Elkhunter1

Thank you. I was getting asked all the time, "how do you process your animals" or "what am I doing wrong, they still taste strong?" So I decided to do these videos. Great photo!

My brother tagged his pig yesterday and decided to come down and give me a hand. Five minutes after I sit down to glass Robert wispers....pigs. the race was on! We needed to move quickly, they didn't want feed where they was. We had two ridges to circle around and climb a third just to re-aquire them. We found them because two started fighting over a Central plant. We backed off to circle around the point to come in below the saddle they was in. Robert stayed back as I cautiously creeped in the last 80 yards. By the time I got in close most of the pigs had moved up the opposite side. Two were still demolishing the Century plant, I ranged a big rock close to them, 32 yards....good! I just need to shift left to shoot through a small opening in a Occotillo. I drew back and the pig turned, facing away. I held back for what seemed like an hour (30 seconds) until he turned back, settled the pin and pulled the trigger....Swhack....crack! The pig stood there a few seconds then took off. Robert catches up and we start tracking. 20 yards past the where the pig was standing is my arrow that sliced right through an Occotillo. A little more tracking and 60 yards later....dead pig.

That herd was 8 and a second herd was also 8, pretty standard size herds for the area. Overall I think the numbers are equal to last year.

I made this one out of carbon fiber, it is extendable.

Yes, it was fantastic.

My brother built an LRT on a AR10 platform in 30-06. He topped it with a Night Force and is consistantly putting rounds on target, 8" target at 1000 yards. If I had the money.....Night Force.

Great buck buddy, way to stick it out!

That is how it's done right there!

Congrats, great read of the sign and terrain.

Congrats, the first one is always special

I haven't seen any with rocks, so here is the one I just got back from JJ's Rocks and Skullz.

I just got my custom rock from Jimmy Kimms. I am more than ecstatic with his work! I just need to find a home for it. https://instagram.com/jjsrocksandskullz?igshid=109gbujmoy73n https://www.facebook.com/jjsrocksandskullz/ https://jjsrocksandskullz.weebly.com/

I believe 80% of the issues brought to the attention of G&F originate with the guides in the Northern half of the state. I truly believe hunter ethics, and respect for the rancher, land, animals and fellow hunters has been lost!

So from Jan. 1st through mid Aug. there is no big game hunts? Archery deer, Javelina, spring turkey, spring bear, oh and there is Mt. Lion...... There is not a defined timeline that would work.

Do you honestly think the average hunter can afford $40 or $50 per camera? The guides license is only $300 a year and you think Joe hunter will spend more than that with 0 potential of earning it back? You sir are nuts!!!!

Last year was a very disappointing archery year for me as I missed several bucks during the Jan. season, I even missed a Javelina. With my failures weighing heavy on my mind, defeating my moral I decided to pick up the rifle and chase Coues deer with it to finish the year. Despite not having used a rifle to deer hunt in over 32 years I was excited to be in the hills of Southern Arizona on the quest to fill my tag. Hunting with my brother Robert Forrest brought back great memories of hunts long ago. I spotted three bucks way up the mountain at first light. By 7am we had lost count on the deer glassed up. We had bucks in front of us about 1000 yards out when Robert says, "get your rifle ready!" He spotted a buck BEHIND us. The one I really wanted to go after was a heavy 2x3. We lost him when he crested an occotillo covered ridge. I decided to start the truck and circle around to gain a better glassing point to find that buck. We glassed for several hours to no avail. After circling back around and comming in from the west we spotted several does and fawns down below, one doe and fawn walked 20 yards from us as we patiently waited for all the eyes to move off. As we slowly worked our way around to glass the canyon most of the bucks were in we spotted a doe and a spike, just 30 more yards and there they are 3 bucks tucked down deep in the cut. These bucks were never glassed up by us during the morning session. 135 yards... I set the scope. Robert says, "shoot the one on the right!" I tried to shoot off hand...too wavy. They were feeding, I knew I had time so I set up my tripod with the gun craddle I made. Took my time and squeezed the trigger. "You hit him!" I instantly remember my first buck, Robert telling me, " shoot the one on the right" and him saying "you hit him." After finding him and a quick hug I break down and cry a little, my first buck and now my best buck with my brother by my side. For most of us hunting is more than killing, way more!

I need to re-work the load for the Hornady 147grn XTP. I used to load it with 6.5 grns of Herco to be the most accurate.

I plan on sitting water for a shot around 30 yards or closer.

Sideways does make him look bigger! lol

I found Black glasses in unit 33 yesterday. They haven't been there long, tell me the area and I will get them back to you!

