Decisions

Sierra Ancha Mountains, Unit 23

I'm going scouting tomorrow.  Archery deer opens a week from today, but I'm not looking for deer tomorrow.  I'm looking for a bear.  Its weird for me to be postponing deer scouting, especially since this is the first year in the last several that I haven't been in the sage chasing velvet antlered mule deer.  Plus I just got my rifle tag in the mail from G&F, which has only added to my complacency towards the deer scouting.  I've never even seen a bear in Arizona, and I'm eating a whole weekend to try and change that... but I have this nagging feeling that I should be looking for deer.  Oh well, this will be my first bear hunt ever and that's exciting enough, even if I have to postpone the antlered game variety.  The plan is to find some area that looks promising and glass like crazy, then scout for food sources, either acorns or prickly pear patches.  If we can't turn up any sign in the food areas, then we'll bust out the predator calls and have a go at it.  It seems crazy to me, but hey, sometimes crazy is exactly what is needed.  Does this look like bear country to you?   

This was the final vista on what was possibly the roughest road I've ever driven on.  Ever. 

I found this big boar's tracks in May.  It sure didn't seem like bear country, but there they were.