You can start hating me now because I only had 3 points when I drew this tag. But for the record, it took me 17 years to draw my previous bull tag. I had a great hunt two years ago and passed on MANY bulls but ended up coming home empty handed. Pretty tough after waiting that long but it is what it is.
I almost didn't apply this year but a good friend talked me into it. I was pretty shocked when I found out I drew. Even more amazing, a good friend and his buddy who are NR's drew the same tag.
Fast forward to 9/9/2014. 530am, my dad and I were headed north. Camp was set up by 230pm and some glassing that evening turned up a couple of nice bulls.
Ben and Brian made the long drive from Kentucky and Ohio and got to camp the day before the season; just in time to shoot their bows and an evening glassing session.
I'll summarize this as best as possible.
The hunting was fantastic. Bulls were talking good and the weather was great. Typical early season archery hunting, it only got better as the days went by. Collectively, we were seeing some great action and plenty of mature bulls. I've heard some people talk about horn growth being down or the rut being slow. We didn't see that.
On day 4 I missed a really nice bull. Just wasn't in the cards, I guess. No excuses....I missed.
After hunting through day 5, I had to come home. Our AC went out and the wife needed a break from me being gone for a week already. My dad headed to eastern AZ to help my brother with his archery bull tag while Ben and Brian continued to hunt and have some great action.
Ben shot his bull on the 6th day of the hunt. After a tree-limb deflected his arrow, he hit the bull further back than he would have liked. He gave the bull several hours and went in to look. Thankfully the bull had only gone a couple hundred yards and expired pretty fast. Congratulations to Ben!!
Brian hit a great bull low in the shoulder on the 7th day and got very little penetration (naturally). The bull was seen later and doing fine. Unfortunately the bull survived, but, fortunately the bull survived!
On day 8, knowing that his family back in Ohio was waiting patiently for him, Brian took this young bull. Congrats to Brian!
Casey's Processing in Flagstaff had their bulls cut up, packaged and frozen in 24hrs! Casey's is pretty amazing if you didn't already know that.
My dad and I finally made it back to camp on the night of day 9. I was eager to finally make it out in the field. Ben and Brian had dinner made for us while they were packed up, ready to head back home the next morning.
Early morning of day 10 found my dad and I saying goodbye to our good friends and heading out to hunt. We chased bugles that morning and got pretty close to some good bulls and I even got within 60yds of an albino cow. Awesome! I was really close to a good bull also but another hunter seemed that walking through their bedding areas, bugling every 30 seconds, was a good idea. So here's my short rant from 2014.....
1. Placing a tiny piece of paper with your name on it and "2014 archery elk" at a water-hole doesn't make it yours. That's just plain silly
2. If someone beats you to a waterhole (because you didn't even show up until 430pm anyway) then you should walk away. Not argue with the prompt hunter then sit down within 100yds or so of the tank. If you do this then you're a tool.
3. Keep the wind in your favor. Elk can smell
4. IF, and that's a big IF, you're going to bugle......learn how to first. If it sounds bad, it's bad. If it sounds okay, it's still bad. If you're getting "better", it's still not good enough. Just stop already. There's a reason the actual bulls stop talking after you "bugle"
Anyway, after the morning hunt I hiked in and pulled a treestand. My dad then dropped me off at a waterhole for the rest of the day while he went back to camp. Knowing this waterhole was sort of a central hub to the bedded bulls, I anticipated some good action in the evening.
At approximately 500pm I saw my first elk. A couple of cows heading towards the tank. Behind them, but out of sight, was the herd bull bugling. There were a total of 4 bulls bugling at this point, working their way to the tank.
I finally laid my eyes on my bull about 515. He was coming through the trees to the tank by himself. He and another bull were almost racing to the tank. I recognized this bull as a bull I saw a couple of days before the season started. He's got a great right side, then a dwarfed left side with a split browtine. Neat bull! He's pretty wide too. The season is winding down and the wife and 5 kids want me home! I'd be extremely happy to take this bull.
Both bulls made it to the tank about the same time and I drew just before my bull walked into my lane. Focusing too much on NOT hitting his shoulder, I hit him a tad further back than I wanted. The arrow penetrated about 22" and the bull bolted out of the water. He ran about 75yds then slowed down. Eventually stopping about 100yds away. He stood there for about 5 minutes as other cows and bulls filed passed him to the water. Eventually he laid down and expired shortly thereafter. Pretty incredible! I've helped others take a few elk over the years but I just shot my first bull...
My dad showed up a little later and the work began. It was pretty special to be able to share this with my dad. Many hunters can't do this any longer. Super happy that I still can.
My 2014 bull
As a side note, this is what we found after caping the bull. About 3.5" of antler stuck between the base of his antler and his skull! Just another, yet unique, reason antlered animals become lopsided or "deformed".
Thanks for reading. It's Coues deer season!!!!!!!!!!!
