Childhood Roots to Successful Mule Deer Harvest
Growing up in the shooting sports business in Southwest Arizona, hunting has always been a way of life. My very first deer hunt to accompany my dad just happened to be on the world famous Arizona Strip. I believe I was 8 years old. In those days, the tags had metal strips attached, and I am pretty sure they were an over-the-counter purchase. That trip is where I learned about many of the basics of mule deer hunting – how to read sign, tracks, wind, and more. We would drive up from the desert floor in Yuma, Arizona, going through Las Vegas. At about Mesquite, Nevada, we would hit our first dirt road. From my memory, the roads in those days weren’t as well maintained by any stretch. Four-wheel drive and in low gear were very necessary in many parts.A couple of decades ago, I had made a decision to put in the time building points so I could get back up there. As my points built up, the software to calculate the odds of drawing kept getting better by the year. In 2019, several methods of prediction indicated that my odds of drawing 13B were dang near a shoe in, so I sent in a deposit to A3 Trophy Hunts to guide me, feeling pretty good about my chances. I continued to feel that way every year until I finally did draw in 2024, only five years later!
I knew Tyler Mott and his team from A3 is who I wanted to hunt with, and the plans started to become reality. My three boys, Taylor, Chad and Steven, and my buddy, Waldo, all made plans to be there. A good friend of mine, Pat Cooley, offered his guys and equipment to cook for everyone in our 13B camp. A3 had three tag holders in camp, and with friends, guides, and hunters, our team from Yuma was feeding 18 of us.
We arrived on a Wednesday after a full day of travel pulling trailers. We got camp set, double checked our rifles zeros, and were ready for a day before the opener scouting trip. Anticipation and excitement just go with the territory up there. It’s such a privilege to hunt this country. It is vast and huge, and we were close to two hours from where Tyler wanted us to be opening morning. About half the drive from camp was on smoother roads, and a solid hour of it was rocky and slow going. Luckily for us, it was worth the effort. A3 had a few options picked out, but their #1 choice was a deer they had been on since the archery hunt in August that they called “Wonky.” We did glass up some other solid bucks but no opening day shooters. Luckily, Wonky was within half a mile of where he was last hunted several months earlier. Rut activity was in full swing, and we were feeling good about the next day.
Opening day started out with fresh-made breakfast burritos Yuma style by Mike Padilla and his father-in-law Mark and then there was the two-hour drive. Needless to say, we left camp very early and the buzz was on. Chad and Taylor went up on a nearby hill with A3 guide Conner while Tyler and I staked Wonky out in another lower glassing position. Wonky was spotted pushing does with a couple of other bucks hanging out with the group as well. We found some high ground ourselves, and in short order, we picked out our buck moving in and around the herd of deer. After getting me set up as solid as possible and many tense moments making sure Wonky was clear of others, the time was right. With 440 yards from one hillside to the next, my Arizona Strip buck was down on opening morning.
It was a shorter hunt than anticipated after 21 years of applying but with the same 100% satisfied end result. Many thanks to Tyler Mott, Team A3, and to all of my family and friends who helped me prepare for this amazing Arizona Strip mule deer hunt.