[DutchmanAZ]

Left the Queen Creek area last Friday about 9:00 am along with my neighbor enroute to unit 8.
Due to a miscommunication issue, what should have taken roughly 4 - 4.5 hours ended up taking about 6.5.
We went through Prescott, got on the 89, and headed north. Near Chino valley, we saw someone loading up
an antelope he'd bagged into his truck. Couldn't see it too well, but hey, a goat is a goat!
We ended up exiting 89 just after crossing Hell Canyon and made our way to Perkinsville Rd. Somehow or the other
we ended up on FR384...talk about a rough road. I was happy I took the jeep! This part took us probably 2 hours...
After the road smoothed out a little, I took these pictures of a meadow.

One more.

Here's what the jeep & trailer looked like..I'm glad I kept the sleeping bags and dry goods inside the jeep :shock:

We hunted pretty hard without any luck. We did see quite a few does, and wouldn't you know it, a couple of turkeys.
No, I didn't have a turkey tag (I do now though!).

Saturday mid-day we drove on out to Sycamore point. I'd never been there before and found it worth the short drive from camp. Here's the pictures....

Overall, the trip was worth every minute, even without bagging anything. Really had a good time.

 

[Guest]

Great pictures, gotta love AZ. I have hunted in most of the states of this wonderful country of ours and on several different continents, none are better than Arizona.

 

[AZ~ThunderDan]

Arizona truly is... God's Country.

Does anyone remember the TV commercial (tourist) from years ago? "Arizona. Has anyone ever seen it all?"

Cheif, bail me out. You remember it, right?

DutchmanAZ, thanks for sharing those awesome pics.

 

[Guest]

Sure would like to help you - but I can't remember it, as a matter of fact it is now 0630 and I can't remember what I just had for breakfast :shock:

 

[AZ~ThunderDan]

Bummer Chief. They were really cool commercials promoting Arizona tourism.

As for the memory thing. It's OK, the 60's and 70's were hard on a lot of us. 8) Shameful years, some of them.

Like a buddy from Chicago always told me. "If you recall the 60's... then you weren't there."

 

[Guest]

I spent a good deal of the 60's walking through rice paddies and jungles of a far away land. Remember it quite vividly, unfortunately. But what are you doing on the computer this time of the morning, you should be getting ready to go to work, or be at work, I need you to pay into the Social Security fund so I can continue to draw my check.

 

[AZ~ThunderDan]

Uhm, I'm on a disability annuity payable through the Railroad Retirement Board. I paid into the RRB for 28-1/2 years, instead of Social Security.

I injured my back at work in 2002 and have had 2 lumbar surgeries. The company I worked for (BNSF RR) medically disqualified me from service as a Conductor.

Thank God for small miracles, my monthly annuity is double what SS would pay.

I narrowly missed those rice fields and far away jungles. Viet Nam was winding down when I registered for the draft. I had a first cousin who was in the 101st Airborne -Special Forces (LERP) and he served in Viet Nam. He died a few years ago from complications associated with Agent Orange. Viet Nam vets (you) are the most heroic men in my book. I still detest "Hanoi Jane" to this day for her political shenanigans. Actually, I can't stand the sight of her.

 

[kenton6]

Outstanding photos - Thanks

 

[DutchmanAZ]

Not to beat a dead horse but...

Went up again on Friday evening with my son. We got up there LATE (11:00pm) which ended up being a good thing.
We were driving around trying to find a good campsite when we came acrossed a herd of deer. In that herd were
at least 2 beautiful bucks; one was a real nice 4x4, and the other one was even bigger, but I couldn't tell how many points it had. The velvet was almost gone - some strands hanging of the antlers.

We camped about 1/2 mile away, finally racking out at about midnight.
Overslept (wouldn't you know it?) and got out into the woods at around 0630. It was quite a bit cooler compared to what it was like only a week ago..I'm guessing it was in the high 30's or so.
We hiked in about a 1/2 mile or so and saw deer roughly 60 yards away through some trees. We did a little low-crawling to get closer, and we saw ANTLERS!!!!! Big Ones! I wish you could have seen the look on my son's face - priceless. I think he was more excited than I was, and was cussing himself for not practicing with me for the past 2 months leading up to the hunt...I wouldn't let him carry a bow simply because he is not yet a good enough shot. I'd hate for him to wound an animal simply due to lack of preparation. Might end his hunting days but more importanly leave a wounded deer out there when it could have been avoided.
Anyway, we got within about 50 yards of the deer who had no idea we were around. The wind then decided to change and we were busted...sure didn't take them long to move on out!

We hunted deeper into the woods (~3 miles from the jeep per GPS) and made a wide circle back. We did see a couple of more deer getting out of Dodge - this bow hunting is tough stuff, especially in swirling winds.
We went back to camp for lunch.....here's Zach at our camp..

One more..and he was wearing a camo overshirt when in the woods..

Me cooking lunch - Chili Dogs camp style..easier to eat this way..

Close up of lunch. Doesn't look like much but sure tasted good!

Zach at Sycamore point...He loved it. I had showed him pictures of the place from my last trip, and he fully agreed pictures in no way do the view justice.

Me at Sycamore point

After lunch, some guy decided that where we had seen the deer was a good place to sight in his rifle... :twisted: :evil: He only shot about 6 times, packed up and left...we tried the same area briefly afternoon but saw absolutely nothing. Went to another place, set up and waited until dark. Saw 2 does within 30 yards on the way in. Once we were set up, we saw another deer through the trees (~100 yards out)but couldn't tell what it was, and it never came in close.
Last week I could have got a turkey but had no tag. Bought one for this trip and didn't see any birds... :? Isn't that the way it always goes though?
Another great trip. Some would call it unsuccessful, but getting to spend quality time with my son like that can't be beat. I think he's caught the bug again. Now, if I can capture that and get him practicing with me, we'll hunt in December and January, and hopefully for pigs next spring.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings

 

[AzSlim]

Bet he is practicing now.......