Friday, November 28, 2014

A3 Trophy Hunts "The New Reality"...

Howdy everyone! Well we survived another year on the Strip! I honestly don't even know where to start. Maybe with the fact that we had the greatest year in our history! Or maybe that we accomplished feats that have never before been accomplished by ANY other outfitter in Strip history? Any way you cut it, A3 Trophy Hunts has defined the new reality in Arizona outfitting. We have taken our job to a level that no others available can match. We are constantly working on refining our system, targeting the best guides in the industry and adding them to our personnel, finding new ways to be more effective, and overall demanding that we hold ourselves to the highest level possible. It shows in our results every year and in the smiles on our clients faces. What follows below is the result of a long year of very intense scouting, planning and executing our hunts as professionally as possible. Every picture below is an A3 client that booked with us in 2014 in either 13A or 13B. Enjoy the pictures...



Brent Curtis with his unbelievable 40.3" wide, 240"+ gross super giant! We followed this buck all year even though he was very hard to find. A3's Bryon Goswick lived with this buck the final week leading up to the hunt and Bryon, Jay, Luke and Brent had a perfect shot opportunity on opening morning. Congrats Brent and crew!! Thank you to Brent, Bryon, Jay and Luke. Unreal!!


 
 
 
 





Brent's buck drew so much attention that it was almost a non-stop line of people stopping into camp to see the huge deer. This continued the entire week!





Jason and John Gisi

Longtime client and good friend John Gisi hunted with A3's Matt Schimberg. The buck above was living in a tough area that we knew would be hunted by others as well. John decided to "roll the dice" and hunt this giant despite the fact we had some other 220+ type bucks that would have been easier. It paid off with a mid 240's mammoth!





Matt Schimberg and John Gisi

John brought some excellent help along with him. His son Jason, Mark Van Wormer, Ben Wells and Tom Alvin. Good friend Cole Gould was also along for the hunt. Friends Larry Bundy and "Tim" also volunteered to help after their client killed a buck. Jason and Mark glassed this buck up opening evening. We did not find the buck again until the 3rd morning.

 
John's incredible buck is an 6x8 that gross scores 244.6" and has more palmated mass than any buck should ever have!!




Matt Schimberg and Cole Gould

On the early morning of day 3 we spotted the buck right at daylight. We held our breath as a grey Suzuki Samurai drove right past the buck as he stood motionless 40 yards off the road! Very unfortunate for the guide and hunter in the vehicle and a very lucky break for us!  As soon as the Suzuki was out of sight the buck tore out of the area at high speed!
 

 
We tracked this buck nearly all day out into open Antelope country. After a long tracking job we deduced that the bucks must be bedded in a draw that was ahead of us. We circled, glassed and ultimately shot this buck at 240 yards as he rose from his bed in the late afternoon. I want to thank everyone that was present. I want to especially thank John Gisi. It is always a pleasure my friend. This one was extra special and always will be...




Brent's son Chad Curtis also had a Strip tag. He hunted hard with A3 guides Jeff Row Sr. and Jeff Row Jr. After 6 days they encountered this buck while looking for a bigger one. Chad decided that he was big enough and killed him. We agree Chad! your 208" 5x5 is a true stud! Good decision and a huge congrats to all involved!







Mike C. and Jim O. were hunting with A3's Landon Sherwood. When Mike took one look at this ultra-heavy old buck he wanted him immediately! He made a perfect 330 yard shot to anchor this awesome buck. Can anyone guess what the score of this old bruiser is? Hint- He was waaaay better scoring than we thought he was! With 28" beams, 47" of mass and extra eyeguards he surpassed the benchmark that Mike had set. Congrats to Mike and Landon!


Cole Gould holds Mike's giant rack!


Mike's huntin buddy Jim hung in with style as we pounded the ground looking for one of two different bucks we hoped to find. On the morning of day 9 we glassed up one of the huge bucks rutting does at over 4 miles away. After a lengthy stalk and some nail biting moments with fickle winds, we topped out on a small mesa 250 yards above the deer. Jim made a perfect shot and dropped the mega buck in his tracks!!

 


Matt Schimberg and Cole Gould
Jim's unreal buck gross scored 223.3" and had a 212.5" typical frame! We had a blast hunting with Mike and Jim and we can't thank them enough! Great attitude, great shooting and great bucks made for a perfect hunt!


Huge frame on Jims monster!
 


Kirk H. and his 195" typical buck taken after a long and grueling hunt with A3's Trevor Davenport. Thanks for the great attitude Kirk and congrats to you, Trevor and Landon on a true stud of a buck!


Trevor Davenport and Kirk H.
 
Kevin R. with his sweet typical buck! Kevin hunted with A3's Casey Carr and took his buck after some unfortunate events that prevented him from killing their #1 buck. Your buck is still awesome Kevin. Thanks again man!!
 


Chad Rhoton holds Kevin's buck!
 
 

 

We want to close with this. When we started out in this business, well over a decade removed, we didn't truly know where it would lead us. As we packed up our camp to leave the Strip a few days ago, I was struck with just how fortunate we really are. We have sacrificed much and poured our lives into building a new kind of hunting company. An outfit that sets the new bar as far as integrity and quality is concerned. We keep our focus on the results of YOUR hunt. In an industry where trust and commitment define your reputation, we wanted all of our past and future clients to know where we still stand. To assure them that our name may have changed and we may have grown, but we still take every hunt on as our own and put everything humanly, yet ethically, possible into getting a trophy animal in front of your weapon. Our results speak for themselves...

 Much gossip has been passed around our hunting community regarding the new partnership that was formed when A3 Trophy Hunts was conceived. People said we were getting too big and that we were choosing the money over the personal quality that had built our reputations. This is not true, never was, and never will be. Our goal has, and always will be, to build the greatest hunting company that has ever been created. To change the game and set the standard that others must try to compete with. I think this past season is a testament to the fact that we are the standard changing company we set out to be. A3 clients harvest bigger animals, more often, than any other competing outfitters available. This is fact. Our growing size is actually a benefit to our clients as we have access to greater resources when it comes to scouting and guiding your hunt. Our scouting program is the reason our clients find more trophy success than other outfitters and have been doing so for several years. We scout harder, hunt harder and have the best guides in the business, period. Don't let anyone tell you different, A3 is here to stay!


 If you are interested in hunting with A3 next year or in the future, the time to call or email is now! We still only take a limited number of clients each year and our spots book fast.

We want to thank each and every A3 guide and client that poured their heart and soul into being successful on our Strip hunts this past season. You guys are the reason that we are where we are and we can't thank each of you enough. You are the foundation of this outfit and we are proud to be with all of you as we move forward. God bless!

A3 is truly the "New Reality" in trophy hunting!

Matt Schimberg
Jay Lopeman
Chad Rhoton