2019 plans?
- Thread starter Sdhunt17
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Ha D16 has less than 5% statistical kill ratio. But sure lots are road hunter or PITA Bas_______. Buying up tags.
D
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Yup AZ is the new hot spot to hunt deer. Lots more deer for sure, most of my buddies are now hunting over there. I don't know much about the area but it's very do-able. We are pretty lucky that a 3-4 hour drive and some $ for tags can put some meat in the freezer. Check out coueswhitetail forum they have lots of AZ info.
My goal is to learn to use longer-distance glassing much more. And to add several new areas to my list of target areas to hit. I learned last year that the govt idiots can throw a big monkey wrench in your plans if your plans are based solely on a particular location. So going to work on diversifying the number of areas I can find that show promise. So I have options.
Think I'm going to try to learn more about the occasional Muleys I jump every now and then in the Open Country Desert Hills spot I sometimes make the drive out to when trying for yotes. In early spring/summer I've come across freshly scratched-out beds once I crest over this first tall ridge that takes a bit to climb up and over. The Does I've been seeing are nice and healthy, not scrawny/thin so I figure once I finally get to where I can learn where a couple of buck hangouts are now that I've got better glass, I should end up seeing specimens that are more impressive than the other thick place where I rely on sitting and waiting in ambush.
This will also require be becoming more familiar with taking longer range (for me) shots. Getting in some practice in quickly figuring out where on the BDC marks to hold for some of the in-between distances which are between the main reticle marks.
And definitely re-committing to *successfully* taking my first yote.
Also the boy said he wanted to go fishing. So, with the help of gracious others on this site, going to try to learn to take some Perch in the surf. Grew up doing a bunch of fishing in the Ocean off a lava-rock jetty down in Baja in Ensenada. Then later as a young man for a while there got into casting Bonita jigs and did pretty good there. Was soo awesome... the very first cast i made when I first stepped up to a quality Penn reel... off Manhattan Beach Pier... nice big one comes up from below in the morning sun and hits the fly behind the jig!
Think I'm going to try to learn more about the occasional Muleys I jump every now and then in the Open Country Desert Hills spot I sometimes make the drive out to when trying for yotes. In early spring/summer I've come across freshly scratched-out beds once I crest over this first tall ridge that takes a bit to climb up and over. The Does I've been seeing are nice and healthy, not scrawny/thin so I figure once I finally get to where I can learn where a couple of buck hangouts are now that I've got better glass, I should end up seeing specimens that are more impressive than the other thick place where I rely on sitting and waiting in ambush.
This will also require be becoming more familiar with taking longer range (for me) shots. Getting in some practice in quickly figuring out where on the BDC marks to hold for some of the in-between distances which are between the main reticle marks.
And definitely re-committing to *successfully* taking my first yote.
Also the boy said he wanted to go fishing. So, with the help of gracious others on this site, going to try to learn to take some Perch in the surf. Grew up doing a bunch of fishing in the Ocean off a lava-rock jetty down in Baja in Ensenada. Then later as a young man for a while there got into casting Bonita jigs and did pretty good there. Was soo awesome... the very first cast i made when I first stepped up to a quality Penn reel... off Manhattan Beach Pier... nice big one comes up from below in the morning sun and hits the fly behind the jig!
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yep looking at some spotting scopes and bipods to get the glassing game down. those high desert areas are big and those deer can sometime see ya far away.
Yes! Yes they can! The last one I flushed out there... was a doe, but... she had to cross this large very open knoll... the shot opportunity I could have had if it was a buck would have been 286yds where she stopped for a second.
So I got to thinking how the farthest thing I've ever shot was the neck of a bottle at 200yds because I wanted to try out the BDC mark in the reticle. So during this coming year I wanna try to setup some objects at various distances between 200 and 300 and do the work to figure them out in the reticle marks... and maybe observe the affect of crosswind while in the field in order to get a feel for it. Like how much wind equates to how much sideways action ya gotta compensate for.
