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It’s a riot but one thing I will advise for those applying is get in shape…..not this 5 day cardio nonsense but push heavy weight especially legs and back. I hauled 7 loads off that mountain between 9,600 ft and 11,100 last year. As far as elk numbers it is very similar to hunting Colorado backcountry early season. All of it looks great but elk are concentrated in pockets. Locate those pockets and you are money. Use downward thermals in AM and upward late morning-midday to your advantage….never compromise scent control/wind direction to chase a bugle. We hunt all day. When thermals switch we get to edges of dark timber where we know our scent is blowing into an area devoid of elk and wait for the right situation to go after a bull. it is thick so when you hear a bull most the time you are close. They do not prefer to come down to a call so get on the same elevation line before you sweet talk him in. I hope this information is helpful with the draw. I would offer to help this year but will be doing a DIY float moose hunting Alaska most of September. Good luck!

Love that hunt…killed 4 bulls in 5 days last year on early archery. I called in 9 different bulls in one day. And my boy killed 362” bull year prior. I love it primarily because most hunters are not willing to put the work in to be successful and we never hardly see a soul.That hunt definitely favors guys who put the work in at the gym ahead of season.

Don't you just love it when people have nothing better to do with their lives than to crap on other people's posts?

Beautiful AKC yellow lab puppies. 4 males left. They are 8 weeks old and have received their 2nd shots. Healthy, confident pups that have been well socialized. $800 for full AKC registration. We're located in Mesa, AZ. Call or text 480-363-8992

Old buck. Teeth were worn down almost to the gums. Patience paid off. Past on 5 other bucks before he came to the scrape I was sitting on. Not my best buck to dated but I thought you might enjoy seeing him.

Punched my tag on a good buck a couple of days ago, just thought I'd share a picture since it's so slow these days...

The 7E hunts are hard. Especially the peaks and late hunts. For peaks you better be in shape of have some horses I think.

Drew an early rifle tag this year! Had written and tried to post but it kept fighting me trying to post pics. My first rifle kill. Only my 2nd elk tag. My brother in law Scott and my wife came up to help me. Went to a spot we know on opening day. Bulls beat us there. We tried to follow but they can cover a lot of ground when just walking. Hit another spot on the backside of the hill. Heard some bugles going away and getting distant. Back to camp for lunch and then took a drive to check out some canyons and possibly glass some. No luck glassing up any bulls. Decided to just chase bugles. That afternoon we went to a spot hoping to hear some bugles. None heard. Got lost on the way back to the truck. I had forgotten my gps in the truck and google map sucks butt. Sent a pin to a buddy and he was trying to help out. Then a couple dudes out getting wood stopped. “You see a white F250?” They laugh and said yes. Gave us a beer and a ride! They were young dudes, I was thankful for the ride and being handed a beer that wasn’t bud light 🙃 Back to camp in bed around 11:30. Saturday woke up a bit late. Bulls were on the mountain already. Bugle up a different bull. They moved thru a draw below about 137yds. Nice 6x6. We passed and moved on. Been windy both days. My wife felt ill with altitude like sickness. She tried to stick it out but had to run her home Saturday evening. In bed after 11 again. Scott said some chick was coming up Thought he was kidding. Got to camp and there was a Nissan Sentra!!?? How the heck she drove in there without tearing off and oil pan or something?! I get up a bit late don’t wake Scott. Coffee, heat up the burritos and boogie. Back to where we seen the 6x6 because I lost my cow elk call. Took 15 minutes and finally found it. Walk down in the draw a bit and sit to listen for bugles. Blow my bugler(Phelps easy metal bugler awesome call for people that can’t use mouth reeds), a cow comes from my left moving down towards the draw we spotted them in before. A couple minutes later another. A few minutes and another. Then nothing. I decided to move down around a little finger where they came from. Catch a glimpse of elk color in the shadows to my left. Like under 60 yds but can’t see antlers. 15 minute stand off. Even through the scope I still can’t see. He’s feeding and I move to my left. He turns but still can’t see antlers. A minute goes by and he puts it in overdrive and I see a giant bull running away…gone. Sickening! Hit up another spot where I killed my first bull Walking in I heard a bugle but sounds far. I quickly move towards it. Slow down and scan the forest. Spot a cow, then a few more at like 40 yds. It’s really windy. He bugles then beds down. 6x6 with a broken #2 on the right side. I back out and head to camp. No more encounters that day. A cold front was supposed to hit on Monday with a high of 62 deg. And moderate winds. I had rented a room for a couple days for my wife and I. Left Scott with his skank after dinner and said I’ll see ya in the morning. She was supposed to be leaving in early am. Showed up to camp she was leaving. Scott had coffee ready and we headed out. With the full moon the elk were up on the mountain early every morning. Today there are a few bulls bugling we drive to a spot to cut them off. Hiking up the mountain we bump a heard and they spook. Make a big loop following. The bugles were strong this morning! Back to the truck as the bugles are really faint. Drive a couple miles to the west. Head into the hills chasing bugles. After a mile or so we get into some. Wind is swirling changing directions. I thought for sure they would bust but the kept doing there thing. We flanked them seeing several small bulls and a herd bull. Never get a great look at him. It seemed as a few small herds joined because there were a lot of elk running around! We flanked them for a long time bumping them occasionally but not spooking them. They bed down 40-50 yds from us. We sit and wait. Herd bull bugling like crazy from his bed. Across the draw up on a ridge another bull starts screaming! Bugling and chuckling! He sounds big! The other bull is bugling back but gets up and takes his herd with him. We follow. We get to the road and the elk were way in front of us. Still bugling! I am getting discouraged and not thinking we can catch up. I am sore, tired and everything hurts! I tell Scott we’re not catching them, we blew it. He ignores me and pushes on! I follow begrudgingly. Bump a muley doe. Spot a spike! A little boost for my mind. We get to a little hill with a good saddle and the bull we followed was just over the hill still bugling! It’s just after noon. We been on them since 9 or so. Scott says shooter bull! I see 2 bulls! I look at one bull and don’t think it is. “Dude that’s a shooter all day!” The other bull was shreading a tree and started walking towards the other bull! I thought they were going to fight, but he slowly walks by him. I look through the scope and see how long he is with an extra on the left side! I had forgotten my shooting sticks in the truck rushing to go after the bugles! He stopped broadside! I was afraid to move! Thinking I will blow it! I decided to shoot offhand! Put the gun to my shoulder, put the cross hairs on his shoulder. Take up the slack on my trigger, let out a long breath and boom! He flinches, but starts slowly walking. Scott says “you hit ‘em”. I put the cross hairs again on his shoulder. Heart rate is out of control! Rush the shot and hit his stomach! Rack another quickly as he is still walking slowly! This time tried not to rush, good breath squeezed and boom he was down! Having doubts he was as big as I thought! Gave him a couple minutes and walked over to him. I could not believe he was as big as he was! It was like a dream! Somewhere along our expedition I took my game bags out of my pack for god only knows why??!! Quarter him up andwe pack out 2 quarters and the head. Haul but back to camp grab extra bags and pillowcases lol. Found a closer road and the last part wasn’t too bad. Really surpassed my expectations! I was not really hunting a number but wanted a mature bull. 372 1/8 Sorry for sideways pics james

