bonecollector

Here you go. After a unsuccessful 2012 youth hunt... Not due to lack of opportunity, but to bad shots from excitement. We changed plans for 2013, many trips to the range proved to be beneficial. So the adventure began... Destry 17, McKayna 16, Lane 13, Tucker 11 and little sis Lilli 10. Thursday's storm kept the elk down for the most part with little or no activity, but opening morning was a different story. We had bulls bugling all around we found several large herds of elk rut was going strong, bulls answering calls fighting off satellite bulls from their herds. It was awesome to say the least. We did not get any shot opportunities but glassed up approx. 125 elk and came up with a good plan for Saturday. Tucker and I hit a good vantage point we picked on Friday. We started glassing at 6:15 blowing bull and cow calls. Immediately we had two bulls and several cows answer across the canyon, we also had tom turkey gobble back at us several times. We glassed up elk and a 110" coues about 800 yards out and radioed destry and uncle clay who were in that area. About 6:40 a lone cow came running into our week Bull call. She stopped broadside across the canyon at 396 yards looking for love ( Tucker's shot was from skyline in second photo)..I set tucker up on the tripod and he smoked her one shot to the heart.. She went 10 yards and piled up. We radioed uncle clay and destry to come locate her before we hiked around. Sunday brought more glassing. I glassed a wolf at about 625 yards and yes I am 100% certain it was a wolf. We glasses up 50 mule deer, several good bucks, and about 100 elk. Lane got an an opportunity at 400 yards but he failed to connect.. Clay and destry glassed up several elk and while closing the distance they kicked out. 200 lb. black bear. Clay headed home as he had to work. My Dad drove home Sunday morning from Kansas Deer hunt and Destry called him up to the rim to be his partner. Grandpa gladly loaded back up and headed north. Monday was another long day glassing tons of deer, few elk, fewer responses to the calls. Destry and my dad moved across the canyon to where we had seen elk going to bed. About 4:30 my dad heard some noise and blew his cow call, immediately a large bull answered and appeared on opposite ridge at 200 yards with his herd in tow. Destry squared up and squeezed off, but missed high. My dad coached him to lower the 300 weatherby to the brisket and he squeezed off round two, and she piled up. My dad texted me that elk was down and needed help to retrieve. Lane, Lilli, and I headed that way. While in route a lone cow crossed the road we stopped and followed her into the woods. Lane took four shots and the cow didn't move, he calmed down and squeezed off number 5 and she dropped in her tracks. We texted destry and dad and told them to Flagg off Destrys elk and come help us since it would be an easy retrieval. After a quick trip to the Millers, we grabbed a sandwich and the quad and headed to retrieve destry's elk. We made it back to the truck at 1:30 am, back to cabin and bed at 3:00 am Tuesday we got a late start, the boys and grandpa headed home. We saw only deer and coyotes. Mckayna has a heart condition which prevents her from major physical activity, and she was granted a champ permit from AZGFD based on her doctors orders. So Wednesday we went back to the ridge where tucker shot from it was extremely windy and cold. About 6:40 I glassed up 10 cows at 500 yards feeding our direction. I set Mckayna up on my tripod as they fed our way inching closer and closer. At 405 yards they turned and started down canyon. Mckayna held solid and squeezed off and her cow hit the ground! As we slowly made our way to the elk my wife and Lilli watched for us from our vantage point. After finding her I sent my wife to find help, and Mckayna and I went to town gutting, cutting, quartering and boning. Thanks to Todd, Dylan, Urio, Ed, and Ed, they arrived without question and helped us load up in all our back packs and Ed's pack frames and go out I one trip. We spent the afternoon driving around and trying to help Dylan fill his tag as he had not seen any elk. At the last possible second a herd of elk crossed the road where Lane had shot his elk and Dylan filled his tag. I am one tired and happy dad! Can't wait for my 22 coues tag next week, and my 5b bull tag in November. Needless to say I can't thank everyone enough for the help! This week will go down in these kids memory banks for sure!

Cool lookin bull for sure.

I thought I saw you at Frys in Chandler a few weeks ago. Silver FJ with Borderland sticker on it?

Studs!

If you are on facebook look up "KBS Hunting"

That was pretty awesome!!

Nice pics. That cat looks nice.

Thats a lot better day at the office than I could ever have at mine. Nice bird!

Wow those are some outstanding photos.

That is one beautiful looking bull. Congrats to Dane and all involved.

I saw a video on youtube where guys use a step ladder while calling. See if I can find it.

Sounds like an awesome hunt with family. Congrats tonyour daughter on her first elk.

Thats a dandy right there.

I had trouble finding some .270 Win locally and online. I ended up finding some on cheaper than dirt.

http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/topic/43906-1991-suzuki-sidekick-4wd/

Very soon. Wish the other draws were this fast.

Great job to Matt on a nice buck. Jason your boys sure are some hunting machines.

Heck ya nice job. Congrats!

Wow you guys did great! Congrats on all the success and memories made.

Awesome job. Cool looking buck too.

Great spot, thanks for sharing pics.

Congrats to Lacey on a nice bear.

Congrats to Mathew and dad. Another example of hunters helping others as well, nice job.

He's definitely off to a great start, congrats on all the success.

Looks like you had a good outting besides the snake.