What a great way to spend a weekend. Myself and Lindsay (girlfriend) went to Arizona this weekend to hunt with a couple of good friends. Kendal I have talked about here before and my friend Marshal has been one of my Dads very best friends since they were in sixth grade. My Dad, Kendal and I went to hunt Javelina with Marshal in 2004 and had a great time so I was really looking forward to this trip. We started the 15 hour drive on Friday evening and traveled through the night arriving at camp about 9 am on Saturday. The others were still out for the morning hunt when we arrived so we settled in, did a little shooting to get the kinks out from the long drive, took a short walk and found a little Mule deer buck, then got ready to hunt that afternoon.
Now anyone who lives in this country or knows the area knows that it demands respect. It is steep, every plant can stab you and most of the animals want to bite you.
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It really holds a lot of wonders though. From the ruins of an once thriving mining town and its old mine shafts to the thousands of Saguaro Cactus that stand guard over the desert landscape. This one is likely hundreds of years old. If only these relics of olden days could speak what stories they could tell of desert hunters past.
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Lindsay really liked this little Joshua tree.
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We set for our first hunt about noon or so. We put on a lot of miles that afternoon and they would pay off as we started spotting game about 2 pm. A slight wind issue caused us to bump the first group of javi. We made a loop and set up again. Though Lindsay hunted with a compound bow before she was never able harvested an animal, so I really wanted this trip to be her chance to meet that goal. When we got set up on them the second time she was not able to get a shot. We decided to back off and let them calm down rather than chase them away. I wanted to check a few more draws and if we found nothing we would come back to them.
About a half an hour later I spotted to boars hiding under a mesquite tree about thirty yards away. I got Lindsay and showed her where they were hiding (these little critters can hide like no other). Look at this stuff and think about how many places you could hide something the size of a javi.
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We talked about how to approach them. We came up with a plan and Lindsay made a large loop to keep the wind right and I stayed put to keep an eye on them. She closed the gap to under 20 yards when one of the two boars stepped out in front of her. She drew and released her arrow, hitting a bit low in the rocks. With a frown on her face she thought her chance was over.
The boar only ran a few feet though. We were about fifty yards apart when I said as quiet as I thought she could hear 'shoot again, shoot again". The smile came back and she quickly nocked another arrow. Moving closer to get a clear lane he offered another shot, 14 yards broad side she drew anchored and picked her spot with absolute concentration. Her arrow flew true and made a double lung hit.
Ten yards later he was down. Her FIRST bow harvest had just happened and it was with her recurve.
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I quickly set up and readied to take the other boar now that she had taken hers. He stepped out from behind the prickly pear about thirty yards and I let fly. Making a good hit he took off running getting closer as he ran. I had nocked another arrow and put another behind the front shoulder as he ran by. I followed him over the hill and shot him one more time. I seem to have a hard time killing javalina as the last one was tough too.
We both had our javalina within 2 minutes of each other.
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We spent the rest of the weekend hunting with friends and enjoying the area. We had lunch with a couple that lived on one of the old gold claims and learned a lot about the history of the area. We also made a some new friends while we were there.
Sweet! Congrats to both of you!
You picked a great time to head south. We had -20 temps when you were gone.
How very cool is this? Way!! I'm saying...
I loved the story and the pictures.
Thank you for sharing.
God bless,Mudd
NICE!! :clapper:
Nice job! Congrats!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Awesome congrats.
Great story and I really enjoyed the pictures.
Congrats on the Javies!
Randy,
I'm down in that part of the world as well but only killing stumps! What part of Arizona were you hunting? Looks like you found the little stinkpigs with no problem.
I'll be working on my tan through March, and then it will be back to Wyoming for spring turkeys.
Glad you had a good trip south.
Congrats to both of you.
Nice buddy! Congrats to both of you :notworthy: :notworthy:
That look like awesome country to hunt. Those cactus are unbelieveable!
Very nice, congrats to both of you
looks like a nice place to hang out and hunt
is it draw for the Javi's ?
Congrats! I love the desert. We usually go every year, but can afford it this year..... :(
Way to go Randy! Congrats to you and Lindsay! :thumbsup:
Way to to go Lindsay and Randy! :thumbsup: Beautiful country!
Great weekend I'd say! :campfire: :archer:
Realy cool.Neat area ,bet theres a ton of coyotes there.
Great story and really enjoyed the pics!
Randy,congrats to you and Linda for her first bow kill.
Congrats to you both....
Great looking area
Oh these pictures look good! Look warm! We are headed to the desert to warm/thaw out this week-end. Nice no 15 hour drive. And go to our archery/candy store! I forgot to put in for lil pigs. For so many years we were over the counter for pigs and I keep forgeting to put in. Thanks for the story.
Congradulations to both of you.!!
You picked a great time to get away to a warmer climate, been freezing my tail off here for a few days.
SWEET!! Congrats!
