Muzzleloader Unit 10 bull hunt

[naturebob]

I have the 9 or most likely the early 10 tag coming . If I run into uso I will make them move. Or camp in their camp. Could be the ok corral again. Screw uso................BOB!

[murfys69law]

You can see my hands "sore foot" , no camera.

if ya hadn't run over MY foot it wouldn't be SORE

[shedcrazy45]

I have heard guides are bad in 10 but it just depends on where you go, I know I sure as heck wouldn't let a guide or anyone mess with my elk hunt, I had guys come right next to me glassing on my hunt after I had gotten up there at 4:45 to beat competition, "I thought" but I found bulls first and passed cause it was opening morning. I passed on a few other bulls but on the 5th day, I was going to take the first bull I saw.

[murfys69law]

I have heard guides are bad in 10 but it just depends on where you go, I know I sure as heck wouldn't let a guide or anyone mess with my elk hunt, I had guys come right next to me glassing on my hunt after I had gotten up there at 4:45 to beat competition, "I thought" but I found bulls first and passed cause it was opening morning. I passed on a few other bulls but on the 5th day, I was going to take the first bull I saw.

I have hunted 10 a few times but not on Big Bo. This seems to be where USO and others outfitters seem to go. I have heard many times that hunters have been harassed to the point of calling F&G and even moving their camps because of these idiots. I hope this doesn't happen cuz I know how I am.. I won't put up with this s*&^. I may get bloody and not from an animal. I have as much right as anyone to be there.

[daverp]

I've hunted Big Bo a lot. I've never run into a guide giving me crap. Have run into a few idiots out there...but just a few. Did hear some years ago about USO putting up "Road Closed" signs in areas they were hunting and wanted to themselves. No idea whatever came of that. The biggest issue I've had was last year. Getting to a spot about a mile from the road at 4am to wait for daylight, only to have some jelly roll wander his way up through prime glassing area during prime glassing hours a half hour after sunrise. After seeing our truck parked in the obvious jump off spot, and admitting he thought we were up there. Same lard azz then stayed up there all day, and walked out...again....during prime glassing hours, a half hour before sun down, again, right through prime glassing area. Guess dinner or the donuts were calling, or he was too afraid of things that go bump in the dark to actually walk in or out of an area at an appropriate time so you could not jack it up and actually hunt it during prime hours.

 

But, rant over. If you go a mile or more into a spot, you usually won't have much competition and won't run into idiots, and should have a great hunt. If you hunt the flats, you can expect several people running to make stalks on the same bulls you glassed up. Get in the thick stuff, the rougher terrain, away from the roads, and you shouldn't have a lot of problems.

 

Last year (late rifle bull) was an epic hunt. A lot of clean, unbroken, nice bulls. Plenty of opportunity. My boy was holding out for a 350'ish type bull, and we had four or five stalks on those kind of bulls but just couldn't close the deal. Not for lack of opportunity or trying. Had some very close encounters with bulls (got to within 5 yards or so of a NICE bull on the other side of a juniper....he was coming to us after a stalk and as we waited for a shot opportunity hoping they'd show themselves) we were stalking in the thick stuff, just couldn't catch the single little break we needed to get a shot off. Stalked another group with a nice 6x7, and sat a shooting lane we expected them to cross. Shooting lane out to 135 yards. Yep, dang things crossed at 137 yards through a 3' opening. No time for a shot. Five yards closer, the kid tags a heck of a bull.

 

That was just a couple of the four or five stalks we made on NICE bulls. Clean and unbroken bulls. Did not see a lot of busted up bulls last year. Passed on lesser bulls probably 8 or so times right up until last light of the last day. Amazing hunt.

 

The year before was polar opposite. Could not find a spike for the nephew to stalk let alone a nice bull. Biggest bull I saw during daylight hours was a badly broken up 5x a couple days before the season. The snow came in a couple days before the season, and the elk vanished. Walked for miles in fresh snow without crossing but a single track. By the time we figured out where we thought they'd gone, the fog rolled in heavy for a couple days and we couldn't see 50 yards. Season over.