***Sold*** Hi all, I purchased an Sig Cross during a Black Friday sale last November but have decided to go a different route and building off a tikka instead. Looking to sell this sig cross that is still new in the box. It has not been fired or even had a scope mounted. It’s the First Lite cipher camo pattern chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor with an 18” Barrel and folding stock. These typically sell for $1800. Will include 2 boxes of 140 gr 6.5 Creedmoor ammo as well worth $50. Not looking for trades as I will be putting proceeds towards the tikka build. I can be reached at 602-743- two two, five five. Text is preferred. Thank you!

Up for grabs, Franchi Affinity 3 20ga 3” chamber as new, comes with chokes and wrench, includes extended turkey choke. this has not been shot hardly at all! I put maybe 10rounds through it. $650

I have a Tikka T3X action/factory barrel laying around that I don’t have a use for. Magnum bolt face, chambered in 300 win mag. Anarchy outdoors swept bolt handle and 1” titanium sphere knob. Muzzle is threaded 1/2x28. Approximate round count is 189 on this combo. $600 located in Tucson.

257 Weatherby Magnum with a Trijicon 5x20x50 scope $700. Great Coues deer gun!! I’m not a long range shooter and I took a deer at 650 yards with this rifle. The scope has a mildot reticle and is in great shape. The gun stock has a few minor scratches but is in very good shape. I have shot fewer than 200 rounds through this gun. If interested text Dave 480-849-0609

I am off Lindsay and Baseline in Gilbert. I can share some. Ours are really good for juicing. We have 2 trees.

I have a small grove in Mesa near the Mesa Cemetery. You are welcome to come pick some as a member of this forum, for free. PM me and I'll give you my phone number.

Bought scope last year and only used a couple times - at the range and a few times out of the pack on a deer hunt. It is in new condition - not a mark on it. Has always been in the Outdoor Vision stay-on case, which is also included. Let me know if any questions. $2350. Will ship with Venmo or Zelle payment. I'm in Tucson.

Gotta be a few rams in there

Eagletails https://www.blm.gov/visit/eagletail-mountains-wilderness

Story is short and simple. Had a tough hunt, punched my 2023 tag on the last day on a smaller buck, jacked my ankle pretty bad packing it out. Unfortunate, because I had a Javelina tag and a 2024 tag. Fortunately after a few days of rest at camp I was able to get a brace on it and limp around killing my javelina. By the last few days I was able to navigate a little on the hillsides, so I got after the coues again. Encountered this buck the day before I killed him, bumped him with does and really couldn't pursue him where he went. Returned the next day, turned him up around some does, slipped in and had him walk to 12 yards behind a doe. Could only see his head and we were in a standoff. The doe eventually blew, the buck bolted but curled back to look for the doe. Stopped at 27 for a brief moment and I arrowed him....

Um, by the above clue, I’d say emu……

Black-tailed jackrabbit stew, cooked in a Instant Pot: Opportunity knocked and he hit it in the eye with his .308 bolt action.

Bobcat I took this weekend.Didn't call it. Spotted it in the open while out looking for a place to make a stand. Shot it at 187 yards. Would have preferred to call it in but couldn't pass up the opportunity. Spotted it from the location in the second picture. Second one I've taken this year. The first one was called in.

I paid $55/lb plus tax last time I found H1000 on the shelf a few months ago so you aren't being out of line.

I'm glad you found it at a good price, I only know what I paid it and again if someone out there needs it here it is, if not it'll go my shelf till someone does.

Probably some of my favorite hunting! Cole got me out this morning and this coyote couldn’t resist!!!