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It all started with the credit card update and then the morning check to see if the cards got any hits.Boom $650 hit on the card and now the waiting game began to see if it was the wife or I that grew the bison tag. Weeks later and I find out I am the one that drew the tag and the homework began. Started watching every video I could find on bison including everything the game and fish had for us.also sent out a few pm messages to catfishkev and idgaf. They both handed out info on the hunt and catfishkev was gracious enough to let me jump on is bandwagon and use his trail cams that he had. politics up there made us come to conclusion it would be best to have our own information. catfishkev made the first trip up to place trail cams. He placed 6 cams on different locations. My turn was next and I headed up with my dad and son to meet up with another hunter that catfishkev new and we checked cams and went over the pics for the start of his hunt which started sept 13th. After viewing the cam pictures we learned that we had a lot of bison coming thru different locations with some at night and some during day. The other hunter took that info and just couldn’t make it happen during his hunt. i also Sent the cards to Kev so he could view them and also see what the bison were doing. Seeing this cam pics made the weeks before my hunt even longer and to top it off I was unable to make it for opening day and weekend for my hunt. From day one of getting drawn and looking at graphs of herd movement and what time of year the herds were moving to different places from there gps collars I had my eyes set on the east side of the unit. All the cameras on the east side said different and that the bison just were not there. I had e mail game and fish to ask about any information I would be missing on the hunter meeting that takes place night before hunt. I got an e mail telling me I didn’t miss much and was told over the last week or so there was some movement on the east side. 5 days into the hunt and I arrive on the plateau worried I would not have a place to hunt. Went to the east side and checked out first spot. Cam didn’t work but there was very fresh sign that wasn’t there 2 weeks before. Decided to sit there for evening sense there was not any other hunters. Sat from 3 to dark and only saw deer. On way out I stoped at another camera location and man had that place changed. For over a week there was bison at that location everyday and nobody was there hunting them. That night I reviewed the cameras and saw there was a guide checking cams too that day and he had placed a ground blind in the location due to what he saw on cam. That morning I get to location and there is nobody there and I had the spot to myself so I thought. Hour into sitting with sun up I hear a truck driving up close. Said to myself no way is somebody going to walk up on me after seeing my truck. Few minutes later I hear foot steps hour after sun up. I look over and see it’s a guy my age and an older man with crutches. Start talking to them and find out that the hunter Dan is a wounded warrior that received the tag a week prior to hunt. He had met up with the Guides up there and they had sent him to this location. After I found out he was a wounded warrior and he had a hard time getting around I decided I was going to leave the area and let them hunt it telling them that there are bison coming in everyday. They turned and looked at me like I was crazy and asked me to stay which at first I was still going to leave still but then decided to stay and hunt with them. Told the wounded warrior to take the first shot if anything comes in and i will see what happens after. 0930 comes around and they are at 90 yards and closing. The heard came In and it was a mad dash to the water then the fight for the first licks of the salt. That’s when the real stress started and had to try and identify a cow bison out of the herd. I can hear the other hunting trying to figure out which one to shoot and I was doing the same. Boom they take a shot and the herd scatters. son jumps out of there blind and says well he shot let’s go look for blood. As he was doing that I decided to Pursue the herd and I went around a clump of aspen and they’re were standing there 80 to 100yards away. I dropped to the prone position and put my crosshairs on the first bison I see. She was starring right at me facing me for what seemed like an eternity. She then turned broadside and one shot dropped her in her tracks. I guess the east side of unit was calling to me because that’s were I made it happen. Turns out the wounded warrior missed his shot and didn’t get a bison down. The wounded warrior and his son stayed with me after my harvest and helped me break down the animal. I couldn’t tell them enough how much I appreciated that and if they were not there I would be having one heck of a time getting it done. I gutted her and flew back to camp to get my saw and my dad to help out. The whole time the other hunters stayed to watch over my bison tell I got back. We finished the bison and his son help me load everything into truck and I was back to camp. Long drive back to gilbert to get meat taken care off and hide and head to taxidermy. all in all I had an amazing time from start to finish and I met some great people along the way that were very helping in every way I could imagine. I am very grateful for being able to harvest a bison and share the memories with others. Catfishkev without your help I am pretty sure it would of never happened and I thank you. hope you all enjoy the long read! And catfishkev and idgaf thank you both again. trail cam pics are location I harvested my bison plus I threw in a nice deer! All cam pics are from catfishkevs cams that I was lucky enough to be able to share with him

