multiple time with no avail.
After arriving at this spot, it took a bit but I was able to locate the herd at the base of a small Mesa. I had stalked them previously and knew that went up to the top of this Mesa to feed. I then set off on a nice two mile bow hike.
I reached the area that I thought I may be able to see them and I did! I then skirted the rim of the Mesa and got within 200 yards of the heard but I ran out of juniper cover. I decided to sit by this last juniper hoping they would do what they had done in the past. After the antelope got up from being bedded for about 30 minutes, they slowly started in my direction. After what seemed to be forever, the does were about 45 yards from me, but the buck was hanging back. The buck finally came in! At 72 yards… I dialed, drew back and the shot broke. He was quartered away and it was windy. I hit him in the back ham and the exit was middle middle. I immediately saw blood on both sides of the buck. He quickly ran off 20-30 yards with the does but then stopped. After the does ran off he took a few more steps and bedded. He was not doing well. I stalked into to about 50 yards and put follow up shot in him and the deal was done! Spot and stalk antelope on day nine never felt more rewarding!
Not a big buck by any stretch but I was super happy!
