Arizona cow elk hunt unit 4A

[Simeod]

A little late doing a write up, and a lot of venting,, but this hunt had some extreme highs and extreme lows. Me and my wife were blessed with getting drawn for the early Cow hunt in Unit 4A.

We had spent a few days scouting during the summer and had found some likely spots. Wednesday prior to season opening we settled into our camping spot and spent the next day scouting.

The weather had been extremely dry and it had definitely affected animal patterns. Water was truly the name of the game for this hunt. I had located a spring earlier that kept water and sign in the area was very promising.

Opening day! Friday morning we spent checking a few other spots and people are camping and hunters are everywhere. Friday evening we make the 1.5 mile walk into the spring. On the way in we bump a young cow by herself. She was favoring a front leg, but quickly left area. We continue to our spot near the spring and set up for the evening. After about an hour we see the young cow come into the area. She is 240 yards away in the tree line of the meadow. The wife and I discuss taking the cow as she is obviously injured. We decide to take the cow. I make a shot and it hits high and a little back. I quickly rack another round and shoot again. Hit but high again. She goes stiff legged and lays down. She is now behind some pines and does not afford me any shot. I observe her through the trees and I can see she is lifting her head on and off. I feel lousy.

 

[Simeod]

I decide to move positions and close the distance to finish her off. Me and my son start to pick our way across the meadow keeping the pine trees between us and her. We close the distance to about 100 yards and start to move to our right to get an open lane.

Blaze orange is not a requirement in Arizona, but we all always wear a blaze orange hat during rifle season. Suddenly a shot rings out! I and my son duck down and start looking for the elk or the hunter. 2 more shots ring out and I see one impact below the cow. A fourth shot that hits even lower and closer to us! I take my hat off and start waiving it while yelling stop shooting.

I can finally see the other hunter. He had been shooting over us! It takes a second for me to realize what had just happened. Now I'm mad. A second later and now I'm furious. This guy had shot past us to take that cow. He knew we were there and had shot anyway. He could have shot my son was the only thought I had. I knew I was to angry to be rational. I yell across to the shooter "If you want it that F'ing bad you can F'ing have it." I turn and walk back to my wife and father in law.

They are still trying to process what just happened. As I arrive back to their position, the shooter (I refuse to call him a hunter) comes over a small hill towards us. He wisely left his rifle behind. The first words out of his mouth are "I don't want to cause any hard feelings." My rage is now white hot. I know that at this moment there is nothing good that can come from me talking to him. I shoulder my bag I had left with my wife and tell him we are F'ing done here and start the walk back to camp. My wife and father in law have figured out this guy just shot at me and our son and they stay a minute to talk with the ass hat. I make it about 600 yards before I stop to wait for them. I check my son out again and hug him hard. It took a long time back at camp to calm down. We almost ended our hunt that night to head home. We discussed it thoroughly and decided to continue with it anyway. We did talk to some people later who had seen the shooter and talked to him. He took the cow, it had only been hit twice.

 

[Simeod]

Now for the upside. My wife got a doozy of a cow down in a hell hole of a canyon that just about killed us getting it out I finally connected with one the last day.

 

[Simeod]

Please forgive my long winded venting, but it still spins me up. In the end it was a great hunt with some great memories.