Thanks to the Arizona deer association for hosting a great camp. Met a lot of cool people up there. Opening day was windy and cold. I froze in our tent the night before, it was miserable. We were cold, tired, etc. saw nothing. next day the bulls were fired up. We got in on them early, but my son missed a 60 yard shoot. He shot 5 feet over its back. that afternoon we were gonna sit water, but they started screaming again. We left the water and chased them down. Son made a great shot, drilled her and she dropped. Crazy packout. We drug her to the highway, which wasn’t too far, then hiked back to the 4 wheeler and then drove back to the truck. We drove the truck up to the highway and then loaded her up, traffic and all. headed back to the ada camp for a steak dinner.

Daughter got drawn along with her school mate/life long friend for JR deer in unit 33. The hunt started at the end of their school fall break so we only had Fri, Sat and Sun to try and fill tags. Both being freshman in high school was going to be an act of god to have them miss any school, (I was the complete opposite). I signed them up to participate in the JR deer camp put on by AMDO being held at the Triangle Y camp, but we weren’t going to make it until Saturday midday because we had our sites set on hunting the front side of Mt Lemmon Friday. Base camp was in Bigelow but we hunted Molino Basin opening day. Got on a couple of bucks but couldn’t seal the deal, drove down the backside from the top on the control road that evening and spotted more bucks but lost them closing the 800yd stock. Woke up at 4:30 Saturday morning, broke camp and parked at Prison Camp for an early hunt prior to going to the JR Camp. Got hillside at 6:45 and buck was down at 6:55. Dropped deer off at WGP and made it to the JR camp by lunch time. Unfortunately we couldn’t get her friends tag filled but she had a blast and the jr deer camp was top notch fun, all kids won raffle prizes some (not ours) even went home with new guns. And the JRs were slaying really nice bucks. I got two more JR tags in late Nov, hopefully a trifecta!!!!

Thomas was able to take his 3rd cow in as many years on opening morning. We were able to spot a group of elk within just a few minutes of glassing about 800 yards away. After closing the distance to 333 yards, crawling the last 10 yards, we were able to get into a shooting position. We couldn't lay prone or use a pack. Our only option was to take a standing shot because we were in some thick Manzanita. We set up the 6.5 Creedmore on a tripod using a triclaps and shooting sticks to get rock solid. Boom cow down at 7am opening morning. Big thanks to Thomas's uncle Adam aka BigBrowns for helping out with this hunt. Very blessed to have some great hunting buddies.

Bill did a roof for me (including some plywood and facia replacement) in Tempe. Quite reasonably priced and excellent worksmanship!

Didnt know ford started making SXS lol jk.

Sucks, but probably not much worse than any general elk opener. At least they weren't shooting at the elk too. They were probably in a more concentrated area, you should try a different area in the unit.

Why is it we as hunters think anyone else should schedule their events around hunting season. With some type of hunt going on almost year round it would be virtually impossible. It is PUBLIC land....Hunters have no more claim to a timeline then anyone else does....Hunt weekdays you don’t have to deal with the weekenders.....

