Arizona Late Elk
- Thread starter Big Fin
- Start date
Walked in to a great area this evening. Glassed until dark. Saw no sign of life, other than another hunter. Really thought this spot would pay off. Oh well, cross that spot off the list.
Tomorrow morning is the last day with the camera guys. I was given the option to come down early and scout two extra days and only have cameras for five days, or forego the scouting days and get cameras for all seven days.
I put a serious value on scouting, which I think is part of the reason we were in elk so thick the first three days.
So, if I don't kill a bull in the morning, Lee and I will be filming the remainder of the hunt. What we have so far is one really good episode and most of a second episode.
These guys have worked their butts off. They filmed hard during the scouting days and all the hunting days. Along with packing out elk when Lee shot his.
Hope we get it done in the morning, so the pros can finish things off the way it should be. Thinking if we shoot one early, Lee can get them to the airport while I do the guttin' and gillin, then pack out as much as I can before Lee comes back to get me.
Hoping the good luck comes back our way.
Tomorrow morning is the last day with the camera guys. I was given the option to come down early and scout two extra days and only have cameras for five days, or forego the scouting days and get cameras for all seven days.
I put a serious value on scouting, which I think is part of the reason we were in elk so thick the first three days.
So, if I don't kill a bull in the morning, Lee and I will be filming the remainder of the hunt. What we have so far is one really good episode and most of a second episode.
These guys have worked their butts off. They filmed hard during the scouting days and all the hunting days. Along with packing out elk when Lee shot his.
Hope we get it done in the morning, so the pros can finish things off the way it should be. Thinking if we shoot one early, Lee can get them to the airport while I do the guttin' and gillin, then pack out as much as I can before Lee comes back to get me.
Hoping the good luck comes back our way.
CABugle
New member
Good luck Randy, that country looks like a unit I was in a few years ago. I just got back from Arizona last night and had a very good hunt, I hope yours can end good as well.
CABugle
CABugle
dmserpa
New member
So CA Bugle,where is your story and pics
havgunwilltravel
Active member
Best of luck Big Fin...taking it down to the wire..
Tough day today. Woke up to the alarm with a major liver flare up. Tried to get up and go, but could tell it was a bad idea. Hit snooze and slept a few more hours, piling up with water and meds. Feel a ton better right now.
Took the camera guys to the airport today and got Lee's elk shipped back to MN. Then went on a good hike into some nasty country. Part of me was hoping a bull would not show up down there. Other part was confident that if one did show up, he would be a whopper, temporarily causing me to lose my concern about retrieval. Much to Lee's comfort, only two cows were spotted.
Feeling really good about the morning hunt. Going back in to where Lee shot his bull and where we chased the bulls to the guys who shot them in the ambush. It has rested for a couple days and given the pressure in surrounding areas, I think some elk will have moved back in there, so long as other hunters have not been in there.
If that doesn't work, I guess I will just have to shoot one down in the deeper canyons and figure out how to get him to the top. I will say that some of this Arizona elk country is as nasty and rugged as anywhere I have ever hunted elk. The elk have figured out the dangers of hanging around the easy country, so they seem to find comfort in the ugly stuff. I may have to "go ugly" to fill my tag at this late point in the season.
Two days left.
Took the camera guys to the airport today and got Lee's elk shipped back to MN. Then went on a good hike into some nasty country. Part of me was hoping a bull would not show up down there. Other part was confident that if one did show up, he would be a whopper, temporarily causing me to lose my concern about retrieval. Much to Lee's comfort, only two cows were spotted.
Feeling really good about the morning hunt. Going back in to where Lee shot his bull and where we chased the bulls to the guys who shot them in the ambush. It has rested for a couple days and given the pressure in surrounding areas, I think some elk will have moved back in there, so long as other hunters have not been in there.
If that doesn't work, I guess I will just have to shoot one down in the deeper canyons and figure out how to get him to the top. I will say that some of this Arizona elk country is as nasty and rugged as anywhere I have ever hunted elk. The elk have figured out the dangers of hanging around the easy country, so they seem to find comfort in the ugly stuff. I may have to "go ugly" to fill my tag at this late point in the season.
Two days left.
A few more pics from the last two days.
Stink pigs anyone? Surprised to see them at this elevation.
Brad happy to know that another good episode is in the bag.
Lee looking for elk in the ugly stuff while Mason mans the camera.
Lee relieved to not see any elk in the ugly stuff.
Blasphemy. Maybe the Mayans are right and the world is coming to an end this month. A Dairy Queen converted to a Chinese restaurant. Of all the tragedies I have witnessed in my travels, this is toward the top of the list. And the other DQ I found is closed for winter. WTH, Winter? It has not been below freezing any night I have been here.
Stink pigs anyone? Surprised to see them at this elevation.
Brad happy to know that another good episode is in the bag.
Lee looking for elk in the ugly stuff while Mason mans the camera.
Lee relieved to not see any elk in the ugly stuff.
Blasphemy. Maybe the Mayans are right and the world is coming to an end this month. A Dairy Queen converted to a Chinese restaurant. Of all the tragedies I have witnessed in my travels, this is toward the top of the list. And the other DQ I found is closed for winter. WTH, Winter? It has not been below freezing any night I have been here.
spook12
New member
No Blizzard?OH THE HORROR!
Take care of yourself Big Fin.
Take care of yourself Big Fin.
A-con
New member
Randy, the ONLY time I look at canyons like that is after the hunt is over.
( I take photos, and tell the guys at work "Yea, that's where I hunt").
Good luck brother, may you find one on flat ground, within a mile of the road !
( I take photos, and tell the guys at work "Yea, that's where I hunt").
Good luck brother, may you find one on flat ground, within a mile of the road !
Here is some more ugly stuff in a different area. Yeah, the elk live in that ugly stuff.
The left side of this photo is about as ugly as ugly gets.
BuzzH
Well-known member
Pretty sure I've been there...
stillkickin
Well-known member
Give em the tarpaper, you still have time to pull this off!
A local told me he would gladly take a spike bull off my hands if I were to shoot one. If this one was not in a hell hole, I might do the old boy a favor and shoot one for him. Lots of cows coming out in the last fifteen minutes. Hopefully the bulls follow their lead.
