Axis Hunt, Gonna Try Again

I'm headed out the wknd of the 24th to try and get an axis again. I have been after one several times with no luck. Maybe the thrid times a charm, at least I hope so anyways. The last time I hunted them it was hot, 105 deg hot. They would give me about 60yds and then get away from me. I was doing that spot and stalk with full carbon clothes and after the forth failed stalk, I decided that being soaked in these clothes was doing me no good and went back to camp. Well....................it looks like the temps are not going to give me a break this time either. It was 130 deg this last wknd down in Eagle Pass,Tx where I was working and has been in the low 100's so far here at home for the last few days. Wish me luck all...............

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

Wishing you luck and make sure to drink plenty of water Gary, but I guess you know that already, LOL!  How ya feeling dude?

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

Trying to take care and check some things off of my bucket list man.  LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

Good luck. I too would like to take a axis someday. This site is pretty quiet, not much going on. I check it off and on.

Yeah, this part of the off season usually is. Most guys starting to look at their hunting properties, maybe setting stands and clearing shooting lanes, checking cam's and so on.  No reports on the sring bear seasons yet form anybody. Wonder how those that went did.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

I haven't been on much because of yard work at three places and being on this computer trying to help my Wyoming buddy.  That son of a gun is the luckiest guy there is.  He drew a great archery elk tag for two weeks in AZ in September that I'm going on and trying to build helpful information.  The unit holds 20% of the elk in AZ according to the F&G reports.  Then last night he gets an email from the NM F&G telling him he just drew a friggin mulie rifle tag on his second choice for a unit that borders the Jicarilla and Ute Indian Reservations.  That hunt is 11/5-11/9 and is right when I had planned to be done with all our big game hunt in AZ and WY and be hunting pheasants with my dog in ND.  Now it looks like that will be delayed a week because there is no way I'm going to miss that mulie hunt with John near the Jicarilla!  I think I need to buy a place out near John and move out there because this trip has now turned into at least a  2 1/2 month adventure and I'll even miss opening week of our deer season here.  What the heck though, as I'd rather be out west doing those hunts than up in a ladder stand in the MI swamp any day, LOL!   If anybody reading this knows anything about elk unit 6A in central AZ or deer unit 2b in northern NM, please give me a shout as we would hate to not fill these great limited entry tags John got!!!

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

Wow he is lucky. I'm hoping to draw a moose tag in any one of the states that I applied for Maine, NH or Vermont.Good luck this fall.

I'm waiting to hear whether or not I will hunt mosse with my bear guide come Sept as well. He better find me a good bear real soon in the hunt.  LOL!!!!!!! Congrat's to ur buddy Mike. Maybe he should start playing the lottery or powerball num's.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

That's exactly what I told him Gary, LOL!  He has enough money that he probably applies for 30 to 40 tags a year in about every state that has an animal you can apply for.  I guess when you do that the odds are decent that you will draw at least one a year.  The problem is that you up the odds of drawing good tags that are only good at the same time.  Last year he drew a great muley tag in Wyoming and couldn't even use it because he finally drew the tag he wanted in AZ that was at the same time and he went there.  He still has two states that haven't drawn their moose, goat, and sheep tags yet and if he happens to get one of them something will have to be missed again this year.  In effect, he is now praying that he doesn't draw another tag, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit if he does.

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

Your going to be busy TG. Remember you lost 15 lbs. last year have you got them back yet?
Hope John fills his tags.

Oh yea, I gained most of that back during the winter with no problem, LOL!  Maybe I should gain another 10 or so before this Fall so if I lose that much or more on all these hunts my pants won't fall off!  So far I'm getting some real help for the  AZ elk hunt because there's a guy originally from MI that I hit it off with on another website that lives near Phoenix.  He drove over to 6A yesterday and scouted, took a bunch of photos that he snet me last night, and said he was into elk all day in the one area he wants us to start at when we get there.  He even hung a trailcam on a trail going to one of two water holes the elk are using to see what kind of bulls are coming in there over the summer months.  The hunt we will really need some help and luck on is the short 5 day mulie hunt in northern NM.  It is somewhat weather dependent for snow up in CO to push deer down early to have a lot of animals to look over.  If that doesn't happen there are supposed to be some good resident bucks, but 5 days isn't much time and we may need more than to just look it over on our way to and from the AZ hunt.  I'm calling a guy on another site that guides in Utah and has a contact that knows the NM unit well.   I wouldn't be surprised if John hires the guy to do some scouting for us and/or maybe even do a semi-guided hunt to up the chances of killing a good one. 

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

So much to hunt......so little time.

Ain't that the truth!  We lucked out again and the guy I was told to call lives on the Ute Indian Reservation that goes from the CO line north and borders the NM unit we are hunting.  He knows the unit very well and is out scouting all the time for 200" bucks!  Yep, he said if it's right we may see some like that, but John will be happy with a 175" in a short hunt like that.  The guy is going to scout for us and may even guide us on the hunt itself.  September can't come fast enough!!!

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

Gonna be alot of miles again this fall for you my friend. Ur starting to sound and drive like me.  LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

Sound like fun to me.

Sure are some great minds on this site that think alike.  LOL!!!!!!! Headed out first thing tomorrow morning on for Father's Day Axis Hunt. Hopefully 3 times a charm for me.

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

Strike 3, you're out. They eluded me again til the last morning and I was not quick enough. Could have taken all kinds of animals but was holding out for that axis buck. Heck, I had a buffalo that I could have shot easily at 12 yds but chose not to, sooooooooooooooooooooooooo, that one will have to stay on my bucket list for a little while longer.  LOL!!!!!!

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member

That's ok, you did go for a axis anyway. I was hoping to see some nice pictures. You'll get one the next time.

I think those Axis deer have Gary's number, LOL!!!

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

Hey Guys,
 Going back on my axis diet plan when I get back to Tx and gonna chase them again the wknd of the 16th and 17th.  I'm a glutton for punishment I guess.  LMAO!!!!!!

Gary Scheel
NAHC LM,RMEF LM,NRA Member, Lonestar Bowhunter, TexasHogHunter Pro Staff Member