And So It Begins: 2011

This beautiful black tail marks the last of my snake wrangling days.  It nearly got me last week while helping a friend on an archery hunt in central AZ.

 Hunting season is here again! The archery hunts for antelope and deer are well underway, with archery elk just around the corner.  This year finds me the fortunate recipient of two tags: an archery mule deer tag in Nevada's high country, and a rifle Coues deer tag in one of Arizona's border units.  Having spent the great majority of my hunting efforts and passion chasing the most cruel of hunting's maidens, viz. bowhunting, I have of late fallen into a bit of a love affair with long distance centerfire rifle hunting.  Since my last Coues deer hunt, I've come into the acquisition of a Remington Model 700, chambered in 7mm Remington Magnum.  Spending weeknights in the backyard with my bow, and weekends in the desert with my rifle, I find myself occupying two niches on opposite ends of the spectrum.  The choice of weapons and hunting methods provides an interesting juxtaposition, with more in common than one might expect:

Bowhunting is measured in tens of yards, while rifle hunting is often measured in hundreds.

With my bow I have a sphere of influence about as far as I can throw a rock, with a rifle it stretches canyons.

With my bow groups must fall within a pie plate, with my rifle - fractions of an inch.

But they both start with glassing.

They both require significant skills, despite claims to the contrary by many regarding rifle hunting.

They both require an intimate knowledge of the quarry.

Most importantly, they both require a love for the pursuit of game.

This is where my borderlands hunt starts: the bench.

And this is probably about where it will end:  Prone, off the bi-pod, squeeze bag, across a canyon.

Preparation work.

My friend Joe and I will be chasing mule deer in Nevada together next week, bows in hand and packs on our backs.  He was able to slip away for a day and do some scouting and sent me these pictures.  After an unreasonable heat wave this week in Phoenix (every day peaking over 110) I am relishing the chance to be around 9000 feet and feel some chilly nights!  I wouldn't mind perforating the hide of an old mossy antlered mule deer too, but as I mentioned, bowhunting is a cruel maiden!

From the Nevada unit, you get an idea of the terrain, especially the slope!

Again with the steepness!  My calves are screaming already.