Leaderboard

On the fourth day trying to get on a herd of bachelor bucks, my daughter, Hunter was able to connect on a good desert muley in south east Arizona. Her buck grossed right at 150”.

In your original post you said you weren’t able to find any elk on your scouting trip but Kenny is pointing out that you did find one.

Yesterday may have been my best day elk hunting ever and I did not fire a shot. If you guys are use to me posting pics of stuff that isnt seen very often this is the post for you. Over 60+ branch antlered bulls seen. a group with 36 bulls and bugling like it was the peak of the rut. It started off with a late start but not horribly, I look off to the open field to my right and see four branched bulls. I roll pass them by a few hundred yards get my bow and look to the other side of the road and 113 yards away are two more branched bulls. I try to walk up to them, but they werent having it and take off. second group on the skyline I go back after the first group and they high tail it across the plains like a cheetah was after them. I follow thinking they will stop eventually, taking only my bow and camera thinking I would be going for only a bit. I get to an overlook (hard breath taking hike) I see the two bulls above, but cant find the original four bulls. I look to my left and I think I see a herd of cow elk and at the distance I was at I thought the first four joined the cows (seeing some with antlers). I put my glasses up and I see they are all bulls, so I start wondering where did the first four bulls go. I find them and then I am in interesting juxtaposition. I have 20+ bulls in three different directions, which ones do I go after. after some debate, I decide on the ones with the most and best wind. The herd to my left a little after I first saw them I make a surprisingly hard climb to get to where I think they are going to bed and I look over and in the distance 20+ more bulls. Its like Bulltopia. Bulls as far as the eye can see. These bulls are to my left and have me pinned. They are making a racket with there sparring. Enter Elliot the Elk. I'm staying put taking pics and figuring out where they are headed. I see a smaller 5x6 headed my way. and few 320-330 class bulls just in front of him. a few bulls disappear and I dont really notice where they went. I think they are headed to the main herd but I was wrong. Elliot one of the bulls that disappeared headed right towards me. I have him 60 facing me and he has no idea Im there. I need him to drop to 45 for me feel comfortable with a straight forward shot. I drop to my knees and wait, snapping a couple of pics and grabbing an arrow. As I wait, elliot steps between me and my intended target. Flashback to my strip hunt. I am absolutely not shooting until elliot is clear. after a five or ten minute standoff, the tingling in my right leg is getting extreme. Elliot knows something is not right, he is about 40 yards from me and his warning bark rattles my cellulite. I dont move. he twitches his head and I think I can readjust my now numb leg. He startles, scares the bull I want to shoot and the little guy behind. He circles around and stops at 50, I pull back out of anger and was going to take elliot but change my mind at the last moment. there is nothing like the sound of 36 bull elk stampeding. I watch the direction they go and decided to go after them after lunch. On my way back I remember I left 6 bulls on the south side of the hill. Just then I hear the primal scream of a couple bulls sounding off. I figure 'well I am already here.' and go after them. They sound off every few minutes I get close than I see antlers and about 50 cows. Stampede 2 for the day. I follow and get close enough to go into stealth mode. one of the bulls from the herd with cows. there were about ten branch bulls total with the group. I end up about four miles from the truck, no water. I leave looking at bulls across the field. Great Morning. the afternoon I park 1.25 miles from where I think the bulls went. after some classing I find a couple. I make nearly a great stalk but the bulls moved to the opposite side of the bedding area and I blow five more bulls out of the country. I sit on tree stump have a drink and enjoy the view. I put my camera next to me before I walk back. I leave and .25 miles from that I remember I left my camera at that spot. I drop my pack and bow and jog back to get it. as I am on my way back I see this. Murphys law biting me in my butt. They play tag with me until I get to my bow then the wind shifts and it's bye felicia headed out again in a few minutes. Than two painful days in phoenix so my boss can see me at the office and Ill be back at. GREAT DAY

Well, had a really tough hunt this year. Turns out I wasn't the only one that knew about my target bucks. After dealing with people shelling off artillery rounds at the bucks from over 1000 yards every morning i decided to back out of the area for a couple of days and let the pressure die down. I snuck back into my perch on Tuesday evening and was able to knock this buck down. He was about my "plan D" buck but I'm happy with him. I've always wanted a big two-point and i think this one qualifies. He's a really old troll of a deer and was the dominant buck in the area. A good one to get out of the gene pool. Sorry for the disgusting decapitation photos. He was a long ways from a road and didn't get to him until well after dark. The field photos were terrible.

