Branching out

[nfh]

Well I finally left Wyoming for another hunt. I personally really didn't care to do the hunt but I just wanted to see some new country. I been dumping in a ton of hours at work and needed a break.

I will say Tucson is a dump. Not much to do. Did see the international wildlife museum {SCI} and that was kinda cool. Had some good mounts and others that looked crappy.

Also went to Tombstone and realized I found the a-hole of the world. Talk about a run down town. Signs were all around saying supposedly this is Wyatt Earp at a gun fight. Just stupid stuff like that. Wanted to go see some Colossal Caverns and when we got there they said reservations must be made by internet or phone. It was very frustrating but that's what I get for not packing a computer and doing my research.

In Tucson I met up with Jake Clarke for breakfast. Most you know him as a outfitter/ mule seller and one of the biggest donators to the RMEF. It was nice to see another Wyoming guy from back home. Since he drove down there he was nice enough to haul some stuff back for me. It was funny to hear him raise hell about Bob Wharff.


But we were successful on our Javelina. Got them opening morning with my bow/gun.

I will say this I am glad to be home. Arrived back to the Cody airport for over a foot of snow. The mountains got slammed with snow and is suppose to dump snow all weekend.

Don't forget to apply for your sheep/moose/goat tags by tomorrow the 28th

 

[WapitiBob]

Well done, congrats on the hunt. Hope you had at least a little fun besides the hunts.

 

[PleaseDear]

Ya guys did good.

congrats

Robb

 

[TOPGUN]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-14 AT 07:14AM (MST)[p]Javelina are funny little critters! We always gave the ones we shot in south Texas to the Mexican ranch hands and they used them to make tamales. Glad you made it down there and back safely and got in a neat hunt on a different animal than you're normally used to seeing in nw WY!

 

[BuzzH]

Congrats on the Javelina!

Have to agree with you about Tuscon, not the nicest town in AZ.

You should have hit up the Desert Museum, you missed out there.

Mount Lemon is pretty interesting as well...sky Island where you go from desert to coniferous forest in short order.

AZ is a very interesting state IMO, lots of neat history. Those old towns like tombstone, Jerome, etc. are really run down, but interesting.

Despite what many think, there is a lot of wildlife that lives in the desert. I used to work a month or two a year in AZ and it definately grows on you.

Great warm water fishing, big elk, coues deer, javelina, desert sheep, RM sheep, pronghorn, lots of birds...theres much worse places out there.

Plus, AZ has been really nice to me in the tag department, I've drawn 6-8 javelina, 2 great coues tags, 3 bull elk permits, and a desert sheep. I've caught thousands of fish there, including a state record rock bass. Shot quail, doves, coyotes, bobcats...its a great State.

 

[TOPGUN]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-14 AT 09:32AM (MST)[p]No doubt the desert parts of our country are very interesting places and it is amazing how much wildlife it does support from the smallest of critters to ones like BuzzH mentioned. Many areas where it looks like not even a mouse could survive are teeming with various critters of all sizes and a lot of the vegetation is very high in protein to help them survive in that harsh climate.

 

[Zeke]

Well done!
It's a great break in the winter months.
For years we'd leave Christmas night and spend about 10 days down there hunting javalina, Coues or desert mule deer, quail and coyote.
It's been pretty good to me. I've got a couple great mounts from that State and had a total blast every time I went.
Thanks for sharing your success with us.
Zeke

 

[nontypical]

Awesome. Looks like fun. Hunted elk there once and will go again. Got 16 pts for deer...Kaibab late very soon.

 

[nfh]

>Congrats on the Javelina!
>
>Have to agree with you about
>Tuscon, not the nicest town
>in AZ.
>
>You should have hit up the
>Desert Museum, you missed out
>there.
>
>Mount Lemon is pretty interesting as
>well...sky Island where you go
>from desert to coniferous forest
>in short order.
>
>AZ is a very interesting state
>IMO, lots of neat history.
>Those old towns like tombstone,
>Jerome, etc. are really run
>down, but interesting.
>
>Despite what many think, there is
>a lot of wildlife that
>lives in the desert. I
>used to work a month
>or two a year in
>AZ and it definately grows
>on you.
>
>Great warm water fishing, big elk,
>coues deer, javelina, desert sheep,
>RM sheep, pronghorn, lots of
>birds...theres much worse places out
>there.
>
>Plus, AZ has been really nice
>to me in the tag
>department, I've drawn 6-8 javelina,
>2 great coues tags, 3
>bull elk permits, and a
>desert sheep. I've caught thousands
>of fish there, including a
>state record rock bass. Shot
>quail, doves, coyotes, bobcats...its a
>great State.




I will say the hunting part was fun. I really did enjoying seeing the country. I took hundreds of pictures of all the plants and cactus. someday I will head back for a coues.


I did see some Road runners and that was a cool site. Im glad I didn't see spiders

I guess Arizona changed the laws about trapping. A guy was saying its about impossible to trap unless you got private land.

 

[nfh]

I get a kick out of these cactus plants. I cant remember the name of the plant of cactus/thorns that attract to heat and poke ya. I didn't have that problem thank goodness





Here I am holding his mouth open. Those tusk are pretty neat


What if these giant deer were still alive today?

 

[BuzzH]

nfh,

Cholla cactus, there are several varities, that ones not the worst.

Teddy bear cholla. (hint) dont touch.

 

[nfh]

I didn't touch it but I can feel the pain!!

Buzz did you ever see any RINGTAIL????

 

[eelgrass]

Good deal nfh! I'm not sure I would want to branch out quite as far as this poor guy. It's golf I know, but watch until the end. Is this the cactus?

 

[nfh]

OUCH!!! I will never complain about Russian olives again

 

[BuzzH]

nfh,

Yep, I've seen ringtails and also coatimundi and gray fox. In fact, had a coatimundi in my wall tent on a coues hunt.

I've also seen several varities of rattle snakes, beaded lizards, desert tortoise, and gila monsters.

The bird life down there is amazing too...vermillion fly catchers, mearns quail, scaled quail, road runners, turkeys, lots of raptors...etc. etc. etc.