Plus I know out there ya gotta kinda figure out all of your approach before you even begin to advance closer to the creature in order to remain out of their sight. And how sometimes that involves going behind a ridge and out of view of them, then re-acquiring them visually once you've done all the hiking to get over to where you wanted.
Going to hit my stomping grounds on Camp Pendleton and a tripod is a must have. Used one this year for the first time and man what a difference. Also need to practice those long range shots too.
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I wish I knew archery too, but I'm a rifle/shotgun guy. All points are well made here. I'd be interested to do hunts in CA and AZ, though AZ needs more time and I work my A** off during the week. So unless it's a 3 day weekend it's hard to do. That said, from boar to muleys to deer, Turkey, pheasant, etc, I'm up for it. Please hit me up if you'd like a partner to go with. SD to Bakersfield, ocean to east of SB, and anywhere in between, I'm game 
Dude...Archery ain't so bad. You should try it. I never did it until I started hunting a few years ago. Just gotta workout an ambush spot and be patient... extremely patient. And do a lot of practice shooting. And when you're on your spot. Make sure to use your range finder and range all the various landmarks all around your immediate area and commit them to memory while on that sit, so you'll know which pins to use in the moment of truth.
And set your draw weight to something that you can pull back uber slowly if need be, without grunting and weird gyrations.
The cool/trippy thing about archery is... when you miss, since it's quiet... they may not actually spook and bolt. Just freeze and wait for them to finally calm back down and dip their head down again, or their head go behind a tree, etc. Then knock up another one and draw again. But you will have moments that are burned into your memory though because there are moments where you know if you had a rifle in your hand, it'd be dead deer. But hey.. that's where you learn things and that's where the practicing pays off.
And you want to draw your bow when their eyeball goes behind a tree that's between you and them, so they don't see that movement. And get you a leafy suit. And learn how to control yourself and freeze when needed. The leafy suits are freakin' cool, what they can do for you.
And when you hit'em with bow... ya gotta wait and make sure to give 'em enough time to die before you try to recover them. So they don't spook and get up and run away when they still have some life still left in 'em. Run deep into thick stuff and then you're really screwed and might not recover them.
I will say be sure to guard your bow string during the hike-in. Branches of the brush like to reach-out and mess-up and fray your bow-string on the hike-in if you just strap it to the back of your pack without putting a sling on it to cover the string and the cams. Cheaper solution is to just carry it in, with your hands. When the brush closes in on you, lift it up and carry it over you shoulder with string to the sky for a sec 'til you're past the brush that wants to scratch it.
And set your draw weight to something that you can pull back uber slowly if need be, without grunting and weird gyrations.
The cool/trippy thing about archery is... when you miss, since it's quiet... they may not actually spook and bolt. Just freeze and wait for them to finally calm back down and dip their head down again, or their head go behind a tree, etc. Then knock up another one and draw again. But you will have moments that are burned into your memory though because there are moments where you know if you had a rifle in your hand, it'd be dead deer. But hey.. that's where you learn things and that's where the practicing pays off.
And you want to draw your bow when their eyeball goes behind a tree that's between you and them, so they don't see that movement. And get you a leafy suit. And learn how to control yourself and freeze when needed. The leafy suits are freakin' cool, what they can do for you.
And when you hit'em with bow... ya gotta wait and make sure to give 'em enough time to die before you try to recover them. So they don't spook and get up and run away when they still have some life still left in 'em. Run deep into thick stuff and then you're really screwed and might not recover them.
I will say be sure to guard your bow string during the hike-in. Branches of the brush like to reach-out and mess-up and fray your bow-string on the hike-in if you just strap it to the back of your pack without putting a sling on it to cover the string and the cams. Cheaper solution is to just carry it in, with your hands. When the brush closes in on you, lift it up and carry it over you shoulder with string to the sky for a sec 'til you're past the brush that wants to scratch it.
