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Here are the Top 5 Reasons to Backpack Hunt
A backpack hunt may be just what you need to reinvigorate your soul. My first backpack hunt was a true challenge. With each breath, I could feel the moisture building on the inside of my sleeping bag. Laying awake right before my alarm sounded, I tried to steal any last bit of warmth I could before crawling out of my tent and braving the cold. Not far away, there were rutting Coues deer in the basin I was camped above. I’d hiked in the previous night and set my tent up atop a grassy mesa. On the hike in, I was questioning my sanity. The overloaded backpack weighed me down, not to mention the unknown of the area I would be hunting. I had my doubts during that first backpack hunt all those years ago. What was once doubt though, has turned into a love so pure I am smitten…
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Special Raffle Coues Hunt in Arizona
A Once-In-A-Lifetime Quest for a Special Raffle Coues Tag Winner I’ll spare you the “It all started when…” story regarding my Special Raffle Coues Whitetail tag. Suffice it to say, I was overtaken with surprise when the caller ID on my phone read “AZGFD” as I watched the Arizona Super Raffle’s live feed on the same phone. In the chaos of answering the phone while trying to watch the live feed, I was unaware of what tag I had drawn. I wasn’t disappointed to find out I had drawn the Super Raffle Coues Whitetail tag. As you might imagine, soon after, my phone blew up. Hopefully, a giant Coues buck was in my future. Expectations and Goals Like any passionate Coues hunter, my dream was to shoot a mega-giant. Several of my friends have taken Coues bucks well over the 120-inch mark. I have captured images of several bucks exceeding…
Archery Elk Hunting is Energizing for Hardcore Hunters
Archery Elk Hunting Is Much More Than Chasing Bugles In September You would be hard-pressed to find a more passionate hunter group than those who prefer archery elk hunting. Collectively, they continually scour maps, evaluate gear, and practice calling techniques to others’ dismay. The list goes continues … To most, archery elk hunting is defined by the echoes of bugling bulls and frenzied harems of cows during the magic month, of September. Still, even the most hardcore of hunters is limited by time. It’s plain to read the lot’s desires: experience the most action-packed hunt possible; an adventure with all of the fragrances, sounds, and emotions of elk country. While archery elk hunting might be the pinnacle for this group, don’t discount that to their enjoyment, other hunts are planned for the latter part of the season, not just September. To go on record, I love the heat of the…
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A Remarkable Mule Deer Hunt Begins by Scouting
If a mule deer hunting in the high country for trophy bucks is on your bucket list, get a tag, and start scouting. During the summer — scouting season — mule deer bucks in the high country are found close to where they will spend their fall. Many bucks may be within a half-mile or often within a few hundred yards of where they will reside when the fall mule deer hunting season arrives. Spend that time wisely to find that trophy buck of your dreams. Of course, depending on where you will be hunting, you may have to draw a tag first. Top Rut Top Rut provides the right data at the right price, arming hunters with the industry’s most accurate draw odds, harvest data, and application trends. The right data is accurate by mimicking each state’s draw procedures. Currently, Top Rut provides data for Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,…
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Arizona Elk Hunting Is a Fantastic Choice for Gigantic Bulls
Arizona elk hunting is arguably the best there is. The state was once the home of the Merriam’s elk, a smaller-bodied ungulate with massive antlers. Cattle grazing and overhunting the sub-species led to its demise in the early part of the 20th century. Arizona’s current elk population is courtesy of Yellowstone National Park. From 1912 to 1967, almost 14,000 elk were transplanted from Yellowstone to other regions in the West, Arizona included. In 1913, 80+ elk were transplanted from the park to Cabin Draw near Chevlon Creek in what today is unit 4A. In the mid-80s, the state’s elk population exploded, growing exponentially. During the 90s, the elk population grew to an estimated 50,000-60,000 animals, putting Arizona elk hunting on the map. However, that number proved to be over the carrying capacity of the elk’s range within the state, and the herd was trimmed. Currently, the state’s elk population hovers…
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Whitetail Deer Hunting North America
North America’s white-tailed deer has emerged as the world’s most popular big-game species. Whitetail deer hunting across North America has emerged as the world’s most popular hunting opportunity. No other big-game animal has created such an economic institution and deep-seated obsessions, whitetail hunters annually spend upwards of $38.3 billion pursuing big-buck passions, or simply supplying healthy venison for the table. This could be viewed as a reflection of the animal’s widespread availability, but also the United States’ undisputed prosperity. The white-tailed deer has proven so popular it has been introduced to foreign countries such as New Zealand, Norway, Eastern European countries such as Croatia and Slovakia (and others), and the U.S. Hawaiian islands. The white-tailed deer has proven so popular it has been introduced to foreign countries. Why Whitetail Deer Hunting? Ready availability is the whitetail’s biggest selling point. From the most populated states of the East to the eastern…