Welcome to Hunt talk
Less than mediocre elk hunter goes to AZ
- Thread starter Chad Gus
- Start date
Chad Gus
Well-known member
It's really hard to sleep here, with 2 bulls, non stop bugling outside your tent.
perma
Well-known member
Welcome to HT. Did you draw anything this year?
bucdoego
Well-known member
Sounds like a great problem to have with a tag in your pocket!
ismith
Well-known member
Your great grandchildren will kill to have the opportunity you have now.
Chad Gus
Well-known member
Day 1: chased around a nice 6x6 (310ish) in the morning. Got to within 100 yards twice before a couple other hunters blew the heard up. I might have gotten in range on my first setup, had i been more aggressive. The second setup, it was to open and too many eyes to get closer. He wasn't interested in any of my calling and kept pushing his cows away. In between the first and second setup, i had a spike broadside at 45 yards. The rest of the day was fairly quiet, no elk seen or heard.
Day 2: got into a different heard of elk in the morning. The herd bull was huge, absolutely dwarfs the bull from the first morning. Again, 100 yards was as close as i could get to him. He pushed his cows down into a draw, i made a big loop to cut them off. I got ahead of them, but they turned and went up the opposite side, before they got to me. The rest of the day was rather uneventful, no elk seen or heard.
Day 3: hunted by camp in the morning, 2 bulls were bugling down in the canyon next to my tent. They made it into a draw and up the other side before i could catch up to them and see what they were. I'm not ready to drop down in this nasty, steep and deep canyon. Spent the rest of the morning walking the egde of the canyon, stopping to glass and call along the way. Heard a couple bugles but couldn't lay eyes on them. Glassed up a few cows and that was it. Thunderstorms rolled in, in thee afternoon, so i went down the mountain and into town. Got a motel for a shower and hopefully good night sleep. Will be back at first thing in the morning.
Day 2: got into a different heard of elk in the morning. The herd bull was huge, absolutely dwarfs the bull from the first morning. Again, 100 yards was as close as i could get to him. He pushed his cows down into a draw, i made a big loop to cut them off. I got ahead of them, but they turned and went up the opposite side, before they got to me. The rest of the day was rather uneventful, no elk seen or heard.
Day 3: hunted by camp in the morning, 2 bulls were bugling down in the canyon next to my tent. They made it into a draw and up the other side before i could catch up to them and see what they were. I'm not ready to drop down in this nasty, steep and deep canyon. Spent the rest of the morning walking the egde of the canyon, stopping to glass and call along the way. Heard a couple bugles but couldn't lay eyes on them. Glassed up a few cows and that was it. Thunderstorms rolled in, in thee afternoon, so i went down the mountain and into town. Got a motel for a shower and hopefully good night sleep. Will be back at first thing in the morning.
wihunter12
Well-known member
Glad to read the update Chad, was wondering how things were going for you. Good luck!
This is an under-rated strategy on a long hunt far from home. One night of blackout curtain sleep and blasting pressure hot water showers is such a mental lift.
Chad Gus
Well-known member
Been a relatively slow week for me. Had a big bull tuesday morning, just couldn't pull him those last 40 to 50 yards to be in range. He come in silent with his cows, got to about a 100 yards and then started angling away from me. Had a nice bull across a canyon from me thursday afternoon, he went over the top and i tried to circle ahead of him, but couldn't relocate him after that. A spike walked past me Friday morning and that's been basically it.
A few guys that I've talked to that are from the area and have been bouncing around the unit, there season has basically mirrored mine. One good morning where the bulls are on fire than 3 or 4 days of minimal to zero bugling. With little to no afternoon bugling or activity. People, they've never seen this much pressure either, no matter where they go, there's hunters everywhere.
In a way it's reassuring that's its not just me, but most are experiencing the same thing.
Regardless of the outcome, it's still been a great trip. I'm gonna hang around a few more days and maybe I'll accidentally stumble into one.
A few guys that I've talked to that are from the area and have been bouncing around the unit, there season has basically mirrored mine. One good morning where the bulls are on fire than 3 or 4 days of minimal to zero bugling. With little to no afternoon bugling or activity. People, they've never seen this much pressure either, no matter where they go, there's hunters everywhere.
In a way it's reassuring that's its not just me, but most are experiencing the same thing.Regardless of the outcome, it's still been a great trip. I'm gonna hang around a few more days and maybe I'll accidentally stumble into one.
BOHNTR
Well-known member
They’re starting to crank it up….last four days will be the best, as many hunters will give up and clear out. Stay on them!
