TAM

I had the 12w late hunt a few years ago and even in December the big bucks were still on top. There were some deer down low, but most of the big bucks stay high for as long as possible. I ended up killing a 180+ buck at over 8,000 foot elevation on December 2nd. My three buddies all hunting with me killed a 160 and two 170's bucks all up high. Another guy I know had a daughter with a tag and she killed a 190 inch buck up high, and on opening day some guy I don't know killed a giant 240 inch non typical up top. All during the late hunt. Stay high until you know for sure that the big bucks have moved off the top.

Beautiful looking country... Thanks for sharing the pictures!

For every one serious hunter there are at least a dozen flakes... maybe more!

Blake you are always welcome to join us... we can use all the help we can get!

I am by no means an expert at unit 10, but between scouting and hunting I've spent over 30 days out there this summer and saw a grand total of 4 deer! Two bucks and two does and both bucks were no brainer shooters. On top of that I think my trail cameras only got 4 or 5 pic's of deer as well. For the most part my time was all spent in the northern half of the unit. I'm sure there are some good trophys up there on the north end, but the numbers are very low. For a juniors hunt I'd stay further south where there are better numbers of deer.

Probably 10 years ago or so I was hunting a remote area in New Mexico's unit 23. In those days you could buy deer tags over the counter and they were good for both muleys and coues. The area we were hunting happened to have both. I had never been to this spot before but I was able to gain permission to cross some private land to access the forrest land on the other side. The hunting was slow to put it nicely and we weren't seeing much at all. However on the afternoon of the second day as I was walking down a ridge to go back to my quad for lunch when I stopped to glass an area about a hundred yards away and the first thing I saw was a huge piece of white antler laying on the ground. Immediatly I said to my buddy if that's a coues shed it's HUGE! The closer I got to it the more excited I got. Not only was it the prettiest typical 4 point I have ever seen it was also the biggest coues shed I have ever found! I spent the next several hours hiking circles around the area looking for the other side, but no such luck. Finally I went back to hunting and ended up taking a decent mule deer. For months and even years I often thought about that shed and how I would love to have the other side. Fast forward 4.5 years... I had talked Mike Udall into buying tags in New Mexico and we were planning on hunting the same spot I had found the shed years earlier. We decided a scouting trip to prepare for our hunt was in order, and in the back of my mind I was also planning on looking for the other side. I did have my doubts, after all it had been nearly 5 years since finding the first side and even then it was at least a year old maybe even more. But as Mike and I rode our quads down the quad trail nearing where I found the first side there it was. Less than a hundred yards from the trail was a big white antler and I knew immediately what it was. I couldn't believe after all that time it was still there and in plain site. After a few "as they lay" pictures I had my matched set! After further evaluation it is interesting to note that I found the second side only about 300 yards from the first. However the second side is not a true shed... it is actually broke off at the main beam just above the eye guard. Realizing that the buck shed his one side within a few hundred yards of where he had broken off his other side months earlier during the rut had me feeling very lucky Fast forward to January 2010... the matched set had been laying on my shelf all this time, but in my mind I still wanted more. One day after being over at Josh's house and seeing one of the bucks that Dan Lee had done some antler repair and mounted for him I decided then and there that I could have Dan work his magic on my buck as well. Within a few days I brought the matched set to Dan's place and the result is now on my wall. I have been learning a lot about taxidermy work over the last year or so. I'm not trying to learn the art, I'm just learning that there can be BIG differences from one taxidermist to the next. In the past I had always used the same guy because he was my friend and never paid any attention to his work. I just assumed he was a good taxidermist. Well I was wrong and got burned so now through the help of friends like Josh and meeting with various taxidermists across the state I am learning the difference. I spent several hours talking and working with Dan so we could make this deer project perfect. I met with him at every stage in the process to make sure we had everything in the correct position and just the way I wanted it. I learned a lot from Dan and had a fun time in the process. In the end I think this is the best piece of taxi art on my wall and I am very happy with Dan and his ability to repair antlers to perfection and take a couple old sheds and bring them back to life For those that want to know... each side goes about 54 inches with just over 14 inches of inside spread. Here are the pic's from "As they lay" to "On my wall".

There was a guy talking about seeing a 7x2 in the area I was hunting... I wonder if that was it? Any idea where abouts it was killed?