I went out couple weeks ago in search for some Quail. Driving in I had some fly across in front of me so I decided to pull off and give chase. The next pull of just happened to be a cattle tank. This would be my first hunt with my new "old" 20 Guage Winchester model 50. After chasing a good size covey solo and without a bird dog, I came up empty. While walking back to the truck I heard one calling right next to the truck. I set up and watched. Three shots and the feathers settled I found FIVE on the ground. I decided the only way I was going to get a few more was to ambush them as they came in to water. Here is where the "battle" comes in. During my last sit I had about 20 birds milling around in a couple brush piles. As I readied the 20, targeting 3 in the open a Redtail Hawk swoops in to take one of my targets. I was able to take two as soon as he cleared. He came back trying to get one flopping on the ground as I approached. Waving my arms and screaming In a full sprint he dropped the Quail in the Mesquite tree. I was able to take 11 by 2:30pm. I wish I had this on video, it was cool to experience, I can only imagine what the video would look like.

To shoot the hawk!!!!

heck no! That would be illegal!

Looks like a good hunt. Congrats

11 years of scouting/hunting as often as I could has finally paid off! This past August I was able arrow my biggest Coues Buck EVER. Last year was a very disappointing archery year for me as I missed several bucks during the Jan. season, I even missed a Javelina. With my failures weighing heavy on my mind, defeating my moral I decided to pick up the rifle and chase Coues deer with it to finish the year. Despite not having used a rifle to deer hunt in over 32 years I was excited to be in the hills of Southern Arizona on the quest to fill my tag. I was able to fill my 2019 rifle tag with a respectable representation of the grey ghost. January 2020 I found myself in a new position at work that demanded more of my time than I thought it would when I pushed myself to obtain it and my bow skills suffered. Covid 19 swooped in and added a harsh reality check for America and more importantly to me and my family when my wife was tested three times to confirm she was positive for it. My entire household was under quarantine for most of March. Unable to hit the field to scout as much as I usually do I was able to find one spot that heldover promise from last year. I set up my cameras there and a few other spots that looked promising. Two weeks before the hunt I ran into other hunters building a blind on the very tank I was watching, after talking to them I learned their intentions. I knew that if I wanted to hunt this spot opening day I would need to beat them there. Opening day excitement turned into nervous jitters as I drove south wondering who would be first to the tank. The extremely hot weather seemed to push more hunters to sit water and I was no exception. My heart sank as I rounded the last turn to the tank and I could see taillights at the gate, dang. I was less than 2 minutes late getting there. Plan B was, I would spot n stalk in the hills not far from the tank. As I sat in my truck thinking where I should start, I started to reevaluate my decision. I thought of how I would feel if that was me down there "waiting" for a buck to come in and they was chasing the deer all around keeping them from settling down and going to get a drink. Plan C, drive to a completely different area and hunt there for the day. I found two trucks in that area when I pulled up 45 minutes after daylight, now I am on plan D and it's not even 7am. I finished the opener without seeing a single buck. Day two my little voice whispered in my ear, "don't go hunting, something bad will happen!" This voice was so strong that for the first time EVER I listened and stayed home. April 2018 my wife had that voice and begged me not to attend a fundraising shoot in Phoenix, I went anyway and was rewarded with a broken right knee that laid me up for 7 months. Sunday I was up a 2:30am, not wanting to be beat to the tank again I arrived around 4am. I set up my blind, made sure everything was perfect and waited. I had deer come in at first light and just about every 45 minutes until 10:30. the action picked back up around 12:30 and stayed steady until I missed a giant around 2pm. I had good bucks in front of as the last light faded without loosing another arrow. Monday was a repeat of Sunday without my having taken a shot, lots of bucks but none that I wanted to shoot with one more day to hunt. By Tuesday the deer had started to slow down on the arrival times but stayed longer. On the drive in I noticed the water line was broken and gushing hundreds of gallons per minute. After daylight I went back to the break to see if there was anything I could do. I tried to contact the only rancher in the area I knew but my phone would not complete a phone call, I could text and post online, just no calls. I found several hose clamps on the old poly tubing, some bishop's tape in my truck. With a water bottle I cut both ends off I added the tape to the inside and clamped it over the PVC pipe, fixed for now! Who needs McGiver anyway!! Several times the ranchers bulls would come in bellowing and carrying on pushing the deer off. After fixing the water pipe I was feeling pretty good and satisfied with the hunt if I didn't get a buck. Around 2:30 the better bucks started hanging around outside the fence. There was one buck I had settled to take if he gave me a shot. 15 minutes later he crossed the fence and nervously approached and backed off from the tank several times before settling down to take a drink. As I started to draw back a much bigger buck walked into view, back to waiting! The new buck wasted no time crossing the fence to take his turn getting a drink. I drew back and settled my 40 and 50 pins on his chest just behind the shoulder, took a breath and let it fly. He ran about 50 yards out of sight and crashed, the Swhacker 125 strikes again. As I waited the bulls started bellowing, kicking up dirt and gathered in one spot just out of sight. Fearing the bulls would destroy any sign from my buck I decided to at least check the area inside the corral. What I found could only be described as a blood HIGHWAY in the soft dirt. I found part of my arrow covered in blood. It was at that point I could see the bulls gathering in the direction my buck ran, they were really getting worked up. I decided to continue the track job and followed it right to the group of bulls. Through their legs I could see my buck. It seemed like they were doing a WAR DANCE for their fallen comrade.