AZwest16 Report post Posted September 26, 2009 Well for anyone who doesn't know RAM is my borther and like he said after discovering in March of 09 that we drew a bull elk archery tag, we couldn't have been more pumped. With RAM scoring on a nice 300 bull in 08, and myself shooting a 323 bull in 07, our expectations couldn't have been higher. Over the summer we took several trips up to our unit in preperation to find that monster we were both looking for. Our scouting trips did not disapoint, between trail camera pictures and glassing off of high area's we were able to glass up several bulls between the 300 to 340 range. It seemed like over the summer leading up to the hunt the only bulls that we could find were 6 points (not a bad problem to have). So as most of you read through RAM's post we set up the mountian from the Phx area on Sep 8. in an attempt to bring home a monster. The beggining of the hunt was tough as most of you fellow 09 archery tag hunters probably ecountered. We were lucky enough to have four bull tag's in our camp in which up tell Tuesday the 15th none of us had a legitament close encounter with a bull. On that moring RAM (Ryan), my step-father (Jim), good friend Josh, and I set out into an area that was covered in elk sign. Once we reached the area we were going to be hunting we split up in two different directions in hopes of locating these elk. Jim and I set off in a different direction than Ryan and Josh. The morning for Jim and I started out the same as the ones prior with no bugle's heard and the faint bugle of a fellow hunter. It was hard not to be discouraged this far into the hunt with the way the rut was going, however I knew from past expierence's what would be coming in the near future! The morning finished up with a close encounter with two cows and a spike at approximately 5 yards in which the lead cow got in between Jim and I(pretty cool expierence). During the long walk back to the truck we discovered that Josh was at the truck by himself. Josh soon informed us that Ryan had stuck a great 6 point and was awaiting our help to pack the bull out. If you havn't check out RAM's post for pictures of his bull. So the next day came around and found all four of us back in the same area with a plan to ambush the elk herd that was seen in the area yesterday. We made our way slowly through the area where Ryan had killed his bull the day before with no encounters or bulls heard. We kept on slowly making our way through the brush cow calling every couple hundred yards. We finally made our way to a decent vanage point in which I let out a couple of soft cow calls. No bulls answered my calls in which I heard Josh cow call a few times approximately 50 yards away from me. Almost immediately after Josh had called he and Jim motioned toward the oppsite side of him indicating they had just heard a bull. I quickly made my way over to josh's location in which he advised he had just heard a bull chuckle about 200 yards away. I moved from Josh's location to a small opening where I had shooting lanes that covered all possible approaches the bull might take. I managed to pull up my range finder and range one tree at 42 yards until I realized the bull appeared out of no wear and was walking right into that same lane. i could see the bull had a decent 6 point frame in which I drew back almost instantly and let out a grunt stoping the bull in the same lane. I settled my thirty yard pin just a little bit high seeing as he was a couple of yards closer to me that the tree I had ranged and let my carbon express fly. I followed the arrow until I saw it disapear behind the bulls front shoulder a little higher than I would have hoped. The bull swung around and almost instantly vanish into the brush. I indicated to the guy's behind me who were still trying to get set up to call that I had just hammered a solid bull. After some high fives we walked up to the area the bull had been standing and found my arrow on the oppsite end sticking out of a agave plant. It was covered in bright red blood with bubble's indicating a lung shot. After an hour wait we began down the blood trail that really turned out not to be much of a blood trail at all. The four of us struggled to find an sugnificant amount of blood however the ground had been soft due to recent rain and it was easy tracking the bulls trail he had left from bolting out of the area. About a quarter of a mile later we walked around a brushy corner to my bull all piled up underneat a ceder. I felt fortunate to take this quality of bull during a tough hunt. And did I mention we still had two more tag's left in camp. Continueing On..! Well the next couple of evening's and mornings started to become more active with rut activity in the area and I was beggining to feel confident that we would fill the remaining two tags. After a couple of close calls and missed shots we found ourselves packing up camp on the second Monday of the hunt and making our way back down to the valley. After sitting at home for a day I couldn't get the sound of bugleing bulls out of my mind so I contacted my good friend Deron one of the guy's that still had a tag and asked him if he would want to leave at Midnight on Tuesday night to get to our hunting area before dawn. He agreed and on an hour's sleep we made our way back up the hill. At first light we found our selves glassing due to not hearing any bulls in the area. Almost immediatley I picked up a solid bull in the bottom of a canyon and the race was on. After almost a half a mile dead sprint down a canyon Deron and I found ourselves in the middle of three bugleing bulls. After a few failed set ups on the bulls it was apparent they were moving away from us. We quickly packed up and began moving to get in front of the elk. After approximately a half hour of walking as fast as we could we found ourselves in the middle of several cows. Knowing this could be a possibly great or possibly horrible situation at the same time to be in, I ripped off a bugle trying to make one of the bulls jealous. Almost instantly I could see a elk come crashing through the brush in which i whispered to Deron to draw back. Next a solid 6X5 stepped out at 45 yards and Deron let him have it. We decided to make our way back to the truck and drive much closer prior to searching for Deron's bull. Turned out we could have probably gone right after him as we found Deron's bull not to far away all piled up. I would like to wish a special congratulations to Deron as this was his first Bull elk ever let alone with a bow. I would also like to add Deron had just recently lost his wife Kim to cancer at the begginning of this month and that this trip and expierence was a blessing for Deron and everyone else involved. Congrats to everyone else out there who was successful this year and I know I won't soon forget 2009 when our camp went 3 for 4. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DubTee Report post Posted September 26, 2009 Great post, congrats guys, sounds like this year's hunt in AZ was a tough one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azryan Report post Posted September 26, 2009 It was a tough archery season for sure, great job getting it done on some great bulls Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
palivs2hnt Report post Posted September 26, 2009 Going 3/4 is a huge accomplishment with the rut hitting so late! You guys are doing something right! Congrats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azcouesfanatic Report post Posted September 26, 2009 Looks like you did great for such a tough year. Congrats Brian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gr8 White Jr Report post Posted September 26, 2009 AWESOME!!! Great write up! You guys stuck to it and took some great bulls when the odds were stacked against you. I can't tell you how happy I was to hear that Deron was successful. Please send a congrats his way for me and congrats to you all on some great trophies! -Tracy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted September 26, 2009 Good bulls and photos! You guys got it done in a good way! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Packer Report post Posted September 27, 2009 Congratulations on some good looking bulls. Sounds like you had some work to pack out three bulls. aaron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZwest16 Report post Posted September 27, 2009 Thank you all for postive comments. lol and yes we got a good crash course in boneing 3 mature bulls out, and of coarse than the half mile walk out with a hind quarter or two front quarter. Just adds to all the great memories.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues Archer Report post Posted September 30, 2009 Awesome bull great job. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted September 30, 2009 Sounds like you all had a great hunt and congratulations to each of you and my condolences to Deron with the passing of his wife. Thanks for sharing that great story and pictures. TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RockyMtnOyster Report post Posted September 30, 2009 Way to make the best of a very slow rut season. You guys definitely earned those bulls this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZantlerhead Report post Posted October 1, 2009 Congrats fellas!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeybari Report post Posted October 1, 2009 That’s what friends and family are for My hat is off to you I don’t know you but you sound like a strait up guy Nice write up good story Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mangum Report post Posted October 1, 2009 Great bulls. Great story. Congrats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
