Earlier this year, a friend and I put in for a cow elk hunt in Arizona. He drew, I didn't. I went along anyway in order to learn the ropes. I've never hunted elk before. My friend did last years, but was unable to close the deal on some massive elk.
We left VERY early Friday morning, dragging a travel trailer.
We arrived in time to set up the trailer and then scout for an hour and a half before dark. Found elk tracks.
Saw no deer, no elk. The season started Saturday morning, so we were up early to eat breakfast and get ready, then headed out to hunt. After driving and glassing and checking out a couple areas, we went 1/2 a mile up a side road that looked promising. When the road started getting rougher, we got out to check out the area on foot. We turned the truck around, got our gear together, snapped a couple photos, and got moving.
A couple hundred yards up the road, we busted 2 cows, but had no shot! Continued 2.5 miles to top, and saw tons of sign: elk, deer, bear, turkey, coyote, possible lion.
We checked out a "lake" on the map, which was little more than a puddle, and then walked back down. Back to town for gas. On the way, we saw 2 small whitetail bucks, which stood there in the road until we were right on them. For the evening hunt, we drove back to the so-called lake, and sat above it on the west side.
After about an hour, a coyote came to water, then left. Later, a 5x4 bull with great width and mass came in! He drank some water, turned broadside, turned broadside the other way, scratched himself, shook himself, just chilling. 10-15 minutes after that, a cow came down. Game on! My friend had a solid rest on shooting sticks, at a distance of 80-90 yards. He fired, aiming just behind the shoulder. She ran, followed by the bull. He took another shot, probably missed. Heard a crash. We went down to where she had been standing- no blood trail.
Followed bull and cow tracks up the hill 100 yards, and found the cow lying down! She fell 45 yards from road!
On the road on the way back, around 10pm, a spindly 5x6 was in the road like a deer in the headlights, confused. So we saw 3 cows, 2 bulls, 2 bucks, a covey of quail, and a coyote. The next morning we packed up and headed out, and we hunted quail in the evening and following morning.
We spent about 8 hours processing the meat yesterday. For a couple of guys who didn't know the area, we did pretty well, I think. Thank the Lord for success, safety, and meat in the freezer!
We left VERY early Friday morning, dragging a travel trailer.
We arrived in time to set up the trailer and then scout for an hour and a half before dark. Found elk tracks.
Saw no deer, no elk. The season started Saturday morning, so we were up early to eat breakfast and get ready, then headed out to hunt. After driving and glassing and checking out a couple areas, we went 1/2 a mile up a side road that looked promising. When the road started getting rougher, we got out to check out the area on foot. We turned the truck around, got our gear together, snapped a couple photos, and got moving.
A couple hundred yards up the road, we busted 2 cows, but had no shot! Continued 2.5 miles to top, and saw tons of sign: elk, deer, bear, turkey, coyote, possible lion.
We checked out a "lake" on the map, which was little more than a puddle, and then walked back down. Back to town for gas. On the way, we saw 2 small whitetail bucks, which stood there in the road until we were right on them. For the evening hunt, we drove back to the so-called lake, and sat above it on the west side.
After about an hour, a coyote came to water, then left. Later, a 5x4 bull with great width and mass came in! He drank some water, turned broadside, turned broadside the other way, scratched himself, shook himself, just chilling. 10-15 minutes after that, a cow came down. Game on! My friend had a solid rest on shooting sticks, at a distance of 80-90 yards. He fired, aiming just behind the shoulder. She ran, followed by the bull. He took another shot, probably missed. Heard a crash. We went down to where she had been standing- no blood trail.
Followed bull and cow tracks up the hill 100 yards, and found the cow lying down! She fell 45 yards from road!
On the road on the way back, around 10pm, a spindly 5x6 was in the road like a deer in the headlights, confused. So we saw 3 cows, 2 bulls, 2 bucks, a covey of quail, and a coyote. The next morning we packed up and headed out, and we hunted quail in the evening and following morning.
We spent about 8 hours processing the meat yesterday. For a couple of guys who didn't know the area, we did pretty well, I think. Thank the Lord for success, safety, and meat in the freezer!
