AZ hunting

Since I had 12 days to hunt I went in saying 100 inches or a spike on the last day. I found an awesome buck in September but couldn’t turn him up. I saw a ton of deer and covered a lot of country but nothing that really got me excited. It came down to the last day, if it’s brown it’s down! Happy to have filled the tag after passing so many, I don’t think I’ll do that again.

 

regs are finally out for spring draw

 

Anyone scout 37B for javelina recently?

 

Punched my javelina tag this morning. Now it’s on to mule deer.

 

I know this isn’t technically an AZ hunt but I just got back from our annual Sonora Mexico coues hunt.
It’s hunt I would suggest for anyone to try at least once.

 

Nicely done, those are some stellar coues bucks! This is definitely on my list, when I'm ready ill have to hit you up about more info.

 

Just because, here’s my black tails from Alaska back in October. Now I just have a few weeks until I’m chasing javelinas in 24B

 

Where at in Alaska? I grew up in the Southeast area, and have been itching to get back to hunt with my nephews. Nice bucks!

 

That was north of Ketchikan just east across the bay from POW

 

Nice! I grew up 15mi south of Ketchikan. So were you Etolin Island? If so, did you see or hear any sign of Elk?

 

No we were actually on the island between there and Ketchikan. Tons of wolf sign but no elk

 

Gotcha, I've heard the wolves are getting outta control up there!

 

Daughter #2 got it done down south. I got all three of us on pigs several times, hoping for a threefer, but 1) horseback riders, 2) wind, 3) more wind prevailed. Last day we had rain, hail, mudmudmud, and cold. We glassed between downpours, shimmied through mud to more hills, and kept at it. Finally bumped another squadron rising up to the sunshine. She stepped out and set up on the door, but that one bedded about 10 feet away in some thick brush. We decided to walk and look for more but (unavoidably) winded a few, daughter #2 watched helplessly from the Taco as they ran off.

We tracked a couple more deep in a gully, praying this one would feed up a couple of feet out and up so she could take a shot off her tripod. Kept my rifle shouldered as I coached her through her experience. One shot with her .243. So proud of her getting her first javelina boar! We've hunted that tag 3 times. She wasn't interested in a euro mount until she saw the tusks- he'll be joining the bone wall. Was really handy to tie him to my custom deck to get someplace better for skinning.

Love our Taco, it got us into, and out of, some beautiful places.

 

Way to go Daughter #2! Nice boar! Also, good job AZTaco2sDay for getting them out there.

 

Shoutout to my truck! Took my fam last week to the NM border for a 5 day quail camp event. Lessons of all kinds, upland bird/jackrabbit feasts, time with shooting instructors. Hunting days were tough; Saturday was whiteout, Sunday was snow with (fuck) mud. No chance to reschedule, people and dogs came from Alaska to Texas to Minnesota to learn about Arizona bird hunting.

Kicked up some Gambels and Mearns, took a few shots over dogs but didn't hit anything. Both kids kept up with everyone. It's the memories that count. Sure loved our 4x4 Taco once again getting us through some crappy conditions so it was all positive on our first attempt at birds.

Some really spectacular country down there around the eastern Sky Islands.

 

Sounds like a great time that I missed out on.

 

Maybe next season we can put something together. There are others who hunt birds on here too. Kids and I just need our own shotguns, now we know what we're looking for and how to use them.

 

I'm down for that. I missed this last quail season. I think there's a dove season open right now though.. I'd have to double check on that though.

 

Nope. Next season.

PHOENIX — When it comes to experiencing some of the finest wing-shooting that Arizona has to offer, the “second” dove season — which opens Friday, Nov. 17 — is not to be missed.

While the bigger white-winged doves, prized during the traditional 15-day season in September, have long since migrated to Mexico, the more acrobatic mourning doves remain abundant and widespread. The second season is a longer one, lasting 45 days and running through Dec. 31, 2023.

 

This is the one I read thinking of.. Eurasian Collard Doves.