Huntmoore

Thanks, Jay!! As always, the podcasts are KILLING IT!

+1 on what HuntHarder said... But Ron...seeing that bull gets me pumped!! I am really hoping to get up and help you and your boys for a couple of days!!

nice bull, man! Post another pic when you get him on the wall!! Congrats!

Amen! I drew the early rifle 23N tag in 2013 with 4 BPs....the next year my cousin drew early rifle 23 with 0bps. Astronomical odds, but I like living in a place where that's possible...

Miller's should have a trailer just up the road in Forest Lakes....they did a great job for my cousin last year. Pick up in Queen Creek...make sure you ask for a sample of the Jalepeno Cheddar Summer Sausage.... The places I knew in Payson have since closed....other guys might have recommendations there though...

Congrats, James!! I was fortunate to draw that tag with my dad in 2013 (I harvested the bull in my avatar and my dad shot a great symmetrical 7x7) and helped my 14-yr old cousin with the same hunt last year (it was all of 23 last year, but we hunted 23N and he shot a 6x6 fighting another bull). Be patient...you'll probably see a ton of animals. If it's cool enough, the rut in 23N can be amazing. It was a pretty wet hunt last year, so be prepared for that. The country in 23N is rough (unless you're further down by Haigler)...so be ready for a butt-kicking haul out. After hunting your hunt, be prepared to be completely happy waiting another 15 years for the same hunt...it's that much fun. I'll be up there 2-months after you for the general bull hunt (was blessed to draw with 0BPs!), so leave some for me!!

I also drew the Late 23 bull tag with 0Bps...

November Bull in 23!! With 0BPs, I'll take it!!

Forget a "woman scorned"....heck hath no fury like a man waiting for the draw results!

Great hunt no matter what you decide about guide. I've hunted the past two years on that hunt (Early Rifle 23/23N). My dad and I drew two 23N tags in 2013 with 4 BPs...cousin drew it last year (all of 23) with 0 BPs. What a hunt....be patient. You will see tons of animals. If you want something really special, hire a guide. If you'd be happy with a 17 year wait ending with a 320-350 bull, do DIY. Like I said, either way you're going to have the time of your life... If you get drawn, let me know. I spent a lot of time up there and got some great info from the WM for the unit....glad to hep out!

Congrats!! What a great bull!!

So awesome!! Thanks for sharing!

That is a killer bull, guys....well done!!

Last year, my Dad and I were blessed to draw two of the twenty early rifle bull tags in 23N. I know that a lot of folks have been waiting many years for those tags, so I didn't take it for granted that we had drawn the hunt of a lifetime and, most importantly, drawn it together. It was a memorable hunt and we were both able to harvest bulls a day apart. My bull... Dad's bull... Imagine our surprise when my 14-year old cousin, on his first time ever putting in for elk, drew the same tag this year! We waited with anticipation for his hunt to arrive, routinely texting him pictures of bulls to get him to work on field judging and figuring out what he wanted. The day arrived and we were headed north! Opening morning found my uncle and cousin overlooking some good country and glassing up numerous bulls, bugling and pushing cows around. I arrived that afternoon and as we went out for the evening hunt, the sky opened up and the rain began. This was, hands down, the wettest trip I've ever been on. It was as if the storm would park over top of us for hours. We were staying in my uncle's 1969 Nimrod Seventy pop-up camper...if we had been in a tent, I think we'd have been washed away. Everything we had, whether under a kitchen tent or on us....ended up soaked. Saturday morning found us glassing some open meadows and watching multiple herds and some good bulls. A friend had let us in on the location of a really good bull, so we moved in the afternoon to the tank where he had been hanging out, only to have him (at least what we think was him) and two smaller bulls bugling toward us before the storm hit again and they shut down. I was able to spot a nice bull bedded with cows at the top of a far mountain before the storm and fog moved in and you could see nothing. We decided to call it for the day and headed for camp. As we drove out, a good bull crossed the road 10 yards ahead of the vehicle, so we jumped out and decided to go after him. We chased glimpses of him for 10 minutes in the downpour and we just about to call it when I glimpsed a rack just over the hill from us. As we ran over the hill, what a sight we saw. 150 yards in front of us was a barbed wire fence. When I had seen the antlers, it was when the bull was jumping the fence. There were now two 6x6 bulls squaring off in the pouring rain and the sound of the storm was shatter by the first clash of antlers. As soon as I saw them engaged, I yelled to my cousin and uncle to run forward, knowing that their attention was elsewhere. We sprinted to a bush 90 yards from the fence while they battled 5 yards past the fence. Will (cousin) knelt, got ready, and waited. I knew that one bull was the better bull, but the scene was so chaotic that it was hard to keep them straight. I knew at this point that this kid was not going to pass on these bulls and that the scene that had unfolded in front of us was more important than a bull's score. The bulls separated for a moment, and Will chose the left bull and fired. Nothing. For a few seconds, they continued to fight and swapped sides again. I instructed will that the bull was now on the right (I didn't want two wounded bulls), but before he could fire again, the bigger bull (now on the left) chased "Will's" bull down to the right and out of sight. Within 15 seconds, one bull returned to the (now visible) cows and raghorn and they made their way into the thick. Again, we weren't sure that that bull wasn't his target, but didn't want to fire and hit a second bull. When we got to the fight site, it was torn to pieces...but no sign of any hit. Will started to second guess his shot placement, worrying that the 100yd distance caused him to shoot high. I think my uncle and cousin were ready to concede a miss, but I have heard too many stories on this site to give up that easy....especially with the heavy rain making a blood trail difficult. So, we followed the clear tracks of where the two bulls had run out of sight down about 50 yards until they approached a deep canyon entrance. That's when we looked to our right and saw him piled up under a tree. It was a beautiful shot and apparently the larger bull (which we had seen return to the cows) had chased this bull down the hill until he fell dead, then returned to the spoils. We were able to pack the head and two quarters before the heavy rain and close lightning drove us away. The next morning, we returned (through a back road due to flooding of Haigler Creek) and retrieved the other two quarters, backstraps, neck, and tenderloins (The gutless method was awesome!!) Anyway, I know there are many who would roll there eyes at this bull on this hunt. I could argue the weather changed the plan. Or the adrenaline of the moment. But the reality is that the look on Will's face when we found that bull was nothing short of pure joy. This was a 14-year old kid who, until that moment, had been the tag-along....but in this moment had become what I know he will be for the rest of his life. A Hunter. By all means, draw tags and hunt hard. But don't neglect getting out there with a new hunter. And don't steal joy by imposing your goals and understanding of a "trophy" on to them. Some have said to him since the hunt, "Why'd you shoot a baby?" and the look of embarrassment on his face kills me. To me, it's a trophy. More importantly, to Will it's a trophy. And the way this hunt went down is a story with my family that I'll never forget. Good luck to all. I hope all of us are able to harvest a trophy that we are as proud of as Will is of this elk! Enjoy some pics! Elk Camp 2014 (before the weather!) Weather brewing... The Storm Cometh... A Wierd Glow... They're around... A lone bull... A distant bull (the bodies immediately to his L & R are muley bucks) A Far Off Bugle... Where he fell... The load out... Me and the Hunter... Our satirical "trophy shot"... Putting the "Elk" in Elk Camp... Shaky video of a distant bedded bull... The shot (sorry...foggy iPhone!)

