Arizona Mule Deer

By BC

I was thinking, it's about time to go home. I've been at it a week or so, and all I've found is old tracks, old beds and old droppings. There's about 6" - 8" of old snow on the ground, no fresh snow in the forecast and I'm almost out of peanut butter. This Calif. hunter's first crack at Arizona's big mule deer did not go as well as expected. The year was 1973 and it's was time to point my VW camper toward pavement and head home to re-group and try again. That "re-group and try again" has been the tale of my quest for a shot at one of those legendary Muleys, that call the Arizona strip, home.

My mission was fashioned in part by many years of Outdoor Life, Jack O'connor, and the Ted Riggs trophy collection in St. George, Utah. And that mission, was never satisfied by subsequent hunts to Africa, Alaska, Canada and or most western states. And every year started with the same "Where can I get a license and permit to hunt one of the big ones". And every year starts with Plan A. Apply for all the Out of state hunts with units that have consistently produced 200"+ bucks. And every year you re-learn that Plan A is not a closely guarded secret.

Plan B, is a list of Governor tags, commissioner tags, and affordable limited entry or landowner tags. Well, on to plan C. The next undiscovered hot spot. A detailed study of the B&C and P&Y record books, various state listings and other printed references will give the researcher a time line by state & county list of who got what. What does an area need to consistently produce big Bucks? Genetics, the right food minerals, and a management plan that lets the bucks get old. And if a hunting unit that used to produce big bucks would get a change in it's management plan that stipulates a "no motor vehicles provision", would an aging buck population return the unit to the glory days of old? A little research of the records indicates that there are units that are making a comeback, and the Pincher Creek area of Southwest Alberta is one.

At the FNAWS convention, I was chatting with outfitter Frank Simpson and asked about the Mule deer hunting. It seem that when he wants to hunt deer he hunts a unit about 45 minutes from his house, the same unit he hunts lion in later in the season. The unit has always had better than average deer and it seems to have gotten better since the province closed it to motor vehicles about 6 years ago. He indicated that he'd seen several very large bucks while lion hunting. He has 4 outfitter tags but doesn't promote it because he's still in sheep camp thru late November. I've hunted with Frank on 2 occasions and if he says that he can put me in his lion camp, with a guide that has grown up on an adjoining ranch, and on a horse that will get me to the top of the ridge, I'm booking it. 2004 would find me in the Pincher Creek area of Alberta for the last week of the deer season in November.

On the first morning of the hunt, after a 2 hour ride that got us into a glassing position, we found our 190" keeper buck. He was a huge non-typical with 6-7 long points to a side. Heavy mass with some palmation that carried out to the points and about 28" wide. Height equaled width. We were able to close the distance to less than 300 yards but not able to get a shot before he chased a doe behind a pine and out of sight. We waited till dark. Mornings 2 and 3 found us on the same ridge, but no shooter. As we were approaching our ridge top on the 4th morning we noticed a big bedded buck below us as we came thru a saddle. It didn't take long to be of that horse and in a shooting position when we figured out that we were looking at our first mornings buck. At the shot the buck hopped once, took a step and folded back into his bed. After the high 5's and a bit of horse negotiating we approached the downed buck.

Our first thought was "What's wrong with this picture". We examined the remains and came to the conclusion that this bad boy had been busy. Over the last 3 days he had broken of 25% of his rack, 3 points on the left and a point and a cheater on the right. In addition he had puncture wounds to his chin, neck, body and to the brisket. We were guessing that he would not have made it thru the winter. The 2005 season would find us back on the same ridge looking for the winner.

Buy mid-morning on the first day of the "05" season, we had glassed up 5-6 groups of deer. A couple of the bucks were good but not the "winner" Frank had seen during the lion season in January. He and his does were in the same basin as last years buck and he had the same general shape and mass to his rack, just bigger. About 10:30 Frank spotted our buck and the stalk was on. The buck was a couple of miles away and we were not able to re-locate him that afternoon. We found him again on Tue., but to late for a stalk. We located them again on Wed. afternoon, but again out of range. Thus. morning was quiet, not much game movement at all. About 11:00, I located a doe and trailing buck as they disappeared into a stand of Aspen. About a minute later the buck exploded out of that pocket and made tracks for the next ridge over.

Off and on, we kept studding that pocket and about 1:30 Frank motioned me over to look at my buck thru the spotting scope. With a little coaching, I was able to pick out the right side of a bedded buck's rack with the identifying cheater. Amazing! The deer were a mile or so down wind, but with a long circular stalk we were able to get directly above the pocket of aspen. If the deer would move out of the cover we might get 100 yard shot. After a short wait, some movement down in the timber indicated that our timing was about right. First, a doe worked her way up the ridge and thru the timber. She was followed by a second doe that used the same saddle to cross below us. Next were 2 shapes coming our way and the second had horns. Woo! big horns. I placed the cross hairs on the opening that the does used and when the buck followed, I squeezed the trigger. The resulting whomp indicated that no second shot would be needed.

