Here is a continuation of the coues deer hunt I was on with my Dad and Brother. In the last episode you saw how my brother was fortunate enough to tag his first coues deer ever. What a special day that was. Kid has been working at that for years now and getting to see it all come together for him was pretty special to say the least. Now, that my brother is all tagged out, my Dad is up on deck. Each morning we were seeing bucks and big ones at that. Today was our last day, and as you’ll see in the video, we made the most of it. Just in time too. The weather was calling for 50 mph winds, and while we’d stick it out if we had to, it was a relief to wrap this up before that. Heavy winds are no bueno for coues deer, or any game for that matter.
Hey, everyone! I hope all of your fall hunting seasons have been treating you well! It has been a busy one for me, but definitely have made some incredible memories along the way. The best part is, it’s not over yet! I just got back from helping my Dad and Brother on a rifle coues deer hunt a few weeks back and my Dad also has a late rifle bull tag. Definitely excited to help out on that. Before then, I’ll be joining a good buddy for a few days on a late archery bull hunt. After those are all said and done, it will be time for me to start scouting for our late archery deer seasons here in Arizona. Rutting bucks, bowhunting, and good times!
I was so fortunate to have, not one, but two high country archery mule deer tags this year. This is a hunt that I’ve dreamed about doing for years and finally pulled the trigger on. The first took place in Utah and the second was in Colorado. Both of these hunts were backpack style hunts and both of them tested my limits. We were packed into the Utah backcountry for 6 days and also 6 days in Colorado. My brother and I made some incredible memories on these adventure hunts and I cannot wait to do it again. There is just something about being above treeline and glassing up big high country mule deer.
Here is a short film of my 2019 archery deer/javelina hunt with my brother here in Arizona. Our December/January archery deer season here in Arizona is a hunt that has skyrocketed to the top of my favorites. The weather is generally great, the deer are rutting, and it’s just a phenomenal time to be out in the mountains here. The tags are over the counter and if you play your cards right, you can draw an archery javelina tag and be hunting them and rutting coues and mule deer at the same time! A great excuse to get off of the couch in the month of January! Each year my brother and I look forward to backpacking into some of our favorite units to chase deer with our bows and soak up that backcountry experience we long for. This hunt was a wild ride and one that I will never forget. You can read about it in depth at a few recent posts called 2019 January Archery Deer and Javelina Hunt (Part 1) and 2019 January Archery Deer and Javelina Hunt (Part 2) Hope you like it! I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below!
If you read about my elk hunt from this past September, you already know how much of a grind it was for me. The toughest hunt mentally I have ever done. 14 days straight in the field with more ups and downs than a roller coaster. It was a humbling experience to say the least and I am so glad that I had the privilege of going through it. Below is the video of that very hunt and a constant reminder for me that I will never have it all sewn up. Follow along with my brother Jake and I as we chase elk in our home state of Arizona. Enjoy the video!
So, it began, or I should say continued. Another backpack hunt lay in front of us. This particular area has held a meaningful part in my heart for years. It is where I took my first archery deer and a place I have spent a good portion of my Dec/Jan archery deer seasons in the past. What the next few days would hold, we did not know. I did know that we would have a great time though chasing rutting bucks. On top of that, I had been seeing a herd of javelina regularly in the area. Lucky for us, Jake had a tag in his pocket.
January in Arizona has become a time of year that I cherish to the upmost. While everyone else around the country is reflecting on their past fall hunting seasons and warming themselves by a fire, I am usually out hiking around with a camp on my back in search of rutting bucks. The weather is beautiful, the deer are moving, and it’s just a great time to be out and about in our Arizona desert. My brother Jake and I usually take the first week or so in January to chase mule deer and coues deer with our bows. This year though, Jake drew an archery javelina tag, so that was on the menu as well. 8 days of backcountry hunting was in front of us and our arms were wide open.
First thing in the morning, I had 2 very good friends show up to help track down the bull elk. I couldn’t have been more grateful for them donating their Saturday to me. When you find good hunting partners, hold on for dear life. They are far and few. We made our way over to the scene of the crime and got on blood right away. After 500 yards of tracking, the blood came fewer and farther between. With hard work though, we kept pushing forward finding a drop here and a drop there. We followed the bull’s tracks for a great deal of the way, which led us to more blood. After almost a mile and 6 hours later though, I came to the conclusion that I didn’t kill that bull. This is the part of bowhunting, and hunting for that matter, that nobody likes. If you do this long enough though, it is bound to happen. I practice shooting my bow all year long and still things happen. What actually happened though wouldn’t hit me until the next morning though.
There is a part of me that would want to start this story out the day I arrived in elk camp this year here in Arizona. However, it just doesn’t start there. The area that I drew my tag in has become one of the most special places to me. I frequent it year round and have had many firsts come to life right in those very hills. The first time I ever saw an elk bugle happened right there. I remember him trotting and bugling at the same time. Like he was trying to assert his dominance over the herd. The first deer I ever took the life from happened 300 yards away from that. It was a coues spike that meant the world to me. Not a mile away from that, I wrapped my tag around my first bear. An experience that lit a fire under me that still burns bright today. Now, it was my turn to try my hand at elk hunting in these hills that I’ve called a second home.
When the month of August rolls around, I have one thing on my mind when it comes to hunting. For those that know me, you know that the answer to that is bears. Over the years, bears have become my favorite species to pursue here in Arizona. This hunt that takes place at the end of August has become one of my most anticipated hunting camps of the year. I get together with friends and family to escape the heat/daily grind of city life. Camp is filled with shenanigans, laughs, and sometimes we come home with something that has a tag wrapped around it. While this is mainly a bear hunt for me most years, this year was different. For one, we had some new company in camp. Good company and some folks that I wouldn’t hesitate sharing a camp with again. For another, I had already filled my bear tag earlier this spring. I still had a deer tag in my pocket though…
Copyright 2019 Dialed In Hunter
Design by NXNW.
