KaibabHunter

This is chases first elk tag and I was excited to get him out. My opinion is if you want to get someone hooked on hunting, get em in front of bugling rutting bulls! We drove up Thursday night and had 10 elk right at our turn off to camp so we felt good about the opener, plus the cold cloudy weather helped. We still hunted and sat a saddle that gets used regularly, so much so that I had 2205 trail cam pics from 9-1 to 9-14 until the memory card was maxed out - almost all were elk, some deer and a bear. We were finding some sign but not tons and after 2 1/2 says we stopped in at the jr camp had some lunch and shifted spots tryin to find buglin bulls. We only moved maybe 5 miles and found at least 6 bulls bugling in one area. We chased em around for 2 days and had 3 close calls but kept getting busted before we could get a shot. They would answer cow calls and bugles and get pretty worked up but would not come in. While walking out in the dark with a full moon we busted 2 cows feeding by a tank at 50 yards. I had figured with all the rain just prior to the hunt that water would not be an option but these elk seemed to be centered around this tank. We decided to bust out the blind and sit the tank the first and last 3 hours of the remaining days. After setting up the blind we sprayed the area along the walk in/out with elk fire cow in heat urine for cover scent and hopefully a lure to the bulls in the area. We came back about 3:30 and about 5:30 had a cow come in but couldn't get a good shot at her. Not long after she finished drinking her calf came out of the trees and we were both glad he hadn't shot the cow. Then the bugles came closer and closer from all directions and right at dark bulls started comin out of the trees and were buglin like crazy. I was hopin chase would get to experience the rut to get him excited and hooked forever. We ended up staying in the blind an 1 1/2 after dark watching these bulls party. The moon was so bright we could see them well and even better with binos in the dark. We came back in the morning a little after first light and spooked a cow from the tank and didn't see anything during the morn but the bulls bugles strong till about 9. We shifted the blind over to where the shooting lanes opened up better and brushed it in nice about 100 yards from the near edge if the tank. We got back in about 3:00 and sprayed the area up with elk fire again. Chase just chilled on the ground out of sight inside the blind and played phone games while I read and kept watch. With about 40 mins of light chase sat up in his chair knowing they'd be coming soon if they were comin in at all. 10 minutes later a young cow came charging into the tank and drinks. Chase puts up his new savage youth 7mm-08 using the blind opening as his rest and gets ready. She feeds up but won't quiet give us broadside. He has her in the scope waiting when I see another bigger more mature cow coming in fast. I tell chase to wait a bigger one is coming in. This cow comes in with her nose in the air and pushes the smaller one out of the way and stops broadside. I tell chase to breath, aim 3" below 1/2 way up her shoulder crease and just squeeze the trigger until the shot and I plug his ears with my fingers. He settles for about 5 seconds and pulls the trigger, nailing her perfect in the lungs. She hunches and stumbles and falls over dead on the tank after about 15 seconds! He was pumped and tried to play off his shaking on just being cold. I was a little worried about the 7mm-08 with 139 gr hornandy SST being a little light but it did great and the damage to her lungs and part of her heart was devastating. It was fun and frustrating at times but in the end the plan came together and chase did his part like a pro! Now its time to shift focus over to his 42jr hunt! (if somebody can post a pic, I can email thx)

Thanks for the nice replies! I was not shocked ok he keeps telling people that I am shocked but I'm not he was shocked not me. chase Ps I'm serious

I have my hunting knives but for a weight/space saver I got a utility knife with a 50 pack of replaceable razor blades and it worked great on my boys cow. They even make a gut hook style razor blade for it. Only used 2 blades for a mature cow elk. Maybe not the best but it worked really well I thought.

I haven't been in there but have been across the highway in 6a. They were bugling pretty hard last week. Find/follow the bugles and try the edges of any steep draws and canyons. Across the hwy is all pine/oak - assumming it's the same terrain on ur side. They were answering cow calls and bugles but wouldn't come in. We ended up taking ours on a tank from a blind in the last 30 mins of light.

We met a couple guys with 2 boys having a hard time finding elk on our way out as I was picking up a trail cam. One of the boys had givin up but the other was a hard charger. I told em about the tank Chase took his cow and how we set up. They didn't have a blind, and I offered em mine, but he declined. I told there was enough room to tuck into the trees out of sight and they should be good. Chase's cow fell over on the tank and I told him I wasn't sure if they'd still come in with the gut pile there but they may come in enough for a shot before spooking. Just got a text from him that his boy nailed a nice cow off that same tank that very night and his kid is hooked! Glad it worked out for them.

Congrats on the tag. I've been workin hard in the desert the last 3 or so years and each year I seem to get a little closer. I've found em in the flats and in the hills. Regardless all found by glassing. I'll be getting out soon now that we're done with elk and my boy has 42jr and I'll be out with the bow. The rain always seems to come at the worst time right before the hunts which takes them off tanks/guzzlers and spreads them out. Other than time, effort, glass, luck, and water when it's dry I think the only thing that I'm still in the dark on are the green up areas. I know it's a little self explanatory but the desert in general looks pretty green...what vegatation really attracts the deer?

Thanks for posting the pic. We were all proud of him and I think he was in shock a little that we had actually pulled it off! I quartered her out and she weighed in at 180 lbs with 4 quarters and one game bag of neck, rib, tenderloins, and back straps.

