Richard Better's 2012 Arizona Strip Hunt

   Well just like that it went from a phone call asking if I would help a good friend on his Arizona strip hunt to it's all over. Six years ago I went to the strip for the first time and when I returned I sat down at work and told stories to Richard of the kind of experience I had had.  He followed the story with well if I put in for it and draw it will you go with me? Every year since he retired any conversation we had always ended with Im going to draw that strip tag, you still coming with me? My answer never changed to Richard, Hell ya Im going! Once the draw was out I received a call from Richard and the first words out of his mouth was, " you ready to go hunting?" Planning started right away and plans were made to get up nine days before the hunt and scout as much as we could to make sure we were prepared. Well like all well laid plans go, I was due to be in class the week before the hunt, so we talked and decided we will follow each other up and set camp on saturday before the hunt. Then me and my dad would come home sunday and return thursday night after I got out of school. Pretty easy to talk about but when your dealing with 430 miles of driving it puts some stress and long hours behind the wheel.

  School came and went and me and my dad were off to camp. Coming along with us was good friend Rocky Miller and Richards step son Andy. We had everything we could possibly need all we needed to do now was find a buck. We arrived in camp at 1 am quickly hit the sack and at 430 am we were up and in the rangers headed out to begin the adventure. Three days came and went with zero deer sightings, but with strong winds, rain, and snow we knew they were held up tight. Monday, day we hit some lower country teamed up with my good friends Aaron Overton and Jimmy Hoffman, and we were on some bucks. I glassed up what looked like a good buck pushing does but as soon as I glassed him he was gone. Andy and Rocky had glassed up a buck and a doe in the other direction so we quickly got together and checked out the buck they had glassed. Their buck was an old buck that was large in the frame but weak in points, once we got a good look at him we decided that me and Rocky would fall back and hike up a knob and glass the buck I had glassed earlier. A couple hours later we found ourselves 300 yards from a buck with seven does. A good young buck with a hook off his left G2. Not the deer we were looking for but a awesome deer to lay our eyes on finally.

   Tuesday morning we decided we would let the lower country sit and soak hoping a bigger buck would move in to where them does were. We felt we would head back to a tank we had found some big tracks on and glass till late morning then take a walk. Andy had glassed up something that looked like a deer and when we got together I looked down and said, "there's a buck right below us!" The buck was a solid 4x4 bout 28 inches wide, a buck I said we need to get close to him and see just how big he is. We took off getting out to a point that over looked the tank where he was headed. When we got to the point my dad and Rocky had got a a point where they were looking down also.  On the tank stood a buck the I could tell was big and heavy. He was drinking with his does and the four point was on the base of the dyke.  The bucks stood each other off and the four point bowed down and walked off giving the larger buck some distance. We slipped down on a knob over looking the draw where we thought they would come up after getting their water. We sat with my dad and Rocky on point keeping tabs on the bucks. We found them piece by piece going through the junipers but could not get a shot at 200 yards. The deer worked high and got in a pocket where they laid down for the afternoon. An hour later we glassed movement in the trees and a little buck worked out at 300 yards. With shifting winds I was nervous they would catch our scent, they did. All at one they trotted out the back and over the ridge, our hearts sank. When the buck crested the top I saw the two in lines with the extras on his left G2, I looked at Richard and said, "lets go shoot that buck!"

   As we got to the top we worked slowly through the sage brush with my dad telling me they were on their feet and chasing each other around. Finally we came around a tree and Richard says right there! A doe stood at 230 yards and right behind her our buck followed. He didn't give us enough time to get a shot but we were in position at 230 yards from a group of trees we knew he was in. An hour of waiting with bits and pieces of horn then deer then nothing. They had laid down and we were standing in the heat of the sun with no were to go for fear one of the bedded does would see us and leave. So while standing I would reach around and hold the rifle while Richard rested his arms and wiped the sweat from his face. We talked and talked about how we have to keep our eyes on the does cause the buck will be there at some point. We joked and sat there trying to keep each other relaxed enough for when the time came we could get it done.

   Finally I glassed a doe walking towards us and whispered to Richard, " okay their up and moving." Soon we could see two does feeding towards us and to our right, broadside. I told Richard that buck is going to take the same pat so practice aiming at those does and concentrate and I'll watch for horns.
"There he is!" as i started to shake so did Richard. This was the moment we had waited for for months, Everything we had done to this point the whole conclusion was about to un fold at 190 yards. I can't explain the feeling but time stops and every little moment is followed with the hardest of heart beats and the uncontrollable shakes. As the buck stood and the doe cleared his vitals I told Richard relax and squeeze one off. All I hear is one deep breathe and half of it let out, in my head I say here it comes!! I brace and plug my ears and notice his barrel is shaking bad! Richards looks over and says," Im shaking like a dog shitting a peach pit!!" I laughed and said me to good luck! With one more word I say "breathe". BOOM! with one more breathe and one pull of the trigger Richards Arizona strip hunt had came to a conclusion.

 I grabbed Richard in a bear hug and said you did it!! We both could barely stand, I hit my knees and took a deep breathe and took in everything that had happened and the roller coaster of emotions we had been through on this hunt. As we approached the buck it was all we could do not just fall over with the rush of adrenaline we had just had fly through our system. Richard buck has 7 points on his left and 5 on the right. We taped him out in camp at 190 5/8s, our goal was to come to the strip and hunt for a 190+ inch buck for him.With reaching our goal and everyone in camp there to experience the whole hunt made every second, every cold morning and nights with out showers worth it. Thanks again to Richard for letting me come with him and get to help on his once in a life time hunt. Hunting with friends is something that I hope I can do for the rest of my life, away from work with no worries with close friends hunting, theres nothing better!