Elk Camp 2019

Lots of action and lots of frustration today. Decided to stay on the southern end of the unit because we’ve seen so much sign and the weather was really iffy today, didn’t make sense to drive all the way north with the forecast we had.

We got up to a knob and immediately found elk. Right as Reid and I were getting ready to bail off the knob and make our play Matt glassed up some hunters and they pushed the elk. Since they were so far off we waited and watched and were able to stay on them. The group split up a bit but after a while I was able to find 6 cows in striking distance.

While this was going on two guys came up to our knob on a side by side. They glassed for a little while and then drove down to a road below us. They promptly spooked a big group of elk that were right below us. There were 8 cows and a small bull and a spike. But they left the county.

Reid and I made our play on the other group of cows we had found. It is very difficult to keep tabs on animals in this unit. It is flat! Any topographical feature that allows you to glass is surrounded by flat country, and when you go on your stalk you lose all reference points. Matt was on the hill glassing but they disappeared from his perspective. I was able to navigate to them and Matt let us know when we got to where they disappeared. We started still hunting the trees but the juniper is impossible to see anything through. Two cows busted 60 yard from us and all I had was a head shot for a brief moment before they took off.

The cows took off back toward Matt and eventually went right up onto that hill.... and then a road hunter shot one of them as we were following their tracks. The frustration was real today. All of the groups of elk we found were affected by other people. But we also saw 30+ elk today and had a good play that just didn’t work out. We know they are here now. Hoping the crowds are thinned out some tomorrow and we can get it done!
 
Push forward...stay the course..hold the line..never waiver...and finish! Big girl gonna get it!!
 
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So close this morning guys.... as close as it gets without filling the freezer. Spotted a group of cows early this morning 2.5 - 3 miles away. They were headed across a huge meadow and we thought we had a chance to intercept. Matt stayed on the knob to watch them and Reid and I bailed off the knob in the truck and drove a couple miles, then started hiking to where I thought they would end up. These sort of combination driving/hiking “stalks” are complicated and tough to do perfectly because the animals are moving and perspective at a few miles out is not perfect. I managed to do this one just about perfectly though.

We parked the truck and headed through the juniper toward the edge of the meadow where I thought the elk would end up. I had my shooting sticks extended to standing height and as we crept into the meadow I spotted an elk ass at about 75 yards. I was really not expecting them to have crossed the entire meadow in that time. As quietly as possible I eased a round into the chamber and put my ear protection in. As I settled the gun on the sticks the elk turned and stepped behind a juniper. There was a millisecond when I might have been able to slip a round behind the right shoulder had I been all set up but it was fast and I wasn’t ready. Not knowing where the herd was I waited and another elk ran through the opening I had seen the first one. No shot. Then nothing. We crept around the corner in the direction they had gone but saw nothing. Matt texted and said there were 24 in the group. We had only seen 6 when we started. We tracked them for a while but keeping up with elk is nearly impossible. Frustrating, but overall super fun! We’re in the elk, we saw 35 or so today. Tomorrow is the last day. We'll be aggressive on any opportunity. Wish us luck...
 
Sorry to leave you all hanging, we got home last night. No elk taken... bummer. Days 3 and 4 I got Reid and I within 100 yards of them but no real shot opportunities presented. Hard to say if I will return to unit 9 or AZ in general for late season cow hunts. I'd prefer to hunt an area with a little more topography, something where you can actually see the animal you are stalking at times. The spot an intercept thing is frustrating when you get in the junipers and can't see 50 yards. Nevada and Utah both have separate cow and bull points for elk, whereas AZ just has elk points and you lose them regardless what elk tag you draw. AZ is also a fairly expensive tag for a cow.

Oh well, that's hunting. We still had a great time! The road hunters were cleaning up out there Hatchet! Next up is Texas... since I got no elk I'll be hoping AJ will let me take Axis deer (the next best thing to elk) or Sika, a mini elk! Will see what he's got on the menu for me when I get out there.
 
