Hunts Available!

We still have a few GOLD hunts available for this coming season. If you want to get in on a chance to take a world class pronghorn, now is the time!

Last year on these ranches we took a few 90 inch bucks and several in the mid to upper 80's.

If you've been thinking about it, but putting it off...remember...with our new president hunting may be gone soon... ;)

Call 623-566-8708 for more info on our GOLD hunts.

Disclaimer: PGS is in no way affiliated with any politcal statements posted on this blog.

(even if we did post them...just kind of ignore it if you're offended because it's probably just a joke...maybe.)

MIke Little's Buck

This is Mike Little with his buck from 2008. The buck scored 87 5/8 SCI with horn lengths of 16 4/8 and 16 5/8. Dave Brown was his guide.

19A Pronghorn Capture Details

This is straight from the G&F website:

Trap construction and Pronghorn Capture

When: Feb 7-8, Sat-Sunday trap construction Feb 10, Tuesday trap construction Feb 11, Wednesday capture Feb 12, Thursday trap breakdown, if needed

Where: Prescott Valley, AZ. Specific times and directions will be sent in a later email.

Description: This project involves the construction of a pronghorn corral trap on Sat, Sun, & Tues (Feb 7, 8, 10) and a pronghorn capture on Wed, Feb 11. Trap breakdown will follow the capture, if there is enough daylight, or occur on Thurs, Feb 12. If you are interested in volunteering for the pronghorn capture we ask that you attend a construction day. Special notes: This project involves building over a mile of fence and a corral trap with working parts. It is labor intensive and may involve some heavy lifting. Gloves and closed toed shoes are suggested Dress appropriately for cold temperatures or rain showers. Several layers are suggested. Volunteers will be transported to the capture location; vehicles will be left at a parking location. Volunteers will need to pack lunches, snacks and drinks for themselves, these items will not be accessible once at the capture location. Last year this capture was cancelled due to weather, so please check your email before leaving for the project.

Contact: Erin Riddering, Game Specialist: eriddering@azgfd.gov (928)692-7700 x 2330

AZ: Unit Review 2009

In 2008 we had listed the 5 best units in Arizona as Unit 10, 5A, 18A, 19AN, and 4 A/B.

The only difference this year is the removal of 19A from the list.

We guided 3 hunters in 19A last year and had good success, but it wasn't without headaches. The private ranches are sometimes difficult to work with, but there are a couple main factors in our decision to remove 19A from our list for 2009:

1. G&F allowed 80 archery hunters into the north side of the unit - something that hadn't been done in years and by doing so a lot of extra bucks got taken.

2. Word on the street is that there will be another transplant where G&F will remove a large portion of the population and place them elsewhere in the state. I'll double check this when I can to make sure I have my facts straight.

3. This is one that 19A's historic genetics may be able to overcome, but, then again, maybe not - In 2007 after the seasons were all done there were probably 20 bucks left standing that were over 84 inches. In 2008 after the seasons were over there were maybe 2.

As for the other units:

Unit 10 definitely stands alone at the top! We guided 3 hunters in that unit last year and they all took bucks that gross scored over 90 inches. The year before we were 2 for 4 on 90 inchers with the other 2 bucks scoring about 88 and 85. It would be almost impossible to do that in any other unit. The only caveat is that it's a very difficult unit to hunt and scout for some people, especially out of state hunters. Mostly because the antelope are few and far between and the amount of country to cover is enormous. Prepare to spend a couple full weeks if you want a giant. And then don't be surprised if 10 other hunters are camped on your buck opening day! Ugh...

Unit 5A is great for a few reasons. One is that the country is beautiful and fun to hunt with almost unrestricted access. Another is that there always seems to be a bruiser hiding somewhere. Finding the big bucks is another matter altogether.

Unit 4A/B is similar to 5A.

