AZ Archery Elk Opening Weekend

[mr.smith]

Man was this weekend a whirlwind ride.

Thursday, I had hopes of leaving the valley by three o'clock, well I didnt get out of chem lab until 3:30 so there was the first delay. Got home around 4:00 had the truck packed by 5:00 right in time for rush hour. Stopped by my in-laws at 6:30, yeah it took me an hour and a half to get across town, picked up a couple things and hit the road. Around 7:15 near the carefree highway my truck starts backfiring from somewhere under the hood, it was kinda coughing. Uh Oh this isnt good. So I get off the freeway open the hood and dont see anything happening and the coughing had stopped. I decide to play it safe and drive back into town to borrow my father in laws truck for the trip. 7:45 repacked and on the road again, thanks to the generousity of my in-laws. I meet up with Ron at the camp spot around 10:00, turns out we had a mis-communication and have no tent. Thank goodness for long bed trucks and a pop-up canopy, instant tent.

Friday morning we park and start walking by 5:00 about a mile in we spot some elk and the light is just about right for shooting, so we set up to call. No response, not the least bit interested. So we watch them for a bit and I decide to stalk in. By now I can see that this is a good sized herd of smaller bulls with a decent 5X5 running with them. I make him my goal and start to cross the meadow as slow and unobvious as I can, keeping as much cover between me and the elk. I manage to get about 50yds out and I am in the wide open when out of the corner of my eye I see a monster 6X6 come trotting out from behind a tree. I freeze. He is quartering towards me and his current path will bring him right into range. Granted I had no cover and he would have seen me draw, but I was still excited about the prospect. Well about 60 yds out he stops. He is quartering towards pretty hard so there isnt any chance of a shot yet so I just stay still. Then the winds shift and he busts me but not enough to run. He just kinda bounced and trotted off quartering away. As he goes I watch the other elk to see if they are alerted but they all seem calm still so I refocus on the 5X5 who is still feeding about 50yds to my front behind a juniper. About that time a muley buck steps out from behind the same juniper and he just looks at me. As the bull starts to move off to my left I am trying to be cautious so as to not spook the deer but still be able to move on the bull. That silly deer doesnt spook though, he walks parallel to me sometimes even moving closer to me. He was probably between 10 and 40 yds of me for a half hour as I moved along side of these elk. Finally we get a good setup on these elk and Ron starts to call. First a small calf walks in, she passed about five yards behind me and then she winded me but didnt bark just ran back to the herd and they ignored her it seemed. Then the 5X5 comes trotting into the call. He is about 40yds out and stops behind a large pine and kinda rakes the ground with his antlers. I take this opportunity to move closer and close the distance to about 30yds. He still has his head down so I decide to range him just to be sure of my distance. That was my mistake. I second guessed myself and it cost me. As I was bringing my range finder up to my face the bull stepped out into the open and I couldnt move for fear of spooking him. He walked towards Ron and I slowly put my rangefinder away and locked my release onto the string. By now he is about 40yds out and I am considering taking the shot even though I prefer closer shots. I guess I considered too long because he winded Ron and ran off. Ron came over the radio and asked why he didnt see any blood on the elk and seemed a bit disappointed when I told him it was because I didnt shoot. We managed to call that bull in two more times but each time something went wrong that prevented me from shooting. The second time he came in too far out and the third time he came in with four small raghorns who stationed themselves about 20yds from me. I didnt consider shooting one of them since we had a bigger bull in the area but looking back maybe I should have. They were close and would have been rather easy. After that all of the elk spooked a bit and headed up the ridge. The whole while we could hear the herd bull bugling in the background just out of sight, so we decided to try and get closer to him. On our next setup we were a little closer but couldnt close in due to all of the elk, so we decided to try calling. I barely got situated before a bull came running in. I got my bow up and looked the bull over really quick, he had five small points on one antler and four on the other. He stopped squarely broad side 23yds out. Being that it was opening morning and I had already had opportunities at two bigger bulls I decided to let him walk. Mistake # two(though I didnt know it yet). After he didnt find anything over by us he stood there looking confused. I wanted him to walk off so we could try calling in another bull so I made a kissing sound at him. Mistake # three. He barked and ran off taking the whole darn herd with him. And that was it for the morning hunt. It was around 9:00 we had been in the midst of this herd of elk for almost three and a half hours and had a couple of opportunities. I was extremely optimistic about the afternoon and next day.