Randy: Great first bow kill, AWESOME, Tell Lindsay congrats. Hope many more good times in the future. Don
Randy and Lindsay, congratulations to both of you! That's an awesome accomplishment and a real keeper of a memory. Thanks for sharing the pictures and the hunt with us.
Randy and Lindsay awesome hunt. Congrats. Awesome in that both of you were hunting together, shooting traditional bows and both getting your Javalina. AWESOME
way to go randy ! :thumbsup: :archer:
Now that is something i would really like to do, sounds like you had a great time. congrats to Lindsay!
Great pics and story, javi's can make for a lot of fun.
I will probably be in AZ in June or July and hopefully will get a chance to talk with some of the locals about what goes on there in terms of bow hunting. My wife wouldn't mind retiring there, and we need to determine which part of the state would be best.
Awesome, I was there last year for a wedding and did some hiking. Great pics and congrats to you and your lady. :thumbsup:
Congrats Buddy!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
out standing
Good job! both of you.
That sounds like a lot of fun Randy - I love hunting the little stink pigs. :thumbsup:
Congratulations to both of you! :clapper:
Congrats to both of you, looks like you had a great time. :thumbsup:
Congratulations to you and Lindsey!
Beautiful Country as well :clapper:
That sounds like a great hunt and a great way to spend time with your gal.
Congrats on both successes.
Paul
QuoteOriginally posted by centaur:
Randy,
I'm down in that part of the world as well but only killing stumps! What part of Arizona were you hunting? Looks like you found the little stinkpigs with no problem.
I'll be working on my tan through March, and then it will be back to Wyoming for spring turkeys.
Glad you had a good trip south.
Pat we were south of Kingman.
Curt the cactus really are amazing. When you stop and think how old they are it really is something. There are a few of the cactus types that are just as impresive as they are annoying. :biglaugh:
I agree Whip huting the stinky critters is a lot of fun. They are really made for bowhunting.
WAHOOO Way to go Lindsay.
Tell her for me Randy. O Yea and congrats to you also.
Its funny when I was looking at your photos I thought that looks just like where I hunted in AZ years ago when I was stationed in NV. And it was I also hunted south of Kingman and east of Wiki-Up or something like that. Beautiful country.
Congradulatins to you both again. See you at the Triple Crown?
Congrats on a great hunt! Someday I will do this hunt. :clapper:
That is really near where we were Jack though we were a little south of Wikiup.
Awesome adventure. Congratulations to both of you.
Awesome pics and story! Congrats on two tough critters to both of you!
Congrats to both of you, especially Lindsey (though hitting a little target like that at thirty yard is mighty impressive). She don't Need no stinkin' wheels.
Ok... Lets recap... She puts up with you.
She Bowhunts.
She puts up with you..
She will go places to hunt with you.
She puts up with you..
She shoots as good as you.
She puts up with you..
She looks WAY better than you.
And STILL she puts up with you!!!!!!!
WHY is this wonderful young woman STILL SINGLE???????????????????????????????????????
I'm just askin'.
Way to go! Congrats to both of you!
congrat randy and lindsay
Excellent! Great pics!
Eric
Lindsay says thanks for all the good comments.
Great Photos and story thanks for sharing.
That looks beautiful and warm.
Those cactus are awesome.
Why would you ever leave WY this time of year.
D
That is cool! I did not realize that the cactus grew that big!
Congrats to both of you, good shooting!!!!
Benjy
Randy and Lindsay...Do I really even need to tell you that you're the coolest couple? Well you are if you don't know it!
very nice place ! super WE ! and a beautiful pace to get a first one bow kill ! congratulation
Well-done!
What a wonderful story! Great to see beautiful women dumping compounds and shooting traditional! Don't let that one get away Ferret.
Wow! Great pictures and story to match! Congratulations to you and Lindsay on a super hunt!
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
48# Spirit longbow
45# Martin Hunter recurve
Way to Go Randy. Congratulations to both of you on a great trip and especially to Linsay for her first ever kill. Thats big medicine right there.
Awesome looking country. I think I could handle that for a few days, weeks, months. Great pics as always Randy.
Awesome hunt! looks like it was a great time. Congrats!
randy, awesome story and pics! congrats to the both of you. especially lindsay with her first bow kill. how cool is it you got to share that with her.
Man, How did I miss this one?That is some amazing country.Great pictures Randy!Congrats to both you and Lindsay.
Bill
I am a little biased being a native desert rat, but the high Arizona desert one of the most beautiful places to hunt, and the amount of wildlife can be suprising.
Not to pry brother, but a girl like you have needs a ring on her finger and quick.
Great adventure thanks for taking us.
Oh yea, just get no cooler than that! Congrats to both of you! Agree with Micheal also, better hang onto her Randy... :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Fine shooting and congrats to both of you. Thanks for taking us along. :clapper:
Awesome hunt and pictures Randy!!! Congrats to both of you guys!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Randy, that is a great hunt and to spend it with friends and loved ones is even better. Great pics and some fine shooting from the both of you!