Unit 11M bull hunt

[Bigfish86]

New member here and new to elk hunting drew my first elk tag this year in unit 11m archery bull and having a tough time getting on elk looking for pointers and tips possibly some help if available heard a few bugles but cant get any to commit wondering what I'm doing wrong? Came across a couple small bulls standing on side of forest road and was able to get a shot but missed just over his back and I feel like that was my one and only shot at an elk before my hunt is over any tips and input is greatly appreciated 

[muleybowhunter]

From G&F

Areas: During the hunting season, elk can be found throughout the unit, but are in higher densities on the west, south and east portions of the unit. Elk can also be found on the north side however, vehicle access is limited and you will have to pack your animal out. There are higher numbers of elk on the west side along Highway 89A near Forest Highlands and on the southeast side north of Walnut Canyon and south Continental. The area south of the Flagstaff Airport east of Mountainaire is also a good area to check for bugling bulls. It is important to remember unit 11M is a metro unit around Flagstaff and hunters should expect to see other people in the areas running, bike riding, walking their dogs, riding horses etc. Hunters should be considerate of others and realize they are not the only ones out there.

[idgaf]

Helped a guy on that hunt last week.  Get up early, listen for bugles, get as close as you dare, Cow call, (absolutely no bugles) or better yet have some one cow call for you.   Or sit water with a lot of tracks.  

Definitely, shoot the first bull you see. 

Good luck.  

[CatfishKev]

3 hours ago, Bigfish86 said:

New member here and new to elk hunting drew my first elk tag this year in unit 11m archery bull and having a tough time getting on elk looking for pointers and tips possibly some help if available heard a few bugles but cant get any to commit wondering what I'm doing wrong? Came across a couple small bulls standing on side of forest road and was able to get a shot but missed just over his back and I feel like that was my one and only shot at an elk before my hunt is over any tips and input is greatly appreciated 

Given the reports this year doesn't sound like your doing too bad comparatively speaking. Just keep plugging away until it happens. Good luck!

[Bigfish86]

I'm on the west side off of A1 mt rd and have heard a few there but like I said I missed that shot. and have found a new area off of Shultz pass and they were real talkative headed out there this morning and it was 30mph winds and didnt hear but one bugle from them all morning I'm thinking that wind was messing with them and they didnt want to talk or move.

 

[Roosevelt Mark]

At least you got a shot. Alot of people didn't.

[couesmagnet]

I was in 11m for the first hunt a total of 9 days. Was one of the worst elk hunts ive ever been on. Brutal more like it. Very little bugling. We killed a herd bull that had 42 cows and it wasnt even a 300 inch bull. Tells you something when a herd bull has that many cows, and isnt very big. We felt very blessed with the bull. It felt like the bull was 360 though with how hard it was . My first experience in 11 m was a let down. All hunters we ran into had the same story as ours. Everyone said last year was great though. Good luck.

[Red Rabbit]

9 hours ago, couesmagnet said:

 We felt very blessed with the bull. It felt like the bull was 360 though with how hard it was .

Sometimes the trophy is not measured in inches, but on effort and the experience.  Congrats on your archery bull.

[nateNAU]

Here is the bull we were able to shoot the last day of the first 11m hunt.

[Huntnfish]

1 hour ago, nateNAU said:

Here is the bull we were able to shoot the last day of the first 11m hunt.

That is a cool bull. Congrats.

[nateNAU]

Sorry for the sideways pic. The first week of the hunt was tough. We still got on elk but there was no vocalization. Second week was better. Bulls were talking and fighting but still not coming to calls. Called in a spike the last morning and was able to but it broadside of my buddy at about 10 yards but he was unable to get a shot. We the decided a hail marry and drive across  town and try and hunt for about an hour before we had to get to work. We instantly got into some bull fighting and shot this bull at 37 yards. My advice for 11m is don't get stuck in one area. Rutting can stink in one area and be on fire in another. Be mobile. Someone mentioned A1. If I was hunting right now I would consider following that advice. 

[Heat]

Looks similar to the one I shot last year.  Congrats!

[couesmagnet]

8 hours ago, Red Rabbit said:

Sometimes the trophy is not measured in inches, but on effort and the experience.  Congrats on your archery bull.

I agree. It wasn’t my tag. I was just helping a friend. 

He was super stoked with the bull. 

It was his first archery elk. 

[cgrhunter]

I hunted that unit several years a while back. I would avoid 1A anytime around the weekend as I always found it overrun with hunters and a huge number recreationist tearing up the area in ATVs and target practicing.  Along about Wednesday when things had calmed down it always got better. As posted above, I would avoid the bugle. It always seemed to me the elk had gotten wise to the bugle and in one case, I was convinced that one group I heard bugling around A1 was purposely driving around bugling poorly in an effort to ruin the hunt (we have run into a fair amount of anti-hunting pressure in that unit, especially to the south).  The elk are in there though.

Good luck on your hunt.

[idgaf]

Found this guy dead on the southern portion. Opening day of the second season