Didn't I say I hate Arizona?

[Lennyjoe]

I think I did and today reminded me of why I hate Arizona again.

Today was the 2nd day of bowseason and I attempted to make the best of it. I packed up the gear last night, drove out to the area and crashed for a few hours of sleep. This morning I get up around 0400 and head out to the location I wanted to hunt. A ridge where 2 nice mulies were using. As the sun comes up I am spending plenty of time with my eyes stuck to the binoc's. Now, as the sun creeps over the ridge around 0700 the thermometer starts climbing. So far no luck finding the deer so I venture out on a little stalk about trying to find some quarry.

Why do you ask am I writing this? Well let me tell you. By 1100 I have almost been biten by 2 rattlesnakes and can't seem to get enough water in me. I drink all 70 oz of my camelback and am feeling woozy. The sweat is pouring out and the sun won't quit. Temp had to be near 100 by the time I say enough is enough. Even if I seen a deer, he would smell me from a mile away since I'm sweating so darn bad. So I head back to the truck for more water, a sandwich and some R&R. The truck in the shade is about 150 degrees so it seems. I eat a sandwich and try to get some rest but its to no avail. Try turning the oven on to warm and climb in for some rest. Not happening. So I have two choices, stay out in the bush and sweat it out or drive back home (1.5 hrs) and save a life, MINE.

I gave it a try folks but early bow season in Arizona is not fun unless your up in the mountains. When I say mountains I mean above 8,000ft. At least there the temp would be in the 80's.

Oh well, guess I'll wait til late season archery which starts in Dec. At least then I won't be walking in hell trying to get a shot at a deer.

Oh how I long for the days back up in the Northeast.

 

[P95Carry]

Gotta say Lenny - SW PA would suit you fine - tho for a bit longer yet things can still be quite hot and sticky - and I am very sensitive to that even.

I know exactly where you are comin from tho cos I sweat in gallon quantities! Salt burn in my eyes is my biggest PITA!

 

[WayneConrad]

I was at Ben Avery all morning. You can usually count on it being 5 or 10 degrees cooler there than in the city, but by 1:30 it was 113 in the shade. I asked the range master to call a "cease summer" but apparently some things are beyond his power. I drank water as fast as I could but ended up dehydrated anyhow. And I had shade. I'm impressed that you have the fortitude to hunt on such a hellish day. Here's a tall glass of ice water to ya!

 

[Byron Quick]

Deer season is open in SC. People ask if I've been yet. I just look at them. I don't really get the hunting urge until I can feel fall in the air.

 

[Lonestar.45]

hehe...I've had days like that bowhunting whitetail here in Central Texas. All my "gun only" hunting buddies thought dad and I were crazy, hunting in 95 degree heat (until they freaked when we brought home bigger bucks than they did during the rut with their .300 remchester magnums). But I tell you, I've seen more and bigger bucks early in bow season than at any other time, and they are still just trying to eat their weight in acorns several times a day before the rut. Many times they're still running together, and if you can find a good trail leading to water, you have a honey hole. Also, around here if you can locate a good oak with lots of acorns under it that the deer have been tearing up, close to shade/water, you are golden.

On one deer lease, the other hunters (some of them longtime "friends" )wanted us thrown off because we both shot really really good bucks during October, well before gun season. Never mind we all paid the same $ for a YEAR ROUND lease, bowhunting included. They seemed to think it was somehow unfair to them. Yeah, right.

You know you're bowhunting deer in Texas when you're trying to find scentless mosquito repellent and wearing camo t-shirts and light light camo pants. I look at all the handwarmers, electric socks, arctic boots, and huge camo jackets at the local sporting goods stores and just laugh as I walk down the aisle to the bug repellent!

 

[3rdpig]

I spent 20 years in the Seattle area, if you want water when you're out bowhunting then try up there, you'll have all the water you want and then some!

But I agree, the heat can be a bit much here at times. I've lived here 12 years now and it's only been the last 2 years where I'm starting to feel at one with the heat. Actually it's starting to worry me, like my brain is drying out or something.

 

[Lennyjoe]

I don't mind stand hunting in them temps. Usually your in heavy woods or such. I did it for quite a few years in Georgia. Early season there is 95 degrees with 90% or higher humidity and mosquito's that will try to carry you away if you aint strapped down. That didn't bother me.

But, stalking and glassing in an oven is a bit too much.

 

[Otherguy Overby]

Overheating

I've spent a LOT of time in the desert southwest.