Okay everyone with elk tags... Here it is!!! Listed below are the official rules and information regarding the CWT big bull contest. We hope that everyone with elk tags will participate. Please note that there are two picture catagories that will be open to all cow elk hunters as well. We want to make sure that everyone with an elk tag has an opportunity to enter. I can't put enough emphasis on the fact that we need more CASH and PRIZES to be donated!!! Donations aren't required but someone has got to pay for this stuff so please pony up whatever you can afford to help make this contest as fun and rewarding as possible!!! I will personally kick in a Benjamin Franklin to help with prizes, postage, etc. Who else will join me with a donation large or small??? Feel free to email me if you have any questions. I will be out chasing bulls with my bow for the next couple weeks so please be patient if I don't respond right away! Good luck to everyone!!! - Tim Elk Contest 2010-2011 CouesWhitetail.com will be sponsoring a Bull Elk Contest for the first time! We know a lot of you have elk tags this year and you can win some great prizes in this contest. We are currently accepting donations for additional prizes. This can be hunting equipment, books, or money to help pay for shipping the prizes to winners. If you have something you would like to donate, please email Amanda (amanda@coueswhitetail.com). Eligibility: This contest is open to registered members of CouesWhitetail.com and their immediate families living in the same home (i.e.- husband, wife, son, daughter, sister, brother). If your family members who are not living with you in the same home, or your hunting buddies, are not forum members, please have them register for the forums and then also sign up for the contest. You must be a registered forum member before your hunt starts in order to enter your elk in the contest. Elk must be taken legally between August 1, 2010 and January 12, 2011 from any of the Western States. If you have multiple tags, i.e. from different states, you may enter the elk from each hunt. Guided hunts and elk taken on Indian Reservations are allowed in this contest (if we get enough prizes and entries, we may separate these out into their own category later). Contest Categories: Youth (ages 10-17) - largest bull elk Youth (ages 10-17) - smallest bull elk Archery Typical- Highest P&Y gross Typical frame bull elk Archery Non-typical- Highest P&Y gross Non-typical bull elk Rifle/Muzzleloader - Typical - highest gross B&C Typical frame bull elk Rifle/Muzzleloader- Non-typical - highest gross B&C Non-typical bull elk Best Field Photo of Harvested Elk (aka "Hero/Trophy" Photo) - Based on composition & quality of photograph, not antler size.This post may help with the taking of your photo: http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...?showtopic=3754 Best Spirit-of-the-Hunt Photograph- Captures the spirit and moment of the hunt. These may include photos of packing, hiking, glassing, camp, scenery with hunters, etc. (Field photos of harvested elk excluded). This category means you can possibly win something even if you do not harvest an elk. (Note: An elk may be entered in only one scoring category, ie. not in both typical and non-typical) Entry Fees & Prize Donations. There is no fee required to enter the contest. You may wish to donate a piece of hunting equipment to the prize packages. Prize donations are not required, but are appreciated. You may also send a financial donation to help with shipping or purchasing of the prizes. To donate monetarily, please send the money through PayPal on the CWT.com home page and note it is for the contest. You may contact Tim Maddock (aka TAM) or Amanda regarding your donation. Prize packages, and the number of places, will depend upon the number of prizes donated. To enter your elk: 1. Post your picture and hunt story in the CouesWhitetail.com forum. If you have difficulty posting a picture, this thread may help, or asking another member will certainly get it done. http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/index...?showtopic=3721 2. Then, E-mail Tim Maddock (aka TAM) the field photo of you and your elk, its gross B&C/P&Y score, and a link to the story you posted. Amanda and Tim will post pictures on the home page and in this contest thread. If you do not post a story, photo, and email the info to Tim Maddock, you will not be entered in the contest. If you just wish to share your hunt but not enter the contest, then do not send Tim your link, photo and score. The contest will close Jan 12, 2011. Entry photos with info/story must be posted in the forums and received by Tim Maddock by January 19, 2011. How to Score your elk If you can, please have an official measurer score your elk. You can find official measurers on the Boone and Crockett or Pope and Young websites. If you can't get an official measurer, please use the following links to help you measure it correctly. Please click on the following link to see a list of prizes and information on how to score your elk: CouesWhitetail.com Bull Elk Contest 2010-2011

I spent all weekend glassing an area that holds over 200 elk. There were 89 in one group with several good bulls that were bugling and even some sparing. Seems like the bulls are ready to go, but the cows need a little more time. I can't wait until Friday

Great stories... thanks for sharing!!!

Great looking bear... Congratulations!!!

We all know there's guys packing bolt cutters around so they can steal peoples trail cameras, but are they packing their waders as well?

DB, with 9 points myself, I am in the same position as you and I can honestly say there is not even a little temptation to cash them out on a nannie. I'm holding out! I'm 37 years old now and hopefully will draw a tag in the next 5-7 years or so. Don't get to optimistic on your planning because with the down economy and all I'm sure there are a few guys out there with enough points to draw that are waiting on better financial times to win the tag and hire an outfitter etc. Good luck! I am curious if anyone knows the deal with the units with the best trophy quality? I've heard Beaver is number one and the Wasatch is second?

Not my idea or my cameras... I just thought it was kind of funny! It seems to be working though. You can't tell from the picture but there are two cameras strapped to the post. Right off a road and in a unit known for trail camera thefts and they're still there!

I just got back from a couple days of scouting and this morning I saw a 380ish 6x6 with about 30 cows and one spike. The bull was bugling and the cows were mewing. There was another bull on the opposite ridge that was bugling as well but I never did get to see him.

I have for sale a 2007 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI quad. Only 65 hours and 650 miles. Everything is in excellent condition and there are no problems that I am aware of. VERY CLEAN and it's obvious that it has been well taken care of. It runs great and could be reliable transportation on someone's hunts this fall. Asking $4,850 Tim 928-533-8807

Is it me or does that Primos terminator with the blue latex reed sound very "hollow" and sort of "canned"? Not sure how to explain it, but it just doesn't sound right to me and I can always tell when there is another hunter in the woods that's using one. I myself like the Primos diaphram type calls with a regular old grunt tube. Much more realistic and versitile if you ask me. Either way I try to avoid bugeling all together if I can.

Looks AWESOME!!!

Congrats to you and your hunters!

Great job!!!!

Way to score on a beautiful buck!

Never eaten a bobcat but our family sure likes mountain lion. My wife actually likes it better than elk.

+1 That's not the point... He sent the picture to a friend and asked him to NOT TO PASS IT AROUND. The so called friend passed it around anyway. So it's not about the content of the picture it's about the breach of trust between friends. Deer, wife, whatever when you give your word that you won't pass around a picture your buddy took and then pass it around any way you are as worthless as a turd on the lawn!!!

Looks great... congratulations on a beautiful animal!

Does anyone know of any big bull contests being put on by archery shops or sporting goods stores? Dave Stepp at Mile High archery in Prescott Valley has one for $20 entry and winner takes the pot. Any others out there? I've got an archery bull tag and I'm feeling lucky!