Photo courtesy of Bruce Reed
This is one of many entries, over the next coming months, into the approaches and tactics we have learned over the years hunting Arizona's desert mule deer. Hunting these deer can put any hunter to their knees. Terrain, low densities, weather and a massive amount of country, are just the beginning of challenges to face.
Topics covered throughout these blogs will be from habitat, hunting techniques, past stories, equipment, different seasonal patterns, trophy quality and improving on the future of this very challenging animal. Some opinions may vary from reader to reader, as these are our opinions, but these are some of our keys to success. If along the way any viewer wants to offer advice, get some tips, or just drop a note, feel free. Keep checking for updates and let us know what you think.
Thanks
Travis
The forty units, and their neighbors, offer some exciting and challenging
hunting opportunities for those willing to step outside the box!
Entry #1 March 6 2010
The desert is such a place that will take a very able hunter and reduce them to a feeble, wounded prey. Then, reconstruct them to be the ultimate predator, ready to take on the game of the world!
To many eyes, the desert appears as a vast wasteland, void of water, feed, and hunt-able wildlife. Just the word, desert, brings thoughts and impressions of sand dunes, dust storms, and cacti varieties that send a burning pain into anyone's imagination. All have a fear of venturing too far into this "wasteland" and disappearing into the next sun stricken mirage. But, to really understand this place, a hunter must conquer this fear and appreciate the way, the survival, this fragile population of wildlife must endure. Through blood left on cactus thorns, sweat hitting the desert pavement, and miles earned on that pair of boots that you just can't get rid of, a real oasis of hunting possibilities start to emerge.
As simple as it sounds, discerning living habitat from dead habitat is a huge key to unlocking major parts of the riddle. Living habitat does not have big flashing signs saying " hunt here", it will be camouflaged! I have had hunters come to hunt my home desert from many parts of the country,and Arizona, stating "you mean to tell me, deer live here". Many hunters have never been to a desert, only seeing the "standard" desert on T.V., post cards, or even in a magazine talking about our drought. Reading the desert puts the odds in your favor. Breaking the myths is a key to a successful hunt, every time!
Living-manner or rule of life. Webster's definition. Rooster quail on a crisp early dawn calling to reassemble his covey, whistling of dove wings as they streak across the sky on their way from roosting trees to feed, rabbits running about in search of the quick fix of green feed, the song of the coyotes, long off and close by. Nature's definition. These sounds, sights and even smells are clues of life. Tracking storms throughout the monsoon season, evening drives, and bird hunting trips offer great in tell to the life in an area. Many people offer advise by simply saying scout, scout, scout. If you are scouting a lifeless area you are wasting your time! Finding a lifeless area is not a total loss, you know to check it off the list. Keeping a journal of weather patterns, precipitation amounts and visual impressions are some ways to build a record for seasons to come. Becoming intimate with an area has provided us with many lessons.
Growing up along the Colorado River, life was only along the banks of the river. Alfalfa and cotton fields crawled with deer throughout the dry times, sometimes called droughts. When rains would come, as sparse as it was, the deer would vanish. Where did they go? Deer need water and feed, simple, right? But, for us finding food sources seemed impossible. The deer would leave lush Ag fields in search of something else. The time tested, native plants, were drawing the deer out of an easy living. The desert muley did not come to these deserts in search of Ag fields. Ag fields were drawing native deer to the bounty and security of year long growth. When given the choice, these desert deer take native growth over imported plants.
As the ocotillo start sprouting green, tender leaves, the greasewoods turn from a dingy brown to a vibrant green and a carpet of various ground cover, such as philorea, start to shine, the deer become apparently more active. The dry, dead areas gradually and suddenly become full of life. These often overlooked areas have big populations of wildlife, and trophy bucks within them.
I would sit a top a high mountain top and watch multiple groups of deer feed about, all hours of the day, so consumed to the protein rich bounty the desert provides. Pick-ups and quads would just race by, completely unaware of the "honey holes" under their noses. Only occasionally the deer would look towards the dust trail.
March 19th
A good friend of mine once said, "This place is Mars with a ten foot jungle." I guess it is the perfect description. From a vantage point the desert looks wide open. The deer stand out like chrome bumpers on a sunny day. But on the floor of the desert, it is hard to pick a shooting lane much over 50 yards.
Much more has been added, please check it out!!CLICK HERE!
Any desert mulie with a bow is a trophy, maybe not by book standards, but by the standard of the hunter!
January 1st is always a busy day in the Arizona desert. Yes, it is the beginning of a new year, a fresh start for many, but that is not what brings so many sportsmen to the field every New Year. It is partly the beautiful weather that so many snowbirds flock here to enjoy and it's partly a day free from the grind at work. But it is, more importantly, the opening of archery deer season across much of the Arizona desert. Many anxious bowhunters start marking their calenders' months in advance to plan for this incredible time.
New Entry 3/25/2010
Dialing In On Desert Mulies: The Archers Challenge
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