My Upcoming First Elk Hunt in 22N

[Malbo]

After blowing my application last year by accidentally crossing checks between 2 envelopes I had sent to G&F and receiving the dreaded rejection phone call, I did it online this year and drew a Late Rifle Bull Tag for 22N. Thanks to my big brother dalbo who helped me pick a hunt that I could draw with no points, I can hopefully achieve my goal of harvesting a nice bull and spend some time with my dad and brother.

I have the late hunt the first week of Dec. along with 475 other hunters and whoever they bring to help them. So I figure at least 1,000 people will be in that unit during the hunt. The unit is not too big, and from the research I have done it will not be easy with all of the hunting pressure.

I have been trying to get out and scout once a week just to get a feel for the area, find some glassing locations and maybe find some areas the Elk could possibly be in that late in the season. I also looked up the lunar cycle and it seems to be pretty good with not a whole lot of moon light for the critters to move under. Last week I ran into a professional guide who was out shed hunting and he gave me some basic tips, but I'm sure he saved his best ones for the clients he will be guiding(which I can understand).

I am not sure what I should post on here as far as where I have scouted and what I have found. I have read other forums where the community frowns upon giving out locations and tactics. So if it is ok with everyone, I would like to ask for any info they can give me about that hunt other than what G&F has posted about the unit on their website. So far my game plan is hike, glass, glass, hike, glass, glass, glass, hike, glass, glass and then glass some more. Any tips beyond that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[havgunwilltravel]

Why don't you post up what you have found but leave out any names and details that might give locations away? Find any sheds?

 

[Malbo]

I have found dry creek beds that have deep areas that will hold water if it rains before my hunt, a giant Oak that had dried up tracks and scat everywhere, a kill that only had a pelvis, some ribs, and spine, and a broken piece of antler in another dry creek. I also found a make shift feeder near a creek that is now illegal. I reported it so hopefully whoever set it up has to do a fair chase. The common denominator seems to be creek beds.
I am figuring that finding out where they have been is better than finding where they are at now, since that will change come December. I also looked for sign in some nasty stuff off the beaten path. I marked down good areas and glassing spots on my GPS and plan to cover more area before season starts.

 

[sbhooper]

Remember that by December, the elk will be off the rim areas and down into the pinon/juniper areas. If the snow is deep, most will have left. Find places on your map that are the most difficult to get to that have water and you will find your elk. Elk success correlates directly with how hard you are willing to work.

Good luck.

 

[sagebrush]

Good luck on your hunt. If it has a horn sticking out of its head, pull the trigger. After being chased from September on, those bulls are hard to get on. I had the tag four times and only killed one bull. If you are competent at 500 to 700 yards, some cross canyon shots can be found. I was not prepared for the long ranges when I had the tag and had to pass two years in a row. Solved that problem but now I'm hung up on bow hunting during the rut! While the hunting is tough, the time with family will be great.

 

[Malbo]

Thanks sbhooper. I am putting in work as we speak and have hiked nearly 4 hours so far. I made it to the top of a big hill and found a giant water hole adjacent to a meadow about as close to the rim as I want to be. I made my way near the water and grabbed some shade and lunch. Some hunter is going to have a nice picture of me on their trail cam from when I walked by one on my way down. Next I am going to head back to the truck and find another area.

So today has been successful so far. I will give updates when I get home.

 

[Malbo]

Thanks Sagebrush, my dad was telling me the same thing. He also said the meat from a spike is better too.

After 3 weeks scouting and 9 hours today alone I finally saw an elk. It was a spike dressed in velvet. He was bedded down in some Junipers. I was walking back to my car after glassing and we scared the hell out of each other. He jumped up and started to take off and I made a chirp. After that he stopped for a second, poked his head around a Juniper, saw me and took off. It was an awesome experience, especially since I was able to stop him with a weak cow call using only my hands and mouth.

 

[AZ Ron]

Good luck on your hunt. If it has a horn sticking out of its head, pull the trigger. After being chased from September on, those bulls are hard to get on.

+1 to what Sagebrush said...

Congrats on the tag and good for you getting out and checking out the country. If you want to see some elk, and most likely some bears too, get up high on the 300 road on top of the rim and glass down into 22N. You can cover a lot of country with your binos and it can give you a good idea of areas you will want to check out later on as the season gets closer.

As sagebrush said, by December those bulls will have been chased all over the unit and will be sticking to the nastiest, hardest to access places you can find. Even in December they'll be staying in the shade of some of the canyons a lot.

Good luck and enjoy the experience!

Ron

 

[Malbo]

Thanks AZ Ron. I will hit the 300 road next week on my days off and work my way along the rim. I have to make sure I take the fishing poles out of my car or else I will get side tracked.

Do you think it would be worth it to look around on the west side of the unit? I am guessing there may be a lower concentration of Elk but also less pressure.

 

[AZ Ron]

Do you think it would be worth it to look around on the west side of the unit? I am guessing there may be a lower concentration of Elk but also less pressure.

I'd look as many places as you could to have as many backup plans as possible. You might have the elk located and figured out before the season, but you probably won't know what other people are doing until the hunt starts. Always helps to have as many options as possible. If nothing else you might be able to rule out areas you don't want to hunt. As far as I know, there are elk all through the unit.

Good luck!

