AZ High Desert in Dec?

[Where's Bruce?]

So the consensus is: Prepare for an El Niño smackdown and long, cold nights.

Common sense says always be prepared. If I were spending two weeks up there I'd be ready for anything and the last thing I would want to return to basecamp to find is a predator-revaged site because I was careless with food stores. On long trips I always hang the food-no exceptions. Always keep a clean camp. From ants to bears...I don't want company.

 

[Poser]

Rain, hail, sleet, snow, ultra high winds, wet socks and feet because I did not bring gaiters. Ironically, this hunt is the most I've ever needed gaiters. -haven't seen a single creepy crawly as its WAY too cold for them. We are, however seeing deer.

 

[moxford]

Last pic is amazing - super jealous you're out there!

-mox

 

[HuntHarder]

Az sure is nice looking right now. I think this snow is gonna get these animals going. Rut is just now starting to kick in, I expect full swing in 2 weeks.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

After today you catch a break with a subtle warm-up coming....at least 10 degrees warmer at night...how ya sleeping. Cold morning eh?

 

[Poser]

Had a cold night last night -the coldest yet. We did a hard climb this morning, bounced around a few drainages trying to get out of the cold ass wind and ended up having to glass into the sun in order to be out of the wind. The deer were all sunning themselves after that cold night. We ended up getting on this old buck at a little over 200 yards. This was a great hunt and my glassing technique improved tremendously.

 

[CA Karen]

Fore weather info check out mesowest.utah.edu and click on Arizonia check on the weather stations/ networks you want and you will get a map of real time data on the area in question, just click on a weather station and check its history.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Congrats on your success...sure hope you took my advice and packed a flask! Good for the cold and a celebration! LOL

 

[Poser]

Congrats on your success...sure hope you took my advice and packed a flask! Good for the cold and a celebration! LOL

Sippin' whiskey While removing the tongue.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Sippin' whiskey While removing the tongue.

Yeah...whiskey is the only way I'm ever eating tongue. I dislike eating anything that's tasting me back.

 

[Poser]

I save up the tongues until I have enough to make a meal's worth of Tacos de Lengua. Besides, given how many calories were expended to kill this rather small Coues deer, I'm taking every calorie I can get from this animal. I even scraped the meat off the cheeks.

 

[littlebrotherC]

Subscribed

 

[n2horns]

Nice job and congrats. Our Arizona Coues are not much bigger than a greyhound lol.

I always forget how small they really are.

 

[cmc]

Nice job on your coues deer. Congrats!

 

[Poser]

Nice job and congrats. Our Arizona Coues are not much bigger than a greyhound lol.

I always forget how small they really are.

Though they looked tiny at 200-500 yards, I was actually surprised at the body size of this buck once we laid hands on him. That being said, the pack out was hardly "difficult" as far as pack outs go despite being a couple of miles. I carried all 4 quarters and my partner carried the backstraps, organs, trimmings, head and cape.

 

[Gobbler36]

Can't wait for next December those pics have me jealous

 

[Poser]

Can't wait for next December those pics have me jealous

I was an incredibly cerebral style of hunting. -really got my gears going. I'm gonna say that Coues deer is dangerously addictive.

 

[dvm_hunter]

Looks like a lot of fun, reminds me of some land we hunt out in west Texas between Sanderson and Marathon

 

[Poser]

They call it a poor man's sheep hunt for a reason.

https://vimeo.com/149359320

 

[dvm_hunter]

They call it a poor man's sheep hunt for a reason.

https://vimeo.com/149359320

definitely a lot more elevation change, but the general layout is pretty close to the same. I also saw more "trees". it'll definitely be on the list as it's probably the only way i'll ever be able to hunt Arizona.