Last night, I left camp with Bugler and drove to Arizona. We will start filming an archery pronghorn hunt this evening, with season opening tomorrow.
I went to college at ASU in 1984-1985. I spent all spare weekends hunting up near Williams or over by Wickenburg. Coming from Minnesota, I had never seen a pronghorn. At least not until spending some time around Chino Valley, and then later shooting coyotes up north of Williams in Unit 10.
From that point on, I wanted to hunt pronghorn. Never imagined it would grow to such an addiction.
In the two years I lived in AZ, I never drew a pronghorn tag. I started applying as a non-resident in 1995. I had always applied for a rifle tag, with the same result - nothing but more points.
This year, after looking at the draw odds from last year, I realized I could probably draw in the bonus point draw, if I was willing to burn my 16 points for an archery tag. When the results came out in March, I had tag #2. Glad to know someone with more points than me was crazy enough to burn them on an archery tag.
We will have two cameras on this shoot. There is a lot to film. A lot of conservation history to the unit. And, we want to have one camera film me and another camera on the stalk. Give you the perspective of what it would be like if you were here watching me and a camera try to get close enough to a buck.
I am resting this morning, doing laundry, catching up on CPA firm details, and things not related to the hunt. I should be scouting, but need to make sure these details are taken care of. Have a friend from my college days who lives not too far from the unit. He has made some scouting trips and provided some starting points.
The cameras leave on the 26th. Season opens tomorrow. So, I have a week to get it done with their presence.
If I have not tagged out by then, I am going to stay and film myself - true On Your Own, right down to the filming. The only feasible way to do that will be to sit a blind with cameras set up, so all I have to do is hit the record buttons when I see something coming in. Season ends September 2nd. I hope to have the stamina and fortitude to stick it out to the very end, if need be.
I am not one to focus on trophies, but in this case, will probably make an exception. Not for the sake of a trophy, but for the fact that some big bucks can show up in this unit, and holding out for that special buck and trying to close the deal with archery tackle will milk this hunt for the all 16 points it took to draw it.
Will be in camp this evening, hitting the trails and backroads this time tomorrow. I am afraid I burned all my luck in NM by finding the dumbest buck that ever walked. A repeat of such is very unlikely here in Arizona. But, a guy can hope.
I went to college at ASU in 1984-1985. I spent all spare weekends hunting up near Williams or over by Wickenburg. Coming from Minnesota, I had never seen a pronghorn. At least not until spending some time around Chino Valley, and then later shooting coyotes up north of Williams in Unit 10.
From that point on, I wanted to hunt pronghorn. Never imagined it would grow to such an addiction.
In the two years I lived in AZ, I never drew a pronghorn tag. I started applying as a non-resident in 1995. I had always applied for a rifle tag, with the same result - nothing but more points.
This year, after looking at the draw odds from last year, I realized I could probably draw in the bonus point draw, if I was willing to burn my 16 points for an archery tag. When the results came out in March, I had tag #2. Glad to know someone with more points than me was crazy enough to burn them on an archery tag.
We will have two cameras on this shoot. There is a lot to film. A lot of conservation history to the unit. And, we want to have one camera film me and another camera on the stalk. Give you the perspective of what it would be like if you were here watching me and a camera try to get close enough to a buck.
I am resting this morning, doing laundry, catching up on CPA firm details, and things not related to the hunt. I should be scouting, but need to make sure these details are taken care of. Have a friend from my college days who lives not too far from the unit. He has made some scouting trips and provided some starting points.
The cameras leave on the 26th. Season opens tomorrow. So, I have a week to get it done with their presence.
If I have not tagged out by then, I am going to stay and film myself - true On Your Own, right down to the filming. The only feasible way to do that will be to sit a blind with cameras set up, so all I have to do is hit the record buttons when I see something coming in. Season ends September 2nd. I hope to have the stamina and fortitude to stick it out to the very end, if need be.
I am not one to focus on trophies, but in this case, will probably make an exception. Not for the sake of a trophy, but for the fact that some big bucks can show up in this unit, and holding out for that special buck and trying to close the deal with archery tackle will milk this hunt for the all 16 points it took to draw it.
Will be in camp this evening, hitting the trails and backroads this time tomorrow. I am afraid I burned all my luck in NM by finding the dumbest buck that ever walked. A repeat of such is very unlikely here in Arizona. But, a guy can hope.
