AZ muzzy elk

[A-con]

AZ muzzy elk (story & lots of photos)

I just got back from a late season elk hunt in Arizona.

The short story, I got one. He’s not a monster, but it is my biggest bull so far, a 5X5 and the top end is kinda cool looking. Many thanks to AZ402, his help was invaluable. If you look up “beast mode” in the dictionary, you will see his photo.

I’ll post the long story, and more photos later

 

[ihuntelk]

Congrats A-Con.
Looks like a fun AZ hunt.

-Cade
www.HuntForeverWest.com

 

[noharleyyet]

That's a cool looking bull A-con. Now where did I leave my dictionary....

 

[Oak]

Nice bull. I don't think CH will be very pleased with AZ402 stealing his title, though. Maybe they should get in the cage and settle it?

 

[pointingdogsrule]

congrats... nice bull.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[havgunwilltravel]

Nice looking bull and sounds like a good hunt..i am into double figures (like many others) with AZ for their species and i am still a ways of drawing a decent tag on the elk by my calculations..good to see a forum member coming through and helping out..

 

[BuzzH]

Cool looking bull...congrats!

 

[AZ402]

I didn't get to be there for the shot but I can tell you he smoked that bull twice in boiler room with his Muzzy. I was able to hustle up there on Saturday morning and help with breaking the bull down and packing it out. Dan did a great job and set himself up in a perfect spot and It work out for him. A really cool character 5x5, congrats again Dan.

An artsy pic for Dink on the final load out.

 

[ashersdad]

Nice job with the smoke pole!

 

[A-con]

The longer story, and more photos;

I got to AZ Wednesday afternoon, a day and a half before the hunt, and checked out a few easy to get to places that afternoon. Found some sign, but didn’t see any elk Thursday morning, I headed out way before dawn to scout my “A list” spot, 12 miles down a rocky, bumpy 4 wheel drive trail plus a 1 mile hike.
I was running late, and about 7am I stopped to stretch my legs, stepped off the road a few feet and there were about a 100 elk looking at me. Biggest herd I have ever seen.

Opening day I headed back to “the spot”, and saw 3 bulls in my head lights.

I didn’t see any elk that morning, but I found the perfect ambush spot. I headed back to the truck and drove a few miles to the place I had seen the big herd, and passed on a decent 5X5.
That afternoon, I headed back to the “A list spot”, and hiked in to find someone sitting in my spot, so I headed to the ambush spot, getting there about 4pm. I immediately started seeing elk, in fact it took me a ½ hour to walk the last 100 yards because cows and spikes were walking up and down the trail every minuet.
I found a rock where I could see the approach, and had a perfect, 80 yards wide open shooting lane in front of me.
In the next half hour, 30 elk must have walked past me, cows, spikes, 4X4s, they were all around me.
I actually set my gun down and got out my camera when I saw some bigger antlers bobbing above the brush coming down the trail, so I picked up the gun and waited for him to step out in the open.
I double lunged him with a Barns 250, and all heck broke loose, all the elk started running right at me, passing on both sides as close as a few feet. Then my bulls started running up the hill at me, I couldn’t believe he was still on his feet, but then he staggered and keeled over about half way to my spot. I set the gun down and picked up the camera and got a photo of the elk that had just assed by me.
I reloaded and walked down to the bull and he was still kicking, so I gave him one more.
I took a few photos and started skinning him, and then I realized I was exhausted from hiking all day. It wasn't a long pack out, but It would take me most of the night in my condition, so I gutted him and propped him open to cool, and drove out.
I called Stan, and he agreed to give me a hand, so we headed back in the next morning and finished the job.
We found a way to get the truck a bit closer, and Stan can cut up and elk faster than I can cut up a chicken fried steak. On the way out we spotted lots of deer, some antelope and some fantastic desert scenery.
I got back to the hotel, and that night I smuggled the quarters through my room to the balcony, and boned them out.
Once again, many thanks to AZ402 for the advice, cutting and packing help.

Seconds before the shot;

 

[A-con]

Seconds after the shot;

 

[A-con]

What I saw, bobbing down the trail above the trees;

I recovered one of the two shots, ya gotta love Barns bullets;

 

[A-con]

Stan;

Some local color;

 

[AZ402]

Cool pics Dan, I'm glad you got a bull you're happy with!

 

[noharleyyet]

That left side top is super distinctive. Will look good on the wall for sure....and the meat will sustain 'feast mode'. Cool bull and assist.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Nice bull. I don't think CH will be very pleased with AZ402 stealing his title, though. Maybe they should get in the cage and settle it?

This would be must see TV!!

I was able to hustle up there on Saturday morning and help with breaking the bull down and packing it out.

You need lessons from me, ask Oak, I lollygagged my way to him. By the time I got to his deer he already had it broken down, just a simple minded packer then!!

Some local color;

That Barnes looks deadly, may look into that if I decide to cash out my elk points and become a muzzy hunter this year.

 

[A-con]

That Barnes looks deadly, may look into that if I decide to cash out my elk points and become a muzzy hunter this year.

The double lung passed through, the "cou de gras" piled up under the shoulder blade.

Retained 248.1 grains( started at 250 ) , .801 diameter

 

[AZ402]

Looks like Dinkshooter found himself a new screen saver.

 

[noharleyyet]

...weren't you texting him when the pic was snapped?

 

[Dinkshooter]

Looks like Dinkshooter found himself a new screen saver.

It's the eyes, so sultry.