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Yeah i would wait too. My next AZ hunt will be a premium tag in 15 years or so. I'll just OTC idaho, Colorado, and Montana until then.
Arizona Elk Journal.
- Thread starter Jackalope
- Start date
Yeah i would wait too. My next AZ hunt will be a premium tag in 15 years or so. I'll just OTC idaho, Colorado, and Montana until then.
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If it wasn't for bad luck i wouldn't have any at all. Had a bull bugle this morning and took off in his direction on the Mesa. He bugled again and was heading my way. I spotted the lead cow and made an angle on her to get setup. She passed by at 35 and was alone with a 5x5 bull in tow. Had this bull dead to rights. Hit a small pine branch and it sent the arrow high hitting him above the lungs. He bolted but stuck with the cow. I thought perhaps i might have gotten top of the lungs. I tailed him for 250 yards and could see some blood on his side but high. He kept up with his cow and they went down a drainage. I backed out hoping she may may bed and he'd expire right there. While waiting and looking for blood and the arrow about 3 hours later a hell of a storm rolled in and dumped on us. You know it's time to haul ass off the mesa when lightning is passing down below and hitting juniper about 500 feet of elevation below you.
I hauled ass and broke down spike camp and booked it down. I'll be back up there in the morning to do a body search but I'm not too hopeful. We covered a lot of ground in the direction he went and never found as much as a speck of blood. As he kept following his cow he didn't seem too phased by the wound.
I hauled ass and broke down spike camp and booked it down. I'll be back up there in the morning to do a body search but I'm not too hopeful. We covered a lot of ground in the direction he went and never found as much as a speck of blood. As he kept following his cow he didn't seem too phased by the wound.
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Saw two bulls the night before last up on the mesa slipping through the junipers together. No cows and they were tolerating each other. Tells me there hasn't been a cow in heat around there. If there had been then these two guys wouldn't be buddies. Once that switch flips it's not like they tolerate each other again for a while.
teenbowhunter
Junior Member
Weird, usually peak estrous is around the 22nd. Hopefully it’ll kick in quick. I’m sure there’s a hot cow somewhere. Sounds like that bull is probably going to be okay. It ain’t easy.
Thunderflight
Dignitary Member
If you want to go to idaho next year then let me know. Im thinking about going the last 2 weeks of archery season.
Thunderflight
Dignitary Member
Good luck! I hope you find him.
Man you arent kidding about being at elevation with a lighting storm.... talk about pucker factor...lol
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Slipping along through the pondarosas, junipers and scrub oaks with the wind across my face I spotted a big tan rock under a tree. Looked like the other six million big tan rocks around here. I put the binos on it and it was a bull. He was bedded quartering away on a point. Eyes downhill wind over his back. I wanted to cut the distance and there was a pine about as big around as I was between us but in a small clearing. I ranged the bull at 72 and the pine at 27. Quick math told me the bull would be at 45 if i got to that pine. I crept forward and made it. Peeked around the tight side and I could see the crease of his gut where it met his ribs. There was a small juniper by his hind quarter that he had tore up and one small branch about the size of a pencil sticking out on the side i needed to shoot. Basically a 98% clear shot. Behind the tree i drew and took one step right. Clearly remember my shot process. Housing, bubble, split the 40&50 i burned a hole in that crease. The arrow was off hit the branch and stuck in the dirt not 6 inches from him. 
Good bull probably close to the 350 mark. He jumped up and stepped on my arrow and wheeled out of there.
I told my wife that i'd like to know what family i raped and murdered in a previous life. at this point it's just comical. Elk don't just stand in the open like idiots. And rarely stop in an opening when they want to look at something. Within reason you have to take the shot you have because there are no perfect shots.
That's three bulls missed due to a single little ole limb. Could be worse. Some guys go years without even getting a shot at one. 2.5 days left. Lots of time and I'm in the elk. My next tag will be with a Muzzleloader.
The other guys in camp have only seen 1 elk in almost two weeks. I've seen about 15 bulls and shot at three. Thyve have moved closer to this area on another mesa with good sign.
Good bull probably close to the 350 mark. He jumped up and stepped on my arrow and wheeled out of there. I told my wife that i'd like to know what family i raped and murdered in a previous life.
at this point it's just comical. Elk don't just stand in the open like idiots. And rarely stop in an opening when they want to look at something. Within reason you have to take the shot you have because there are no perfect shots. That's three bulls missed due to a single little ole limb. Could be worse. Some guys go years without even getting a shot at one. 2.5 days left. Lots of time and I'm in the elk. My next tag will be with a Muzzleloader.
The other guys in camp have only seen 1 elk in almost two weeks. I've seen about 15 bulls and shot at three. Thyve have moved closer to this area on another mesa with good sign.
teenbowhunter
Junior Member
You’re catching up to my number of missed opportunities, two to go [emoji23]
Well if nothing else, at least you’ve had your fair share of action. Hope it comes together for ya buddy....
teenbowhunter
Junior Member
It’d of cut through them twigs and made toothpicks outta them and then split that elk in half and caped it out for ya....
Well son of a bitch, Joe. Keep at it, it'll make that moment when all goes right that much more worth it!
Thunderflight
Dignitary Member
Keep at it, Joe. It could be worse. You could be working like most of us following along on a screen!
2.5 days... You got this son!
2.5 days... You got this son!
TripleA88
*Supporting Member*
