azelkhunter69

My favorite hunt, at least in recent memory, was my wife's 1st bull hunt in 2011. The first morning was a total bust. We went to my favorite spot and didn't see a track. You see, almost a foot of snow fell a week before the hunt. The elk moved. I saw no point in going back to the same spot that afternoon so we went to a different area that was at a lower elevation. Tracks everywhere and we saw a bull but she never got a shot. We decided to go back there in the morning. We were sitting in a good open spot where the elk had been moving through when a hunter comes along the fence. We alerted him to our presence and he just hung around. Within the next few minutes, 2 other guys join him and they proceed to stand 50 yards away from us holding a conversation with normal speaking voices. Obviously didn't care we were there and probably were doing it on purpose. Well, my wife was deflated...and MAD. She just knew that they had "ruined it" for her and that she would "never get an elk". It was cold and I knew she was mad/frustrated so I asked her if she wanted to go for a walk. She grumbled "yeah" and off we went. We were sneaking along in the junipers on the edge of a big dropoff, trying to be a s quiet as we could when I spotted a bull laying down. He was 102 yards away and she couldn't hold the muzzleloader steady enough offhand to get a shot. If she tried to kneel she couldn't see him. The snow was crunchy and there was no cover between the bull and us so what do we do? I looked around and about 15 feet away I see a big pine tree with a broken off branch about the perfect height for a rest. I got over there and checked it out and saw it would work, called my wife over and got her set up. The little stub of a branch that was left gave her a perfect rest. The bull had a little dark spot on his side and I told her to hold just to the right of it. Boom !!! The smoke clears and the bull goes down. She would probably kill me for saying what happened next but she was so excited, she fell to her knees and started hyperventilating and said "I can't feel my hands!!!" LOL Hugs, kisses, tears followed and she had her elk. I may have been when I was younger, but I don't think I have been as excited as I was when she got her bull. To top it off, Game and Fish used her picture on the cover of the regs the next year. Also, a guy at work tried to downplay her accomplishment and said she was lucky. Well, she showed him when she got drawn for the same hunt and killed a bigger bull last year.

I love to chase after bugling bulls, but more times than not that is all it is...chasing. It is hard to get close, especially if they have cows with them and/or won't come to a call. A few years back, I ran all over the hills and it seemed I couldn't get closer than about 70 yards. I finally got within 50 yards of one but had a branch in the way and never got a shot. Hunted for 2 weeks and went home with a tag in my pocket. When the season ended, I was already thinking about the mistakes I had made and what I would do different the next time I got a tag. Well, 2 years later I was lucky enough to get the same tag. In the year in between, I had been hunting the area during archery deer season and found a nice wallow. I marked the spot on my GPS so I could check it out the next time I got an elk tag. I went right back to that wallow the year I drew my next tag and it was all torn up and there was a giant track there. I vowed I would try to shoot what laid down that track. I put a camera on the wallow and much to my dismay, got there and the battery was dead and I had no pictures. The camera went in the trash. Still, I HAD to see that bull, so opening morning I was sitting 27 yards from that wallow. Before too long I had bulls bugling all around me, and just as I had planned/hoped, he walked right in to the wallow. A minute or so later, I was able to make a good shot and I had my bull. It's the one in my avatar. He didn't score worth a darn but he was an old bull and had the biggest body I have ever seen. I guess my point is, try different tactics. I know it can be really boring sitting a stand but it can give you a great opportunity if a bull comes your way. Let them come to you. I have been hunting for 35 years and hunting elk for almost 15 and I am constantly learning and trying new things. The guys above gave some excellent advice when you try getting close.

Most juniors elk hunts haver harder draw odds than normal cow hunts. The only advantage of the jrs hunt is that they try to put them on holidays where kids do not have school. If i had a kid i would not be putting them in for jrs hunts. It is ridiculous how hard it is for kids to get drawn for the Jr. hunts. I have expressed my frustration over and over to the G&F. I quit putting my kids in for them. I will pay the extra money so they can actually get drawn.

Ditto. But, my dad drew Unit 8 early archery bull so I will be helping him. He turns 77 years old 5 days before the hunt so I will work my butt off keeping my promise to get him his 1st bull.

Should be late this week or middle of next week I'm guessing. It was April 8th in 2014 and they started hitting CC's last year about the same date as this year so I would think it would be similar. It used to be earlier before all the computer issues the last couple of years. I used to always figure about 6 weeks after the draw deadline. But that is a thing of the past. I already know I didn't get drawn so it doesn't really matter for me but I am curious to see which one of my parents drew. My 76 year old dad? Or my 75 year old mom? Still going strong.

You can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there is a 10% requirement, I always thought it was a 10% cap. Non-residents can get up to 10%, they don't automatically get 10%. Right or wrong?