Well since hunters seem divided on the issue as does the game and fish commissioner and officers I'd say it needs to be addressed in the regs. It's amazing how many people told me baiting was illegal back when it was still completely legal!

Used to stop off at the old Sunflower Gas station/ / cafe and sit at the counter and have a couple beers in the late 70's before it burnt down. Good ole place...........BOB!

AZ513, That is awesome that you helped the hunter find the bull. That was a super tough hunt. I bet he was happy as heck. We killed two great bulls on that hunt. It was rough in 10. Not sure what azbirdhunter was asking either.

Most guys here buy their tapes from A3 I think. Only scores here I trust are stickflikr and bohuntr. Any score from a horn tooting outfitter tramp stamper is meaningless regardless what year it is.

My BIL got this goat in Wyoming. Couldn't get the video to download. IMG_1149.mov

Newsflash, if you get an animal scored by 2 out of the 3 clubs that do scoring, deductions are part of that score. Get over it! Besides he never specified which scoring method or SCI specifically. Not sure what your beef is with me or this topic in general. Other people on here mentioned deductions and I don't see you harrassing them. Besides, you are late to the party. This thread is almost 2 months old, resurfacing for some unknown reason. The funny thing is, I tend to agree with you that a gross score is more meaningful, but thats not how 2 of the major clubs do things. Again, I don't make the rules, nor have I ever had any if my animals measured. Can we just agree to disagree and move on?

Productive Morning. I'll get for serious this afternoon and weekend. Headed to a place this morning where I left the large bull in an open field the night before season. He's back and has nine friends. I know where I will be this evening. the first "little guy" I see. Apologies for the quality of the pics, it was right at first light. The group of nine bulls. The big guy is in the trees going to bedding area. Where they went and where I will be going this afternoon

My Girlfriend Ashley got it done in a big way this past Friday and knocked down a monster first Coues Deer! It was our only full day to get out and hunt together so we decided to roll the dice on a special buck that i've had 3 years of history with. It all happened so fast and was/is surreal because everyone knows that 99.9% of the time the stars just don't line up for you. I still can't believe that we got him and I am very proud of the effort Ashley put into harvesting this beautiful creature. DAN

Beautiful deer! Congrats on your 2019 buck

Also have the big Kodiak tent, use buddy heater only while getting ready to go to sleep, or in the a.m. to warm tent up before getting out of sleeping bag. 2 things I did to improve the situation even more, was I cut a piece of carpet from lowes, the thin cheaper tan stuff, to fit the tent floor. Really makes it cozy inside, plus hated cold plastic on feet. To store it, fold in thirds long ways, then fold ends to center of length, then roll from one end as tight as you can. Secure with a cut piece of thick rope or boat dock line, and carry by that. Actually winds up smaller than tent in storage bag. The other is longer 12" stakes and aluminum large "fender" washers from finer Ace Hardware stores for anchoring the tent down. Hate those plastic hook things on cheaper stakes. Also get a old style shower curtain hook, that clips closed on itself, for keeping all the washers together in your stake bag.

First shot was about perfect. 3" back from the top corner of the white patch.

Not the G2 Buck I was after, but with only 1 day left I decided my passing days where over! Average buck for this farm.

I ran mine on a 16oz bottle the first time I used it and that bottle only lasted about 8 hours at most. A hose and big bottle is the way to go.

As stated above get a battery powered car on monoxide detector. A good one.