Archery is the patient game. And teaches one to get close.
Spotting deer a longs ways is the stalking Game. Get within range. No different really.
Spotting deer a longs ways is the stalking Game. Get within range. No different really.
This will be my first year hunting in like 20 years. I took my hunter safety course a couple weeks ago, and have been researching and ordering way too much gear. Also doing a lot of networking. Reached out to an old friend who I know hunts, met a guy at my class who I clicked with, and met two people at one of my work clients who also happen to be getting into hunting. Before I knew it I had 4-5 people ready to do a camping trip to scout and maybe see if we can spot a pig or two. Can't wait!
Then later this year we're hoping to track down some deer, both archery and rifle. Thinking i'm going to put in for X9a first, then MA3, and lasty A32. Anyone know if MA3 and A32 are for sure draws? For second tag i'm thinking just regular A-zone. If I don't get any on my first draw, can I get a second A-zone tag OTC? Or would I need to get like a AO or D13 tag instead?
Then later this year we're hoping to track down some deer, both archery and rifle. Thinking i'm going to put in for X9a first, then MA3, and lasty A32. Anyone know if MA3 and A32 are for sure draws? For second tag i'm thinking just regular A-zone. If I don't get any on my first draw, can I get a second A-zone tag OTC? Or would I need to get like a AO or D13 tag instead?
Msailor, do you have to be military to hunt at CP? I checked around and wasn't able to get in.
TGD, totally get it. And tnx 4 d tips. I've watched so many archery films that I totally get the joy of close hunt. I actually do have a compound bow and shoot once in a while. Pulling not an issue, even though tore all rotator cuff muscles on both shoulders and had to do 3 surgeries. 6'3", 295 lbs, decent power, so don't have pull issue of 60-80 lbs string. Good tip though. My preference is to move and glass, not sit and use extreme patience and LBH2 said. As awesome as it sounds and I'm sure I will like the experience, I shoot not to miss with my rifles. Can't wait to try out my NIB Howa 1500 chassis 308 WIN on a hunt after running a couple hundred rounds through it and site the scope on it.
I'm very much hoping to get in touch with individuals or groups for these hunts, and then maybe try out archery.
I'll be at the spring tune up on Feb 23rd. If any of you guys coming let me know. We could meet up and chat.
I'm very much hoping to get in touch with individuals or groups for these hunts, and then maybe try out archery.
I'll be at the spring tune up on Feb 23rd. If any of you guys coming let me know. We could meet up and chat.
Yes sir. Have be active duty or retired military or DOD civilian. Or have a close family member that is.
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My plan is to dust off the cobwebs and get back at it after 15 years off. Absorbing everything I can. So as not to go all wild with huge dreams I would like to stick to the local area and get back into the groove, figure out my gear situation, find areas, etc. Going to shoot for D16 or D19. Havent decided if I want to go rifle or archery. Archery being what I did years ago and loved it, BUT odds are better with rifle. Either way I will be buying a deer rifle or a bow soon.
With the D16 and D19 success rates, I will be doing some weekend scout trips and getting to know the area little better. Been doing some coyote hunting lately and paying attention signs of other animals in the area as well. But for the first season back at it, I think I would feel better if I wasn't successful and just losing a day or weekend locally here and there than being unsuccessful after a big long multi day trip to a new area. Being realistic with my goals here...haha.
plans are to get out, meet some new good folks, and try and pick up where I left off in 2004 back in Utah.....just in California.....with more rules. lol
With the D16 and D19 success rates, I will be doing some weekend scout trips and getting to know the area little better. Been doing some coyote hunting lately and paying attention signs of other animals in the area as well. But for the first season back at it, I think I would feel better if I wasn't successful and just losing a day or weekend locally here and there than being unsuccessful after a big long multi day trip to a new area. Being realistic with my goals here...haha.
plans are to get out, meet some new good folks, and try and pick up where I left off in 2004 back in Utah.....just in California.....with more rules. lol