Thanks, all...you guys are a class act! I'll pass your congrats on to Will!

Thanks for all the help, guys...called Ron this morning and he'll be ready for us! For the life of me I can't remember the name of the guy who did mine and dad's bulls last year...he was back on the Houston Mesa Rd. Anyway, glad to hear there's still some good guys working out of the Payson area. We're super pumped about hunting this hunt two years in a row...my cousin would be happy with a decent bull, but we'd really like to find him something special. We know they're there, we just got to find them!! Thanks again, guys!! -Z

Hey all. Getting things ready to head up Friday to 23 for my 14-year old cousin's first hunt....the early rifle bull tag. I had a great processor when my Dad and I had that tag last year, but he has since closed up shop. Anybody have a good processing recommendation in Payson or around there? Thanks in advance! -Zach

Ha. Man, I wish I knew our secret too! Dad and I drew it with 4bps....cousin with 0bps. My dad and I both shot great bulls that we were thrilled with....really hoping to get by cousin something special (since we may never have this hunt again!). Thanks for the help, guys!

My dad and I drew 2 of 20 early rifle 23 tags with 4 BPs last year...cousin drew 1 of 20 this year with 0bps. Anything's possible!!!

Good luck, Lovinthehunt. No doubt it will be a blast. My dad and I had early rifle bull tags last year...14-yr old cousin drew the same this year on his first year ever putting in, so I'll be up with him just after you. Leave him a big one, will ya? The bulls were pretty vocal this past weekend, so it should be good....water everywere, so chase the bugles!!

I thought I was lucky last year to draw Early Rifle Bull 23 with 4BP's....just got off the phone with Pinetop (nicest lady in the world) and my 14-year old cousin got the same tag....first year ever putting in!!!

Hey all! I know some of you may have seen this already on other sites, but I'll post anyway since we're nearing the end of the month and the cutoff for voting! I am in the running for The Fiberglass Manifesto's 2013 Photo Contest Grand Prize for this monthly winner from last April... Anyway, if I get the most votes (emails sent to tfmcontests@gmail.com with my name (Zach Moore) in them), I will win a Kabuto Custom Fiberglass Rod, which would pretty much rock my world. Only one email per email address, so if you've got time and would vote for me, that would be awesome! I'm told that the winner is often the person who does the best job at rallying the internet/social media/blogosphere behind them! You can see the contest here http://thefiberglassmanifesto.blogsp...o-contest.html Thanks guys! Hope to return the favor someday!! -Zach

Thanks, all! I WON!

Thanks again, all!! The CGt is nice...I think the CGr's were nicer (I think most reviews agree), but the CGt is still a sweet rod and you can't beat it for $70 or $80 on sale. My CGt is the 5'9" 3WT, so I use it on the small tight streams on the rim...

One last BUMP before the voting ends tomorrow night!!! Would love a last surge!! Thanks ForkHorn!! Right now I am usually on a glass rod (CGr or CGt) or a TFO graphite rod with a Double L reel from LL Bean.