 

So there you have the tale of two consecutive seasons hunting the same areas. Could be epic...could be crap. Good luck!

[murfys69law]

I've hunted Big Bo a lot. I've never run into a guide giving me crap. Have run into a few idiots out there...but just a few. Did hear some years ago about USO putting up "Road Closed" signs in areas they were hunting and wanted to themselves. No idea whatever came of that. The biggest issue I've had was last year. Getting to a spot about a mile from the road at 4am to wait for daylight, only to have some jelly roll wander his way up through prime glassing area during prime glassing hours a half hour after sunrise. After seeing our truck parked in the obvious jump off spot, and admitting he thought we were up there. Same lard azz then stayed up there all day, and walked out...again....during prime glassing hours, a half hour before sun down, again, right through prime glassing area. Guess dinner or the donuts were calling, or he was too afraid of things that go bump in the dark to actually walk in or out of an area at an appropriate time so you could not jack it up and actually hunt it during prime hours.

 

But, rant over. If you go a mile or more into a spot, you usually won't have much competition and won't run into idiots, and should have a great hunt. If you hunt the flats, you can expect several people running to make stalks on the same bulls you glassed up. Get in the thick stuff, the rougher terrain, away from the roads, and you shouldn't have a lot of problems.

 

Last year (late rifle bull) was an epic hunt. A lot of clean, unbroken, nice bulls. Plenty of opportunity. My boy was holding out for a 350'ish type bull, and we had four or five stalks on those kind of bulls but just couldn't close the deal. Not for lack of opportunity or trying. Had some very close encounters with bulls (got to within 5 yards or so of a NICE bull on the other side of a juniper....he was coming to us after a stalk and as we waited for a shot opportunity hoping they'd show themselves) we were stalking in the thick stuff, just couldn't catch the single little break we needed to get a shot off. Stalked another group with a nice 6x7, and sat a shooting lane we expected them to cross. Shooting lane out to 135 yards. Yep, dang things crossed at 137 yards through a 3' opening. No time for a shot. Five yards closer, the kid tags a heck of a bull.

 

That was just a couple of the four or five stalks we made on NICE bulls. Clean and unbroken bulls. Did not see a lot of busted up bulls last year. Passed on lesser bulls probably 8 or so times right up until last light of the last day. Amazing hunt.

 

The year before was polar opposite. Could not find a spike for the nephew to stalk let alone a nice bull. Biggest bull I saw during daylight hours was a badly broken up 5x a couple days before the season. The snow came in a couple days before the season, and the elk vanished. Walked for miles in fresh snow without crossing but a single track. By the time we figured out where we thought they'd gone, the fog rolled in heavy for a couple days and we couldn't see 50 yards. Season over.

 

So there you have the tale of two consecutive seasons hunting the same areas. Could be epic...could be crap. Good luck!

That was a lot to read but some good info. Thanks dave

[shedcrazy45]

Yup, getting up early+cold+ morons= very bad things.

[rossiranch]

My good buddy has this tag this year and we are pumped!! Can't wait to start scouting!

[Alpinebullwinkle]

hmmmmm. I've run into that "road closed" trick a few times in unit #27 in the last few years during the September archery hunt. The road was formerly open all year prior and after the hunt. And I found the sign after the hunt....... hidden off in the bushes. Suppose USO has ownership of that trick? Anyone else in any other units running into this "unpleasant surprise" ???

[Havasuhunter]

hmmmmm. I've run into that "road closed" trick a few times in unit #27 in the last few years during the September archery hunt. The road was formerly open all year prior and after the hunt. And I found the sign after the hunt....... hidden off in the bushes. Suppose USO has ownership of that trick? Anyone else in any other units running into this "unpleasant surprise" ???

I found two BS road closed signs in 16A just the other day while scouting and learning new areas. Seen this trick in other areas of AZ and in other states.