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After being in Wyoming with my son Nash we returned home to spend the second half of fall break on my oldest son Hunter’s youth elk hunt. It was an exciting trip for me because it was the first time ever my Dad had joined my boys for a hunt. It was a lifetime of anticipation finally coming to fruition. We left on Thursday and stopped at the range to confirm zero on the rifle and backup rifle. From there we spent the rest of the day napping in our friends’ amazing “cabin” before heading out to scout for the afternoon. While we checked familiar spots the boys climbed some huge trees and took turns opening gates. Late in the afternoon we found a group of elk at the same tank where Hunter shot his elk last year. We watched for a few minutes before pulling out to leave them for morning. At this point we had been hunting / road-tripping for a week straight and I was starting to wear down. O’ dark thirty came early and I was struggling to rub the sleep from my eyes. We finally got on the road with at least a plan for the first few hours. I was feeling a little stressed as I didn’t feel like we had a solid backup plan of the elk weren’t where we left them. But a quick conversation with my dad reminded me that they were elk and it was early October. Somewhere we were bound to hear a bugle and give chase. As we got within a few hundred yards of where we planned to park we came over a hill to see 20 elk staring back at us from the middle of the road. I cruised on by trying not to excite them too much. When we were out of sight we parked and listened. We could hear the two bulls from the night before bugling in the opposite direction of the herd we had just seen on the road. We had a decision to make. Remembering the discussion from the night before I proposed we follow the bugles into the junipers. As we began our pursuit we circled to get the wind in our favor but that put a group of cattle between us and the bugling bull. We slipped in close enough to hear the bull raking his antlers in the junipers just ahead, but the cattle were getting nervous. Finally an angus and her two calves came around the tree we were hiding in and decided they had enough. They crashed through the trees directly in line with the elk. As they disappeared into the juniper the bull had been taking just moments before the thundering of hooves grew and I knew this gig was about up. I let out a few soft cow calls and we moved forward rapidly to try and get a look. As I rounded a juniper 8 cows were staring back in my direction. I froze and looked back to see hunter 10 yds behind me. I threw up the tripod with triclawps and urged him forward. Just as he leveled his rifle one cow started to break away. I hit a soft mew and she stopped broadside momentarily. Hunter didn’t hesitate and it was all over but the cutting. In a few short minutes my dad and Hunter’s brother Nash were standing with us in a big group hug. A lifetime of anticipation fulfilled. I want to add a special thank you to Kasey James. We don’t know him, but he donated his youth elk tag to OE4A providing this once in a lifetime opportunity for 3 generations of our family. It may not have been what some would call a premium tag (although my boys who didn’t draw with 4 BP might disagree) but it was a premium experience. I hope that my sons are learning that the value is in the experience not the score. We’ve had some pretty awesome adventures but I can’t think of any that topped this. What a week.

My son has killed a couple mule deer but this year he killed his 1st Coues. Due to his school schedule he wasnt able to scout with me. I scouted 3 different weekends and with it shaping up to be a tough hunt we decided to hunt this buck. I actually figured he was smaller than he is. We were both happy as we walked up to him. We started our hike at 2am and made it to where he was by 6:15. Shot shortly after. Good scouting and a good plan worked out perfectly. Made an absolute perfect shot in front right shoulder/heart at 380yards. Bonus Rams during scouting

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I did 10 miles today, not a single shed was found. Placed one cam. saw this guy

Eat as many deer as you have tags for. Those are beautiful.

Agreed! I’ve killed a lot of bucks and while these are definitely not toads, probably 95% of coues hunters wouldn’t let either one of these walk! But yeah in 33, a guy could hold out for better for sure!

Far from average imo from my WT experience. But I'm just a fishing dude.

Go behind the A.

No coues in 4b. That's just internet rumor. The real hunters know the mutant elk ate them all years ago.

I'd shoot those regardless of which hunt it was. Both good bucks.

I’d say IDGAF and send it!🤣 Oh heck yeah!!

Are hunting in Cambodia? Looks like a jungle

I don’t give a crap if it was a spike deer shed. Someone came into my camp and stole something that was mine. What the hells wrong with you? What a ridiculous thing to say.

I'm at 2970. I know I could push it more but I stopped for now with that group I got. My coal is 3.499 just barely fits in that mag. That 195 worked good on my antelope last month. So far I'm happy with it besides the mag. I also put a gen 3 little bastard brake on it.

It's a rush...I've called a few in..this one I glassed across a small canyon and called him right in. You can see the saliva dripping. Years ago I shot one in the chest with my .45 Kimber at 10-12 feet. Died in 20 seconds. Shot a lion with the same handgun at 6ft Coming out of a tree...Nothing quite like it that I've experienced..

Not a bad year, good rut but not very many big bulls. But managed a few and some decent pictures Sorry about all the screenshots, had a problem uploading the normal pics.

I looove bear hunting been a great year

I hate to say this, but I am seriously losing faith in humanity!! I can’t believe how low people go anymore. People have no morals & just don’t care about anything anymore. Sorry for your experience, it’s just not right!!

Leave it just like that. We don’t go down anymore than that. I’m a cerakote applicator in the west valley.

Well, we hiked 9 miles. Only saw a couple young bucks. I found 3 drop antlers and my brother in law scored on a giant bighorn ram dead head. We eliminated a lot of country and scratched an itch I’ve had for awhile. On to the next.

Watching porn doesn’t count

and thats why I recommend AZ adopts the restrictions on muzzle loaders that Co has in place. Ridiculous.

Can't you use a crossbow during rifle season?

Thanks guys it is always fun hunting with your family. Funny story is that he runs cross country and track and he talked a little smack about this ol man keeping up with him. Little did he know that I am still in decent backpacking shape and since I was splitting the load up I made sure to load him up a little heavier than I normally would.