idgaf

While we wait for the next update. Here are a few bulls that are getting a pass from my nephew. (Not hijacking the thread just stuck inside for the first time in months)

Good luck. I may be in the neighborhood, my nephew has that tag. He has been texting me pics of some pretty good bulls. Still debating if I want to battle the snow to help him.

Heads up if you are driving through show low. They are pulling over people in force

They were leaving the high country on Sunday. Still a few though. Food is covered in snow. Drifts we're about 14"

Tony The crazy thing is that's only about a third of the bulls I saw. Sometimes I was getting into position so I didn't get a pic Fred

Seven hours of searching yesterday. Still quite a few bulls up there. This only thing close to my elk that I found

Impressive!!

14" around 8000' in unit 1. I went to pull some cameras this evening. Couldn't make it to a couple of them

16" of snow at that elevation. I'm not risking it

Will do thanks for the offer

Actually eagles and lions. Hahaha

The story ends as a Greek tragedy. We get there and the ground is covered with a layer of snow. We search until the beginning stages of hypothermia set in and then I call it. I can only figure that the arrow didn't penetrate enough to get the second lung. The arrow it looked couldn't be better placed if I did it with my hand. I'll look again tomorrow and again on Saturday The conditions we were searching in Oh it was the bull with big fronts on the far right

The final plot twist of this story took place today. Outcome TBD This morning I had this bull on a string to pass me @ 50 yards then that storm front started moving in and changed the wind patterns that had been constant since the beginning of the hunt. They left Bulltopia Had to check emails and return calls so I went to Springerville for lunch. saw this immature banded bald eagle eating roadkill I do what I have to do. And decide to go up to my original honey hole before I was distracted by Bulltopia. Three trail cameras and I got 1 picture of a Bull. even the horses are gone. Something is not right so I left. I decide to drive into bulltopia , I pass a white toyota on the side of the road and a few hundred yards later I spook 4 bulls with my driving. I feel bad I hate when that happens to me. I take a couple of pics and keep heading in. I decide about half way that I am not going to make it and know that the toyota is going to cross the field to go after those four little bulls. I figured, why not. I sneak in wind is good enough, Cover is adequate. I get to 65 yards and take aim at the closest bull. He spooks and a chinese fire drill is taking place. I climb a little ledge and A bull that wasnt part of the drill is standing broadside and a good distance but a shot I practiced quite a bit. I was determined. I pull back, settle in and squeeze. I hear the crack of the arrow hitting rib. It runs and stops after about 60 yards, I glass my fletching sticking out about 14 inches. half way up and two inches behind the shoulder. I hear a crash. I have nothing with me to see. I follow the trail until around 730 and call it. I will be back first thing in the morning. No matter what the hunting part of this done. Which bull did I shoot? (im asking im not quite positive)

it ran and treed again

Angry cats final moments

I switched back to Fred but I forgot my password and changed email addresses

You can't compare me to CNN what I show is true, hahaha. Yesterday I set up on 75 yards on the wrong side of perfect. These guys walked around me and bedded 130 yards southeast of me. When the wind did what its been doing. It became a track meet Had to take care of Kitty midday. I miss when g&f was run by hunters. I've been sic, two meals the last three days so it finally caught up to me and I had to rest. Afternoon nothing. This morning I had everything nearly perfect. One of the bigger of the big bulls is was coming with maybe another dozen friends. Then for the first time for about three minutes the wind was from the southeast to northwest. And they cut across the fields fast. Better pics later Hoping the come back to a point quarter mile north of where I spooked them ready right now. I'll wait a bit and then start glassing other parts

MTN lion is OTC. Bwhahaha

It was self defense, this time. The headless elk it was protecting

Alright just getting home. Long Day. Go through the elk stuff pretty quick. I go to Bulltopia and only see one small (300ish) bull. Then a herd of 10 comes out and I think they are making there way to there normal bedding area all of sudden they make a sharp right turn catching me off guard and stuck in no mans land for the better part of an hour. then the skyline turns into stuff Kings Calenders are made. First wave second wave Small bulls make it to the point I am on. At least I thought they were all small until I looked at the pic just now. They catch my movement but that was ok I wanted this bull anyway I go the top of the hill I am on and I notice the main herd is still in the field after 800 and then they redirect. I put a play on the bulls I wanted. I didnt give them enough time to fall asleep and they bolt I notice that they start acting funny and redirect about the same spot the main herd did. I thought well maybe that lion from yesterday is back. It about 1100 now and I decide to walk by that spot and go to the point where the main herd goes and find a hiding spot for the morning. I get to where I saw the lion yesterday and hear snarling and the cat takes a stand at a headless head elk. It growling now and piercing through me with its stare. I'm 25 yards away. Oh Snap (it wasnt snap btw) angry cats kill people in California. It position is facing straight at me very low to the ground. (this is 1120 in the morning). I grab an arrow pull back as quickly as I can and put my first pin directly between his eyes. I was not doing this for hunting purposes I was doing this because I felt eminent danger to my personal well being. I release, expecting a dead cat, it jumps 10 feet in the air runs by at 15 yards up the hill next to me then crosses the field behind me. The voice in my head was yelling take the effin picture say I search for four hours, text a few friends and going through my phone for Houndsman. I text a few of those, no answer till later anyway. Then a friend says he knows a guy. They are there in less than two hours now 510. I had gone back the two miles to my truck (phone was dying) to take the two track in. within a minute of catching the trail (3 bear dogs 1 lion dog) they found the tree he was hiding in only 10' up and a tree I walked past at five times. They jokingly (i Think) said she wanted to take you out. I never thought to look up except for the time when I saw unnatural branch movement. The arrow hits the lungs perfectly and she runs 100 yards trees again. After waiting a few minutes, no very last light, I put a third arrow into her and 30 seconds later she falls. Back to elk tomorrow and a trip to G&F. Pics on the next post they are on my phone.

Sorry semi-live means the ending wasn't fulfilled yet. It got crazy!

*****spoiler alert**** Elk hunt just became a lion hunt with dogs

Another plot twist this one is epic no matter the outcome

Today hurt on several levels. Ive been sick so my food intake for the last couple of days has consisted of a bowl of frosted wheats (yesterday) and three little debbie oatmeal cakes. Couple that with a 1.85 mile to get to bulltopia and my energy has been sucked from my body. It didn't disappoint. I get there and with a minute or two I find these bulls. The herd was split up in four groups 'only' around 25 bulls total that I counted. I see a group below and I take cover. I'm watching them then I notice big deep forks feeding my way, I range the tree next to him and its 40 yards. I wait for him to turn broadside, thinking You know I can put the arrow through his antlers and into his spine. I wait. He starts feeding to my left (I'm behind a burned ponderosa) now under 30 yards with two other full sized bulls to the right. I step out and pull back he catches my movement and bolts causing a mini stampede of 13 bulls Guess which bull I was drawing back on. There group headed to the main herd and I follow in the trees. There's a couple of giants in the group. I head to the main group and I get to a point and I look to my right a bit and there is MTN Lion less than 50 yards away. I grab an arrow and try to do my best Legalos impression for Lord Of the Rings. He wasnt having it and bounced away. I reach what I think is the front of the group, But I was 85 yards on the wrong side of the group (very bad wind) they move into the baby aspens where it is to noisy to go after them. I gave up kinda early because I just didnt have the energy. Ive got the pattern now and barring any operator error on my part or outside influences (a couple of other hunters have found bulltopia as well and they drive there diesel into the middle of it) tomorrow will be an exciting day oh for you cow lovers 97 in this group that I counted.