AZ Archery Elk
- Thread starter Buschy
- Start date
Grizzley
Member
I just heard someone buried an arrow!
Grizzley
Member
In a monster!
Grizzley
Member
Idaho Bugler...isn't it day seven? I think we will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon to get the details from Buschy but he is on CLOUD 10! What I do know is that Buschy went in solo tonight...it was raining so spot and stock worked well and he was in bulls all night! Prairieghost may have more details...
Prairieghost
New member
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2009
- Messages
- 22
Im not going to spoil it.But I got a call last night from this guy screamin on the phone.! LOL Actually he was doing his best to remain calm.
I Went to help him this morning. Greg will be on his way home tomorrow. Lets just say It was an honor to have met these guys and to be a part of it if only in a small way. Busch is a great guy and an asset to our hunting community. He has done well in Arizona!
I wont say anything else. I am meeting him for lunch in a few minutes, and he is buyin. LOL. His story and pics will follow I hope tonight, as i am giving him a cd of all the pictures.
To his friends here I say you have a good one in him.
Take care and good huntin!
JD
I Went to help him this morning. Greg will be on his way home tomorrow. Lets just say It was an honor to have met these guys and to be a part of it if only in a small way. Busch is a great guy and an asset to our hunting community. He has done well in Arizona!
I wont say anything else. I am meeting him for lunch in a few minutes, and he is buyin. LOL. His story and pics will follow I hope tonight, as i am giving him a cd of all the pictures.
To his friends here I say you have a good one in him.
Take care and good huntin!
JD
MNHunter
Well-known member
Awesome! Way to go Buschy! Cant wait to read the story and see the pics
nontipical25
New member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2009
- Messages
- 10
Busch I have been checking all day. Lets have a look at this bull. Oh and congratulations on a great hunt.
Grizzley
Member
Buschy...we are all waiting you can sleep later!
THURSDAY MORNING
After Big Fin and the camera guys left on Wednesday, Prairie Ghost met Jim and I for a morning hunt yesterday. PG and Jim called in a good bull to 80 yards, but as usual he came in and lost interest. There was a HUGE, STEEP canyon below us with at least 6 different bulls sounding off. We decided to drop over the edge, literally, and join the melee below. As we moved in, PG and Jim hung back to keep the bulls talking while I moved moved forward alone. Within minutes, I got above a big group of elk and a 350 class herd bull came crashing through the timber below me chasing a 320 satellite bull. The satellite bull stopped 30 yards below me and looked in the direction of PG and Jim calling 400 yards away. He stayed there then turned and came right at me. As he passed a small bush I drew back and waited for a shot. The bull stopped at 15 yards right behind a pine and must have noticed me. We had a stand off and he ended up turning around and walked downhill keeping the small pine between us. Just 90 yards over the herd bull was screaming so I moved toward him. I got to within 40 yards and had cows bedding down around me. The herd bull pushed a couple of cows through a small opening and I was tempted to shoot, but he was walking and I didn't feel comfortable with the shot so I passed. I got within 60 yards of two other great bulls, but the thick cover prevented any shots. It was wild having so many close calls with so many great bulls. I decided to meet up with PG and Jim and come in by myself again early that evening. It was an awesome morning in AZ!
After Big Fin and the camera guys left on Wednesday, Prairie Ghost met Jim and I for a morning hunt yesterday. PG and Jim called in a good bull to 80 yards, but as usual he came in and lost interest. There was a HUGE, STEEP canyon below us with at least 6 different bulls sounding off. We decided to drop over the edge, literally, and join the melee below. As we moved in, PG and Jim hung back to keep the bulls talking while I moved moved forward alone. Within minutes, I got above a big group of elk and a 350 class herd bull came crashing through the timber below me chasing a 320 satellite bull. The satellite bull stopped 30 yards below me and looked in the direction of PG and Jim calling 400 yards away. He stayed there then turned and came right at me. As he passed a small bush I drew back and waited for a shot. The bull stopped at 15 yards right behind a pine and must have noticed me. We had a stand off and he ended up turning around and walked downhill keeping the small pine between us. Just 90 yards over the herd bull was screaming so I moved toward him. I got to within 40 yards and had cows bedding down around me. The herd bull pushed a couple of cows through a small opening and I was tempted to shoot, but he was walking and I didn't feel comfortable with the shot so I passed. I got within 60 yards of two other great bulls, but the thick cover prevented any shots. It was wild having so many close calls with so many great bulls. I decided to meet up with PG and Jim and come in by myself again early that evening. It was an awesome morning in AZ!
THURSDAY EVENING
Jim left to go scout a couple of areas for his Unit 1 late rifle elk tag and wished me good luck. We made plans to have me call him at 8:00 as he was sure I was going to get my bull that evening after what we had seen during the morning hunt.
I headed over to the same canyon and all was quiet! I had found a forest service road that allowed me to access the canyon from below so I got my gear and headed out. I slowly worked my way up the canyon and was only hearing a few bugles. At about 5:30 bugles started ringing out from every direction. There had to be at least seven different bulls telling each other how tough they were. Two in particular were very vocal and were heading down the canyon at a quick pace. I busted downhill to intercept them and get the wind in my favor. The first bull got past me and I setup on the second bull. The wind started to swirl and a good 6x6 and his cows hit the road in the opposite direction from me.
