AZ Pronghorn - A lifetime dream

[Big Fin]

The DQ in Flag is right on the main road in town if you're coming up I-17. Just passed by it on my way home from my deer hunt this weekend. Blizzards are a good way to cool down in Arizona summers. :hump:

What model Canon is that? The pictures look great and unfortunately I'm in the market as ours busted on our last trip to Mexico.

Thanks DDD. That is serious hunting information.

As far as the camera, it is a Canon G12. Has a great sensor. The same sensor they use in their some of their DSLRs. But, with a ton of auto settings like you find on most point and shoot cameras. Still experimenting, but so far, so good.

 

[Craig S.]

Good luck Randy! Really looking forward to the story, footage, & pics.

I love it when guys think they own public land & public animals. Way to take the high road on that one, I am not sure I would have...

 

[Big Fin]

This morning was spent spot and stalk. Almost by accident, we bumped into the big buck from earlier in the hunt. This time, he now has with him a much bigger group of does and two other very nice bucks. One buck flares out way flat, then makes a big tall loop back inward. He is big and very cool. Given my penchant for ugly bucks, that one may save the life of the biggest buck in the group.

Raining and lightning right now. Not much can be done about that. Fortunately, it looks to be nothing close to the deluge we endured on the first day.

Chased that big buck and his group down into a drainage a couple hours ago. Plan to go back and see if they emerge. With that many eyes in the group, it will only work if it is low light - morn or late evening. Mid-day is impossible for such an attempt.

Getting some food, some sleep, and taking part in a conference call this afternoon. Should be ready to put that big buck on the ground when he emerges later this afternoon.

 

[krshntr81]

Sounds like you are closing in!

 

[camo308]

Geez, between the NM hunt and this one I'm on the edge of my seat! Good Luck Randy!

I'm anxiously awaiting pics of the finale! This is gonna be great on the show.

Oh, the cruiser with the cell phone crew must be related to the guy that once told me the .30 M1 Carbine was the best 300 yard deer gun ever invented... whatever...

 

[lbirch]

My wife has been wondering why I'm on the computer so much lately. I showed her the NM and now the AZ antelope hunts and she just rolled her eyes. I won't remind her that come Sept. I won't be around much until the end of Nov.

Can't wait to see the NM antelope hunt episode. How long does it usually take to put an episode together from the hunt to the air date? Just curious.

 

[huntbux]

Keep us updated. My Nevada antelope hunt was short and sweet. Got my buck early this morning and am home now. Will be posting pics soon. Cant wait to see how this hunt ends.

 

[passinthru]

Good luck and good call on the spares. My last Arizona elk hunt in '09 resulted in three flat tires and one blown up truck.

 

[Brandenbowhunter]

Keep at and good luck RAndy!

 

[idnative1948]

I just have a feeling you are SOOOO... close to closing this out. Hang in there and keep telling each other the stupid jokes and embarrassing things about each other.

 

[Big Fin]

Went back to where we last saw the group earlier today. As if on cue, we located some of them. Found a lot of does, one smaller buck, and one of the two big bucks. The one big buck is kind of flared out and makes almost a hoop on the top of his head. He is really long with all that curve. Top mass would be his only weakness, but still a shoot on sight guy.

The big buck I was hoping to arrow could not be found. I know he is around there, but he disappeared this evening. Not sure what to make of that. He is really tall and huge mass below, good mass above, and major prongs.

We did have company with this group today. Seems the guy with his nine spotters decided to look over where and what we were hunting. He was around this morning and again in the afternoon. Thought about flagging him down and saying, "We got this area staked out. Only one good buck here and I plan to kill him."

It is crunch time. We got some great TV and footage today. Stuff I know will make the cut. But, we need to get a buck on the ground tomorrow. Plan goes like this. Morning in the blinds, until around noon. Then find some shade for final interviews. Then spot and stalk again in the evening.

If no kill by then, it will get interesting. I so badly want to kill this big buck I chased this morning and earlier in the hunt. Just can't figure out how I am going to do that as spot and stalk and film myself doing it. I think he is killable by a solo hunter. But, filming that is impossible.

I will probably sit the blind every morning, as the observation is that these bucks water earlier than any place I have ever seen. If no luck in the blinds, then spot and stalk.

If I kill the buck I have been chasing, I suspect he will be close to 90". Just would love to do it on film. The backup buck at the blind is the prettiest buck I think I have ever seen. I would guess him to be north of 85" by a good margin.

I would probably shoot that big hoop shaped buck that showed up today where we are doing the spot and stalk. He is big and really, really cool. The hard part is getting close enough for a shot.

Tired and exhausted. Need to wash up and wash some clothes. Could't get a skunk to come in to our blind the way I smell right now.

Hope to pull off the normal OYOA last day Hail Mary tomorrow.

Question - If we don't get a kill on film and I kill in the week I am here alone, do you think that should be part of the episode

Kind of like a closing picture of what happened after the cameras left. That violates most production rules, but I think it would be the better thing to do after dragging the viewer along.

 

[NVLongbow]

Definitely show what happens after the camera folks leave. It is still part of the On Your Own Adventure.

Good luck with that other hunter that thinks he owns the planet. Sounds familiar.

 

[kansasdad]

It seems to me that your hunt is "your hunt" whether the cameras are there are not. As fellow hunters I think that most of us get it that adding cameras just adds to the difficulty of sealing the deal on a very wary quarry. I don't begrudge the guy who doesn't perfectly frame the moment of the shot, or think the hunt is marred by an out of focus, partially screened impact shot.

You are telling the story of your outing, and I think its normal to include everything that pertains to the outing, even if the HighDef guys aren't in the blind, or trying to make like a skinny tree 30 yards behind you.

I seem to remember a Kansas whitetail adventure that ends with a "failure", but then later read the Hunt Talk thread that ends up taking a deer after the cameras left. Not every hunt ends up with a tag on a leg, but if there is a tag on the leg and it makes sense in context of the "storyline" you have built, I say show us the "Les Stroud" video version.

 

[van franke]

Good Luck FIn.

 

[Mudranger1]

Agree with showing what happens afterwards too...rules suck!

 

[junior88]

Absolutely it should be part of the episode. You're used 16 points to get this tag. I'm sure you have plenty of great footage and there will be a nice picture of a great buck to end the episode.

 

[shoots-straight]

You will still be filming it, right? That will be work. I'm sure it will be way better than 90% of the crap that hits the TV screen each night.

 

[Summitthunting]

After waiting 16 years go shoot that big buck without the camera. Hunting shows don't need slow motion, impact kill shots to be good(although you wouldn't think that based on the other shows). Turn on the camera for the recovery. Good luck!

 

[Devil Diver Down]

If I weren't on the home stretch with my Labor Day project, I'd head north and give you a hand shooting tape. I'm pretty handy with a camera.

Absolutely you need to wrap the episode with the outcome, kill on camera or not. Part of not only an OYOA hunt, but any hunt, is that it's tough to close the deal. Another part is overcoming the obstacles. If the story is that the photogs were there for a week and then had to leave, but then after they left you were able to tag a toad, then that's the story you tell. If the story with video is compelling enough (and it always has been with your show) then the short epilogue with less than compelling content will still stand up.

Myself, I'd try to get the taxidermy done asap (at least before you need the show in the can--next summer?) and tag it out with a standup with the mount.

My 2¢ and worth almost half that!

 

[lbirch]

You could wait another 16 years...Not! Give it hell, with or without a camera.