When it's hot you have to be really careful when doing much of anything, and most especially when not in the shade. Once you start to overheat, you are already in trouble.

IOW, move from shade to shade, if you can find it, and spend as little energy as possible while doing so.

One thing many people don't know/haven't figured out and refuse to learn is to keep covered up (REALLY IMPORTANT). When the air temperature is above body temperature, undressing in an attempt to be comfortable will do nothing but increase your body temp. Wear a white sweatshirt.

 

[rico700]

I'm not sure whats worse as I have never taken the opportunity to hunt in Arizona but I can tell you that sitting in a tree in SD when it is sub-zero is no picnic. I believe the whitetails laugh out loud as they watch you climb into your stand at 20 below zero!

 

[Lennyjoe]

I am going out tomorrow morning to give it another try. Needless to say I won't be in the field much past 0900.

 

[rico700]

Good luck and I hope you find a monster!

 

[Oldnamvet]

In the frozen north you can always put more clothing on to stay warm but ...when I lived in El Paso (37 years ago), there was only so much you could take off. I remember it being very cool on the desert at 4AM but the temperature really took off as soon as the sun started coming up.

 

[scout26]

Ahhhh, archery season in Illinois..... Temps in the 40-50's (unless you continue to hunt into late Dec/Jan, then it gets a wee bit nippy.) Which is prefect for hunting, so don't get all sweaty from it being to hot, and you don't freeze your canoogies off because it's to cold. The meat cools off quickly and you can age it.

No poisionous snakes, scorpions, giant spiders, wolves, mountain lions, alligators, bears, or zombies.

No mountains, deserts, hurricanes, earthquakes, mud slides, or wildfires, we do have an occasional tornado and really stupid and crooked politicans. :banghead:

 

[Lennyjoe]

That's why I wish I was back in the Northeast.

Another hot day goes by and I am 2 quarts low on fluids. No deer, just snakes, mosquitoes and sweat.

 

[GunGoBoom]

Yeah, I think whoever worked at the wildlife dept who dreamed up making the bow season start so early there, in that heat, was either a sadist or real practical joker, as I would imagine that the deer will be smelling you a mile out, as you say.

 

[armoredman]

Sorry you don't like it here, lennyjoe. Borders in three directions. This has been a pretty good summer, temp wise. Inmates crying all the time in August because the swamp coolers don't well in high humidity, but that's only one month or so a year.
You can always tell the visitors or transplants - beautiful tans. We natives are kinda pale as we learned as children to stay inside where it's cool....
I may have more sweat than others during summer, but I have only seen snowshovels in stores, not in use.....

 

[The Jackal]

I don't bow hunt but I know a co-worker who does. Says it can be a real pain in late summer out here in AZ. I am a meter reader in the Mesa area, born and raised. The summer can kick your @ss if you are not real careful. This may be why most hunters fish during summer months

 

[sigstroker]

BTDT in Arizona with a bow. Yeah, the mountains are cooler but a lot steeper. I ended up sweating a lot more than strolling through the rolling hills. What are you doing hunting at 11 am anyway? They're pretty much bedded down by then. I usually just went out for 3 or 4 hours in the morning then a couple hours at sunset.

 

[AStone]

Otherguy Overby (post #8): +4.

{Warning! Informed opinion ahead.
Credentials: lived in NM 14 yrs;
backpacked in Big Bend Nat'l Park in late June (120*F on the floor),
& in AZ's Superstition Wilderness (near Phoenix) in July.
Did dissertation on Central NM NWR (national wildlife refuge {pronghorn}) for 6 summers.

Assertion: During July, in a desert with no trees (read no shade),
the only ways to avoid overheating are:
1) crawl under the truck from 1 PM to 4 (the only DENSE shade for 6 miles);
2) build your own shelter (which i did in year 3, after nearly cooking brains in 1 & 2)

That was in '86 - '90. It's only gotten hotter since then.
Global warming is real. ('98 was the hottest year on record in the last 1000 ... yet).

If you live in the American SW (or Iraq, or Egypt or Mongolia or other tropical or temperate deserts), remember this:
1) shade is your friend from noon to 4 PM from late June to early September;
2) you are 80-90% water; drink it;
3) most intelligent animals are active during crepuscular times (dawn, dusk, when it's cool).

 

[Lennyjoe]

What are you doing hunting at 11 am anyway? They're pretty much bedded down by then

The last 2 times I seen the big mulie I was after was in fact right around 11. He was walking around the 1st time with 3 other bucks and 2 does. The second time (2 weeks before the season opened) I seen him with a fork horn around 11:30. The temp then was near 100.

