The Dog That Caught the Car - AKA Lazy Arizona Elk Hunt

[Bullshot]

I am that dog. Now what?

Since shortly after drawing my tag - (unexpectedly) - I have completely checked out of any and all prep or excitement.

Mid-life crisis? Feeling my age (50) more? Whatever the cause, I am two weeks out from departure and figured it might be interesting to post a low-key Arizona hunt for all the lazy bums out there who aspire to half-assed efforts. Not much else has gotten me motivated, might as well try doing this to keep me on track!

Try-hards need not apply. No gym membership needed. No ultra this, mega that, no Big Hank hit list, no new equipment purchased, no guides, no pack animals, no expectations. Just a slightly out of shape east-coaster with a somewhat coveted tag who has temporarily lost the pep in his step for solo DIY western elk hunting but who will begrudgingly pack his crap up once more, do the 48- hour / 2300 mile drive each way, piss off the wife and work with his absence, then eat cold spaghetti-o's from a can, get crappy sleep in his
truck or tent, and chase elk or maybe sleep in when or if he feels like it each day for a couple weeks in Sept.

Every man can be an "everyman" hunter like me!

Will I shoot a 350+?
Will I hold out for a 300+?
Will I shoot the 1st legal bull that stumbles my way?
6 points?
Or no points? Will I even get anything?

I truly have NO idea. And don't really care. I am a liberated apparently
low T modern man, an escapee from the judgy standards of the Pope & Young patriarchy.

But who knows, along the way, I may just rediscover fire.

Stay tuned for the fizzle or maybe the fireworks.

 

[Exhausted]

Man I am in on this lol

 

[kansasdad]

Hope you find a nice schmedium sized elk just off of, and uphill of where you randomly parked the rig for the can of spaghetti-o’s the night before.

Random sagebrush flats photos with indistinct hillsides to document this everymans workaday jaunt away from the madness left behind.

And somewhere on the trip there will be a still small voice whispering encouragement to make a difference in this world, that day and all the days of your life. Because you are living the dream, even when you are in the midst of the slog.

 

[vanish]

Could be fun

 

[duckhunt]

I am that dog. Now what?

Since shortly after drawing my tag - (unexpectedly) - I have completely checked out of any and all prep or excitement.

Mid-life crisis? Feeling my age (50) more? Whatever the cause, I am two weeks out from departure and figured it might be interesting to post a low-key Arizona hunt for all the lazy bums out there who aspire to half-assed efforts. Not much else has gotten me motivated, might as well try doing this to keep me on track!

Try-hards need not apply. No gym membership needed. No ultra this, mega that, no Big Hank hit list, no new equipment purchased, no guides, no pack animals, no expectations. Just a slightly out of shape east-coaster with a somewhat coveted tag who has temporarily lost the pep in his step for solo DIY western elk hunting but who will begrudgingly pack his crap up once more, do the 48- hour / 2300 mile drive each way, piss off the wife and work with his absence, then eat cold spaghetti-o's from a can, get crappy sleep in his
truck or tent, and chase elk or maybe sleep in when or if he feels like it each day for a couple weeks in Sept.

Every man can be an "everyman" hunter like me!

Will I shoot a 350+?
Will I hold out for a 300+?
Will I shoot the 1st legal bull that stumbles my way?
6 points?
Or no points? Will I even get anything?

I truly have NO idea. And don't really care. I am a liberated apparently
low T modern man, an escapee from the judgy standards of the Pope & Young patriarchy.

But who knows, along the way, I may just rediscover fire.

Stay tuned for the fizzle or maybe the fireworks.

I am already loving this thread. Thats kind of my attitude towards hunting anymore, not that I was ever into the ultra beast mode trophy everything type of hunting. Whatever happens it's going to be a great time.

 

[2rocky]

This is why I love arriving in the unit with a couple days before opening day. You can't shoot so you don't kill the first legal bull who stumbles into range. You get to know the country and where the roads and trails go. Your body and sleep cycle adapts to Hunt Time and you master the Late morning nap and Early afternoon nap. Critters get easier to spot and you don't get the jitters when you see an antler (near as bad).

After a few days your steps become easier and more coordinated. You don't break sticks, and you don't have to watch where your feet land. You feel like part of the landscape rather than an intruder. Civilization seems to flake off of you like rust, and you move with a grace that comes with comfort in the outdoors.

That is the gift of extended hunts...An opportunity to adapt and blend into the unit, and feeling "I belong here, rather than being an intruder. Then the bull you kill becomes secondary, although still meaningful...

 

[Bullshot]

I had meant to practice my calling all summer. But reeds make me gag. Hoochie Mama to the rescue? I've fooled em before with that dumb thing. And all the hoochie haters out there have probably retrained the elk anyway. Now it's the more perfect and realistic calls bulls have learned to avoid. Life comes full circle.

So I don't sound good. So what. Those AZ elk have heard professional callers for crying out loud... I can't compete. I just need to sound small or weak or vulnerable. Confusing even.

Come check me out big guy. You're pretty safe - my shooting sucks worse than my calling.

 

[mtmuley]

Be kind to your tent. mtmuley

 

[rustednuts]

Enjoy your hunt most of the state has been hit by rain this summer. If you need any help reach out. I’m sitting on the sidelines this September.

 

[Matthew57]

I hope you stumble into a monster. Or not, who cares?