Str8Shot

Big Browns , Just remember the 260 is the divider ... Some here seem to think areas in 22s are North most likely because the Flat line maps show a GOOD chunk of 22s Elk habitat on the North map. I know more than a few hunters personally that made the same mistake over the past couple years( a couple this year ) ... though most were hunting the 22N hunt and were scouting good country in the south only to be bummed out when shown their error...

What I would recommend 350cc - 500cc 4x4 (switchable preferred) Fuel injected ( less hassle when in the high elevations and cold mornings) Good Tires ...

Great Bull... Nothing like having family share in the experience , Congrats on your success !

CnS you have issues , you off the meds ? maybe you need to pull your head out of your arse to see I stated that it was an amazing Bull ...

Awesome Bull .. Where are the pics of him strapped up top of a Jeep XJ

He was eating his vitamins ! Amazing Bull !

I would not say that where you are seeing them is unusual, they are not feeling pressure yet. Bucks will tend to be in bachelor groups through November , but often get broken up during the early hunts ... sometimes they regroup sometimes they split into smaller groups and pairs.... Once rifle season begins and they feel the pressure you may find them more in the draws and canyons during the day as you expected. Do not overthink it too much, if you know there are bucks there now just plan on different ways you will approach the area once your hunt starts. If it gets really windy , look in the draws for certain and often they will bed 1/2 - 3/4 up on the hillsides breaking the wind and offering best shade.

Push the timber through the day from meadows to water sources.... This time of year ... the big boys are hanging in the thick close to meadows and flats that those cows prefer, big glass is not going to help as much as boot leather through the trees IMO... if you know where water is and are seeing cows , look in the trees in between... even if you are seeing some smaller bulls with the cows often a big guy is staying out of sight not far away.

Headlamp pointed down so it throws on the ground in front of me, hand held led lamp when needing a little more throw to see what I may be heading into... I am not so worried about the light as I am the sounds so try to move as slow and quiet as possible. I have been on deer and elk in the dark at 20 -30 feet throwing a light on them while they fed with no regard to the light... add sound and movement and they head out quick. Burritos are great up and until they cause extra unwanted sounds

Sweet Bull and awesome load job on the jeep ... BY the way BC you were telling me last year that 3c does not have 350 class bulls anymore .... By the way there are a couple I have seen this significantly bigger , wonder if they will hit the ground.

Yes cutting of live trees in this manner is illegal .... but all too common these days where people ignore so many laws.

Haha, So you will destroy others property because you are the mainman hunter supreme??? Get off your high horse, already. Shooting someone's camera is as irresponsible as your vote for Obama! This is funny as heck right here.... The whiners who can only use cams and cry about them are the ones with the liberal stand in this dog and pony show! And you are calling the guy liberal by implying they are an Obama supporter.... THERE IS NOTHING CONSERVATIVE ABOUT USING GAME CAMS FOR HUNTING !

I heard that some outfitters and guides would be promoting some GROUPON discounts for Cow Hunts

How many tax $$$$$$ are spent taking care of the broods of neglected children with dead beat dads that like to play with their pistol but not take responsibility for the bullets they are shoot down field? The kids with addicted single moms that put the children last in everything they do? You can hide behind religion and sit in judgement of as woman that makes the choice of abortion, but that only makes you a hypocrite. It is a personal issue that is between those involved and their God and only that God should sit in judgement. The idea of profiting from the sales of aborted fetuses is grotesque and goes against the rules that allow them such funding... If the evidence is true, funding should be pulled and heads should be rolling. IMO tax dollars should not be paid for many things , like the 7 kids by 5 different women who get no child support by a guy I know who seems to have plenty of money to Hunt... unfortunately this is not the case. The problems in this country and world are much bigger than planned parenthood and pro choice, but I guess distractions like this are needed to divert attention from the other realities taking place under our noses.

My grandpa always said once the Bulls start Mounting the Cows ( pretty much his definition as well as many as the real start of the rut ) if the nights are lit up by the moon , that most of the activity will take place through the night into the early morning.... Once the bugles stop the bulls are moving into the thicker stuff to rest .... Find water and push through the trees during mid day and you will often find them. IT always seemed to work for him. What would you be doing during the day if you had worked over a harem of females all night long?

^^^^^ Once Those First Elk Hunts start EVERYDAY is a GOOD DAY FOR THE CROWS ^^^^^^^

I am saying that from my experience living in AZ all my life and from what I have seen and been taught ... The drop of temps and onset of the first freeze usually coincided with the first estrus... The hotter the Sept.. the later the rut. Just saying remember cows are in estrus for less than a day and can go through 3 or 4 cycles... The rut can last as long as 40 days depending on if cows are still going unbred and into other estrus cycles... that is why the satellite bulls hang around to try and pick up what is being overlooked or not gotten to

The Rut is all you listed through all breeding phases... However the rubbing , fighting and herding/pushing cows are considered by most pre-rut ... with The first breeding phase the actual start , when the cows go into estrus ( typically started with the start of overnight freezing temps) the rut kicks into gear .... It is like making an addict run around for a few weeks in search of the fix he wants then opening a big bag of meth on the counter for him.

This post has been seen every year since this site went up ... BAD YEAR , really ? Traditionally the Rut usually gets into full swing in late Sept. to Early October and there is plenty of pre-rut activity in most units right now going on ... seems like pretty par for the course.

OP , what makes you think the rut is started everywhere else. It seems these days that when hunters start hearing a few bugles and seeing a few bulls moving cows the rut is on, it is not ... Everywhere is pretty much pre-rut including 27... and every day you will see activity pick up until it explodes. Dropping temps and the upcoming full moon will have it in swing through most of the state in the the next couple weeks, but be patient and enjoy the hunt.

Congrats on a quick and successful hunt... No need passing up that guy opening morning, well done.

I feel this is a spectacular Buck and a true testament to the quality ( though so many will whine and disagree) of the big game management in AZ. I give mad Props to Brandon for putting himself in a position in life to accomplish what he has accomplished including wrapping his tag around this Brute. My only disappointment in this whole soap opera, is the way the outfitters rushed to put a pic out with no real story behind it other than trying to use it it for marketing. I understand business, and that need to get the marketing value out of such a feat, but in business you also have to know your audience. When I see a Guide put up a Pic with their water mark ... imo they are claiming being the Hunter and the guy with the tag the shooter. Brandon's story shows there was a level of involvement and time beyond what most people imagine when seeing guided kills. Including that kind of information from the beginning would (imo) would have changed the whole course of the thread and some individual views on the guides involved. Brandon, congrats and good luck on future hunts.

I am just waiting for the picture of a bull or buck strapped to the top of a PRIUS

You guys need an official thread with the match ups , winners and losers , the whining and gloating ... this is going to be a year of upsets and fantasy owners pissed and throwing things. I think it would make for good entertainment to see you guys messing with each other

I believe it is still the entire unit for Both Tribal and Non tribal ... The agreement to allow non tribal hunters access to Hopi trust land mandated that a certain number of permits be set aside for Hopi tribal members. Tribal members had to go through their management service to get hunt numbers and any tags left after the draw were available to all tribal and non tribal in the leftover draw. I do believe the biggest thing was guides and outfitters had to get a business licence for the tribal land and do a formal request on behalf of the hunter that would be hunting tribal land. For the DIY guys I do not think much changed to hunt the Hopi Trust Land in those units