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Hunt Area Recon


98Z5V

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Gone last weekend over a 4-day to recon the planned hunt area this fall, with GP John.  Northwest of Phoenix, up in the mountains, base elevation about 4600 feet going up to 6000 feet - that's the hunt range, even though it goes up higher in the area.  Left after work on Friday night, hit the road at 7pm.  Pulled in to the property at midnight. Scared the fuk out of a fatass black bear around 11pm that night - he didn't know whether to shiit, run, attack us, or just shiit - so he ran his fatass straight up the road and dove up an embankment, tearing in with all four paws to get away.  I knew it was gonna be a good weekend...  :thumbup:

Only had cell comms ONCE during the weekend, on top of a high hill - and THAT was nice!...   :banana:

Here's daybreak on Saturday morning, looking at the cabin:

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Here's looking the other way, back at the 2k sq ft barn:

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The Yamaha was the steel chariot of choice for the weekend.  That loft over the barn is badass, and that was our home for the weekend.  It's a bitchin' living room/bedrom combined.  More later.

 A view of the stream out front, running right down the property:

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Once we got out in the hills:

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We made a big climb, and a long descent, and ended up at this tank up in the hills:

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Someone set up a stand in the trees here - you can see it behind GP John:

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THIS area - was strange.  We had the feeling this was mountain lion territory, so we started snooping around near the water.  The Combat Tracker in me paid off, and there was a print.  This thing was fresh, too - lots of moisture in the toe pad indentations.  Wasn't long ago that this guy was drinking, before we got there...

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Comparison next to a 16oz water bottle...  Not a small cat...

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Here's a look back at that stand in the tree that someone built, from the other side of the tank:

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Part 2 coming up...

Edited by 98Z5V
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Got WAY down in a valley, near a stream.  Explored this for quite a ways up and down, and checked out the deeper pools around the sharp corners - Brook Trout all over in the pools.  We need to hit this place again, just to hit the pools...

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Back up in the hills after that one, to see the higher peaks - check out the views we'll have in the fall:

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End of Day 2, and back to the barn.  Here's the loft of the barn - I could live here, in the barn... :thumbup:

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Back out the next day to look at more of the land - spooked up a cow elk on the way.  This is also grazing land, with cows spread around all over.  That cow elk launched herself over a 6ft high fence like a ballerina...  

This hilltop will be a good place to set up this fall - view forever...

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Another peak that I don't wanna climb - this is cat territory right here:

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All in all, one great weekend, and alot of data gathered on the area.  Unreal area.  We fucked with the coyotes on Saturday night, with the electronic caller - they went absolutely apeshiit that night.  We decided to get up early Sunday and hit them.  We were out there at 6am...  setup, fired up the call...  nothing. Moved, set up the call, nothing.  3 hours, and not ONE coyote.  Not one.  We must have kept them up Saturday night or something, because they were VERY NEAR the cabin and barn when we were drinking at the fire and running the call...   Bastards...

This fall, can't wait to get back up there and get a mule deer...   :thumbup:

 

 

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10 hours ago, edgecrusher said:

Funny, I texted Tom to pop smoke if he was tied up in a basement somewhere... never know with his lady friends 

I thought I heard a slight mumble. Sounded like someone trying to yell blueberries through duct tape. 

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Funny fukkers around here, I see...   :laffs::thefinger:

 

Al @Sisco, the temps were just around 90 for a high (it was over 100 down in Phx last weekend), and the lows were right at 40 degrees.  Slept with the loft doors open, and it was GREAT! 

Mike @Magwa, we did see sign up there, tree rubs, pathways (that weren't cows), deer scat. They're all over the area - just not when we were out looking for them.  Fukkers.  There are some deep canyons with water, so I'm betting they were down in those canyons most of the day, due to the temps.  LOTS of tree scratching from a BIG CAT up there - you can tell me not to worry, but I damn sure don't wanna fight one of those fukkers!  Didn't see a single snake, and that surprised me.  The only things, besides cows, that we saw were that black bear and the cow elk, and that cat track. I would have sworn that we were gonna slam a coyote.  Damnit.

Since it was only a scouting trip, the only guns I took were the 19X with mags of ball and snake shot, and the Grendel Mk12 Mod H. 

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9 hours ago, 98Z5V said:

Funny fukkers around here, I see...   :laffs::thefinger:

 

Al @Sisco, the temps were just around 90 for a high (it was over 100 down in Phx last weekend), and the lows were right at 40 degrees.  Slept with the loft doors open, and it was GREAT! 

Mike @Magwa, we did see sign up there, tree rubs, pathways (that weren't cows), deer scat. They're all over the area - just not when we were out looking for them.  Fukkers.  There are some deep canyons with water, so I'm betting they were down in those canyons most of the day, due to the temps.  LOTS of tree scratching from a BIG CAT up there - you can tell me not to worry, but I damn sure don't wanna fight one of those fukkers!  Didn't see a single snake, and that surprised me.  The only things, besides cows, that we saw were that black bear and the cow elk, and that cat track. I would have sworn that we were gonna slam a coyote.  Damnit.

Since it was only a scouting trip, the only guns I took were the 19X with mags of ball and snake shot, and the Grendel Mk12 Mod H. 

if you see scratchings up on the side of a tree like 4 ft or so that my friend is bear, that is his way of marking his territory no worries they are more afraid of you than you think now if it is cougar 90% of the time they scratch on a log that is down, not a upright tree and they cover there poo with sticks and dirt bears leave it for you to step in.....look around water holes this time of year in the evening and morning, then they will bed in thick cover for shade on the north side of hills, rocks, etc it will stay shady there longer... I will bet there are some monster bucks in there .....

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I hope there are - I'm still waiting on the tag draw results - cutoff was Tuesday at midnight.  They're not updating the Game & Fish website too much right now...  says "they're crunching numbers..." :laffs:

I'm in for Mulie in that area, and "any antlered deer" in three areas south of me - big bucks on farmland...  :thumbup:

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6 minutes ago, 308kiwi said:

Great looking country.

I guess it adds to the 'hunt' when there are other lifeforms out there possibly hunting you too😀

Right on, brother - the bears and the cougars make it even better.  :thumbup:  If I get a Mulie, I'm not fighting a cougar for it...

I fight cougars enough...   :lmao::banana:

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