Sorry to leave you all hanging, we got home last night. No elk taken... bummer. Days 3 and 4 I got Reid and I within 100 yards of them but no real shot opportunities presented. Hard to say if I will return to unit 9 or AZ in general for late season cow hunts. I'd prefer to hunt an area with a little more topography, something where you can actually see the animal you are stalking at times. The spot an intercept thing is frustrating when you get in the junipers and can't see 50 yards. Nevada and Utah both have separate cow and bull points for elk, whereas AZ just has elk points and you lose them regardless what elk tag you draw. AZ is also a fairly expensive tag for a cow.

Oh well, that's hunting. We still had a great time! The road hunters were cleaning up out there Hatchet! Next up is Texas... since I got no elk I'll be hoping AJ will let me take Axis deer (the next best thing to elk) or Sika, a mini elk! Will see what he's got on the menu for me when I get out there.
Yup..should of stayed on the road..i hate AZ... we leave for Texas next week..giant desert muleys..aoudad..stink pigs..and hogs are on the menu..gonna bring some extra gas cans..LOL.
 
Sorry to leave you all hanging, we got home last night. No elk taken... bummer. Days 3 and 4 I got Reid and I within 100 yards of them but no real shot opportunities presented. Hard to say if I will return to unit 9 or AZ in general for late season cow hunts. I'd prefer to hunt an area with a little more topography, something where you can actually see the animal you are stalking at times. The spot an intercept thing is frustrating when you get in the junipers and can't see 50 yards. Nevada and Utah both have separate cow and bull points for elk, whereas AZ just has elk points and you lose them regardless what elk tag you draw. AZ is also a fairly expensive tag for a cow.

Oh well, that's hunting. We still had a great time! The road hunters were cleaning up out there Hatchet! Next up is Texas... since I got no elk I'll be hoping AJ will let me take Axis deer (the next best thing to elk) or Sika, a mini elk! Will see what he's got on the menu for me when I get out there.

Great effort Kellen
Elk hunting is just flat out fun. Sometimes you get them sometimes you don't. We find that bull hunting can be easier (bulls have bad paint jobs) but elk hunting in general can be tuff. Thanks for the ridalong, it was fun.
 
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Sorry to leave you all hanging, we got home last night. No elk taken... bummer. Days 3 and 4 I got Reid and I within 100 yards of them but no real shot opportunities presented. Hard to say if I will return to unit 9 or AZ in general for late season cow hunts. I'd prefer to hunt an area with a little more topography, something where you can actually see the animal you are stalking at times. The spot an intercept thing is frustrating when you get in the junipers and can't see 50 yards. Nevada and Utah both have separate cow and bull points for elk, whereas AZ just has elk points and you lose them regardless what elk tag you draw. AZ is also a fairly expensive tag for a cow.

Oh well, that's hunting. We still had a great time! The road hunters were cleaning up out there Hatchet! Next up is Texas... since I got no elk I'll be hoping AJ will let me take Axis deer (the next best thing to elk) or Sika, a mini elk! Will see what he's got on the menu for me when I get out there.
I have one cow point let’s get it done! Gonna be freezing balls over there on those December January cow hunts in UT.
 
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I have one cow point let’s get it done! Gonna be freezing balls over there on those December January cow hunts in UT.
Yep I have one too. If we can get a tag there with a point I say let’s do it. I’ll start saving points in AZ for a bull hunt.
 
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Great effort Kellen
Elk hunting is just flat out fun. Sometimes you get them sometimes you don't. We find that bull hunting can be easier (bulls have bad paint jobs) but elk hunting in general can be tuff. Thanks for the ridalong, it was fun.

Thanks John. Yeah these late season cow hunts on public land can be a rodeo. Obviously since they’re antlerless tags no one is being selective and the animals are super pressured. The quantity of roads in those units (I’ve hunted 7E and 9) means the elk are pushed into the thickest stuff available. It is a lot of fun though and getting elk burger is very motivating. You guys have a great setup on your annual cow hunt.
 
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Some hunts are like that. I had a bull tag for Colorado this year and didn’t see a bull. Very disappointing, but it’s part of the game.
At least you guys were able to spot them and make a run at them. Keeps it interesting.
O,, I have 1 point for Utah cow too ;)
 
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Those elk get hunted hard from September to December.... thanks for taking us with you. Ed F
 
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