Arizona elk 2017

Just got back yesterday from a great trip to AZ to hunt elk again.

The last time I got to actually hunt elk in AZ was in 2011, even though I drew a tag in 2012. I donated my 2012 elk tag to Hunt of a Lifetime.

I drove down and set up my camp and scouted for 3 days prior to the opener. Once again, I was reminded that there simply are NOT elk behind every tree in Arizona, even though many seem to think that's the case. In the 9 days I spent hunting and scouting, I saw a total of 47 bulls, 26 of those on the same day. The weather was warm which had elk movement limited to a couple hours before and after sunrise/sunset. Plus, they were almost always in the shade, not moving in the evening unless there was shade, and moving into the shade fairly quickly once the sun hit them in the morning.

I also was reminded that AZ has some pretty rugged elk country, maybe not as "remote" as some areas in other States, but areas where killing a bull makes retrieval difficult. Like any other place, the bulls typically find refuge and security in such areas.

Typical places where bulls like to hide:





Was kind of surprised to bump into 2 good herds of these guys while prowling around looking for elk. Got within 5 yards of them both times and they always make me laugh. They are quite vocal and interesting to watch them feed along and just do their thing.





Also saw a lot of song birds, raptors, game birds...just a lot of bird life down there compared to other places I typically hunt elk.

Hunted hard the first 3 days of the season, passing on some bulls, and really wasn't seeing a ton of elk. On the morning of day 4, I had a conference call that I couldn't miss, so went to a place I found that offered good glassing and also cell reception. I spotted 2 bulls, and one in particular that I liked the looks of. One was busted up very badly, missing half a main beam on the left side, plus about half of his points on the other. The other looked pretty good from what I could see of him as he moved in and out of the brush.

And the rest of the story? It looks like it's shaping up to be a good one

BuzzH said:

Once again, I was reminded that there simply are NOT elk behind every tree in Arizona, even though many seem to think that's the case. In the 9 days I spent hunting and scouting, I saw a total of 47 bulls, 26 of those on the same day.

Click to expand...

Compared to how many bulls I see during a late rifle hunt, 47 bulls would seem like they were behind every tree. I get your point but still

Please keep writing I want to read more on this!

Cant wait for the rest. Love hearing stories from back home

The bull was down in the bottom center of this photo just to the left of the second band of cliffs (in the shade).



I looked at the map and found there was a road on the other side of the canyon that would get me fairly close, so I memorized some landmarks, finished up the conference call and made my way around to the other side. I got over there about 12:30 pm and made my way down into the canyon. I got about 400 yards from where I last saw the bull and had a good place that afforded me a good view to look down onto where he was last time I saw him.

The sun was beating down on the hillside and I picked apart the area with binoculars for the next 4 hours. I figured once the sun dropped enough to shade the canyon, he may get up and start moving if he was still there. Sure enough, about 4:00 pm or so, I glass up his antlers moving behind a dead juniper. He got up and had started to feed, but the dead juniper, as well as the other assorted brush made it impossible to shoot even though I was only 260 yards from him. After about 20 minutes, he finally fed just enough to his right that I could thread a bullet through the brush and take him through the shoulders. When he stepped clear, I pressed the trigger on my 7 RM and the 160 AB folded him right on the spot. He kicked once and rolled down behind some junipers and I heard a big crash. He had only moved about 100 yards total from where I first saw him in the morning to where I ended up killing him.

I made my way down to where he was and found him piled up in the middle of a bunch of oak trees, at the bottom of a small cliff, having snapped off a 4 inch juniper on the way down and wedging himself in a hell of a place.



I couldn't get him out of the oak trees, so I just started removing quarters and lightened up the carcass enough after removing both hinds and one front that I finally got his head free of the oak tree. Kind of sucks, but didn't really have an opportunity to get any kind of decent field photos.

Shot him from the upper left of the photo from the skyline:



View looking down from where I shot from. He was laying in the lower left part of the photo:



Spent the next day making 5 trips up and down into that canyon to get him out...12 hours later I was all done.



Sort of a milestone elk for me, my 10th six point and 70th elk...cant believe its been that long ago that I shot my first one. I also got to thinking about all the hours, days, and months I've spent out elk hunting, and all the effort it takes to get to this point. Even spent some time thinking about whether its been worth it or not...and came to the conclusion there is absolutely no doubt its been worth every second. Wouldn't change it even if I could.



Also, a huge shout-out and "thank you" to AZ402 (Stan) that posts here. He always makes time to help me as much as he can on these hunts and he and a friend even came up and hunted with me on the afternoon of day 3. No small part of why I've been successful on all 3 elk in AZ I've taken is because of advice and help I've received from Stan.

Nice Bull Buzz. Congrats.

Very awesome Buzz. That's a helluva hole to pack him out of solo.

That AZ country looks so cool Congrats on a great bull. In my few short years of hunting I'd say its worth every second...glad it doesnt wear off after just a few elk.

Congrats on a successful hunt! Great write up.

I hope to harvest a bull in AZ someday.

Congrats Buzz! Good story, pics and write up

Awesome hunt way to go!

Congrats Buzz!! Great photos and write up. Looks like a pretty good hole he died in.

Always enjoy your write ups Buzz! Congrats on a great bull and a heck of an adventure. Thanks for sharing!

Awesome!! Congrats Buzz!

That's quite the count!!!

Super job!!! I'd hate to see what your elk totals would be like if you "liked" hunting them.

Congrats!! Great bull! It looks like you earned him!

Congrats on another great bull!

Congratulations, that's an epic hunt!

Solid work. That looks lie a grade "A" shithole.

Congrats, Buzz. Looks like challenging country to find elk let alone retrieve one. He sure went down in a tough position. Really good post in more ways than just the elk hunting.