Doesn't seem like anybody is talking about lack of moisture this year.....it is very dry right now in Arizona and south western U.S and from what I read predictions expect this trend to continue. Looks like I will be saving my 10 elk points this year and hope for better moisture level in 2019.....
Rainfall ?
- Thread starter Dirtbag
- Start date
dirtclod Az.
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It's so dry "Ranchers"in central Az. are trucking in water AND food to thier cattle on BLM land.
dirtclod Az.
dirtclod Az.
Captain_coues
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I couldn't believe it either. I hunted two units right next to you Dirtbag. This was in late October through December. Of course that means scouting for weeks and months prior. It never rained. I want to say it went without rain for over 120 days, I could be wrong. I did ok for deer, but elk was tough.
dirtclod Az.
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I found one herd of pigs back in no man's land where no ATVs etc. can venture',two springs.Both bone dry. How do they
survive? Even the Prickly Pear are dying.
dirtcod Az.
survive? Even the Prickly Pear are dying.
dirtcod Az.
bonecollector777
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LAST EDITED ON Feb-03-18 AT 05:17PM (MST)[p]https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/anomimage.pl?wrc6mPpct.gif
0-25% of average precipitation for the whole state of az over the last 6 months. 0-10% the last 90 days. Same for most of the southwest. Gonna be a bad year. If the thirst and lack of food doesn't kill them the fires this summer will.
0-25% of average precipitation for the whole state of az over the last 6 months. 0-10% the last 90 days. Same for most of the southwest. Gonna be a bad year. If the thirst and lack of food doesn't kill them the fires this summer will.
bonecollector777
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dirtclod Az.
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I don't even wan't to think about fires.Have a cabin
in Pine, Hasn't been a fire there in quite a while.
The rim country has had a few but down below it's been a number of years.
Could wipe out any forage there is left over vast areas of
the state.
in Pine, Hasn't been a fire there in quite a while.
The rim country has had a few but down below it's been a number of years.
Could wipe out any forage there is left over vast areas of
the state.
AZ8
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Flagstaff has recorded 11 inches of snow so far! They normally see a bit over 100 inches for the season.
Incredibly dry. Reminds me of 2002 which was one of the driest years on record. February forecasts show more of the same. Dry, wam days with no signs of precip in the foreseeable future. Unless we get some late rains in March, April and May, there's gonna be a ton of fires this summer, along with a possible return to the devastating bark beetle kill we saw several years ago.
Incredibly dry. Reminds me of 2002 which was one of the driest years on record. February forecasts show more of the same. Dry, wam days with no signs of precip in the foreseeable future. Unless we get some late rains in March, April and May, there's gonna be a ton of fires this summer, along with a possible return to the devastating bark beetle kill we saw several years ago.
dirtclod Az.
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With no winter rains and no rain in the future Bark Beetles are a real threat,not long ago they really took their toll on the Mogollons as well as many other heavy timber areas statewide.We sure can't wait for the monsoons, we need March- May showers as a game changer.
Captain_coues
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I sort of agree with you huntaz. As bad as this year was for water, I did see the biggest buck of my life and saw more deer in that unit than I ever have before. Waiting might seem like the smart thing to do but it's going to get worse before it gets better so the wait might be a long one. I hunted a less than desirable unit for elk this year and saw plenty of good ones in the pre season and the biggest one I know of that was killed was a 360". I waited 18 years for an early rifle Bull tag and got drawn in 2011. I must have passed 150 bulls during that hunt and got a small bull on the last day. The biggest I saw would have been around 370" if it didn't have a broken main beam. So it's hard to imagine the odds will be better if you wait, just speaking for myself.
>I have never been a horn
>hunter but I have goals
>I set for myself.
>I would rather hunt now
>and deal with whatever mother
>nature dishes out. Unless
>things change dramatically, water will
>be the key.
I agree I am in for the draw & if I'm lucky enough to get a tag I will make the best of whatever mother nature gives. Elk hunting during a dry year is better than not hunting at all!! Just my opinion.
>hunter but I have goals
>I set for myself.
>I would rather hunt now
>and deal with whatever mother
>nature dishes out. Unless
>things change dramatically, water will
>be the key.
I agree I am in for the draw & if I'm lucky enough to get a tag I will make the best of whatever mother nature gives. Elk hunting during a dry year is better than not hunting at all!! Just my opinion.
Cactusbuck
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Just returned from Williams, AZ. There's alot more water than I expected. The water holes are okay. Here are a few pics from the trail cams I left out after late elk season in December. The animals are in such great shape it seems like everything is good.
This coming weekend is the last for the 2017/2018 quail season. In my usual haunts & honey holes it has been a GREAT Gambels season!
Based on how dry it has been, I'm not at all optimistic about next Fall though. Praying for at least one or two big Spring storms to get the grass seed germinating, else it will be slim pickings on the desert birds next year.
S.
Based on how dry it has been, I'm not at all optimistic about next Fall though. Praying for at least one or two big Spring storms to get the grass seed germinating, else it will be slim pickings on the desert birds next year.
S.
Codylee1985
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This is as bad of a winter as I remember, I put in, but would consider otherwise if I had several years and thousands of dollars into trying to draw that elusive primo tag like lots of you guys/gals...
If we don't score some much needed moisture we are gonna burn and the Bulls are gonna be broken...
If we don't score some much needed moisture we are gonna burn and the Bulls are gonna be broken...
dirtclod Az.
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Winter?Iwent pig hunting Jan.1st-5.Always froze my rear off,all new foul weather gear,overheated opening morning. And I've lived here over 50yrs.What I needed was shorts and sunscreen!Pigs I saw looked in good shape, but how long can it last?
dcervantez
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With everyone holding out 'til next year combined with the guys who are going to submit their paper applications this week (because they didn't catch the change in the regs), I like my chances of drawing a tag!!!
Gator
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Just remember A good waterhole will be the tickets.
If it too dry you best start hauling in water to those guzzlers you are going to hunt as soon as you can to help them grow and stay put.
START looking for a water wagon.
"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]
If it too dry you best start hauling in water to those guzzlers you are going to hunt as soon as you can to help them grow and stay put.
START looking for a water wagon.
"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]
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