singleshot

You went over and above any moral responsibility to find the owner. Enjoy any cash you might receive from the sale. If I ever lose anything I sure hope you find it!

Another fantastic video! I have really enjoyed the replay of your hunt. Enjoyed the one from january also. Great determination and fortitude! Makes me feel kinda puny!

I had just stepped out of my truck in a wide spot on the well traveled road to glass a burned ridge when a truck drove up and stopped. The occupants craned their necks out the passenger window towards that burned ridge, so I walked over to ask what they had seen. Friendly enough, as most people who share our passion tend to be, and it wasn't long before we realized that we knew some of the same people who also had the same tag as themselves. The frustrations of their hunt arose to the surface, and that they had been drawn for this unit for three consecutive years.The younger of the two remarked "four cows" and as the Super Duty rattled up the road the sound of a bugle floated across the canyon. The wind was howling that evening and spitting rain. The "four cows" was actually eight and a really great bull was pushing one hot cow in constant circles through a thicket of six foot aspen and locust. He was in a perfect spot for a stalk and with the heavy wind to boot, I laughed to myself about the situation. And that's how it went. For twelve days prior to the muzzleloader hunt my good friend Bryan and I would get up before light and go looking for bulls. We talked to other hunters, no bugling, the rain, people everywhere, 350, 360, 375 running the fence, 400 here 400 there. Really? Some afternoons a dozen or more vehicles including quads would drive up the two track past our camp only to drive back out an hour later. We counseled, tried to motivate, and told people what a great tag they had. Oh how badly we would have wanted their tag. But in the end it was their tag and how they chose to go about their hunt was their business. Everyone should be able to go on an elk hunt, at least once. Bryan and I took a few nature walks don't get me wrong, but we tried hard, and stayed positive and we found lot's of elk, and a handful of big, mature bull's. It was almost scripted. Or was it the homework? We slowly dropped in elevation peering over the shelves of rock below us and Bryan did one of his famous from two legs upright, to the belly crawl moves. I'm not nearly as agile, so when I see him doing that I usually just freeze. "I got a cow" Bryan whispered. My son Dane, and I eased through the burned timber keeping an eye on the few cows that were visible and picked apart the scene below us for the bull we knew was there. He had bugled once. When we see him will it be "him"? You just gotta appreciate good glass, his nose and brows at 120 yards, bedded and chewing his cud. We slid down the mountain and started side hilling trying to get a better look at at him, studying him, no breaks, great mass, mature face. He turned straight away, in his bed. I told Dane, "I think you should take this bull". No argument. I indicated to Bryan that we were going to shoot this bull and he nodded in affirmation. You give birth to them, you raise them, you love them. You send them on their way and you hope that they have listened to everything you had to tell them, and show them. They go out into the world and fight for their place. Making good decisions, and some a little questionable. Dane scratched his way closer looking for a decent opening. That log, that tree, take a rest with that rifle. From his knees and freehanded, fathers nightmare. The heavy smoke from 150 grains of black powder drifted away to reveal the bull still bedded. A few cows had stood up. Freehanded again, but somewhere all those conversations, those stories that you tell, those hunts that are behind you, take hold. Beautiful shot. Friends, Please watch the video on YouTube. Here is the link to Dane's Big Bull:

Pretty buck. Good job.

Those are really pretty. I especially like the mesquite. Great work

Super fine grit emory cloth, they will polish out and look like abalone.

The odds are outstanding that you used up pretty much 20 years bad luck in just this one trip. Smooth sailing from here on out. Great write up and pictures. Congratulations to your daughter on a fine buck and for being so tough. Congratulations to you also for being able to laugh about the train wreck of a weekend. Those bucks will be bigger next year!

That was awesome!

First time I've ever seen "Pajamaflage"! Congrats on a great cow.

Sounds like you all had a great morning with all the bugling bulls, coyotes and a nice cow on the ground. Congrats on staying with it and making things happen.

Fantastic shooting on a great cow. Way to get it done!

I have only sold one rifle ever, Ruger model 77 in 7mm Remington mag. No regrets though it was a three shot wonder and then everywhere. Bought a #1 in the same caliber and never looked back.

Firing Pin in Safford has at least a dozen 1 pounders as of today. $33.00 a pound though.

Matt, sounds like you are well on your way to helping your dad out someday. Taking solo hunts and being able to glass yourself really contributes to the group effort. Congratulations on taking a nice buck and believing in your abilities enough to pass others up. Really nice pictures and write up. I would have to hold that snake a little closer to the head though, those things have bit the crap out of me a few times.

405 grains of the most DEADLY MUSHROOM IN THE WOODS. Too cool.

Huge sign in Thriftee Super market in Safford in front of the Monster / Red Bull display...... YOU CAN NOW BUY ENERGY DRINKS WITH YOUR EBT. CARDS!!!! Do you think it will work against them and give them enough motivation to get an EFFFIIINGGG JOB!!!!! NOT.

These tags are few and far between. Thats really awesome that you could so easily see the beauty in such a rare opportunity to spend the time in the field with family and friends and the harvest came second. They tend to end to quickly..... for everybody that is involved. Great pictures and write up... thank you for sharing that.

Good advice. Also always pay attention to the way it feels in your fingers. If it feels like a fish in your hands then give it a good whiff . I can tell by the feel every time and my nose is the game changer.

Nice shooting. You never now how the opportunity will present itself... be ready for whatever happens and you will always be successful. In the way you lead your life also. Congrats.

Hope he gets better soon. His generation is fading.

That was an awesome story of what we all are all about! Karma pays off eventually. Congrats to you guys on a fine trophy and some great table fare!

Looks Like it was a great shot! That's a really nice buck. Congrats.

Memories being made right there! Way to go!

Thats a really nice bull. Great of you to offer advice and help others out. It seems that tags come so rarely that keeping hot spots to yourself doesn't work out to be so fruitful when you happen to finally be the lucky one. "Bull karma" it's what's for dinner. Believe me it works.

I lost my headlamp a couple of weeks ago and searched in the dark for it for about 20 minutes. Finally gave up on it and found that it had twisted to the side of my head. If it had been on I would have felt even stupider. Cool picture, just one more great thing about AZ. is all the different color phases of black bears.