Az Muzzy elk hunt

[Anaconda]

I got to AZ Wednesday afternoon, a day and a half before the hunt, and checked out a few easy to get to places that afternoon. Found some sign, but didn’t see any elk. Thursday morning, I headed out way before dawn to scout my “A list” spot, 12 miles down a rocky, bumpy 4 wheel drive trail plus a 1 mile hike.

I was running late, and about 7am I stopped to stretch my legs, stepped off the road a few feet and there were about a 100 elk looking at me. Biggest herd I have ever seen.

 

Opening day I headed back to “the spot”, and saw 3 bulls in my head lights.

 

I didn’t see any elk that morning, but I found the perfect ambush spot. I headed back to the truck and drove a few miles to the place I had seen the big herd, and passed on a decent 5X5.

That afternoon, I headed back to the ambush spot, getting there about 4pm. I immediately started seeing elk, in fact it took me a ½ hour to walk the last 100 yards because cows and spikes were walking up and down the trail every minuet.

I found a rock where I could see the approach, and had a perfect, 80 yards wide open shooting lane in front of me.

In the next half hour, 30 elk must have walked past me, cows, spikes, 4X4s, they were all around me.

I actually set my gun down and got out my camera when I saw some bigger antlers bobbing above the brush coming down the trail, so I picked up the gun and waited for him to step out in the open.

I double lunged him with a Barns 250, and all heck broke loose, all the elk started running right at me, passing on both sides as close as a few feet. Then my bulls started running up the hill at me, I couldn’t believe he was still on his feet, but then he staggered and keeled over about half way to my spot. I set the gun down and picked up the camera and got a photo of the elk that had just assed by me.

I reloaded and walked down to the bull and he was still kicking, so I gave him one more.

I took a few photos and started skinning him, and then I realized I was exhausted from hiking all day. It wasn’t a long pack out, but It would take me most of the night in my condition, so I gutted him and propped him open to cool, and drove out.

I called a friend, and he agreed to give me a hand, so we headed back in the next morning and finished the job.

We found a way to get the truck a bit closer,and were finished before noon. On the way out we spotted lots of deer, some antelope and some fantastic desert scenery.

 

Just before my bull stepped out.

 

My bull

 

The last load out;

[Pine Donkey]

Nice bull, congratulations! I have had pigs run my way and even brush my leg as they scattered...it was pretty intense, but they were just pigs. Elk running at you must have got the blood pumping pretty good!

[antlerfreak]

wow sounds pretty exciting congratualations

[jmwarren65]

Congrats on a nice bull and a good hunt.

[HEADACHE]

congrats. Thanks for sharing.

[6ANut]

Way to get it done with your smoke pole. Elk has a really sweet left side.

[200"mulie]

congrats ! thanks for sharing

[Flatlander]

Congrats on a terrific bull.

[Thesteeleboy]

Great story Anaconda and congrats on the nice bull.