AZ Pronghorn - A lifetime dream
- Thread starter Big Fin
- Start date
lbirch
Member
There is no disrespect meant toward BigFin, only pure jealousy. My Cousin Vinny is also my favorite of all time. bdidaho - that was a good explanation, thanks. And, that lyric was terrific! It makes me want to play the entire song.
Looking forward to reading about the AZ antelope hunt...
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idnative1948
Well-known member
Be safe and live to hunt another day. Just guessing that is what the wife is thinking unless you have your life insurance paid up
If you have been married 33 years this stuff just keeps coming up. Go figure.......
If you have been married 33 years this stuff just keeps coming up. Go figure.......
Well, as always happens in any hunting trip, just when you think things will come together, something changes your plans. In this case, a monsoon like nothing I have experienced before. I thought it was just going to be a small thunder burst now and then. Nope, it got serious about it.
After seeing the big buck this morning, we set out blinds and I was very excited about where we set them and where the buck seemed to be watering. I decided to go check out some other spots further north. On the way there, the deluge came. Pic sequence provided below.
By the time we sat out the downpour and filmed some scenes of how it will affect the hunting plans, we had lost almost two hours. We headed down the main road, as all the other side roads were impassible with mud and water. As soon as the rain stopped we got through the worst part of the water, and amazingly, found another really nice buck. We watched him with four does for over 15 minutes. I was contemplating a stalk across the swamp, when a coyote popped into view and sent the herd off in the opposite direction.
I had kicked around attempting a stalk, but wondered how I would trial something in this rain soaked ground, if I were lucky enough to have it all come together. That didn't seem like the right thing to do, so I spent the time trying to get spotting scope pics, which did not happen due to my terrible talents. He was a great buck. Very, very tall, with very good prongs and very good mass. If you asked me to give my best estimate, I would say somewhere north of 86". They seemed pretty undisturbed and in a very stalkable location. He is on the "suspect list," for sure. I don't think he was as big as the heart-shaped buck from this morning.
With all the water standing around, ground blinds will be a waste of time for a few days, and given it is supposed to be more of the same tomorrow, it might mess up my ground blind ideas of a week or so. Time will tell.
The morning will be more searching. I usually try to get two days of scouting, but schedules did not allow that this year, so I am dedicating the first two days to getting a feel for the area, eliminating spots that looked good from Google Earth, checking out some supposed hot spots from guys I talked to in research, and then finalizing the plan for the final 13 days of the hunt.
A long day of scouting, checking for tracks, and riding miles on some of the worst roads in all of God's creation. Hope to have some good stuff to post tomorrow.
Raining so hard, I decided to stop and let the storm pass.. That took a long time.
The road turned into a creek by the time we got to the bottom of the hill.
Loren and Kevin thought it would make good TV to show me plowing through that mess, or getting stuck in the middle of it. Either was considered a great piece of TV footage.
Lining up the Titan before the big run at it.
You can see how many watering options the antelope now have. It is still drizzling slightly as I type this.
After seeing the big buck this morning, we set out blinds and I was very excited about where we set them and where the buck seemed to be watering. I decided to go check out some other spots further north. On the way there, the deluge came. Pic sequence provided below.
By the time we sat out the downpour and filmed some scenes of how it will affect the hunting plans, we had lost almost two hours. We headed down the main road, as all the other side roads were impassible with mud and water. As soon as the rain stopped we got through the worst part of the water, and amazingly, found another really nice buck. We watched him with four does for over 15 minutes. I was contemplating a stalk across the swamp, when a coyote popped into view and sent the herd off in the opposite direction.
I had kicked around attempting a stalk, but wondered how I would trial something in this rain soaked ground, if I were lucky enough to have it all come together. That didn't seem like the right thing to do, so I spent the time trying to get spotting scope pics, which did not happen due to my terrible talents. He was a great buck. Very, very tall, with very good prongs and very good mass. If you asked me to give my best estimate, I would say somewhere north of 86". They seemed pretty undisturbed and in a very stalkable location. He is on the "suspect list," for sure. I don't think he was as big as the heart-shaped buck from this morning.
With all the water standing around, ground blinds will be a waste of time for a few days, and given it is supposed to be more of the same tomorrow, it might mess up my ground blind ideas of a week or so. Time will tell.
The morning will be more searching. I usually try to get two days of scouting, but schedules did not allow that this year, so I am dedicating the first two days to getting a feel for the area, eliminating spots that looked good from Google Earth, checking out some supposed hot spots from guys I talked to in research, and then finalizing the plan for the final 13 days of the hunt.
A long day of scouting, checking for tracks, and riding miles on some of the worst roads in all of God's creation. Hope to have some good stuff to post tomorrow.
Raining so hard, I decided to stop and let the storm pass.. That took a long time.
The road turned into a creek by the time we got to the bottom of the hill.
Loren and Kevin thought it would make good TV to show me plowing through that mess, or getting stuck in the middle of it. Either was considered a great piece of TV footage.
Lining up the Titan before the big run at it.
You can see how many watering options the antelope now have. It is still drizzling slightly as I type this.
ADDDICT
New member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2010
- Messages
- 110
Youve never seen mud like up there on the rim. Becareful man!
junior88
Well-known member
Gotta love that summertime rain in the AZ!
Big Slick
Well-known member
So what river is that.....
DavidKeenan
New member
Fin You may have to pull out the snorkels and stick it thru the head of "Be The Decoy". A three horned buck. I could see that on film. Roflmao. Maybe this will stop soon, for you. Not a good way to spend 16 points. I'm sure you will adapt and conquer. Good Luck!!!!!!!!
mconway951
Active member
Good Luck Fin looks like it will be some tough archery hunting.
EliAGrimmett
Member
I wish I was there! Looks like fun!
Stalked two bucks so far this morning. One tanker and one big one. On the search now for another big buck we spotted from afar this morning. Currently eluding us.
Uncle Larry and aunt Mary are up here today, so the afternoon will be some family time and a quick filming session with Larry.
I am so impressed with the buck quality here. Now, if I can just put an arrow in one of them.
Uncle Larry and aunt Mary are up here today, so the afternoon will be some family time and a quick filming session with Larry.
I am so impressed with the buck quality here. Now, if I can just put an arrow in one of them.
JohnCushman
Well-known member
Fin....what are you using for internet connection on all these hunts in the middle of nowhere?
HUNTMAN
New member
Good luck. Hope you stick a Giant.
'Ike'
New member
Really got no hunting done this afternoon/evening. The rest the day was spent on TV and filming issues. Tomorrow is full speed ahead. We have for bucks located that would be bigger than any I have ever shot. The challenge will be relocating them, then trying to get within archery range when I have two cameras in tow.
Giving it hell tomorrow.
Giving it hell tomorrow.
hardscrabble
Active member
Best of luck Fin, it will be worth the fifteen year wait for the tag.
Amand
Member
Good luck Fun. Can't wait to see how it turns out but looks like a great trip.
considering the buck you shot in NM a couple years ago that is just plain freaking me out
