justinspe25

Happy Birthday!!!!

Thanks for the info guys! Well I went in to one of the Bulldog Canyon access points off the Apache Trail and found some good country but didn't glass anything up but hikers. I didn't find much sign around water catchments or in washes either. I will probably try something different this weekend, probably Queen Valley.

I am going to scout the Bulldog Canyon\Goldfield Mountain area this weekend. Whats the hunting experience like in this area? With the strict road access rules I am thinking it will be a good area to find some animals. Thanks for any feedback. Justin

Has anyone ever used a scouting map from Desertbull.com? I have never hunted 4A before and i was interested in a map for some starting points. Just curious of others experience with them and if it was worth the buy. Thanks, Justin

I just got home lastnight from my first elk hunt. It was a fun time hunting these great animals. My brother inlaw, his friend, and I all drew our first elk tag this year. I can't help but think how crazy this whole thing turned out. First of all we drew the tags. Then I find out in August that I lost my job which could have jeopardized the hunt if i didn't have a job by Nov 30th. Well, I found a job and started two weeks before the hunt and they are going to give me the time off to hunt unpaid of course. So everything is set to go and I get all my stuff ready and leave as soon as I can Thursday before the hunt. Opening day saw some mule deer that was it. Second day we all start walking in to this area before sunrise where we saw a spike during scouting. I got real impatient has it was getting lighter and lighter and decided I would walk over here alittle bit or over there. I ended up making a big circle without kicking up a thing. So now I separated from the others and I decide to walk down this thick, steep ravine and out the bottom of it to this bigger ravine. So I finally hit a road and decide to turn east and just keep walking. I figured the further i got from the main road the better chance i had to jump something in the thick forest. I am walking along and bam another road dang it. So I walk that road for awhile till i came to a junction, i turned and followed that road for about half mile. I am thinking man I am really far from the Jeep and i have no idea where the others are. I see to my right and grassy clearing so i beeline torward that. I find a nice little meadow. By this time i am thinking i could use a break and snack. I walk to the edge of this drop off and take my backpack off and sit and glass this hill far off. I don't see anything over there and don't really like this spot for a lunch break so i stand up and get my gear and head up to the top of this ridge to chill out a bit. As soon as i start walking and turn around this tree this bull just comes trotting out of no where. I kneel down and get my rifle. I already chambered a round earlier and set my scope to 3 in case i jumped something. This elk stops right behind a small pine tree as if he knew i was standing there. There is another small tree right in front of him so i had a perfect gap to take a shot. He slowly made his way to the tree and I settled the crosshair on the shoulder and squeezed...BOOM. He dropped right behind that next tree. He struggled for a minute and I took my time getting over to him and he was dead. Man I had some much adrenalin pumping and I trying to think what do I do now. I am at least a mile and half from the jeep and the others. So, I marked my GPS, put my tag on him and started calling and texting my bro inlaw and can't get through. I figured the best thing to do it to let somebody know where I was. I picked up my stuff and started walking to get cell service. I called my wife told her the news she was excited sent some message to friends. I ended up walking all the way to the Jeep in hope to find my team. Nobody was there. I started thinking i should have dressed him out before i left dang it! So i start heading back to the bull after leaving a note. I was worried we were all going to be separated without cell service all afternoon. I really started freaking out about the idea and luckily i ran to one of my team Rick. So I decided to get the hidda key and take the Jeep to the bull and he would come back and wait for the others. We take off and get to the bottom of the canyon and who do we see walking back up the road Ron and Mike. It was so great to see them. I tell Ron the news and he couldn't believe it at first then we loaded up and headed back to get my bull. It was just amazing how it all worked out. We got to him and quartered him up and hualed him out of there. It turned out to be about an 80 yard shot and 10:20am. In all this excitment I realized I somehow lost my sunglasses. I went back to the shot location and there they were. It was just an unbelievable lucky day. Also, i found my first shed 10 ft from where my bull dropped 2 days later. We hunted hard the next 3 days to get my brother inlaw a bull but just could not catch a break. We saw a ton of sign but just was not locating any bulls. My guess is because of the pressure all weekend, full moon, and christmas tree cutting folks the elk were just hiding most of the day. The frustrating thing was we were hearing shots close, so someone was seeing something. One last thing. Were walking this little canyon area on a windy morning and I caught the smell of elk. I didn't know if it was my mind playing games with me or what but later we see these guys roll in on a quad and drive straight up the hill. We head their direction and find them cutting up a bull one of them killed the night before. It was a nice bull too, perfect 6x6. I guess my nose wasn't lying. Here he is. My bull is a 5x4. He probably would have split next year to make him a 5x5. I would just like to Thank Ron, Mike and Rick for all their help. Good luck to those still out hunting!

Clay, Nice job! I am glad to see your dad take a buck this year. Congrats to all you guys!

Great bull! Congrats!

3 more days!!

Started my new job today and my boss asked when if your hunt? I said next friday yeah!!!! I am so glad they are nice enough to give me the time off.

Congrats!!

We were up there yesterday and the Woods Canyon lake people were making us nervous telling us they were closing 300 at the 260 lastnight. I don't know what she was talking about cause the FS told us today they will not close it unless it is not passable. It was diffinitely passable yesterday! We should be good I think.

Do they close fr 300 at a certain time or as weather gets bad?

Oh yeah!! We went up yesterday and found a herd in the snow it was good times. I hope we get minimal weather through the hunt.

Nice animals, congrats!

Very cool, congrats to your wife! Great buck!

2010 last day buck.

Great ram, great video!!

Great job, Congrats!!

My card got hit today. Looks like I will be hunting Javalina in Feb. First time for me!!

I go into the office yesterday because the boss is in town. The whole time leading up to their arrival I had a strong feeling something was going down. Sure enough they are closing this office and my position has been "eliminated". At this point I am not to freaked out yet because I still have my job till Nov 8th and a severance package. I have a my first Elk hunt Nov 30th in 4A so I was thinking maybe this is going to be super sweet. Concentrate on my hunt most of Nov leading up to the hunt, and hopefully secure a job by mid Dec. That would be awesome, right!!! My wife is a little nervous about that plan, but we will see how it goes. If I play my cards right this is going to be a great Nov\hunting trip this year!! Thanks for reading. Justin

Yes I forgot to thank those guys that were quick to suggest some opportunities. I did follow up on some. Thanks everyone!!

Got a job offer today!!! I am pumped. The owner of the company hunts and they are cool with me being gone for my hunt so soon after getting hired. My last day is tomorrow couldn't of worked out better.

Congrats! That is a nice buck!

Nice work, and great buck. Congrats!

Congrats Don and sweet buck!