The afternoon was extremely uneventful. A lot of walking and the highlight of the evening was a little fox. He popped out about 30yds out and I shot him. It looked solid he ran a short distance and layed down next to a tree. He got up and moved to another tree and sat for a second and then moved out of sight. After a couple minutes we went and looked at the arrow and the first blood. It didnt look good. Apparently I hit him low and back. There wasnt much blood and there was water on my arrow. We went to where he layed down and it looked a little better there was a nice spot of blood. The trail was very light and hard to find, we followed it to where he sat at the next tree and then there was no more. I searched around all of the trees and snags in the area to no avail. I lost my fox. I put my 30yd pin on him where I wanted it to hit and the actual distance was 32yds. That two yards made enough difference on such a small target that it ruined the shot. By the time we stopped looking most of the light was gone so we headed back to the truck and went back to camp for dinner.

Friday evening while heading back to camp we notice that some people(an outfitter) had set up camp right where the elk had moved through that morning thus ruining our morning plans. We decided to hunt the area in the morning but found that we couldnt trust any of the bugles that we heard due to the people being there. Saturday was terribly uneventful for elk I spent the whole day beating myself up for not taking that 5X4. We made a nice walk(~10 miles) saw some antelop, turkeys, and a couple cow elk. We jumped two calves out of their beds and managed to call them back to within 10yds two or three times. Most of the day was spent crossing prairies and telling military stories. And talking about hunting. Not a wasted day in any form. I found out much about my new friend Ron Green and saw some awesome country. That evening we tried the area between the canyons, we saw two huge flocks of turkeys found a nice five point shed and heard our first evening bugle. He was clear across the canyon, he talked to us but I guess he wanted us to come to him and it wasnt happening.

Sunday

We decided to try a new area. Ron had seen some elk there a week before while deer hunting and thought it would be worth a try. Boy was it ever. We were in elk the whole morning all the way until about 11:00. We heard at least six different bugles coming from this one ridge top, so we ran far down from them in hopes of getting ahead of the herd and moving down the ridge towards them to get set up for an ambush. Well we came up right into the herd. I was about 15yds from the tree I wanted to be beside when I saw two cows looking right at me. I stopped. Just then I saw this giant monster king kong bull with jet black antlers. His bases looked as big around as GBR's mouth and his fronts were super long and curved up. I couldnt see the rest of his rack but it must have been huge. After seeing him I decided to risk moving up to the tree for a chance at a shot. I wanted to move sideways to put a tree between me and the cows so I could get up the hill a bit. Well it didnt work. they spooked and took almost every elk on the hill with them. We then heard another bugle from down the ridge and knew he was headed our way, Ron called and the bull was coming, bugling the whole way. I got behind a bush and watched and waited but as seems to be the norm, I set up hoping it will come in on one side and it comes in on the other. I managed to get turned around but there were some pine boughs between me and his vitals so I didnt shoot. He was a freak of a bull. He had normal fronts and long thin main beams. Everywhere there should have been a point there was a nub. A total weirdo and that made me want him. But it wasnt to be. We managed to call in a spike but he stayed out of range and we tried to work a nice 6X6 but he figured he had enough cows and walked off. When I challenged him with a bugle he stopped bugled back and walked off with his cows some more. And that concluded my weekend. I hope to get back up at least one day this week and all of next weekend. Thank you Ron for your help I really appreciate that you are willing to walk the miles and chase the bugles.

 

[mr.smith]

The rest of the story

So Close, Oh So Close

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Thursday evening Ron arrived at my house around 6:30pm, my wife fed us and we were on our way. Didnt get to bed until near midnight and awoke bright (or dark rather) and early at 0400.

