MuggyMan

Tagged my first bull - a big bodied 6x4. Tough hunt and hope to have a full write up with pics in the next few days. I am thrilled with this bull, but in the moment decided he wasn't enough of a trophy for a full mount and decided to do a Euro mount and didn't cape him. Back in camp I got to thinking about it and thought I really am thrilled with this bull, and he has a lot of character and was sorry with my decision. I went back to where we'd quartered him to see if I could salvage the cape but the coyotes had already ripped it up. I heard sometimes taxidermists have capes people haven't used, but I would only want to do this if it looked like my bull. My question: is it possible to still get a full mount or should I just go ahead and do euro mount?

Thanks for the replies everyone. At this point, I am considering using Southwest Wildlife, Wildlife Heritage or Mark's Taxidermy (Miller's SW Processing). Does anyone know of any issues or better yet recommend any of these?

Two friends and I have 5B. That makes at least 5 forum members with this tag. I'm headed up this Friday, and what I find the week before opening day will determine what I'll settle for opening day. I've tagged 3 cows in the last 6 years, but never anything with horns on its head. I'd really like a nice bull, but depending on how my scouting goes, may settle for a spike. I am just so pumped to be headed up the mountain.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I've scouted both sides and seen elk in both. Planning on hunting all over the unit if I have to. Like "borntohunt" said, ready to cover a lot of territory. I'm headed up a week before the hunt to scout and see what I can find. Good luck and hope everyone gets it done.

Any special reason why to stay away from long lake and diablo canyon? Stay away from diablo canyon and long lake Why?

Last year 19b was warm. The year before it was friggin cold!

Thanks for your post Willie. I was going to buy a bipod, but now I'm glad I bought shooting sticks on sale last month. I will stick with that.

Awesome.Totally awesome.

I know from painful personal experience that where the elk are in June through October doesn't mean a thing come late November. Someone from Colorado told me that as long as there's food and water, elk won't move until there's 2 feet of snow on the ground. Is this accurate? Any other insights about late season elk movement?

Two buddies and I have the same tag. I've hunted elk in 4A, 4B and 22N, but I'm not familiar with 5B N&S. Made a overnighter this weekend just to start learning the unit. I was on 2 bulls within a couple hours of arriving. Of course, like AZwest16 and azsugarbear said, and from my own painful personal experience, where the elk are June through October doesn't mean a thing come late November. Not dry anymore, poured for 2 hours straight Saturday evening, and had lightening cracking directly overhead. Had fresh elk tracks 20 yards from my tent in the morning. This seems to be a trend with me; I find a good camp spot and end up in elk. (I ended up filling my cow tag 100 yards from camp last year ). All that rain made a lot of mud, had to clean out my wheel wells a couple of times. Lots of fresh sign in the area I was in, and spotted a small bull mid morning yesterday. If anyone has any insights they care to share, I sure would appreciate it.

Mogollon monster or possibly chupacabra

We were up scouting about 6 weeks ago, watched a herd of about 35 for over an hour. No big bulls, all cows and a few spikes. Maybe the bulls were still batching it at that point. Going back up in two weeks for another scout trip. I have a cow tag this year. If anyone has any tips, please pm me. I'll be happy to share about any big bulls I see during cow hunt.

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I'm bow hunting deer for the first time in Arizona (I have filled 2 cow elk tags in 3 years of hunting). I usually hunt 4A or 4B, but am now hunting 24A. Went out the first time the other day, all I saw was a monster jack rabbit. Was in the Timber Camp area. Does anyone have any recommendations for places to hunt in 24A? Or other open areas within a 2 hour drive of Chandler? Would appreciate any advice. Thanks. Darrell

Thanks for the advice everyone!