Leaderboard

I guess I’m next in line for a late 35a tag. hopfully who ever turned it in is ok.

Really? I didn't see another hunter the entire week I was out there. I did see some birders and bikers but 0 hunters. I scored on day 6, check it out.

Today I completed a goal of getting a Coues Deer with my pistol. It was a lot of fun and challenging. Thanks to everyone who assisted. FYI, its a Savage Striker with a custom Break and Barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor.

Day 4 Update: TAG FILLED! My wife decided she wanted to head back up to the northern part of the unit to hunt today since we just couldn’t seem to make anything happen in the areas we had scouted pre-season. So we made the hour drive north in the dark and parked the truck, hoping that the early morning light might finally get us into some elk. We settled on doing a 4 mile loop out and back to the car since the area wasn’t too steep and it was a nice break away from the canyons we’d been hiking in and out of the last 3 days. About an hour into shooting light, after not having seen anything, a decent mule buck ran across our path about 30 yards in front of us. If only it was a bull instead of a buck haha. At least we had finally seen some signs of life. Another hour went by and we still hadn’t seen anything. We were starting to get a little discouraged that another morning had gone by with minimal activity but tried to stay positive. I found an antelope “shed” which was super cool cause I’ve never seen one and I’m pretty sure they fall apart quickly after falling off. That got us a bit excited for a while. As we approached a tank about 3/4 mile away from the truck, I looked at my map and realized there was a nice little bench just up ahead. From past experiences I’ve seen elk bed on little benches like these even though they’re only 30 feet tall, so I told my wife to keep an eye out. We hadn’t gone more than 15 yards when I spotted four oval looking things. I immediately thought how out of place they looked amongst all the jagged edges that are natural in the forest (branches, logs, etc)so I knelt down. My wife whispers “do you see one”? And I reply “I don’t know I thought I saw something weird but it’s probably nothing”. I pull out my binos and sure enough, there are two pairs of ears and I see two cows bedded in grass that’s almost blocking their entire bodies. I let my wife and father in law know and we slowly start glassing. The next cow I see was 80 yards directly in front of me bedded under a tree with a completely unobstructed view of me. How she didn’t spot us walking surprises me, but I have had that happen several times where I’m close to elk and they don’t know you’re there. I’m just glad I spotted them so quickly or they likely would have seen us walking and spooked. The longer we sit there we start finding more elk, maybe 10 total, but several of them are blocked by trees. I asked my wife if it’d be ok if I backed out slowly to try to glass them from another angle to see if there are any bulls. She agrees, and I move as slowly as I can but one cow spots me and stands up. Luckily the elk slowly start getting up one by one but none spook. I finally get a good look at some elk that were out to our right and there was a bigger spike in that group of elk. Then I look over to the elk that had stood up on the left and there was a spike there too. I try to look at the rest of the group and don’t see any other bulls so I tell my wife, 2 spikes and the one on the right is the bigger one. Thankfully they slowly start feeding down into a more open area off the knoll and I tell my wife to get ready. I lose the bigger spike between the trees but I know he’s coming out and will step out soon. Second later, I see him come out and my wife’s gun goes off! Perfect lung shot at 130 yards, slightly quartered away. I know people have reservations about spikes, but this bull was the best of them all for us. Not only was it my wife’s first elk tag, it was her first big game tag ever! Sure we were slightly disappointed we werent able to turn up/make a play on any larger bulls we had scouted earlier this month, but that’s ok. The look on her face and her excitement after her shot is something I’ll always remember. I wanted this so bad for her since she’s put in so much work practicing shooting, scouting, getting the right gear, and finally being drawn after 7 years. I’m so so proud of her and our family and friends that participated in the hunt couldn’t be more stoked! I’m glad I was able to end this “semi-live” thread with a success story! Thanks again for all the well wishes and following along! Until next hunt, John

2023 youth gun giveaway!!!! This is my second year of donating to get kids hunting. This year's first place gun is a savage 110 classic in 7-08 with a adjustable stock new leupold rings and a new sig buckmaster 3x12 scope The stock is adjustable from 12.5 to 14 inch length of pull. Second place is a new charles daly 20 gauge compact shotgun Third place is a pair of leupold 10x42 binoculars with the included binocular harness and a heratige rough rider 22lr pistol The rules are the same as last year . It's open to kids they must be able to apply for youth only hunts for 2023 .They must have a hunter safety .Per Arizona hunting regs youth can get there hunter safety at age 9 but can't hunt till they are 10 years old.The minimum age for kids is going to follow the regs and they must be 10 by the time of the youth only hunts .Same goes for the max age they must be able to apply for current youth hunts.All guns must be transferred to a legal adult no exception!! I will cover all transfers. You must be a resident of Arizona. Youth hunter safety will need to be shown to claim prizes. If your child has won a gun they are not eligible to win . To enter please email. youthgungiveaway@outlook.com It's all lower case and one word so no spaces. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME THE NAMES AND AGES OF ALL ELIGIBLE CHILDREN AND A PHONE NUMBER TO REACH YOU IF YOU WIN!! YOU CAN ENTER EACH OF YOUR KIDS !! THIS WILL BE A RANDOM DRAWING SAME AS LAST YEAR. The entry will run till the last day of August and the drawing will be the first week of September winners will be called and there will be a post with all the names of the winners. The contest is open to all Arizona youth Per the rules.

I know it's not a Coues, but wanted to share my Wyoming Antelope I got with my pistol. Super fun hunt with my best friend. This was my 6th trip to Wyoming. If you haven't been, I highly recommend it!!!!! We saw hundreds of Bucks!!!! 642 yard shot with my Savage Striker in 6.5 Creedmoor.