How did I miss this post till now?

im terrified of the sensors not working i would never run it all night. what we do if i got cold i would get up and turn it on till it breaks the chill turn it off then go back to bed

has anybody heard what that big velvet fokker taped yet? AZGFD is not known for keepin' secrets............ lee

Yup. Bet your bro is relieved that he'll save about $6,500. This is the complete readable version: 17-314. Illegally taking, wounding, killing or possessing wildlife; civil penalty; enforcement A. The commission may impose a civil penalty against any person for unlawfully taking, wounding, killing or possessing any of the following wildlife, or part thereof, to recover the following minimum sums: 1. For each turkey or javelina $ 500.00 2. For each bear, mountain lion, pronghorn (antelope) or deer $1,500.00 3. For each elk or eagle, other than endangered species $2,500.00 4. For each predatory, fur-bearing or nongame animal $ 250.00 5. For each small game or aquatic wildlife animal $ 50.00 6. For each bighorn sheep, bison (buffalo) or endangered species animal $8,000.00 B. The commission may bring a civil action in the name of this state to enforce the civil penalty. The civil penalty, or a verdict or judgment to enforce the civil penalty, shall not be less than the sum fixed in this section. The minimum sum that the commission may recover from a person pursuant to this section may be doubled for a second violation, verdict or judgment and tripled for a third violation, verdict or judgment. The action to enforce the civil penalty may be joined with an action for possession and recovery had for the possession as well as the civil penalty. C. The pendency or determination of an action to enforce the civil penalty or for payment of the civil penalty or a judgment, or the pendency or determination of a criminal prosecution for the same taking, wounding, killing or possession, is not a bar to the other, nor does either affect the right of seizure under any other provision of the laws relating to game and fish. D. All monies recovered pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the wildlife theft prevention fund established by section 17-315.

I was fortunate enough to take my biggest coues buck to date this last Saturday along side two of my very good buddies Patrick and Trey. I wanted to hunt a new area that I have always thought would hold a good buck or two. I’ve just been very hesitant to go up in there because the country is so rugged. Saturday started off early. Our alarms went off at 3:15 am and it was finally game time. I was very excited as this was my first coues Hunt since my last one in 2016. We started hiking at 4:30am and finally arrived to our glassing spot just before 6:15am. 45 minutes into glassing I found what looked like a deer. Sure enough it was a little buck. I was excited to see this deer cause up till then all we had seen is one doe. As I was looking at this little guy I noticed a deer in a shadow underneath him. I zoned in on this deer and he finally picked his head up and right away I knew he was a good buck. I quickly called Patrick and trey to head over to where I was at. Patrick and trey finally got to me and we busted out our big glass and started examine this buck. After about 10 minutes of looking I knew I wanted to kill this deer. He and his two buddies ended up bedding at about 8am. After coming up with a game plan, Patrick and I bailed off the mountain as trey stayed back to keep eyes on the deer. An hour or so later Patrick and I finally got to the spot where we thought we could get a shot. 5 minutes into glassing Patrick finds him bedded 515 yards away. We quickly set up the 28 nosler on a rock and I settle in. Boom! My first shot goes off. Patrick says “you hit high shoot again”. I rack another round on and try to find the buck again. I finally found him still laying there in the same spot. I settle in again.... BOOM! Patrick again says “dude you hit high again aim lower!” At this time the buck is standing and is aware something is not right. I’m startled because the scope is dialed into exactly what the dope sheet says and I’m laying prone as steady as can be. BOOM! I shoot again this time hitting low. At this point the buck is terrified and knows something is not right. He runs down the mountain 30 yards and I find him again. BOOM! WHACK!!! I could hear the billet finally connect. Patrick is telling me “you hit him you hit him!” Finally a sign of relief on my end. The buck runs down the mountain 200 yards where he finally expired in a patch of oak trees. Patrick and I load up our gear and call trey on the radio to tell him to head on over that we had got the buck. It took Patrick and I about 45 minutes to get across the canyon to my deer. I finally got to him and I was in disbelief that i had just killed this beautiful coues buck. Trey finally got to us about an hour or so later and we quickly took pics and then started on cutting the deer up to get off the mountain. We finally got back to camp where we met up with my dad. He was nice enough to drive all the way out to camp to bring up some steaks to celebrate my best coues yet. Special thanks to Patrick and Trey. I couldn’t have done it without you guys!!! Special thanks to my dad Steve for coming out and bringing us food! 🤣🤣. Hope you all enjoy the pics. Steven

Third deer from the back looks to be getting excited. ;) that's more than likely a deer drive lots of deer got wacked that way.

Newly translated in AZ I went out (Lake Pleasant) for opener; didn't see a single duck. Not to let that spoil a perfect day, I found this beautiful fox and knocked a few quail down.