Friday, 0500 hrs. We decided that it might be best do drop into the deep dark canyons since that is where all of the elk seemed to be headed after rutting all night. We parked a ways from the rim of the canyon and started walking the road in the dark. About the time it was light enough to see I spotted a cow probably about the same time that she spotted me. Then i spotted the rest of the herd. they werent running but they were moving out with a purpose. It was a nice 6X6 and a dozen cows. They werent interested in our calling as we tried to keep up with the herd. Elk are definitely faster than people. But we didnt spook them they just had a destination in mind and were making good time. Eventually we end up at the rim of the canyon and decide to throw out a locator bugle. Imediately three differnt bulls answer, one of them is close, real close. I decide to sneak down the trail in an attempt to get set up so that when Ron calls the elk will come right by me. Well he (the bull) didnt want to wait for us to get set up. He came running in full tilt and saw me coming down the trail and as fast as he was running spun in his tracks and went right back where he came from and probably beyond. So we decide to try and play with one of the other bulls that answered our bugle. He wasnt too far away so we got setup in the same spot and started calling. At first he was coming in hot, and then he just hung up. He sounded like he really wanted to meet the hot little cow that was calling him but he wouldnt come any closer. Then he just went away. We walked down the canyon a bit and discovered why the bull stopped. There was a jeep parked right between where we were and where he was. D'oh! So we move down the canyon and onto a nice looking elk trail. As we are moving we spot a salt site and ground blind, so we swing wide to avoid ruining that poor guys hunt assuming that the jeep belonged to the guy in the blind. Well we circled right onto another salt site and before I could look up the guy in the tree stand scared the heck out of me. He had a cow tag and had been hunting for the duration of the hunt. We chatted a bit and then moved on through the canyon to where the bulls were bugling. Then they stopped calling. So Ron and I sit down for a snack and some water and just hang out for a bit. As we are sitting we let out a couple cow calls. Then we hear the brush crashing behind us. We speculated that a bull had come in silent and then winded us. At our current state of readiness he probably could have come and had granola with us and been safe. Then we start walking around the canyon againg and we hadnt gone 60 yards from where we were sitting and talking when we bumped a bull out of his bed. We walked a bit further and as was the norm for most days we found a shady tree and took a short nap before heading in for lunch. that evening was pretty uneventful we just checked out the area around camp since we had been hearing bugles real close each morning and evening. We saw nothing but people and cattle. My buddy Bob joined us around 2130 hrs.

Saturday, 0400 hrs. Wakey wakey. Tired after our marathon of a day on friday we decided to head back into the canyon only this time we parked a little closer so we could get there before the elk. We heard bugles and got responses but never managed to get eyes on. 1500 hrs. We moved to another spot where we had been seeing elk consistently and started glassing. After not seeing anything for an hour and a half we decided to move down the treeline and see what we could find. Suddenly Ron spots a cow over the ridge then another and another. Then the bull. This was the same guy we chased last Sunday. A great 6x6 with a harem of 9 cows. He wouldnt respond to calls last weekend, this weekend was no different. We set up on them anyways and started calling. We thought the cows were talking back but we couldnt see them so I sneaked a little closer and discovered that there was another hunter between me and the elk. A mile and a half hike in and we run into another hunter who just happens to be hunting the same exact elk we are. Wow was that frustrating. So we move down the ridge with a good idea of where this herd is headed since we watched them for a while last week. They never showed. I dont know how 10 elk just disappear but these ones did. And then it was dark.

When I first drew this tag I knew exactly where I wanted to hunt my bull. I scouted the area almost exclusively and hadnt seen anything to make me believe that there were elk using the area. Well Saturday night I had a dream that I killed an elk in that spot, so we went there Sunday morning.