Pay for the convenience and experience of a processor, or invest in hardware to last your (and your buddies’) entire hunting life and never again wonder if you got back YOUR meat.

Super Proud dad here! Hunted down south day after Thanksgiving. Suppose to meet up with other hunters but went to the wrong pin. It was sketchy with the trailer and didn't want to back out in the dark. So we went solo and took off with the Ranger. Found some good hills and started glassing. A few moments later a solo hunter drove by on his Ranger. We glassed for 30 min and moved to the next vantage point. Minutes later I ran into that other hunter on the Ranger. I haven't been to this part of the unit and he told me it doesn't go any farther. I said is it ok we glass over here. I don't have a tag and its just my 10 year old son who has it and will shoot the first thing with horns. He said yeah I love helping out young hunters. We started talking a bit and getting to know each other. Then my son said 10 feet away on the binos " I see some deer". He glassed up 300 yards away and the other hunter Mark said those are bucks. We were about to hike to them for a shooting position and Mark said they moved east. He has been hunting this spot of his for years. He said follow me I know where they are going. We played cat and mouse with these deer all morning. He then glassed up a nice little 60" buck and we watched him for a bit. 600 yards out my son cant shoot that. Soon we lost that buck and then relocated the bucks my son found earlier. Same thing cat and mouse and then finally he bedded down behind cat claws. We moved north and south trying to get a good shooting spot. Found a 400 yard shot open vitals but we looking into the sun so the glare on the scope and the deer on the north slope in the shade he disappear in the scope. The binos we can see him though. So the shot was blind. I told him Mark since its so windy around 15 mph wind i bet he will let us walk up close. We got up to 250 yards and couldn't get any closer. My son stayed on the gun like below for about an hour. The deer got up and he had it in sights and bumped his gun. I got up to help him and he relocated it. I was next to him when he shot and Mark yelled out right over his back. The buck went behind bushes again back and fourth. A couple times I had to get up and relocate it for my son. I tell you this was hard with a 10 year old. After another hour of this he stepped out and I told my son you need to shoot him now or he will move again. Right through the neck into the vitals since he was quarter facing down hill. He dropped like a sack of potato's. Mark and I were shouting, hoot and howling. My son turned and said did I get him? I said yeah that's why we are screaming with joy lol!!! I have yet sat on my gun that long for a shot and he didn't complain once!! So proud of him. So thankful for the other hunter who wanted to see him get one. True sportsmen right there. I got his info and Im planning on sending him a 100 gift card to Texas Road House for thanks. I don't think Ive could of made it happen on that buck with out his help and locating and relocating the deer. He texted me today he glassed up a 110 and trying to find him again. Best of luck Mark! Thank you.

Items found in 24B, looking for a Richard F.

Will it hold a cow bison euro? Can you check shipping to KY 40342 for 2 mounts like the very 1st picture, (AZ flag/state). I really like these! Might need 3 or 4 actually if shipping isn't too wild. THx! eta: just re-read it and saw you're working on bigger ones for elk etc.

I have one of these on my trailer and love it!

Lol in 2019

He got his buck Tuesday even. A nice 80 inch buck

My choice is Carl's Custom Meat's in Camp Verde. It's only a few minutes from I-17. I've never been to Millers but maybe they are having labor issues like a lot of places? Carl's has always done well for me, even having connections with a taxidermist. It was a one stop shop to have my European mount done AND butchering. The mount was there at Carl's when I picked up the meat. Last years elk included in one of the "packages" they provide included the usual cuts of meat, "beef " sticks, chorizo, summer sausage, and bunch of ground elk, which was great for passing out to friends. Okay, I kept all the good cuts for me and the immediate family :). All the meat (except the meat sticks) was wrapped in plastic wrap and paper enough to withstand freezer burn for a long time. I can only speak from my own experience although when I just looked it up to make sure it was IN Camp Verde and not a suburb, it had 4 1/2 stars . Last year it was a week or so turn around, if my memory serves right. It was an early muzzleloader hunt so things might have been a little different at that time. I didn't get drawn this year but last years personal best 6X6 bull was an acceptable end to a lifelong hunting after 70 years of living and 60 years of hunting in this state. Okay, getting wordy here, good luck to all!

Unit 23

Thanks for the live updates. I was sick all weekend so I really enjoyed this.

Way to get it done, those late hunts can be tough.

Congratulations! That is a great first elk that was worked hard for. You should be proud! That is going to taste great! Thanks for taking us along for the ride!

Great write-up, thanks for taking the time to document and share. I know how difficult it can be to take photos during the stresses of the hunt, but it's all worth it in the end. Congratulations to the both of you. Ain't nothing wrong with that bull. Good eating for sure!

Awesome! Thanks for taking us along for the ride with the updates and great job sticking with it and getting it done. Congrats!

Excellent! And for what it’s worth, spike bulls have been the best eating elk I have had. Thanks for taking us on the hunt with you !

For one that's not a spike, its a branch antlered bull! Two, it sounds like she handled the shooting part like a pro! I really enjoyed this. Great work!

VERY cool!!!! AWESOME few days of hunting! I don’t have any reservations about spikes what so ever! Also, for the record, that’s a 2-point in my book! 😉 S.

Told My Grandson JW if he didn’t get drawn and I did I’d transfer my tag over ! The hunt lasted 1 1/2 hr hope he don’t think that’s how easy hunting is lol !! I’m a Proud Grandpa ! His Great Grandpa got to be there to which made it extra special !

Nichols Guide Service, He has the only bait license on the rez. I'm not sure what time of year they do that but give him a call.