"06" started about the same as most years. The slip of paper or email notification arrives with the ever-present expression "un-successful" on multiple lines. So, when a friend's email, indicated that the Az's. draw results were posted, I clicked on the link. A couple of ID questions later I was viewing results, "un-successful, "successful, "un-successful. Well, there you have it, same old, same old. I exited the system and went to bed. About an hour or so later, the notion that something didn't look right got me up and after re-reading the post, I wondered what and where I would be hunting in Arizona; Elk?, Sheep? or Deer?

For several years, I've been using the services of Larry Altimus, Hunter Application Service, to help me keep track of the multiple states, the multiple species, multiple bonus points, preference points, whatever points. After a short, early AM, conversation, he confirmed that I had indeed drawn a 13B Deer tag. I immediately called back and re-confirmed

I copied down the other references just in case, but with the opportunity that this permit provides, I wanted to be hunting with the guys with the most experience in the unit. I wanted to hunt with, Lynn and Albie Johnson. and no time was wasted tracking them down. The Johnson family has been in No.Az. for about 4 generations now, and have had a reputation as deer hunters almost as long.

I copied down the other references just in case, but with the opportunity that this permit provides, I wanted to be hunting with the guys with the most experience in the unit. I wanted to hunt with, Lynn and Albie Johnson. and no time was wasted tracking them down. The Johnson family has been in No.Az. for about 4 generations now, and have had a reputation as deer hunters almost as long.

I hunted with Lynn several years ago after drawing a late muzzleloader permit for the Paunsigont unit in Utah. We hunted a week and harvested a great "cactus" buck that defies book entry by all scoring systems. It was 29" wide, in velvet and with a third main beam that was 22" long. After a couple of calls I had a firm date to try for one of the strips celebrated bucks.

As the hunt date in Mid November drew near, I had to re-schedule an Elk hunt in Montana. It was the first hunt that I could take my son on, and missing it was not an option. No Elk were taken, but I did acquire a new partner that won't be staying home with Mom anytime soon. Leaving Gardiner, on the 15th.,put me in the Johnson's deer camp about noon on the following day. After un-packing, getting settled-in, and lunch, it was time to double check the accuracy of my Remington. I shoot a 6.5-284 that was built by Steve Rorick at Inland Accuracy in Riverside, CA. It was now late afternoon and time to do some glassing.

The topography of the unit lends itself to a spot and stalk style of hunt. Early and late glassing of the vast sage flats usually produces success on does and smaller bucks. Mid November brings out the larger bucks looking for the gals. If you start thinking this is going to be a shooting contest instead of a hunt, you would be wrong. The heavy cover of pinion/juniper can keep your buck safely out of range for years. You may glass up a buck several miles away, several days in a row, and be unable to get a shot due to the cover. The big bucks get "Big" buy getting old and staying out of sight. Your guide can show you pictures of the same buck, standing oh the same ridge for three different years, and the buck will probably die of old age. The deer population of the unit is not high. This can be a very frustrating endeavor.

Opening morning was cold, clear and windless. Every breath was abbreviated by the anticipation of possibilities. Lynn decided to still hunt a divide between two sage flats. Several does had been seen within the last few days and he felt that a buck would join them soon. We eased thru the cover with the air currents in our favor and found several beds, many tracks and warm droppings. About mid-morning , we jumped the group of bedding does, but could not get a glimpse of the buck. His tracks were there but he decided to get a little older and gave us the slip. As the deer had taken us in a full circle, and weren't likely to forget our presence, we decided to save this area for later

On the way to a high spot to do some glassing, we spotted a 25" 4X4 buck that was trying to get across to another sage flat, un-noticed. It was a nice buck, but not big enough for this permit. We watched him for about 5 minutes. His nose was working overtime, but he wasn't paying attention to what he was seeing or hearing, though he was determined to get to the other side of the valley.

Where next? Lunch and a little glassing sounded like the best plan. Mid day breezes and warmth might produce some activity. We moved on down the track a mile or so and into some shade next to an old corral. From this spot, we could watch for movement on two parallel ridges out to a mile.

As I was un-wrapping a sandwich, Lynn said as casually as a comment on the weather, "Well, there's your buck",. A quick credibility check, and some scurried glassing produced a response of Ah, where? About 600 yards out, a deer walked out from behind a juniper, and all doubts ceased. Big body, heavy horns, and he's coming this way. There was no more need for the binoculars, or the sandwich.

I eased out of the truck and down to the corner of the corral and fence line to set-up for a shot. The buck was now out about 400 yards and coming our way at a slow walk. There was no need to risk a rushed a shot. But the waiting while the buck advanced thru the sage was not steadying. At about half way I took a quick confirming point count on each side, re-centered him in the scope, and squeezed. A quick follow-up as a guarantee and the buck was down.

Anyone that's hunted for more than a few years understands the term "ground shrinkage". That term does not apply in this case. As Lynn and I approached the buck, he grew! At first you're thinking, Wow, look at those horns, but then the size of the body starts you wondering. And when you're next to this trophy you realize that nothing about this critter is proportionate, everything is oversized. Field dressed, this buck weighed 235 Lbs. and after the 60 day drying out period, scored 214+ gross

Frank Simpson, Simpson Stone Sheep, Ltd.

Johnson Brothers Guide Service   (928) 643-7622   kljohnson@frontiernet.net