king' s outdoor world - Index

king' s outdoor world - Hunting Illustrated - October/November 2007 - Index

PHOTO: MIKE DEMLONG AGFD
F or
some bizarre reason, I love
hunting in the desert when it is
so hot my eyelids hurt and I know
there's no hope of rain. I just walked
miles across the Sonoran searching
for javelina or, at the very least,
some evidence the little oinkers still
existed. Usually, I sit and glass the
desert country like I would for high
country mule deer, but this terrain is
flatter than Nebraska and glassing
wasn't an option; the
only mountains in sight
were far off to the west
breaking the skyline
with their sharp jagged
peaks. Although I was
hot, miles from the truck,
and perturbed with the
morning's outcome, the
familiar desert taste
of creosote mixed with
some mesquite helped
me regroup my thoughts
and focus on my mission
which was to get within
bow range of a javelina.
Shortly after, I struck gold
as I stumbled upon a trail with not only
javelina sign, but deer, coyote, and
quail tracks which littered the dusty
path like autumn leaves on a forest
floor. The fresh sign of my quarry
triggered a certain awakening within
me. Suddenly, I felt like a predator
ready to pounce; my muscles were
94 HUNTING ILLUSTRATED.com
rigid, my senses were on full alert, and I
was ready to kill. I crept around a palo
verde and to my left spotted what had
attracted all the wildlife, a cement well
or "guzzler? teeming with clear water.
Not far to my right, I heard an animal
rise out of its hiding place in some deep
foliage. I drew my bow...
What is a guzzler? With fuel prices at all
time highs, many hunters think of their
hunting trucks as "guzzlers.? A guzzler
is defined as an individual who "drinks
greedily;? hmm, kind of reminds me
of some old college friends. To a mule
deer, these man-made wells may be the
difference between life and death.
5MULE DEER WATCH5
Michael Burrell
www.muledeernet.org
Where There's a "Well,? There's a Way
In the dry, arid regions of the desert,
these man made guzzlers extend the
life of many animals and birds
Guzzlers are one of the
answers to help blossom mule deer
populations in areas where water is
the limiting factor. The construction
of wildlife wells on public lands has
been a wildlife management tool
since the 1940's. These guzzlers
are built out of just about any metal
material that collects water. I've
seen homemade guzzlers built out
of old barrels and satellite dishes, or
very nice ones that are
made of tin roofs. The
important thing is that
the guzzler catches water
from early morning dews,
frosts, or snow/rain and
trickles the moisture into
a tank; which provides
wildlife with water. It's
surprising how quickly
these guzzlers will catch
and hold water for long
periods of time.
As a youngster,
I watched large
snowstorms bury the
valley throughout the
winter. My dad's childhood stories
tell of even larger storms; I suspect
that winters have become milder
through the years. Most of you have
most likely noticed a trend of less
snow pack in the high country and
record-breaking heat that continues to
plague the West. Water is becoming