Is it just me?

[Tbob]

So for years now, I just can't seem to find a buck! This years story, I decided I'm going to go hunt AZ and give it a go with an OTC archery deer tag. I do my research and let me tell you, I went nuts! Just ask my girl... Innerweb reasearch, google earth, talked to game and fish, even the Warden for the area! Got my Onx map chip (which didn't work for the second time now) and off I went. I drove over last Thursday and set up camp (solo trip so super small camp). Got out there hunting Friday morning. I climbed up to the top of a huge Mesa and walked to the back side about 2 miles and started glassing the hills and canyons.. I stayed out all day fri/Sat/Sun... I'd find a little shade, tuck in and glass like crazy... After a few hours I'd move to some new country and start over, tuck in some shade (if possible) and grid the countryside with my glass for hours. In the 3 days I turned up 16 does and not a single buck.. This seems to be my story every year, weather I'm hunting Western Wa, Southern CA or AZ... I'll see a few does, but I seem to have an anti-buck force field around me... Anyone else have this problem??
    Regardless, I had a great time. Had all kinds of weather with monsoons blowing over (didn't want to end up like those caribou in Norway). The lightening storms definitely had me freaked out as they were right over head while hail was falling in 85 degree weather.. Totally crazy.. I'm headed back out in December and possibly January for another go as my tag is good through 12/31.. Here's a few pics from my trip... If anyone has any voodoo magic I can use to get rid of my Anti-buck force field, I'm all ears!!!

[andrew_in_idaho]

Hunt the rut!!!! That's the best advice I can give for finding bucks because then all of the does you are already spotting will have bucks trailing.

[Timberstalker]

You're doing the right thing, even though it feels wrong.  Keep pushing and eventually it will come together.

Awesome photos by the way.  What an experience, regardless of the fact that you didn't notch a tag.

[SemperFidelis97]

The best advice I can give is learn your area as best as you can when you start locating bucks in the regular season they will tend to show up in the same places every year.  I don't know why bucks prefer certain area's over others, but at least in my experience we always seem to find bucks in the same areas year after year. 

[JDhunting_Aus]

This will sound dumb, but you just dont know where they are. I'd agree with the comment that you need to get to know the area better.

Outside the rut I know where to go to find females and I know I won't find stags there. Then I have other spots where all I will find outside the rut is stags.

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[sumpnz]

Yeah, you may just need more time in that area.  Remember that AZ is very different from WA given the lower carrying capacity of the desert SW.  Hunt your water sources, and find the food the bucks prefer and hunt that.  Keep in mind they don't have access to AC or swimming pools, and they wear a fur coat year round, so when it's hot out they'll head for the coolest places they can find.  Figure out those heat refuges and you'll find animals.

What part of AZ are you hunting?  When I lived there I hunted south of Tombstone for mulies (couple opportunities that I blew), and I think it was Unit 9 (just south of the Canyon) for elk (got 2 cows out of there).  Sounds like they've done away with the lottery only tags for big game there.

[Tbob]

Thanks for all the advice here... Yeah, this was my first time out there hunting this area.. I was planning on hunting some water tanks that I found on google earth, but it rained enough that everything was green and there was water everywhere for the most part, so I know that didn't help.. But I agree, I need to get to know more of the area, in three days I only covered such a small portion. There was an entire different habitat a mile or so the opposite direction that I wanted to hunt, but didn't get the chance.. Cool area to hunt though. I was in 18b just outside Bagdad.. Lower deer density as I understand, but I saw very few other hunters and they were all cruising on side-by-sides. I never saw anyone out hiking like myself.. I covered 3-5 miles each day looking for a buck. Like I said though, if it was too easy I'd probably not like it as much! Headed back in December to try again closer to the rut. Thanks again!