ARIZONA'S ELK Copyright by Tony Mandile Ask any Arizona big-game hunter what permit they covet the most, and the majority would likely say they would sacrifice their first-born to draw a chance to chase elk. They have good reason too. Over the last few years, the Grand Canyon State has been a premier producer of elk, both for quantity and quality. A few years ago, the success figures for the state's hunters outranked all the others in the west that offer elk hunting. Also, many of the bulls taken have scored high in the various record books. The elk population in Arizona is currently at an all-time high since modern management began. The Arizona Game and Fish Department estimates the number to be between 20 and 30,000 right now. This is mostly due to a few years where the rainfall was above average, keeping the wapiti's home range in prime condition. Yet, the elk herd hasn't always been in such great shape. In fact, at the turn of the century, elk in Arizona were extinct. The native elk that inhabited the state was known as the Merriam's elk. Large herds, often numbering in the hundreds, gathered in the cienega's to feed on lush grasses. In early fall the distinct, high-pitched bugle of the majestic wapiti pierced the quiet of frosty mornings, issuing a challenge to other bulls who dare trespass on his harem. Unfortunately, a drastic change took place, and the Merriam's elk disappeared. Records indicate the last sightings occurred in the late 1890s and early 1900s. No one has been able to pinpoint the exact reasons why the Merriam's became extinct. Yet historians have long held to the theory that indiscriminate hunting over many years might have been the major cause of the animal's demise. The historians readily point fingers at the miners, soldiers and settlers. In their quest for survival, they considered the elk as a bare necessity to provide food and clothing. Naturally, the elk's size and superior meat made it a favorite target for the meat hunters. The soldiers at a few of the military outposts subsisted solely on elk for their fresh meat. The hides, frequently sold and traded, produced tough, long-lasting leather for shirts, jackets and britches. Although they were worthless for anything other than trinkets or curiosities, the canine teeth from bulls quickly became collector's items. The historians claim the canine teeth led to a fad that accounted for the slaughter of thousands of elk. The resurgence of the elk herd in Arizona was not accidental, nor was it a natural occurrence. The slow, bountiful turn-around happened because of the concern of people who missed the shrill calls of big bulls on crisp mornings. Members of the Winslow B.P.O.E (ELk) Club obtained 86 elk in 1913 from Yellowstone National Park, one of the few places in the country where the elk still flourished then. They transported the animals to Arizona by train, which at the time was probably not an easy chore. The Mogollon Rim had been the Merriam's elk prime habitat before its demise. Consequently, the area on the Rim near Chevelon Canyon became the site for the initial release. More Yellowstone elk supplemented the original 86 on the Rim over the years. In addition, elk were planted in areas near Clifton, Cutter, Kingman, Williams and Alpine. Even Mt. Graham near Safford received a small number, but the animals never took hold there. In 1913, moving big-game animals was not common practice but a novel and chancy undertaking. Today, this type of game management is very common and has become one of the key tools of wildlife managers throughout the country. Arizona's first regulated elk hunt was held in 1935. By then the various herds in the state had found a niche and were multiplying at a respectable rate. Of the 276 who hunted that year, 145 killed elk. The annual hunts started in 1950, when more than 4,000 hunters harvested 1,500 bulls and cows. Then came the 80s and the boomer years. A record harvest that led the western states in success percentage took place in 1985 when the 7,000 permit holders killed a little over 3,500 elk and produced a success rate of 52 percent. In most states, 25 to 40 is considered good. I first hunted elk in the early 1960s in Unit 1. My grandfather was still hunting then, so we both drew permits. I hadn't been in Arizona very long and knew little about the area. Luckily, a friend who had hunted there before invited us to tag along with him. Four days of hard hunting eventually yielded me a small 5x5 bull. My