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

[sethkuhl]

I recognize that bridge well.

Best of luck on your solidly mediocre, yet liberating, hunt.

And PS… try some gold bond medicated powder -NOT the spray. You are welcome

Has been known to be a million massaging fairies when used correctly but overuse leads to a million burning devils!
I also am in the blue camp.

 

[Bullshot]

46-47 hours from my door to AZ. 5-6 hrs of accumulated sleep, 4 brisket sandwhiches, lots of coffee, one exploded mountain dew in my lap.


59 F @ 7 am. Gorgeous day.

 

[noharleyyet]

 

[TOGIE]

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

if you're missing that pep in your step and need a little more zip in your skip, all you need is a dip in your lip!!

 

[Exhausted]

46-47 hours from my door to AZ. 5-6 hrs of accumulated sleep, 4 brisket sandwhiches, lots of coffee, one exploded mountain dew in my lap.
View attachment 416781

59 F @ 7 am. Gorgeous day.

Best of luck and be careful. Driving while tired can be super dangerous. An extra day of travel is better than a tragedy.

 

[rmyoung1]

Best of luck and be careful. Driving while tired can super dangerous. An extra day of travel is better than a tragedy.

Appropriate handle for the advice offered.

 

[Bullshot]

I found a marginal truck camp spot for the evening, too rocky so no tent, just laying in back.

Practiced the bow, still OK.

Scouting now, 5pm, hot. It is pin drop quiet everywhere, all I hear are my ears ringing. I have found some elk sign on FR roads already. Saw one muley doe. Tanks I've seen so far are mostly dry.

As I post pictures, I'll do my best, and a lot of units have similar habitats, but I'm sure some locals will recognize something, if so please keep it under your hat!

 

[Bullshot]

So it begins. Sort of.

Lest I be called a fraud having invented this tale of indifference, I have the bona fides and the proof. How many of you would sleep in on opening morning of AZ elk? You have to have real commitment to the cause of not caring to pull that off. I own this!

A little back-fill... Following my evening post, I did hear a couple of bugles down in a canyon, and then again a single bugle back at camp. The bugle at camp was answered by a supremely pissed off moo cow or bull that then brayed in return before circling my camp in the dark, breaking every branch and limb it could, and all the while making all of the most ominous huffing and snorting a 3/4 ton lb bovine could muster. If I didn't KNOW what it was, it could have been unsettling. Even knowing, it was a question mark about what this thing's intentions were. Finally it left me alone.

My dinner was appropriatly half assed. Cold Manhattan clam chowder from the can, a tin of kippers, and some cheese crackers. Then into bed. I woke to bright daylight. It was perfect since I was stressed out about the idea I might have to kill and pack an elk straight off. Well I fixed that problem.

Currently on a shake-out hike just to try to find my lost predatory instincts, strengthen the ankles and get used to the pack. One rabbit seen. One little fence lizard (or similar species) caught to look at for fun. One native flint knapping spot found. It is gorgeous here. Every square foot. As an occassional professional botanist, it is heavenly. Wildflowers everywhere. Interesting shrubs I don't know. It is reason alone to make this trip and a hell of lot easier than elk hunting!

 

[Bluffgruff]

Most of my successful hunts start out with, "I woke up late," so you better watch out.

 

[Bullshot]

At the risk of using up my sparse stores of motivation, I moved my camp to a better location a mile or so from where I camped last night. It's a better jumping off point to multiple options. As a tax to the hunt gods, I lost my trailer clevis pin that I had smartly placed on my bumper before pulling out without installing it. Lucky my hitch latch didn't pop while I was bumping down the rocky road.

For the afternoon, I took the quad a
few miles out and about and found numerous waterholes, each one
seemingly with a UTV parked next to it or a blind on it. There's million acres to hunt but it already seems hard to get away from even the relatively few people out here, or to get away from roads and trails, legal, open, or otherwise. I had expected it to be more remote and difficult for people (including myself) to get around but I guess this is AZ hunting.

I did my best to go down the roughest road I could find, parked my quad, walked a quarter mile and then found a beautiful tank. I hadn't planned on hunting water just yet but it seemed too good to resist. I set up for a 3-4 hour wait.

UTV passes by at 4
UTV passes by at 5
Jeep passes by at 6

This water hole hunting is not really my style I don't think. But I did see a coyote, and a forkie muley came in to drink.

Short rain squalls and lightning spiced things up further. After the rain, there was a flurry of bugling about a half mile (probably) to the east. Nothing further until dark.

I don't yet have a plan for tomorrow. Better to not have one. Planning is for those with goals. Since I have none I'll just wing it as I have been.

 

[Bullshot]

I didn't sleep in this morning.

Decided to investigate the area directly behind camp as it has several ravines and a roadless "core."

Skipping to the good part. I am within 30 yards of a bedded herd with apparently two bulls I had thought were people bugling. I walked up and got oh-shit too close with bad wind. At least 2 cows bedded, havn't laid eyes on the bulls havent spooked them either. Hearing some branches breaking a bit furthet on, possibly the bull.

One just bugled yards away. Smaller one. sounds HORRIBLE. The hoochie mama of bulls.

 

[Bullshot]

I am pinned. What to do???

moo cows coming. might get them up?

 

[Birdbander]

Will yourself to become an inanimate object.

You're quickly losing the battle to keep this hunt & thread boring

 

[SAJ-99]

I am pinned. What to do???

Have fun!
Just sit and wait. Eventually a plan will declare itself. They will want a drink in a couple of hours.

 

[Bullshot]

Well that was a tough spot with a foregone conclusion. I was soooo close to the herd, looking straight into the eye of a bedded cow. I was on my butt, feet uphill, cramping badly, in full sun. A moo cow or two came through and spotted me, spooked a little. A cow elk stood up and I was like oh well what the hell and gave a cow chirp.

Might as well have lit a bottle rocket up their rear ends.

Headed back to camp now to regroup and rest. 1.86 miles as the crow flies.

 

[Bullshot]

View uphill where elk bedded.



View downhill where bugling started. I can't emphasize how bad one sounded. The other sounded better but still suss. Good lesson there!

 

[mtmuley]

I don't think the sound of a bugle has proven to be a reliable indicator of the size of a bull. Go for the sissy bull anyway. What could happen? mtmuley