Elk getting smarter: Trailcam proof

[Devil Diver Down]

I gave trail cams my first shot - found a great little hole/wallow down in a small canyon where they had good cover, etc. Finally picked the cam up with good, bad and ugly results:
The good: You have to love the bull to cow ratio in this particular area...

The bad: Apparently there was a 10 day trial membership and this guy is the enforcer...

The UGLY: That last pic was a month ago. He jarred one battery loose. I haven't been able to get back there until now-working nights and weekends to try to clear my hunt schedule. There has been unbelievably heavy rain during that time and now that area looks like this:

That hole is 25 yards across by 60 yards deep but the whole canyon is flooded for a couple miles.

The bummer is that whatever info I could see with regards to where they were coming from/going to/time stamps etc has probably (likely) all changed. Water is the biggest game changer in AZ hunts (my opinion anyway) and now they have it everywhere, with more coming on the way. I did get within 24 yards of an absolute beast today (different part of the unit) while scouting and trying to find a mule deer who liked me enough to come home with me.

 

[nbell]

Be thankful it wasn't a bear. I had one destroy a camera 2 years ago. Only other camera I lost was due to fire. Best of luck finding them again.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Ha! I guess I wouldn't be sitting on any water opneing day.

 

[danr55]

3D is that up in Unit 1? Looks like a place we almost got run over by a bull chasing a cow a few years ago. Looks pretty boggy..

 

[ktowncamo]

My buddy had a camera set up and we went in to check it...walked up to it on the ground, out of the box and the camera was face down. I have no idea how they opened up the camera box but the strap was obliterated and mud was everywhere. I had a hard time from not laughing, it was actually pretty funny as he just stood there shaking his head and staring at the camera on the ground.

 

[havgunwilltravel]

Nice pics DDD, certainly plenty of water around, but i guess at least you know a few bulls summered there and are in the general area. Looks like a nice 7x6 in one of those pics?