grandfather shot a spike that had two-foot long antlers. The most interesting thing about the whole hunt, though, was a humorous incident with my friend Bill. After three days of hunting, he decided it was time to clean up. He climbed into his camper that afternoon, stripped to his birthday suit and gave himself a sponge bath. As a bonus, he shaved his four-day-old beard and doused himself him with deodorant and after-shave lotion. A few of Bill's other friends had come along on the hunt, too. As they watched him go through his ritual, they couldn't resist needling him. Their comments included the usual, "An elk will never come within a mile of you. You smell like a ladies' temperance meeting in a church," and a myriad of other jibs and jabs. That evening, about an hour before dark, Bill walked a few hundred yards along an old logging trail, sat down with his back against a stump and 15 minutes later shot a magnificent 6 x 6 bull. As if trained, the trophy fell in the middle of the road, where it was an easy task to load the bull and bring it to camp for skinning. Of course, those who ribbed him about his odorous elk lure turned amazingly silent. Back then, getting drawn for a permit was fairly easy. If I remember well, I had four or five permits during the 60s and early 70s. Unfortunately, I can't recall when the computer last smiled upon me; it's been a long time and more than a decade ago. Among hunters, Arizona already has the reputation as THE place to go for a trophy. The state has produced dozens of bulls that have scored 375 or more Boone and Crockett points and a couple that went over 400 points. These are EXCEPTIONAL trophies. People unfamiliar with Arizona often ask me how a state that is mostly desert can put out impressive elk trophies. After I explain about our acres and acres of big forests and tall mountains, I usually go into the reason for the preponderance of big bulls. A prime contributor is the limited permit system. Like it or not, a well-regulated harvest by limiting hunters and where they hunt has gone a long way to provide the good success now enjoyed on many of our big-game animals. In fact, if we look at the only one not under a limited permit system --- the wild turkey --- we will find it is the only one in trouble. Yes, the spring hunt is limited, but during the fall hunt, both sexes are legal and anyone who wants to hunt can do so by simply buying a tag. Another reason our elk grow big is the terrain and climate. The elk spend much of their time in the timber at the higher elevations. When the winter snows hit, however, they usually can find lower habitat nearby that provides them with cover and food to make it through the winter. This alone greatly reduces natural mortality and results in more mature animals. Surely, the fact we get less severe winter weather than most of the states with elk populations helps, as well. Ironically, the burgeoning elk population has also caused some problems --- at least if you listen to the ranchers in the northeast section of the state. They claim the elk are causing extensive damage on THEIR land by eating their hay and knocking down fences. Right now, in fact, the cattle growers, sportsmen and the game department are haggling over compensation the ranchers are seeking for the damages. Some want payment, while others would like to have landowner's permits issued to them. This way, they can sell the permits to the highest bidders. A similar plan has been in place in New Mexico for a while. Usually some outfitter buys the permits from the rancher, then charges a couple of thousand dollars for a hunt. Personally, I would rather see the state pay the ranchers a set amount of money for the damage each year. I also would like to see the federal government increase the grazing fee to the ranchers for the damage cattle do to the elk habitat. Unquestionably, one of the top elk hunting places in the entire country is the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. Sadly, it is also the most expensive. For about $12,000, the tribe will almost guarantee a trophy. They kill nothing but 6 x 6 bulls or better and only take 40 to 50 hunters per year. The price includes lodging, food, guide, license and transportation. And believe it or not, the waiting list of hunters willing to part with that much money is long enough to fill the next three years. With the proper management, Arizona's excellent elk hunting should continue for many years to come. -----30----

