THE RUT HAS STARTED

[ruthunter]

WE OBSERVED BIGGER BUCKS WITH DOES TODAY AND EVEN SAW TWO BUCKS FIGHTING,ALSO SEEN TWO BOBCATS STALKING THE DEER. THATS THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEK WE SAW BOBCATS STALKING DEER.ANYBODY EVER SEEN THAT.

 

[longshooter]

What elevation were you hunting ? up high or down in the desert ?

 

[ruthunter]

I have been hunting the low desert and the big boys are out.

 

[mesquitehunter]

I was sittin on a trail one time and a bobby stalked in on me within 2 feet.I guess the doe in heat urine I had set out really worked.I swear he had three back legs.

 

[ruthunter]

MESQUITE-DID YOU AT LEAST GET A SHOT AT THE FIVE LEGGED CREATURE?

 

[longshooter]

Thanks

I guess I will be checking my spots again this weekend.

Any one here of any one killing any big desert bucks this year ?

 

[ruthunter]

LONGSHOOTER- I KNOW ABOUT A 182" SHOT CLOSE TO PRESSCOTT,AND A 160'S SHOT OUT OF THE TANKS.

 

[desertbucks]

Nothing big for me, but I did shoot a 3x3 at fiften yards this morning.

 

[ruthunter]

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE PIG HUNTING OR FOR THOSE OF YOU DEER HUNTING HOW HAS THE RUT BEEN LOOKING SO FAR IN JANUARY?

 

[mesquitehunter]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-08-08 AT 00:42AM (MST)[p]It seems kind of hit and miss.A buddy has been hunting a big 4x5 and he says the his lip is flipped back permantly and acting like a dude on meth. For me still seeing does with bucks and without. I think it still yet to come where I hunt.

 

[randal16]

Okay....anyone hunting Wickenburg? I've been out five or six times..helping a friend out with a Muzzy tag, but always bringing my bow. We saw several little bucks..2x2's and a couple of 2x3's with does....mostly the end of December. We saw a little rutting activity, but really no chasing..just some lip curling. I was out the first week in January, and pretty much the same thing...but still no big boys. I've spent the last two days hitting it hard...glassing all day yesterday and today....total of 47 does and 2 little bucks, and no sign of any rut! Tell me it's not over! I've heard that Wickenburg area tends to rut a little late...anybody got any ideas? Thanks

 

[longshooter]

Since when is there a muzzy season for deer in unit 42 or 20B ?

I will send you a pm randal16

 

[randal16]

Hunt 1147, Dec. 14th - 31st, Units 39, 40a, 40b, 41, and 42 (except whitetanks) Muzzleloader

 

[mesquitehunter]

yeah long check the regs

 

[mesquitehunter]

I hunt there and it sucks the deer usually rut about the middle of FEB.

 

[randal16]

are you kidding me! oh well, we'll have to see how the rest of the month pans out. It's a new area for me...maybe should've stuck with one of my other areas...just seems like it should be in full force...maybe done....dun...done

 

[mesquitehunter]

I said that because I've been hunting there for the last 15+ yrs and very rarely ever saw a single hunter maybe the occasional bird hunter.In the last 3 yrs between Wickenburg and Aguila there has been a major influx of bow hunters I'm now trying to find an area where I don't see so many people. I don't mind seious bowhunters because you don't even know there around. I'm talking about the guys who have there ass suctioned to the seat of a quad or rhino scareing deer they don't even see. Now thats why I said it sucks there.I'm sick and tired of haveing nonserious bowhunters ruin my hunt.

 

[randal16]

I couldn't agree with you more...not very many hunters..mostly people trying to shoot something off the quad! Although, I have to say...I haven't seen one hunter where I'm at..probably why I like it! I suppose I shouldn't be complaining too much..have glassed a lot of animals..just not the buck I'm looking for. Oh well...there's still time.

 

[longshooter]

>Hunt 1147, Dec. 14th - 31st,
>Units 39, 40a, 40b, 41,
>and 42 (except whitetanks)
>Muzzleloader


I thought you were hunting with a muzzle loader in January. My bad

 

[longshooter]

I thought he was hunting with a muzzle loader in january. I know all about the dec muzzy hunt in 42 and all know all about the regs

 

[randal16]

>Since when is there a muzzy
>season for deer in unit
>42 or 20B ?
>
>I will send you a pm
>randal16



No biggie...I don't think anyone was questioning your knowledge of the regs....but if you read your message...you sounded like you weren't sure of any muzzy season in unit 42. It's kind of hard to figure a person's "tone" when it's in a typed posting.

 

[randal16]

>Since when is there a muzzy
>season for deer in unit
>42 or 20B ?
>
>I will send you a pm
>randal16

No biggie...I don't think anyone was questioning your knowledge of the regs....but if you read your message...you sounded like you weren't sure of any muzzy season in unit 42. It's kind of hard to figure a person's "tone" when it's in a typed posting.

 

[hunter1]

well spent the day out glassing and came up with 40 does on one hill the most i have ever glassed in a small area(desert)and the monster buck that was checking all the ladys a 6 inch spike didnt find any other bucks within 2 mile radius, i will be back tomorrow to see if anything new shows up during the night.