 

[sagebrush]

I would skip the area west of 87 unless you want to go into the Mazatzal Wilderness Area between Hardscrabble Mesa and the East Verde. From what I've seen over there it looks as if the elk are in there during the rut but move into the subdivisions in Strawberry and the wilderness area after the rut. There are some bulls taken out of Hells Half Acre on the east side of 87 every year, but they didn't name that area for no reason, not for the faint.

 

[Malbo]

Today I am recovering from yesterdays scouting mission. I spent about 12 hours in the unit. I found a shed, a fresh rub, and warm fresh scat. But that's not the best part.
I came across an old timer driving a side by side who has hunted the unit for many years and has taken 13 bulls and a few cows out of it. He offered to take me around and show me some spots. He told me what roads to take and shortcuts and took me to his tree stand and said I could use it if I wanted to.
He said it's like clockwork up there. He took me to an area and said in a few minutes we would see elk. And sure enough a small group of cows and a spike crossed the road. Then a little further down there were more elk. He took off up a trail and showed me where they were going, and sure enough there were more elk there.
I am glad I found a buddy who has a wealth of knowledge about the unit. We exchanged numbers and set up days to get back out there again. He said he's out there every day and wouldn't mind me tagging along.

 

[Carrion Carrier]

Score! Good luck to you

 

[spook12]

Today I am recovering from yesterdays scouting mission. I spent about 12 hours in the unit. I found a shed, a fresh rub, and warm fresh scat. But that's not the best part.
I came across an old timer driving a side by side who has hunted the unit for many years and has taken 13 bulls and a few cows out of it. He offered to take me around and show me some spots. He told me what roads to take and shortcuts and took me to his tree stand and said I could use it if I wanted to.
He said it's like clockwork up there. He took me to an area and said in a few minutes we would see elk. And sure enough a small group of cows and a spike crossed the road. Then a little further down there were more elk. He took off up a trail and showed me where they were going, and sure enough there were more elk there.
I am glad I found a buddy who has a wealth of knowledge about the unit. We exchanged numbers and set up days to get back out there again. He said he's out there every day and wouldn't mind me tagging along.

JACKPOT. Don't forget to repay the kindness.

 

[sagebrush]

Awesome score right there. Make sure you let us know how the hunt goes.

 

[SFC B]

That is great. Last year was my first elk hunt and I had a similar experience. While deployed I joined another forum (a good deal smaller than OYOA but great guys) to try and get pointers prior to going out on my own. A retired Navy NCO invited me to his camp (there ended up being 7 of us). I have posted some pics of camp in some other threads and it was great. He and I both shot bulls (his 6x5 mine 5x5) and a cow. It really couldn't have been much better. I learned a lot about the area in a short amount of time and then he and I went out scouting again this summer. When folks share so warmly is when we can grow our tradition....I have two friends from IN I was trying to get out with us this year but their schedules wouldn't permit. Have a great time and best of luck!!

 

[Malbo]

Thanks guys. I was shocked someone was willing to take time at random to help a younger hunter out. When we meet up again I think I'll buy him a steak and beer. And I will be sure to pay it forward some day if I get a chance.

 

[idnative1948]

Listen to what the old timer mention what he likes. Guess is he may be one of those guys who does not spend a ton of money on himself for anything other than transport to get him around better. Hope you have found yourself a good friend and mentor.

 

[sbhooper]

That is outstanding! Stay tight with that guy and you both will enjoy it.

 

[Malbo]

Scouting Update

It's been a while, but I have been doing some good scouting every week, at least 8 hours when I'm out there driving and hiking. The guy I met out there has taken me around to some sweet spots. I have been out on my own the last couple of weeks and have my spots narrowed down.

A few weeks back we were driving in his UTV and found a spring not on the map that had sign everywhere. So we built a blind with a pretty wide view of the spring. Two weeks ago I decided to hike up to the spring just in case he's not available during my hunt and I have to hoof it. It's a decent hike, almost 3 miles from my where I parked. On my way up I bumped some Elk but only saw brown patches as they crashed through the trees. About ten minutes later I heard a bugle then heard him coming my direction, so I sat down behind some scrub oak. He stopped on the other side of the creek about 50 yards away. He was a pretty young 5x5, and his antlers were pretty skinny. We had a stare down for about 2 minutes and he turned and walked away. I continued up the creek and found good water in deeper parts of the creek a few hundred yards from the spring. On my way back I picked up a nice 6 point shed in the creek and saw a fresh Bear track and scat. From there I decided to go cross country on the way back, and ran across a spike about 200 yds away on the opposite hill. We previously found another spring that's been getting hit a few miles away and built a blind above it as well.

Another time he showed me a tree stand he had built above an old 3x5 cement water catch that still has water running to it. Come to find out it's about a twenty minute hike from the other spring we found. That one is my favorite because it is the closest to a road that my my little SUV can handle.

Yesterday was a pretty successful day. The first day I met him he showed me a tree stand he put up, and I did not have my GPS with me at that time. So yesterday I decided to try and find it. I went off of my memory the best I could, but the trees look alot alike I went with my gut and finally found it and marked it down. There was good water trickling beneath it and it had fresh tracks in the mud, and it was also hit by a Mountain Lion from what I could tell. I think I might get a tag for one just in case we cross paths.

So there it is. I have 3 great spots and a few good back up spots in case I don't get there first.
I think I may wait until it gets closer to my hunt to go back and check it out. Which means I can start working on my Coues hunt with my wife next month. We have tags for 35B in November. My brother dalbo has the hunt before mine so I will pick up tips from him for that hunt. Time cannot go by fast enough :hump:

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