Recent mountain goat finished up. This is a November Alaska goat, hence the long hair. Clay Roberts of Big Wild Outfitters has a great area for these winter goats. View the full article

Anyone have a camp heading up for the youth hunt in 3c ? We are going up Tuesday for the general cow hunt that follows, If anyone needs anything hit me up. I'll have mules in camp and just scouting a little before Friday. Good luck

Apparently he did he asked/insinuated others to email them in case you didnt read it. if someone thinks there hunt was ruined because of people on the road, they should not be hunting public land. Maybe needle point or video games might be a good alternative. Dad needs to stay in the kitchen were he belongs. as far as this Maybe they should start. that way we wont have as many Susans and pussified kids and adults in our future. Nothing worse than some carpet Beatles Dad crying about how unfair his sons hunt was because of others.

Very true! At least they weren’t driving around like kids in a frat house while holding tags! They just drove around. Tomorrow should be good for your hunt. I’m sure the elk are used to, and know when weekends are.

I don't see anything wrong with this person writing the atv group and requesting them to consider the youth hunting schedule in the future and sharing this here for others with perhaps the same sentiment. They didn't come here and complain or start a protest. It sounds like they handled it politely and professionally and if you disagree then don't follow their lead. Simple as that to me. No reason to light them up. Lots of elk habitat close to or inbetween roads and with first time or inexperienced hunters adding extra commotion and that can easily hurt the experience, especially if not planned. Not everyone packs in 10 miles with their 10 year old and packs out an elk like Del must.

Sucks, but its public land! If you really want to stay away from crowed roads start your hunt on a monday. Everybody is heading home. Friday and Saturdays are the busiest hunting days on opening weekend. Plus all the other outdoors people in every shape and size

i just drive a sxs that nobody wants.

Lets hear more about "excellent " condition. Missing eyecups, inside cover on the bridge, lenses look like they were cleaned with a piece of sandpaper.

I have to send out a special THANK YOU to Explorer! We had been hunting for a few days on the youth hunt and having a hard time finding a buck. We were hiking the hills hard, glassing, and seeing a few does here and there, but struggling in an a hunt area that we were very unfamiliar with. We went to town for gas and I happened to take a look a the Coueswhitetail.com youth posts and saw Explorer's post. He mentioned contacting him if we were having a tough time, so I did. Wow! I can't tell you how glad we were to hear from him. He told us to try out an area where he saw quite a few deer. Our hunt went from famon to feast in one afternoon! Thanks Explorer for helping us out on this hunt. My boy turns 12 today and we couldn't ask for a better birthday present! Thanks Coueswhitetail.com for providing a platform for hunters to help each other out!

We had a good day considering we are not real duck hunters. We got 9 ducks and 2 geese. Took a lot of walking and a lot of paddling the canoe, but it was fun how did everyone else do?

It was a TOUGH hunt where I was at in 6A......almost no bugling the entire hunt. The first week, I found 4 mature bulls feeding together down low and not a cow in sight! I knew it was going to be tough. After several passes on smaller bulls throughout the hunt, I finally got lucky and sneaked in on this bull while he was raking a tree. He was all alone and only bugled twice after daybreak. Pure luck I was able to come across him in the rain. One arrow at 36 yards did the trick...he was down in 25 yards after a bugle stopped him once he was hit. I feel very fortunate to have this bull on the last day!

I put in for over 38 years and had max bonus points for the 2018 sheep draw and got tag #2 in Unit 28 (south). My son-in-law, Dan Ott, and 26+ year hunting partner, Ed Soyring, accompanied me and the guides, Tyson Hatch and Matt Holcomb of Double H Outfitters. We decided to wait till Monday, Dec 3rd to start hunting to avoid some foul weather and any conflicts with the other hunter in the unit who had been waiting for 51 years for tag #1. Congrats to Craig (and Matt) on his terrific sheep, which scored 189". We saw lots of sheep on the first day and tried a stalk but two big rams got into it and ran off before we were in position. The second day was more discouraging with fewer sheep sighted and the big one from the day before just walking off out of the area. Third day was the charm. High winds kept a herd of 7 rams and 1 ewe pinned down below some cliffs. Three different stalks finally culminated in a 176 yard shot on a very nice ram. Pack-out was easy. He green scored by G&F at 172-1/8” and 6 -7 years old. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ; and, also, to Chris, Matt, Tyson, Ed and Dan.

You will indeed need to change that name! I do believe yours is #1 this year: unit 28, 189-6/8" gross, 189-3/8" net

