azbugler

Two weeks. I have proclaimed that all elk run there antlers on August 15th.

I think this first one's my favorite. What do you think?

Thanks brother! They're growing well this year. Lots of extras and lots of 320+ bulls out there.

Now this one I might agree with!

Eventually you will get it right as I have 12 cams stretched across the unit. Can't you just enjoy?

Incorrect. Off by a few miles. Don't feel bad. I've been hunting this area for over 30 years and couldn't have told you where it was based on a picture.

Collector, amazing you can tell which drinker this is! Lol. There's 36 in my hunting unit and probably 10 or more are almost identical in terms of build and landscape.

I am definitely excited, although I realize these guys could be long gone by September 9th. The good thing is that I also have a lot of cows on most of my cams and they are spread out over 15 miles or so. Hopefully I'll be able to keep tabs on a few bulls. So far I have 5-6 shooters.

I learned to voice bugle and cow call at a very early age and used to compete quite a bit. I still cow call with my voice and occasionally bugle when looking for something different. My bugle isn't as good as what it used to be as I can't quite eak out the highest notes. All 7 of my kids can mouth call as well. We were just watching home videos the other day and one of my sons was using the vacuum cleaner tube and bugling up a storm at 1 1/2 years old! Kids can do amazing cow calls quite naturally.

I'm a fan of the Primos Palate plates myself. You definitely have to try several to find the one that works best for you.

5 cams out and 7 to go. Archery shoot at Sunrise this weekend. Man it's going SLOW!

Good luck!

That's crazy! I spent the majority of the archery season up there and saw hundreds of elk and lots of nice Bulls. I guess the moral of the story is, if you're not seeing elk....move!

And more power to you! I'm not far from jumping in that ring myself. I just love calling in Bulls too much! After a 9 year wait, I get to do it this year! After that I may start putting in for cow or for some late hunts as I just can't take waiting so long to go hunting. Out of state is just not an option for me most of the time. I guess it depends on everyone's definition of "reasonably priced " lol. Realistically it's a $1500+ investment in license, tag, and gas to make an out of state hunt work and that's if you go on the cheap.

As a lifelong resident of AZ, I'm not sure how somebody could look you straight in the face and say AZ would be the best choice for what you have listed. I love Arizona to death, but there is a very limited ability to hunt elk here more than every several years. I've studied the odds a LOT and can tell you that you might hear people say they draw every couple of years, but it's not by far the norm. If you want to archery hunt in November when the Bulls aren't bugling maybe..... But if you're after a rut hunting experience, the "mid tier" units will take you an average of 6-8 years to draw. It takes 8-10 bonus points to start making it into the max pool in these areas. That's a LONG time to wait to go elk hunting! There are some other great hunts that have been mentioned such as archery deer, archery javelina, spring turkey etc. that are a lot of fun but if hunting rutting elk is your passion (as it is mine) you just won't have a ton of opportunity. That said its a beautiful state and full of opportunity. Also has a great diversity of habitat and animals to enjoy.

I didn't draw 12a archery last year with 3 points so it's not a gimme. That's said, the odds aren't bad for the quality of the hunt. Wish I could go this year, but I have an archery elk tag and will need all my vacation for that.

Permit #2 for me this year! That's why I said I was pretty sure I had a 100% chance of drawing...

Me too! Tag #2! I think that's the lowest number I've ever drawn.

There has definitely been a big change in elk behavior over the years. Those stove pipe whistle calls used to bring Bulls in like crazy.! I don't know if it's as simple as cow calls switching back to bugles though. I truly believe it depends on the area and what the elk have learned to be spooked from. people have been doing way more cow calling in the last 10 years or so and the elk (I'm sure) have learned to be leery of them in many places. Now there has been a real shift back to bugling which is all we used to do years ago. Full circle! The one thing I do know though is that the bugle is a much more difficult call to master. An average caller can sound like a real elk with several different types of calls on the market. I don't think I have ever once been fooled by a hunters bugle. Especially the grunts and chuckles!

Prepping for the hunt: Step 1: buy several different diaphragm calls and keep the one or two that you can make the best cow call out of. Step 2: spend some time in the unit learning boundaries and roads, landmarks, etc.. Step 3: find the COWS! Finding big Bulls is awesome but the Bulls will be on their way to where those cows are come September. The hunt itself: get up early and stay out late. Do more listening than calling. The Bulls bugle more at night and before daylight than during daylight hours. Elk will be feeding in wide open spaces at night and will have exit routes into the woods right around day break. Find those routes and beat them too it. Just mind the wind! Toughest part. Once you've identified feeding and bedding areas you will know where the elk are heading in the mornings and evenings and be in there with them. Cow calling can be awesome! Sitting water close to known bedding areas can be awesome too! Most important: don't waste time! If you aren't hearing/seeing any elk, you're in the wrong area! Pick up and move. When you're in a core area, you will know it. It always amazes me when people say they never saw an elk on their hunt. You have a great draw! I'll be right across the highway from you. Best of luck!

To me there's no question about cows being harder during the rut! Bulls are much easier to call in than cows. If you have a good water source and its dry.....different story but if it's wet as it often is in 4b in September and there are relatively few places to glass any distance so that's out. You are down to hearing bull bugles and hoping they have cows or wandering into a single or small group of unoccupied cows. I've hunted many many seasons in 4b over the years and I e had way more opportunities at bulls than cows.

Thank you! It was a blast!

And I can't for the life of me figure out how to rotate it

Excellent. I have seen turkey up there. How'd you guys do? Outstanding! My sons first gobbler.