I walked a couple of ridges, glassed and then when the heat started to pick up I found a nice mesquite tree and took refuge. It was in the same area I have seen him both times. Of course, now that the season started he is no where to be found. :banghead:

 

[Robinhood]

I feel the heat

I feel the heat too in early bow season in south, GA as well. I've been looking for apparael that reduces heat levels if possible. This season, I tried the wicking technology. Seems to work fine, but its not odor stopping.

Also, I was up on the Kaibab this september hunting the mulies. It was a great experience and the tempetature was ideal. Cool all day long. I encountered 4 realy nice muleys but just couldn't get a good shot. Better luck next time.

I think I did and today reminded me of why I hate Arizona again.

Today was the 2nd day of bowseason and I attempted to make the best of it. I packed up the gear last night, drove out to the area and crashed for a few hours of sleep. This morning I get up around 0400 and head out to the location I wanted to hunt. A ridge where 2 nice mulies were using. As the sun comes up I am spending plenty of time with my eyes stuck to the binoc's. Now, as the sun creeps over the ridge around 0700 the thermometer starts climbing. So far no luck finding the deer so I venture out on a little stalk about trying to find some quarry.

Why do you ask am I writing this? Well let me tell you. By 1100 I have almost been biten by 2 rattlesnakes and can't seem to get enough water in me. I drink all 70 oz of my camelback and am feeling woozy. The sweat is pouring out and the sun won't quit. Temp had to be near 100 by the time I say enough is enough. Even if I seen a deer, he would smell me from a mile away since I'm sweating so darn bad. So I head back to the truck for more water, a sandwich and some R&R. The truck in the shade is about 150 degrees so it seems. I eat a sandwich and try to get some rest but its to no avail. Try turning the oven on to warm and climb in for some rest. Not happening. So I have two choices, stay out in the bush and sweat it out or drive back home (1.5 hrs) and save a life, MINE.

I gave it a try folks but early bow season in Arizona is not fun unless your up in the mountains. When I say mountains I mean above 8,000ft. At least there the temp would be in the 80's.

Oh well, guess I'll wait til late season archery which starts in Dec. At least then I won't be walking in hell trying to get a shot at a deer.

Oh how I long for the days back up in the Northeast.

 

[Art Eatman]

My first summer here in Terlingua, I was going through three gallons a day of water and Gatorade. Building fence around the yard, building a garage, porches and such. And cleaning out junk left by the previous owner.

One year later, I could do the same work on one gallon a day.

One clothing style that can help is to wear a cotton tee shirt and a loose-fit, loose-weave shirt over it. Only button one or two buttons on the shirt. The idea is that there is a dead-air space between shirt and tee shirt. That dead air is cooled somewhat by sweat wicked out from your body, onto the surface of the tee shirt.

It's hard to find just-cotton tee shirts.

If what you find isn't the right dull-earth-tone colors, hey, "Rit" is still in business.

Art

 

[AStone]

One clothing style that can help is to wear a cotton tee shirt and a loose-fit, loose-weave shirt over it. Only button one or two buttons on the shirt. The idea is that there is a dead-air space between shirt and tee shirt. That dead air is cooled somewhat by sweat wicked out from your body, onto the surface of the tee shirt.

For you guys down there in the southwest land {of which I'm envious, still dreaming of returning to NM someday}, I couldn't agree more.

Cotton is the perfect fiber for hot and dry.

For up here - wet & cool - it sucks. Up here, cotton just soaks up the moisture and holds it when you're trying to get warm. Moisture prevents warmth.

One of the funniest (and stupidest) things I see up here are youth wearing cotton "hoodies" with no rain jacket on rainsoaked fall days. Cotton hooded jackets are 'cool' in every sense of the word. Maybe someday, they'll gain some wisdom and stay warmer by burning less calories.

There are a couple of months a year up here - mostly July - August - when it can work if you're in the desert. But even then, up in the mountains, give me cotton during the hot days, but fleece at night or on those rain soaked days.
_____

Robinhood, allow me to be the first of many to welcome you to THR.

New members buy the drinks.

I'll take a Blue Moon Ale, please.

Nem

 

[Lennyjoe]

On a good note, bow season opens again on the 16th of Dec and runs thru the end of January.

Lot cooler then. That and the rut starts around the end of the month of Dec.