This is kind of a late post but better late than never right?.... Last September(2017) I was able to hunt two days for myself. I had decided that I was going to sit water in search of my first coues with a bow. I invited my buddy along to sit with me that way we could take turns napping and not miss anything. Since I had located the spot and created the set up I told my buddy Kyle that he could take any of the smaller bucks that come in and I would only target the big boy, since Kyle was in search for his first big game animal in general he was in on the deal. Day 1 When I first arrived the first morning I could hunt I noticed my camera had been stolen. I was so worried that the thief had not only stolen my camera but ruined my spot as well. The first morning was very slow and VERY COLD!!! It was an overcast rainy morning and the sun did not shine onto the blind until 1 o'clock or so. Needless to say we were way underprepared! However around 2:30 a spike had magically appeared out of the foliage and was drinking at the water. Kyle was quick on the spot and even quicker to get his bow in his hand. We had previously ranged the other side of the tank at 50 and Kyle waited for his shot and let her rip....low. Dangit! The buck is still standing there and presents him another shot at 60. Kyle re-drew his bow took his time on the second shot and the arrow flew true.... however the little buck was on edge and did a full 360 before the arrow even cleared the tank. Darn another miss and the buck took off, however now I am confident that this water was still being used, and not just by deer because about 30 minutes after the spike a very large bear decided it wanted to take a drink as well. Day 2 Kyle and I had only gotten about two hours of sleep in between day 1 and day 2 because it was about a 3 mile hike in and out of the spot and an hour and a half drive from home. Due to our lack of sleep we got out late on day two. The sun was up well before we got to our blind but the best deer activity was mid day anyway. Again the morning was slow, so Kyle decided it was his turn for a nap. Meanwhile I was thinkin are you crazy this is prime time! At about 10:30 I was farting around on my phone while Kyle was snorin away when all of a sudden I heard sneeze and not a human sneeze. I look up to my right and there's a buck on his way with two does following right behind him. I quickly wake kyle up and ask him if he wants to shoot the buck (meanwhile I have no idea the size of him because I only saw profile view of his weaker side. The buck was behind a juniper while Kyle was still wiping the drool off his mouth and when it stepped out and gave me a good view I realized that it was a better buck and decided I was gonna take him (good thing because Kyle was not ready haha). I swiftly drew my bow put my 20 pin on its mark and let it fly. My arrow smacked the buck square in the shoulder and knocked him to the ground, he got up walked up the ridge slowly and disappeared over the top. Alright!!! The Chase isn't over... Kyle and I waited 45 minutes before we even got out of the blind to retrieve my arrow. Once we got to the site of the shot our attitudes really started to change. We had thought there was gonna be a dead buck just over the ridge but the evidence from the arrow and the blood was proving different. The arrow was only covered half way up the shaft and was broken in half however both pieces were still there??? I had no idea what had happened I knew I hit him in the shoulder but passed through so where was all my blood??? (Later I would find my first shot just passed through one shoulder and his briscuit but missed all vitals). We proceeded on the blood trail with extreme caution, one drop at a time expecting the buck to leap out of the scrub oak at any moment. After another 2 hours of slowly tracking we followed the trail to the bottom of a canyon where there was a thick patch of Gambel Oaks. I told kyle he's either in there dead or alive but hes in there. We started creeping towards the oaks when I heard a cough come out of the oaks. Then I could see grey patches slowly crawling through the overgrown draw. I quickly ranged a lone juniper across the draw at 70 yards and told Kyle when he steps out i'm gonna shoot him again. Kyle didn't miss a beat and whipped out his phone to video the shot. The buck stepped out just a little lower than the juniper I had ranged so I put him in between my 60 and my 70 and made the most confident shot on an animal I have ever made. My arrow hit directly on its mark as the buck blew from jumping my string and he took off only to disappear again. Unsure yet again of how the second shot was we let the buck rest for another hour and a half when a monsoon started to roll in. It was time to go fetch him. Kyle stayed behind to keep eyes for him to jump up and bugger out as I crept in. The blood was a lot stronger after the second shot and roughly 100 yards after the second hit I could see my buck laying in the bottom of a wash tipped over. Tears started to burst out of my eyes as I called Kyle over, I realized I had just harvested my first coues deer with a bow and the 75-80 inch buck I first thought I shot was actually a 100+ inch deer laying right in front of me! What a day it was and one heck of a packout! I can't thank Kyle enough for all of his help and sharing the experience with me. Its his turn next! VIDEO of the shot <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M7W9oUowEzU?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Here are the pictures of Jesse Burk's Antlers!!