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Thanks for all the wonderful replies. Went out today with no luck...many hunters and few deer. Hopeful to find that herd again! Ended up measuring the buck, grossed 111 with that extra point! Still on a high from that buck!

What a first day for my dad and I! Headed down to my home town of Douglas Arizona for the early season hunt down here. I had never hunted the October hunt for Coues, so had not had the good fortune of witnessing large bachelor coues herds! With a successful December 2011 hunt in the same unit, where we saw some monster bucks in the area, I was amped for opening day! By first light we were on the mountain where I shot my buck last year onto a small 3 point and forkie. With only a couple days to hunt, I committed to shooting any three point. By 8:00, I was 250 yards from a nice three point, steadied for a shot, and just before he walked over a ridge, I sent a bullet his way....over the ridge and over the buck it went. After following the buck over another two canyons and not harvesting him, we decided to head back to the truck. Dissapointed from the miss while encouraged about the early opportunity, we, after a wonderful nap, decided to move to another area where we had seen some nice bucks. We made it to the area by 2:30, and started glassing. Looking for bedded deer, we were surprised to find a buck feeding! The deer was about 900 yards away and we could not tell how large it was, so we decided to get after him. As you all know, these little guys are known to vacate an area without the hunter knowing, so eyes were on this guy during the entire stalk. We were able to make it to 600 yards to the buck only to realize that the only path that would close the gap to the deer, now bedded, was a path that would likely expose us to the deer. We decided that I take the path to the deer, while my dad stayed back and watched for the deer. I slowly and as stealthily as possible, headed straight toward the deer, the last hundred yards of which were on the floor. I finally made it to the previously decided upon rock where I would wait for the buck to get up. Still unsure about the size, I layed on the ground aimed at the tree where I thought the buck was lying, waiting for the buck to get up.....about 165 yards. After about twenty minutes, I started to think that I was in a place where I could not see the deer and stood up to re-position -.a dumb mistake, I spooked the deer! It seemed as though the entire mountain became alive with bucks! My dad radioed to me that there were some monsters on the hill! Now frantic, I hit the ground to look for a shot, fearing that I spooked the herd off the mountain. While I found deer in the scope, my dad blew on a fawn bleet, and to my surprise, the bucks just stopped and started feeding about 300 yards from me! I finally found a buck with what looked like a nice rack and squeezed one off. The buck started running and then hit the ground and died! I couldnt contain myself and started yelling in joy! After being sure that I knew his whereabouts (its soo easy to lose a downed buck in the brush) I ran to the deer, only to find this brute, with forked eye guards and nice random 8 inch point coming off his left side! My biggest buck to date, he scored just over 100! What a wonderful first day for my dad and I! Shot the deer at 4:30 and made it back to the truck at 8:30. Finished processing by 1:30 am; 22 hours of the hunt, so decided to take today off!. In that herd there were a couple others that were the size of the buck I shot or bigger. Now its time to get my dad one of those bucks!

Thanks for all of the kind replies. Tjhunt2, you are absolutely right. The experience with my father itself was the memory! The kill was just an exclamation point.

Thanks for all of the kind replies. Tjhunt2, you are absolutely right. The experience with my father itself was the memory! The kill was just an exclamation point.

Was fortunate to have finally filled my tag on the morning of the last day of my hunt. First, was a great joy to realize that my father and I were drawn in our favorite unit, unit 29, for the late hunt. With fire devouring much of the prime deer habitat however, I entered the late season a bit weary. First day of the hunt was surprisingly productive; by 8:30 am we had glassed many deer, one of which was well over the 100 inch mark! We watched him from afar for what seems like an eternity, but never were able to get close enough to shoot....what a beauty to see anyways. Soon after the monster left, on the same mountain we find three bucks, one of which is a nice 3x3. We ranged the bucks at a hair over 600 yards, distance many are comfortable with, so I decided I would take a shot at them....something I will probably not do again. I missed three times, grateful that I didn't wound an animal while learning to shoot within my comfortable range. All of this in the first two hours of hunting! I thought to myself, "This may be the best hunting experience I will ever have!" Next day, same productivity as first but no bucks down. Its now December 11th, I need to head back to Tucson until the 28th when I will hunt the last three days of the hunt... as each day crept closer to the 28th, my excitement grew and grew with thoughts that every buck in unit 29 will be in the rut and on the same mountain as I had seen them on the 10th! My father harvested a very nice buck on the 16th in that area also, so all signs were pointing to a dream last three days. Morning of the 28th arrives with anticipation for buck heaven, at 7am we spot a herd of 6 does....a rather large herd. Okay, this is it, just wait and there will be a monster buck in this herd. Twenty minutes later, no buck in the herd. My father and I glass another large herd of does....no buck. The story continues for two days with large herds and no buck! It is as if the rut decided to take a break! I was so frustrated, but my father was still very hopeful that we would find a buck so we enter the final day of our hunt with a bit of discouragement and a knowledge that there are still some good bucks in the area. By 7:00 am we were on our way to our favorite spot, with same routine as previous two days- big herd, no buck, another big herd, void of bucks. By 7:30 I spotted a two does 450 yards anyways and assume no buck so I tell my dad what I see and continue to walk. While walking however, my dad calls me and signals that he sees a nice buck ! I thought to myself "dang! I didnt check the area well enough, thank God that my Dad did". There he was, a beautiful 3x3 standing broadside 400 yards away! I lay down to get a good rest to shoot this 3x3 when my Dad hollers "Wait, there is an even bigger buck that just came out from behind the tree!" Now barely able to breath, so excited I aim at the big buck, what had a 100 inch frame and shoot....a hit, not a kill. Shot 2, a miss, now the buck moves very gingerly up and stands behind a tree. I find him and wait for him to walk out of the tree......he finally does, I shoot he drops! When my Dad said he is down, I almost didnt believe him. Finally, the tag is filled and a beautiful buck is down! He didnt reach the 100 point mark as he is lacking big eye guards and big g3's but I am incredibly happy with this wonderful buck and wonderful experience with my dad. Below are some pics of the buck...the 4th pic is of my dad's buck and the fifth is my dad with my buck

Was the information just mentioned (20 % of unit burned) from the azgfd meeting for unit one and 27? I was drawn for an archery unit one tag. I am worried.

thanks for the replies. Fish were surely biting! flies a flying! slayed them at nelson reservoir and crescent n, some up to 18 inches. Boy were the elk active; saw probably 500 elk in different areas throughout the unit. They were everywhere! Literally in every meadow early in the morning. Saw some good bulls in bachelor herds. Attached are some pics. Cant wait to get out there and do some more scouting. Happy hunting

thanks for the replies. Fish were surely biting! flies a flying! slayed them at nelson reservoir and crescent n, some up to 18 inches. Boy were the elk active; saw probably 500 elk in different areas throughout the unit. They were everywhere! Literally in every meadow early in the morning. Saw some good bulls in bachelor herds. Attached are some pics. Cant wait to get out there and do some more scouting. Happy hunting

After thirteen years of applying (I am only 25 years old) I have drawn an early season unit one elk permit! Was at unit one this past week fishing, and saw tons of elk everywhere including some nice bachelor bulls! I HAve hunted in Arizona my entire life for Coues deer in Southeastern Arizona, but for elk, this is a first. I am planning on scouting and spending as much time in the field needed to harvest a nice bull. However, with the size of that unit, I don't have much of an idea where to start. Have any of you guys hunted in unit one, or do any of you know of productive areas as a starting point for me to scout? I greatly appreciate any information! Happy hunting.