Congrats and that's a heck of a shot!

Hope to take u up on the offer!

Just curious what those of you who drew unit wide 6A archery bull tags thought of that set up versus breaking it into 3 sub units like they have in the past. I imagine some areas were overrun with hunters and some were pretty low pressure. If you had a choice, would you rather have the whole unit or the sub-units in the future? Personally, I think I would lean towards the sub-units.

Nice bull congrats! I have a buddy doing some training in Flag who's breaking away every chance he gets - he says they're bugling like crazy. My boy has the cow tag next week, so one more chance to chase em.

Well I'm done and came home with both my tags unfilled. No rutting where I was at and I covered quite a bit of ground. Kept finding sign that was a week or two old but they had since moved out of the area. I was 30 yards from a very nice Shiras bull moose that I video'd with my phone. Found one older pile of griz poo but no bear sightings.

I'll b hunting in MT next week in an area with alot of grizzly. Another site posted one group saw 6 Griz near where ill be and were cleared for killing 1 that charged. I have bear spray and will have the choice of a .357 or .50 desert eagle to carry while hunting. Don't like the weight of the .50 but not sure if the .357 is nothing more than a noise maker to a grizz. I will also b hunting by myself on a DIY elk/deer combo in dark timber. Any tips recommendations appreciated - never had to deal with grizzlies before!

Well I've been in 3 different areas so far without much to show for it - just a little fresh sign hear and there but nothin to get real excited about.. I had a bull at 70 yards and thought he was comin in but he hung up and ghosted. Put a stalk on 3 small muley bucks but got busted at 75 yards. The spot I tried today was thick timber with small parks and old clear cuts - nada for fresh sign. I've been up to 8600 ft - they must b higher than that. Only a handful of bugles. No black or grizz bear sign yet. I did have a wolf howl where I was last night.

I'm assuming u can in ur checked bags. My grandpa actually picked some up up there so I don't have to worry about it. I'll ask the airline tho...

Thanks for the replies. Fly out this afternoon and should be hunting tomorrow afternoon. Have spray and the option to carry everything mentioned.

Where r u located? I may be interested with wifey approval

I'll b in unit 320 in the south end of the tabacco roots most likely, Sheridan is the closest town. Only 5 actual hunting days to fill an elk and a deer tag.

Thx 300 Ive been sprayed (for training purposes and exposed to it on various other occasions) with pepper spray and the only thing I can think of that might b worse is being mauled by a bear while Satan burns ur eye ballss out! Problem with that stuff is that it can affect the sprayer just as much. I'm sure my grandpa has a shotgun I could tote along..

I'll b in the tobacco roots or gravelly range depending with my grandpa staying in Sheridan. I don't know the areas exactly but last year 3 hunters were apparntly mauled with 1 killed along the upper ruby river which is one area I'll b near. Not too worried about em really but want to be prepared just in case.

I was gonna recommend glassing also. Trail cams also help dial in / rule out areas and give u something to do off season. U know you'll b reaching for ur bow next august - u sell it U'll regret it. Plus what about all the OTC deer hunts in Dec/Jan? Trust me I feel almost the same as u after every hunt but I keep comin back for more and always will regardless of success.

Haha that's funny EBB! I'll keep that in mind. TJ, my grandfather wanted me to come up and hunt but hes not in any shape to actually go out but he will be in the nearest town. He got me access to a couple ranches through family friends. Its kinda a shoot from the hip deal with no scouting but they're confident the rancher can direct me into some elk. Should be fun, miss that old growth dark timber I grew up with.

I'm not gonna lie I don't have much turkey experience but I did find quite a few while deer hunting. I found them roosting in draws on the north slope higher elevations in the pines. I had some roost right over me and some up the hill a little farther in the same draw multiple nights. They came down hill in the last 30 mins of light and they'd come off the roost right at first light. U could here them makin a ruckus as they fly into the roost and they would gobble a few times in the morning before coming off. When they came off they seemed to always fly and move uphill off the roost. If ur girlfriend goes with on the scouting trips maybe each take a draw and listen for those clues or them movin out of the draws early and late to locate roosts. Just from my recent experience...

Well my little turkey ambush worked perfectly except I missed the shot. I set up just above the roost probably no more than 60 yards. They gobbled a few times then flew down and worked their way uphill. I was kneeling behind a small group of oaks next to the fence and knew they'd cross within range on either side of me. One tree was at 23 yards the next was at 34 and they were movin right for that gap. I tried to settle on him with the 30 yd pin but he was walking, pauesed for a second and when i released he turned away from me and the arrow missed left by about an inch. Wish they woulda come on the near side for an easier shot. Glad to know my strategy worked but like I said, I'm cursed...

I'm making a concerted effort to sit a blind even though I much prefer to still hunt or spot/stalk in order to break my archery deer curse. I'm in the pines/oaks, off a pretty big trail and somebody's salt I found. This is my 2nd full day sitting and I've had 4 does come by from 20-100 yards out and gobs of turkey 10 of which roosted over my blind last night - still no shot opportunities but very close! I will say that 14 hours a day in a blind kinda sux...I've sat before but never dark to dark for multiple days. Anyway im pretty freakin bored and was just looking for advice on how much time I should give this spot considering no bucks yet. I spooked the birds a little (not bad) this morning tryin to get a shot - hope they come back.