I decided to try to catch up to the first bull who had gotten past me and took off at an ankle busting run through the timber as I was losing light fast. A side note: I found AZ is lacking in neither rocks nor rain!!!!! I quickly closed the distance to about 100 yards as the bull and his cows had gotten to an old burn and had started to feed. This bull was easy to follow as he was bugling every 30 seconds to a minute. The elk were on a flat above me with the wind paralleling us. As I turned the last corner a smaller black bear walked from some brush 45 yards away and looked at me. He wasn't aggressive or spooked and walked up the hill 80 yards away, sat on his rear and was content to try to figure out what I was doing. I moved on and got in the "red zone" of the still bugling bull. :hump:
Jim left to go scout a couple of areas for his Unit 1 late rifle elk tag and wished me good luck. We made plans to have me call him at 8:00 as he was sure I was going to get my bull that evening after what we had seen during the morning hunt.
I headed over to the same canyon and all was quiet! I had found a forest service road that allowed me to access the canyon from below so I got my gear and headed out. I slowly worked my way up the canyon and was only hearing a few bugles. At about 5:30 bugles started ringing out from every direction. There had to be at least seven different bulls telling each other how tough they were. Two in particular were very vocal and were heading down the canyon at a quick pace. I busted downhill to intercept them and get the wind in my favor. The first bull got past me and I setup on the second bull. The wind started to swirl and a good 6x6 and his cows hit the road in the opposite direction from me.
I decided to try to catch up to the first bull who had gotten past me and took off at an ankle busting run through the timber as I was losing light fast. A side note: I found AZ is lacking in neither rocks nor rain!!!!! I quickly closed the distance to about 100 yards as the bull and his cows had gotten to an old burn and had started to feed. This bull was easy to follow as he was bugling every 30 seconds to a minute. The elk were on a flat above me with the wind paralleling us. As I turned the last corner a smaller black bear walked from some brush 45 yards away and looked at me. He wasn't aggressive or spooked and walked up the hill 80 yards away, sat on his rear and was content to try to figure out what I was doing. I moved on and got in the "red zone" of the still bugling bull. :hump:
THURSDAY EVENING cont.
I moved to within 40 yards of 7 cows and a nice 6x6 bull. This bull was feeding and the big one was just over the rise bugling and tearing a ten foot pine to shreds. I snugged up to a tree, nocked an arrow, ranged couple of trees and gave two soft cow calls. This got three of the cows attention and they walked about 10 yards closer. The bull didn't like the cows leaving his sight and came over the hill throwing a fit! When I saw him it was a no brainer! 6x6, big frame and long tines, I was shooting if he gave me a chance! He pushed the cows past me a 35 yards and stopped behind a small pine. I was already drawn back, took two quick steps to the right, put my 40 yard pin on his chest and sent the arrow. It immediately smacked the sweet spot about 4 inches behind the crease of his front leg. When he turned to bolt I saw I had 1/2 to 2/3 penetration of my arrow. I cow called to slow him down and a few seconds latter heard a wheezing sound. I knew I had a good hit, but was not sure if I got one lung or two. I marked the shot with an arrow, marked the burn with my GPS and snuck out quietly.
I was pumped
It killed me waiting over night and I didn't get much sleep!
I moved to within 40 yards of 7 cows and a nice 6x6 bull. This bull was feeding and the big one was just over the rise bugling and tearing a ten foot pine to shreds. I snugged up to a tree, nocked an arrow, ranged couple of trees and gave two soft cow calls. This got three of the cows attention and they walked about 10 yards closer. The bull didn't like the cows leaving his sight and came over the hill throwing a fit! When I saw him it was a no brainer! 6x6, big frame and long tines, I was shooting if he gave me a chance! He pushed the cows past me a 35 yards and stopped behind a small pine. I was already drawn back, took two quick steps to the right, put my 40 yard pin on his chest and sent the arrow. It immediately smacked the sweet spot about 4 inches behind the crease of his front leg. When he turned to bolt I saw I had 1/2 to 2/3 penetration of my arrow. I cow called to slow him down and a few seconds latter heard a wheezing sound. I knew I had a good hit, but was not sure if I got one lung or two. I marked the shot with an arrow, marked the burn with my GPS and snuck out quietly.
I was pumped
It killed me waiting over night and I didn't get much sleep!
JoseCuervo
New member
nice pics, and, nice story, so far...
FRIDAY MORNING
Jim and I met Prairie Ghost to look for my bull at first light. Based on what I told him, PG was confident the bull was down within 200 yards. All I knew was I had hit him well, but was understanably anxious! I showed them where I had hit the bull and we started working in the direction the bull took off. Within 50 yards, Jim said there he is. I took out both lungs and the bull was down within 120 yards. He was dead before I ever pulled out my GPS to mark the burn! A MASSIVE celebration erupted while bulls were bugling on both sides of us!!
I have more to write and more pics, but am wiped. I start a 20+ hour drive back to ND tomorrow morning and will post more shortly.
AWESOME, AWESOME and AWSEOME. I hope everyone gets to experience a hunt like we have had the last seven days.
Any ideas from the pros on how big he is? I am curious to get your thoughts. His main beams are 53 inches long. I am pumped and just know he is big and puts a smile on my face from ear to ear
Jim and I met Prairie Ghost to look for my bull at first light. Based on what I told him, PG was confident the bull was down within 200 yards. All I knew was I had hit him well, but was understanably anxious! I showed them where I had hit the bull and we started working in the direction the bull took off. Within 50 yards, Jim said there he is. I took out both lungs and the bull was down within 120 yards. He was dead before I ever pulled out my GPS to mark the burn! A MASSIVE celebration erupted while bulls were bugling on both sides of us!!
I have more to write and more pics, but am wiped. I start a 20+ hour drive back to ND tomorrow morning and will post more shortly.
AWESOME, AWESOME and AWSEOME. I hope everyone gets to experience a hunt like we have had the last seven days.
Any ideas from the pros on how big he is? I am curious to get your thoughts. His main beams are 53 inches long. I am pumped and just know he is big and puts a smile on my face from ear to ear
LILIDAHO
New member
VERY Nice! Congrats. LIL