Chad Gus
Well-known member
No elk for me, but for the most part had a great trip. Will start off with the negative aspects of the hunt.
1. The pressure was insane, not just road hunters, there was a steady stream of them till the last 4 days. Actual people out in the woods hunting, i had more encounters than i do fingers and toes. Didn't matter where i went, i seemed to attract people.
2. The number of rude, inconsiderate a-hole's was higher than I've ever encountered on past hunts. Felt like a few of these hunters were crashing in in your setup, just so you didn't get a chance at the bull you were trying to call in. There was supposedly a fist fight somewhere, not to terrible far from where i was at.
3. The rut activity was spotty at best. Very few days of daylight activity and afternoons were dead. The 4 guys i talked to, who had all killed big bulls in this unit before and hunt it on a regular basis, with family and friends all said the same thing. That this was the worst year they've ever experienced.
4. Loneliness was a struggle at times. I've never hunted that long, all by myself before. Thankfully, there was a local guy who was hunting in the area with his boys. He would stop by my camp every couple days, just to check up on me and chit-chat for a few minutes. If not for him i probably would have left several days early.
1. The pressure was insane, not just road hunters, there was a steady stream of them till the last 4 days. Actual people out in the woods hunting, i had more encounters than i do fingers and toes. Didn't matter where i went, i seemed to attract people.
2. The number of rude, inconsiderate a-hole's was higher than I've ever encountered on past hunts. Felt like a few of these hunters were crashing in in your setup, just so you didn't get a chance at the bull you were trying to call in. There was supposedly a fist fight somewhere, not to terrible far from where i was at.
3. The rut activity was spotty at best. Very few days of daylight activity and afternoons were dead. The 4 guys i talked to, who had all killed big bulls in this unit before and hunt it on a regular basis, with family and friends all said the same thing. That this was the worst year they've ever experienced.
4. Loneliness was a struggle at times. I've never hunted that long, all by myself before. Thankfully, there was a local guy who was hunting in the area with his boys. He would stop by my camp every couple days, just to check up on me and chit-chat for a few minutes. If not for him i probably would have left several days early.
Chad Gus
Well-known member
The positive aspects of the hunt.
1. Lots of elk around. Only one day where i didn't see any and 3 days where i wasn't within 100 yards of bulls.
2. Lots of big bulls, i saw around 25 different ones over 300 inches. 5 over 350 and 1 380+, i had 5 different bulls over 300 inches within a 100 yards. I passed up several small bulls, trying to get a big one.
3. My number goal in the trip was to have big bulls screaming back at me, at close range, and i experienced that several different times. That alone made the trip worth while.
4. Weather: only one afternoon of shitty weather. Otherwise 70's for highs and lows in the 40's.
5. Scenery was awesome.
6. Wide variety of critters, including several that I've never seen before. Coues deer, quail, tarantulas, lizards, Mojave green rattlesnakes.
7. Inspite of some a-holes, most of the people i talked to were nice, friendly and willing to help anyway they could. Made a new friend, gonna go coues deer hunting next year.
1. Lots of elk around. Only one day where i didn't see any and 3 days where i wasn't within 100 yards of bulls.
2. Lots of big bulls, i saw around 25 different ones over 300 inches. 5 over 350 and 1 380+, i had 5 different bulls over 300 inches within a 100 yards. I passed up several small bulls, trying to get a big one.
3. My number goal in the trip was to have big bulls screaming back at me, at close range, and i experienced that several different times. That alone made the trip worth while.
4. Weather: only one afternoon of shitty weather. Otherwise 70's for highs and lows in the 40's.
5. Scenery was awesome.
6. Wide variety of critters, including several that I've never seen before. Coues deer, quail, tarantulas, lizards, Mojave green rattlesnakes.
7. Inspite of some a-holes, most of the people i talked to were nice, friendly and willing to help anyway they could. Made a new friend, gonna go coues deer hunting next year.
Chad Gus
Well-known member
Pahoundsman
Well-known member
Some of your best moments are alone in the wilderness. Awesome photos and thanks for sharing.
3855WIN
Well-known member
I hunted the entire archery season. Missed a small six point.
Similar to your experience, but not as severe. It does seem that everyone in Arizona has at least three UTVs.
Similar to your experience, but not as severe. It does seem that everyone in Arizona has at least three UTVs.
Braveheart
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2023
- Messages
- 81
Great Pics!!! Glad you saw lots of elk. Thanks for sharing.