Unit 18A is one of those units that is tough to put on this list, but also tough to keep off the list. It's riddled with private land in much of the prime antelope country, but also home to some of the most beautiful antelope country. The trophy bucks seem to be alternating the years they show themselves, but with the 4 distinct hunt areas within the 18A boundary there is usually at least one boomer to go after. Planning and scouting are major tasks for an 18A tag if you want to cover all 4 areas with any type of thoroughness. Unfortunately you can't narrow down the 4 areas without actually scouting them because all 4 have produced 90 inch bucks in the past - which is also a good thing!

A unit that could take 19A's place...how about 19B? Huge bucks are showing up there once again, but access is possibly even more difficult than 19A. Maybe 17A? Great access, but a very small area to hunt. You will run into the few other hunters in the unit. Good bucks, but not usually the top end. Maybe 18B? A 90 came out of there last season and the unit could definitely be hunted by 1000 people and still there could be a 90 incher that remains hidden. Unit 9? Always a great unit with tons of country, but perhaps one of the more difficult units to dissect. For some reason very few 90's have been taken from this unit - probably due to the difficulty of finding and then relocating bucks. Dylan Woods 95 incher came from here though. Unit 7? I wouldn't put in for here if someone paid me, but that's just my personal opinion. Big bucks are in here somewhere, I know they are. Unit 3A? Nice unit, but some private land and roads that all seem to dead end - very annoying. Unit 1? Someone likes this unit, but it isn't me. Unit 5B? Rumors of giants every year make me wanna go and look...the roads make me change my mind.

Personally, I'm applying for Unit 10 rifle first choice and Unit 10 archery second choice. I think my Dad is applying for Unit 10 and 5A rifle.

New B&C World Record Pronghorn

We were informed that Dr David Meyer had his Arizona auction tag buck scored yesterday.

The official B&C score is 94 4/8. Unfortunately, it's not a New World Record.

Random Bucks Usually Aren't This Big

A couple live photos are posted below in Ty's story. Here are the field photos.




Remember when Mark Norris was hunting with Dave and I showed Dave several bucks right before dark that I thought him and Mark would be interested in? One of them was the same buck that I saw while talking on the phone with Ty, but that night, because of time constraints, we opted to go after the buck Mark eventually got. Ty opted to hunt a different buck as well based on the photos and information I gave him the evening before the hunt.

Weird side story - we were hired by another hunter who was willing to wait until after Dave or I was done guiding to be guided by us. I was in contact with him each day for several days before opening day and relayed to him the evening before opening day that I thought Ty would be done around 9 O'clock and that I'd be giving him a call and hopefully meeting up with him around noon.

After I dropped Ty off I couldn't reach him on his cell phone so I wandered around until I found him. He and his sons had already killed an antelope. They found one they thought was good and went and got him. The buck was about 78-79 inches. I congratulated them and decided that I would try to find Dave and Mark as quickly as I could now that I had several bucks and no one to hunt them. What happened with Mark's hunt is below.

The night Mark killed his buck I slept in the back of my truck at Dave and Mark's camp with Rocky and his son Travis. I headed home early the next morning under the assumption that Pronghorn Guide Service was done in Unit 10 for 2008. And we had had a great year taking two 90 inch bucks.

Now, I don't remember all this exactly so I'll just post what I can remember and if it's incorrect, oh well.

Mark's buddy, a taxidermist named Patrick Newman, showed up at Dave and Mark's camp either that second day or maybe the third day of the hunt and he was bummed. He said he couldn't find any good bucks and only saw very few antelope. Dave, being the incredibly nice guy that he is, decides that since Patrick isn't having any fun and can't find a good buck, takes him to hunt this buck that both Ty and Mark passed on for various reasons.

When they get there they park the truck and wouldn't you know it, another guide pulls up right behind them. Since Dave and Mark and his buddy were already out of there trucks walking they just continued to do so, but another minute longer and this other guide would have been the one to hunt this buck.

We have no official score and my Dad and I never actually got to see the buck as the hunter took it home. Dave said it would have been over 90 inches and you can see that from the comparison photos with the buck sitting next to a 90 incher. This buck clearly has more mass, but a much shorter prong.