Sunday 0500 hrs. There is somebody parked in the spot I want to hunt. Now what? Well we drove about a mile down the canyon and started in through the junipers, we heard a really raspy deep bugle and took off in that direction. He was quickly gone into the canyon. Lesson dont chase elk that are going away from you. You will never catch them. We failed to learn that lesson on almost each day of the hunt. So at the canyon rim we let out a locator bugle and the only guys that are talking are about a thousand verticle feet below. So we sit down to have a drink of water and discuss a plan. I decided to get up and take a look down on the first shelf of the canyon wall while Ron and Bob are still snacking. I get about halfway down the trail when I spot two spikes coming towards us. I dont know if they were sneaking in on our calling or just feeding towards us but there they are the wind is blowing right to them and I have no cover. I try to signal to Ron and Bob that there are elk but they arent getting my signals. then the elk just turn and walk back the way they came. So I high tail it up to the top give a brief description and run to get ahead of the elk that are now moving laterally along the shelf. I get ahead and the wind is in my favor now. I see the elk coming and they are too far below me so I start to call. One of them just keeps walking but the other turns and starts towards me. Ron and Bob heared me start calling so they call and the bull turns and runs toward them. i cuss into my radio telling them to stop calling and then i call the bull back but he is not as interested as before and passes just out of range. I call Ron on the radio and tell him to call again and the bull comes back this time right at my thirty yard tree. His head passes behind a thick pine and I draw. Then he stops. I dont know if he heard me draw or what but coincidentally at that same moment Ron says something to me on the radio and stops calling. the elk just stands there behind that tree for an eternity (~3 minutes at full draw) and then turns around a starts to walk off. I follow him with my bow to the next opening but there is a small pine bough between me and his vitals. I decided to not take the risky shot and undraw. I tell Ron through the radio to call but at that moment the wind picked up and I was busted. The bull crashed through the brush probably all the way to the next canyon. And that was it. We walked/hunted a little more but I knew my hunt was over.

A cool arrowhead I found.

Break time

Ron with a broken off velvet antler he found. broke off at the skull.

I'm a little disappointed at not filling my tag, but having been close enough to have taken 10 bulls and having had a real chance at four of them was pretty satisfying.


I made it out for one last ditch morning hunt courtesy of Mr. GBR. We had the perfect setup and a great plan but it was all interrupted by the un-factorable factor. Yep, other people. As we were leaving the truck they pulled up on their ATV's and parked 20yds away from us. We started on our way and could hear/see the elk doing exactly what I expected them to do. Then we saw them act weird as if they were being pushed by other hunters and then they raced into the canyon before we could implement the plan. Turns out these two turds ran around the opposite side of the meadow trying to get ahead of us (even though we were there first and they should have just left.) and ended up pushing the elk into the canyon. When we first spied the elk they were moving slowly towards a well worn trail into the canyon which is where I planned to intercept them. But thanks to Mr. whitehat and Mr. badcaller I never got my chance. Some people just have no home training.

 

[GatoMan]

Good story and pics, hindsight is always 20/20 like they say, sounds like the opportunitys were there.

 

[mr.smith]

Yeah, I think It would have been a little anti climactic had I taken one opening morning. I like to feel that my game is hard earned, this time the right opportunity came too early and I passed. Looking back I have few regrets and there arent too many things I would have done different. The only one I can think of really is to face up the hill when we were calling in that bull on the third day. It was a lot of fun, now the wait for my next tag begins.

 

[Delw]

Great story and cool pics.

Thanks
Delw

 

[mr.smith]

Thanks Delw. I pride myself in my stories. I would like to again thank all of the poeple who gave me tips and advice. I found the elk. I just couldnt line up for the best possible shot. I refuse to take iffy shots. I feel I owe the animal nothing less than my best and that just simply didnt happen on any of my close calls.

 

[IDHunters]

"Yeah, I think It would have been a little anti climactic had I taken one opening morning. I like to feel that my game is hard earned,"

After a few years of experiences like the one you described you may be a little more willing to tag out on the opener!

Great story, sorry things didn't quite work out.

 

[AZ402]

Mr. Smith, it was a below average archery season here in AZ. There are a lot of stories similar to yours. Sounds like you gave it a good run, with a lot of effort.

 

[mr.smith]

I'll tell you I am absolutely hook on archery elk hunting. I think the weird weather had a lot to do with the reduced success this year. the first weekend it was good and cold and then it just warmed up and got almost hot. I thought for sure with the new moon that the elk would be more active into the day but without fail they stopped talking sometimes as early as 6:00am. the latest we had them talking to us was 12:00 and that was only on one day. Thats alright because now I know where to find elk in 5BN and a couple other critters too. I'm glad you all enjoyed the read. Good Hunting.

 

[Mntman]

Josh,
Great story and cool pictures.
Haven't been on in a while and had to log on to read your adventures.
If I ever get to move back to AZ I'll look you up and we can swap some hunt info.
You have my favorite area figured out it seems from all the wildlife you've seen.
Hopefully it doesn't get too much more crowded now.
congrats on the close encounters.
glad you had fun, that is the main reason for hunting.

 

[hornaddiction]

Thanks for sharing your story!!