[DutchmanAZ]

Is anyone interested in teaming up for an archery deer hunt this year? I'm an archery rookie so I can't promise any success, but regardless it would be a good time and hopefully everyone would learn something. I've been advised
to stay away from the Kiabab, so I won't be going up there. Area yet to be determined.
I do not have a trailer or anything else fancy; I simply use a tent and try to keep everything as basic and simple as possible. I most likely will have my son along as well. I've been known to have a couple of beers in the evening, but nothing too crazy. I figure I'm up there to hunt, not get blasted :?

 

[DutchmanAZ]

WOW...10 views and no response.
I'm not an axe murderer or anything. Hopefully a soon to be deer murderer though. :lol:

 

[Desert Rat]

If it's close enough, I'm in. January for sure December, if necessary...

 

[AzSlim]

As much as I would like to I am done for the year, I got my deer in Jan. Now that I have my first one out of the way I won't take a little deer in Jan. Takes away half the anticipation of the draw and leaves you scratching your head wondering if it was worth it. Now should I see some of those goodies Creed gets on to there is no doubt about tagging out in Jan.

 

[Photoshot]

I drew a December Coues deer hunt, so I don't get to bow hunt this year. Otherwise it sounds like fun.

 

[Guest]

I'm not an axe murderer or anything.

I'm not sure about that Ron. I did see you carrying a Hand Cooler and running up a hill when we went fishing and you never let me see in side of it. :lol:

 

[bowhuntinmaniac]

Ok it's settled.........archery deer hunt at Creed's!!

 

[AzSlim]

That desert country doesn't open up until Dec. I got the impression from the posts that folks wanted to hit the early archery hunt in the pine tree units. It is a nice time to get out of the heat.

 

[DutchmanAZ]

I've never hunted the desert beyond trying to scare up a few quail. Couple that with being new to archery hunting in general, I'm a bit confused on how I would proceed (beyond what's been offerred on here) I've hunted country similar to the areas around Flag, Ashurst, Stoneman, etc so I may end up at least trying a time or two up there.
The thing about hunting so early (Sep) is I guess you'd have to bone everything out and get it into a cooler pretty quick. Not cold enough out to hang anything for any length of time.

 

[AzSlim]

Dutch, here is what I do for hunting in Az. I freeze a case of 16 oz drinking water bottles and a couple of gallon jugs of water, 3 for deer & 4 for elk. I try and get them froze long before the season so they are hard frozen. Then once you have game, get it back to camp and skin it, hang the gal jugs in the carcass and cover with a game bag. Then wrap that with a tarp and put up another tarp to shade the whole thing. Since I do most of my butchering in the field I pack along freezer paper so for getting everything home I will lay down a layer of drinking bottles, cover with a layer of freezer paper, then stack in my meat packs or qtrs. I will add in more drinking bottles as space allows. This keeps your meat cool and not soaking in water, as close to a dry box as I can come. I carry a couple of coolers, one for chow and the other for meat. I keep the frozen bottles in the meat cooler and never open it until I have meat for it. A standard 48 qt gooler is large enough for deer and I have a 166 qt cooler that I use for elk. The 166 will hold all 4 qtrs of a cow without boning out, a bull needs to have some boning done to fit. I also have an old refrigerator on my back porch that I use as a meat locker. I pull out the racks and age my hind qtrs before I cut them up. Since we seem to eat more burger than anything else I turn the front qtrs, neck & brisket into grind packs and get my steaks from the backstrap, tl's and hind qtrs. This method works great, I have never had any meat go bad using it.

 

[DutchmanAZ]

Thanks Slim. That sounds like a real good idea

 

[DutchmanAZ]

Does anyone have experience in 37B? I've been out there a few times. According to the G&F Website, mule deer are in there, but a pain to find. DesertRat - thought this might work out since you need to stay close. Maybe we could do a couple of day trips to scout around?

 

[bowhuntinmaniac]

Dutch,
I cut my huntign teeth in 37B. It USED to be a great unit and some parts may still be.
Lions have decimated the deer and javelina, and I quit hunting there a few years back.
Since I am in Flagstaff now, I dont get down there much, but if you want to do some scouting, I will tell you some old spots that were great.

 

[DutchmanAZ]

PM sent

 

[Desert Rat]

Desert Bull has seen some hogs in 37B. Sent me a pic last year of a toad that a guy got in 37B by using his scouting services...

 

[bowhuntinmaniac]

I have friends that have taken bucks from 160" to 180" there.

 

[sedonaaz]

well i guess it good for me if you stay away from kaibab but why? its called the meat market for a reason. it has the biggest mule deer in the world.

 

[goinhtn63]

Hey guys I hunt quail and pigs in 37B and I have seen some big toads there as well. We jumped one last December. Could have poked it with a bow. Got within 30 yards before it ran off. That's a good area for deer. IMO.

 

[AZ~ThunderDan]

I drew a December Coues deer hunt, so I don't get to bow hunt this year. Otherwise it sounds like fun.

If you don't connect on that rifle deer tag, you could still fling arrows in December. :wink:

 

[Coues84]

I'm usually more then game to help another hunter out, with trips and what not. But I have my hands full this year. Got 2, 12 year olds and a brother in law I'm guiding. LOL.. Only one of the kids is pulling legal weight right now but the other one should be pulling 40lbs by Dec.



I never thought getting the kids into archery, would lead to them refusin gto hunt with a firearm. LOL.. My oldest hunts with a recurve. She is 12 LOL...... What can I say. shes already giving me grey hairs. LOL