azelkhunter69

Someone was bored. Killing time until the seasons start. 🤣🤣🤣

Honestly. it doesn't matter what the system is, someone will always bitch. The solution to drawing more tags is....put in for easier hunts to draw, end of story.

I don't want to start an argument here but, it seems to me we hear guys calling for a waiting period every year now. Sure, some people get lucky. But most people that draw a lot of tags are applying for hunts that are lower in demand, the ones that the "trophy hunters" don't want, ie. late archery tags, cow tags, low tier or mid tier units. People that just want to hunt, aren't willing to wait 10, 15, 20+ years for a tag. In my opinion, if you are putting in for very difficult hunts to draw, because you want to shoot a trophy or nothing, you know what you are getting into. Aside from that, tags are getting harder to draw for a variety of reasons. The population in AZ keeps climbing and more and more people are applying here from all over the country(and world) for a chance at a big bull or buck. More applicants = lower odds. My family has had pretty good luck drawing tags, but I do a lot of research and try to apply for easier to draw hunts. If you want an early rifle or archery bull tag in the units that take a ton of points to draw, prepare to wait.

It took 5 pts to get in the bonus pass, 6 pts to be guaranteed.

Thought it was over. The wife and I were bummed. Just got an email from Chase....2 elk tags. Happy again.

Checked my email today....card was charged at 8:40 am last year. 2 days and a wake up to Christmas. 😁

He's an admitted thief and a serial poacher, they better keep an eye on him. Guys like this don't quit. Some just go to other states and do the same thing.

Too early to talk about what we will see this year for antler growth? I am not a weatherman, but so far it seems things are shaping up nicely for another good year. Curious to see what some of you that really look into this sort of thing think.

I was wondering if anyone knows if there was anything that happened to the herd in unit 21 over the last several years? I haven't heard anything but noticed that there are only 5 tags this year. My dad shot one there about 9 or 10 years ago and I think there were 10 or 12 tags that year. I also want to say a few years after that I saw that they gave out 20...I could be wrong on that though.

10 days too late

I was told AZGFD and the AZ Elk Society got together a bunch of volunteers and drained it, power washed it and refilled it. I really hope they get the guy.

Unit 8 was dead until Tuesday. Bulls were heading straight to bed at daylight most of the hunt. Chased them around Tuesday and Wed. pretty good. Stupid weekend campers didn't help. Racing up and down the roads on dirt bikes and side by sides. One guy even told me he was sitting a tank and a side by side came over a hill cross country. Spooked the elk that were just starting to come in. Oh well, next time.

R 6, 5 5/8, 4 1/8, 3 3/8 L 6, 5 6/8, 4 2/8, 3 4/8

A buddy was up in 8 over the weekend. Said he stayed up until 10 pm both nights listening for bugles. He said he didn't hear a single bugle all weekend. It's supposed to cool down Tuesday and Wednesday. Hopefully that will help. Unfortunately, it's supposed to warm back up opening day. On the bright side, he said every tank had at least 2 cameras on it and guys were already leaving ground blinds out, claiming their spots because it is so dry. LOL. Guys are going to be fighting over water this year if we don't get a little rain.

This one really shows it. His prong went more sideways than forward.

looking forward to the end of the story. Congrats.

My dad had this tag 11 years ago and I was amazed at the lack of antelope this year compared to then. The population has really declined. He shot his off of Dugas. There were antelope all over up there back then. This year I found 2 little bucks up there and that was it. That was in May. In August I found out there was a fire in there. I spent 2 days up there and never saw an antelope. So I went to Perry Mesa. Several bucks there. A few decent ones. But that is also where the majority, if not all, the hunters were.

Well, I shot my buck Friday morning about 10 minutes into the season. During all my scouting, I never saw a buck that made me say "Wow". Combine that with leaving Wednesday for my elk hunt, the God awful heat and the fact that the opener would have been my dad's 81st birthday, I really wanted to shoot one the first day. I saw a couple that were a little bigger than this one but he was decent enough. And best of all, he hung around in a very stalkable spot. I put him to bed Thursday evening and was back before light Friday. Sat drinking coffee waiting for it to get light enough to start out. They were hanging out in a spot that was just over the rise of a gentle slope the last time I saw them Thursday so I slowly moved in that direction. I was getting close so I put my pack down and continued on. I was keeping an eye out, hoping I would see them before they saw me. Well, they had moved into the bushes above and to the left of where I thought they would be and I actually passed them without seeing them. Next thing you know, I see does trotting along the fence about 150 yards away. I saw the buck coming along behind. Of course, he stopped behind some brush. I moved a little closer and I think a doe must have seen me. The does started trotting again and I got ready as he went behind another bush. The grass and bushes were so tall I had to shoot offhand. He came out on the move and I let him have it. He went down but I hit him a little back. I put another one through his shoulders as he tried to get up. I didn't realize he was all busted up. A fighter. Broke off the prong on his right side and the tips were broken off on both horns. Decent mass and right at 14" long. Now....on to elk. Forgot to mention....shot him with one of my dad's rifles also. Winchester Model 70 in 7mm WSM.

That's awesome. I enjoy it a lot more when my kids or wife get something than when I do.

Good to hear. I used the Ulmer Edge on my last two bulls and was waiting for SEVR to come out with the 1.5 this year. Now that they are out, I am going to buy some.

New Sevr 1.7 ???

I was lucky enough to draw a tag this year and would like to get it mounted, if I shoot something worthy. Looking for suggestions in Phoenix or Camp Verde. Would rather not drive all the way to Flag. I would like to visit some of them and check out their work long before the season starts so I will be prepared. Thanks.

I love hunting elk. I have spent almost my whole life reading about it, and the last 15-20 years living the dream. From what I have read, people I have talked to, and what I have seen, here are some general guidelines that seem to hold true....a 300 inch bull is big, a trophy.....350 inches is a monster, you are lucky to get one or 2 in your lifetime.......and a 400 inch bull is truly once in a lifetime, that most people will never even see, let alone kill. We are blessed(spoiled) here in AZ that we have big bulls to chase. Most places don't. As mentioned, the P&Y minimum is 260. Mike Eastman does tons of research so I am sure his numbers are correct. He says that only 1% of all hunters will ever shoot something that makes the record book. That is a relatively small group. Keep that in mind, and be overjoyed if you kill a 300 inch bull with your bow. A true accomplishment. Good luck.

Alright, I'll throw my 2 cents in. Not really sure, but hey, we're just guessing right? LOL. 1. 330 2. 340 3. 350 4. 300 5. 280 6. 330