A buck from the desert.

[AfootTrack56]

So, this year I was a genius in my planning. I was drawn for an elk tag and a mule deer tag in Arizona for the same week. I decided to deer hunt for 3 days then make the 6 hour drive and hunt elk the rest of the week. In my scouting for the deer hunt I found a huge non typical buck in the area I wanted to hunt. So I planned to hunt for him. Opening morning comes and I put my dad in the spot I think that buck will come through. And I moved to a secondary bedding spot about a half mile away. Daylight breaks and we only seen does. Not a buck to be seen. Mid day, we move to a different bedding area and wait for deer to filter out at sundown. About an hour before dark, deer start coming out of the thicket and move by us a few hundred yards off. 40 does in total and not one buck. The sun sets and we make the walk back to the truck.

Day two, we hit two new spots in the morning. My dad seen about 30 or so does in total. And I got to watch the mesquites grow. Mid day, I decided to pull stakes on that spot and try a new area we have not hunted. We took a mile and a half walk to check for sign and see how things were laying out. Seen plenty of people sign close to the parking area as to be expected. Also lots of deer sign. Does and fawns mostly, but it was everywhere. We passed through that area to look at some better terrain features that typically hold older deer. Checked the first spot, and nothing. Checked the second spot, jackpot! Several fresh sets of BIG buck tracks from that morning. We set up in an area to observe what comes out in the afternoon. I glassed a few hunters off in the distance. Right at dark we had a spike come by us at 35 yards. And another deer was behind him, but we lost light before we could get eyes on it. I knew I needed to move in deeper and push the envelope the next morning. After all, it is our last morning to hunt.

Sunday morning we head out in the dark to get into position before daybreak. I put my dad in the spot leading into the bedding thicket where the most buck sign was moving through. I figured it would be a slam dunk for him. I moved about a third of a mile or so to another thick spot we hadn’t scouted. As I came up to my spot, I spooked a big bodied deer well before shooting light. I knew it was one of the smarter bucks in the area, I just couldn’t see his rack. He ran right into the bedding cover just like I suspected they would enter it. I positioned myself to cover the corner of it where deer should enter, but I had only one lane to shoot to the edge of the thick cover. If they passed that lane they’d have my wind within 50 yards or so. The rest of the area around me was decent visibility with shot options everywhere.

15 minutes after first light I see ears moving through the grass and brush 300 yards from me. It’s a big doe, and she is headed for that narrow gap. Knowing I have a small window to capitalize on a shot, I grabbed my rifle and got ready just in case a buck is with em. Two more does pop out in that lane, and they turn and start walking toward me, then the my cross the lane. Then I seen him. He’s narrow, average tines, maybe a 3x3. I flip off the safety and wait for him to cross my shooting lane. This is a good last morning deer I’m thinking. Not the buck I came for but I’m headed to elk camp at noon. He walks up to my shooting lane, then lowers his head and charges at the small doe on the other side of the gap. Opportunity missed. He runs the doe off and loops back and stops on the edge of my shooting lane, slightly closer and quartering towards me. I know he’s between 250 and 300 yards. I settled the crosshairs on his shoulder and sent one down range. I hear it hit him, he buckles hard and by the time I get the next shell in the chamber, I see dust flying and his rack flopping in the brush.

I waited about an hour and a half and I made my way back to my dad. When we regrouped I told him I shot a small buck, probably a 2.5 year old. He told me he had two small bucks at 200 yards but he was so excited he couldn’t get steady to make the shot. So they got a free pass. We head over to get my deer. When we walk up to him my dad says “he’s better than you think. He’s older than 2!” I said “I knew he was narrow, but I didn’t think he was that fat.”

He’s a fat 3x4, just didn’t have much for head gear. It was a fun hunt. I was hoping my dad would get one as well, but I’m glad we decided to move locations. The bucks we seen definitely aren’t the king of the woods there. So I’ve gotta go back and explore.

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I pulled this .223 round off the point of his shoulder when I processed him at the house. He was a tough buck, but he couldn’t stop my .270.


The elk hunt didn’t pan out as well. I was able to get within bow range of a nice 6x6 and a rag horn 3x something, but the opportunity for a shot didn’t happen.

[backstraps]

That’s a pretty buck!! Id be tickled with him

Man sounded like you and Dad made memories and had a great time. In the end isn’t that what it’s all about

Elk and deer in the same week....that’s awesome good stuff

Congratulations

[cspot]

Congrats!!

[Jackson Marsh]

Congrats afoottrack

Hog body on that buck

[Kokes]

Awesome congrats!!
I went to Arizona for the first time this year for work and was blown away at the beauty...hunting there is now on my bucket list :)))

[matt1336]

Great buck!

[AfootTrack56]

Awesome congrats!!
I went to Arizona for the first time this year for work and was blown away at the beauty...hunting there is now on my bucket list :)))

It’s a pretty diverse state. Everyone thinks of sand dunes and saguaro cactus, but it’s got so much more. It’s definitely worth a trip down for a hunt.

[stash59]

Great mass near the bases. Old buck for sure!!!

[PK_]

Very cool. Nice buck.

[Rich M]

Well done! Sounds like a fun trip.

Neat that he was rubbing on green stuff. For some reason I didn't think mulies made rubs..

[Edcyclopedia]

Spectacular!

[AfootTrack56]

Well done! Sounds like a fun trip.

Neat that he was rubbing on green stuff. For some reason I didn't think mulies made rubs..

They rub. Just not as much as whitetails. Some bucks seem to do it a lot more than others. Haven’t seen one rub a tree of any size though. Mostly thin stuff. At least where I’m at anyway.

[muddy]

Congrats

[AfootTrack56]

Thanks guys! I’m waiting for bow season to open on January 1st so I can get back after it. It sucks being in a 1 deer per year state.