 

[mesquitehunter]

I need to know where you are hunting at because I'm sure we'll find some big bucks glassing.

 

[hunter1]

give me a call.

 

[hunter1]

well glassing yesterday found the same 40 does and now the spike went into hiding with two two points fighting one was about 20 inches wide and the other little guy just didnt relize what he got himself into. last time i seen him he was runnin south with the other buck chaseing.

 

[ruthunter]

RANDAL16--IVE BEEN HUNTING 42 WEST OF WICKENBERG AND I HAVE SEEN ALOT OF SMALLER BUCKS THIS JAN BUT HAVE NOT SEEN THE 170 INCHER IM LOOKING FOR.I THINK THE RUT OVER THERE WILL BE GOOD BY MID TO LATE JAN.

 

[randal16]

Ruthunter...thanks. That sounds a lot like my story up there. Lots of smaller bucks, normally wouldn't be so picky, but I have 10 bonus pts for deer (and 13 for elk) so if I shoot something, it's got to be 150 or better. Sounds like the rut may still be coming up there. Good luck to you!

 

[DonMartin]

Was hunting deer last week in Unit 16A with three bowhunters. Found an honest to gosh 6 X 5 (best we've seen in a long time!)and a good 4 X 4 on the last morning we were out. Despite best efforts of our team, the final score was that the bucks won!

We saw 17 bucks and 13 javelina in three days! Besides to the two bucks I've described above, we saw a nice 4 X 3 and several decent 3 X 3's.

Heading to Unit 18B this weekend to chase pigs...

Rut finally started in the desert in the south end of the Hualapais. Since I'm out of there now I'll tell where I saw them. Best bucks were near Wikieup.

Good luck!

Don Martin
AWO

 

[ruthunter]

RANDAL16----I DONT BLAME YOU! IF I HAD TEN POINTS FOR DEER I WOULD BE PUTTING IN FOR THE STRIP. I WILL UPDATE YOU ON THE 40'S UNITS THIS WEEKEND. I WILL BE HUNTING THURSDAY THRU SUN.GOOD LUCK!

 

[randal16]

Ruthunter...ya..got to hold out for something good! Good luck this weekend, hopefully you find the big 'uns chasing. Talk to you when you get back...good luck!

 

[randal16]

ruthunter....well how'd you do? I hunted today, saw some rutting activity, but still no big one's! Had a stalk on a wide 2X2...withing 30 yards of 4 does and him for 15 minutes, but couldn't get a shot at him...not really sure if I could've shot him anyhow...really want to draw that rifle tag this year. Definetly fun though, and I figure good practice. Hopefully, you found that monster.

 

[ruthunter]

RANDAL16---MY QUEST FOR THE BIG ONE CAME UP SHORT.THE BEST BUCK I FOUND WAS A 4X4 WHICH I GUESSED HIM AT 140" HE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN WOUNDED DUE TO THE WAY HE WAS LIMPING. I SAW A FEW MORE BUCKS THAT WERE SMALLER BUT DIDNT SEE THE RUT ACTIVITY THAT I THOUGHT I WOULD SEE.LAST YEAR THIS TIME I WAS FORTUNATE TO TAKE A GREAT BUCK AND THE RUT SEEMED BETTER THIS TIME LAST YEAR.ALL THE BUCKS IM SEEING HAVE BEEN IN THE FLAT LANDS AROUND WASHES.GOOD LUCK HUNTING! HOPE YOU DRAW YOUR DEER TAG!

 

[hunter1]

well it has been a hell of a week with 7 bucks over the 180 mark,chasing does and fightin, my buddy had one at 56yards and a doe was blocking the shot when the buck took a couple of steps forward he decided it was still not safe to shoot in case the doe took a couple of steps very good ethics, finally the buck bolted when he seen another buck movin in and the chase was on deer running everywhere, god it fun but hey its huntin not grocery shoppin, well head back up once the rain comes in. good luck everyone

 

[ruthunter]

HUNTER1-- THATS IMPRESSIVE TO SEE THAT MANY 180" BUCKS.MUST BE RUTTING GOOD WHERE YOUR HUNTING!WHAT UNIT YOU HUNTING?

 

[hunter1]

all i can say is i am in the desert but i am not hunting since i am allready tagged out. they are ruttin extreamly hard right now. i figure it will wind down within the week, we are seeing the peak of it right now 2 night was another great night just cant get my buddy in the right spot.

 

[CAelknuts]

I've got a question that I'd like to pose to you guys who hunt down in the desert. For a few years now, my son and I have been interested in doing this archery hunt. Our hesitancy comes from the fact that we're non-residents and keep hearing about all the problems with illegals vandalizing camps and vehicles and such. We'd like to hunt somewhere south of Tucson, probably around Sonoita, but are very hesitant for these reasons.

Would the problem be considerably less if we hunted north of Tucson? Any advice you guys can offer would be very appreciated.

 

[hunter1]

dont let that discourage you i hunt down by nogalas every year with freinds and we have had very little activity latly and of course the further north you go you are less likely to have any problems at all. just remember you wont see alot of deer but what you do see will be quaility. unless your huntin coues then it is possible to see a 100 deer a day if you use your optics.