I found the post on AZGFD from last year saying results were up dated April 8th. http://azgfd.net/artman/publish/NewsMedia/Draw-results-for-2014-elk-and-pronghorn-antelope-now-available.shtml

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Most people believe that normally CCs get hit for at least a whole day and some believe multiple days. If the activity on this site is any indication, cards seem to have gotten hit for about 4 hrs. Friday morning. There are something like 25,000 tags. Is it possible to run that many cards in 4 hrs.? I don't have the answer to that. With AZGFD's track record with the draw, I don't find it hard to believe that they had problems. We'll see I guess.

Oh RELIEF !!! We will be going elk hunting after all. Just talked to my mom, they got hit for a bull tag. We'll be eating elk again this winter.

Talked to a guy from Cali that got hit today for an archery bull tag. Getting a little worried but I'm trying to hold out hope. At least one person in my family has drawn an elk tag for as long as I can remember but it's starting to look a little gloomy this year.

This year the deadline date for changing your card info was printed in the regs. and was also listed on the draw website. Guess they figured that was a good enough reminder this year.

thats fd up im on 18 years congrats johnny What he said... I have 14 pts. Crazy, my dad who didn't care anything about hunting antelope drew with 6 pts and here I am 7 years later still dying for a tag.

Did you call them? My account always lags a couple days before they show charges.

Probably still running around. Been there, done that....unfortunately. Followed mine for 2 miles as the crow flies. Bled so bad I could have run down the blood trail for a mile or so. Last time I saw him, he dried up and was running. Never saw anything like it. Toughest animals I have ever run across. Never believed something could bleed that much and not die.

I can honestly say that I have never been presented a "follow up shot" on an animal I was shooting at with a bow, they all took off after being hit. But, without a doubt, if I think the shot was not good or the follow up is an easy shot, go ahead and stick him with another. Better to be safe than sorry.

Where is the "Dislike" button? Figured you might be yanking everyone's chain since you were the one asking what seasons started next month.

It's also on the Draw page on the website. https://az.gov/azgfd/draw/home.xhtml Well, they obviously didn't start the day after the deadline, so hopefully they will start tomorrow. This site will light up like a Christmas tree when they start. LOL

I'm relatively new to this site and I love the fact that there is much less negativity here because of the way the site is run. But, I also believe 99% of us are adults and can handle a little bit of cussing and implied swear words, if not used to offend another member. Especially in a joke. I thought this was pretty funny. I showed it to my wife and she had actually already seen it on FB or something and also thought it was funny. Not sure how you used your's so I can't comment on that. But hey, I don't run the site and I'm not sure that this site is a democracy. Can't complain though, I love this site compared to some others. Just my 2 cents.

It's also on the Draw page on the website. https://az.gov/azgfd/draw/home.xhtml

The deadline to update CC info is midnight Thursday so cards should start getting hit Friday and go through next week. Put my son, wife and I all on different CC's so I will know what, where and when as soon as they get hit. I wouldn't use last year as a benchmark. It was a fiasco with all the delays due to the website crashing, CC problems due to data breaches, etc. Let's hope the one day delay in the app. deadline is the only problem there is this time. Good luck boys and girls. Christmas morning is almost here!! LOL

Cameras came today. Messed around with them in the backyard a little. Both have good speed, but the Browning is definitely faster. Real nice features on both...time lapse, multiple photos, video, etc. I am looking forward to see how the perform in the field and at night.

The Partition has been getting the job done for over 60 years, that would be my choice.

I have to say that I don't think a lot of the comments were "anti-guide", just pro "do it yourself". I take great pleasure in scouting, figuring out the patterns of the elk myself, etc. It is part of the challenge/reward for ME. Growing up in NY, I read and dreamed of hunting elk, without ever thinking I would really do it. Luckily, my dream has come true. Waiting to get 17 pts, contemplating getting a guide, I get it. That is a lot of time invested for a really good hunt. If you have the money and you think hiring a guide gives you the best chance at harvesting the trophy you are hoping for, then I say hire a guide. I am sure you will enjoy yourself, or at least I hope so. I hunted with a guide once in Cali. for pigs and it was a fun hunt. I have no complaints. Do I enjoy figuring out elk on my own? Yes I do. But that is me, and I think that is what some of the other guys are trying to say. I may be wrong, but I don't think anybody would hold it against you if you hired a guide. You do what is best for you and your family and to heck with anybody that doesn't agree. Good luck in the draw and good luck on your hunt, no matter what you decide.

Well, you guys convinced me to take a look at the Brownings. They get great reviews. I just ordered a Browning Range Ops XR 8mp and also ordered the Primos Truth Cam 48 HD Ultra 7MP. Couldn't pass up the Primos, $149, on sale for $89 and then has a $30 rebate. $59? What the heck. I'll give them a shot and see how I like them compared to the ones I already have. They both run on AA's. I'll let you know how I like them in a couple weeks.

Sorry for the offense. I thought maybe you didn't understand how it worked. Just trying to be helpful.