Flatlander

I am exerting all my will power not to do that. Moose in ID is a once in a lifetime harvest. If I pull the trigger it’s over, and I never get another chance. If I go home empty handed I get to look forward to doing this again someday. As my wife often reminds me... Don’t trade what you want most for what you want right now.

Day 5 The day was pretty slow to start and ended up being my lowest moose count since Day 1. Did my normal glassing routine in the morning, turned up nothing. Decided to hit the high stuff, 10k’ +, mid day. There is still a fair amount of snow up there from this week’s storm so I figured I could at least see if anything had been wandering around. It was pretty but The scenic views were all I found. For the evening I was pretty set on going back where I saw the private land bull the night before. I have seen 3 bulls walk across the same CRP pasture in 4 days so I was committed to getting there early and seeing what showed up. No sooner did I get back to camp and get gear in my truck than I got a call from the Michigander. He had killed the bull I saw the night before. I know everyone is dying for some dead bull pics so here is one of his. Not a bull I would have shot so I am happy he was able to take it. Tomight I was feeling burnt out. Driving the same roads, glassing the same spots, even starting to see the same moose. I was cruising down a public land draw when I saw on silver leg sticking out of a quakie aspen. I hit the skids and grabbed my glass and immediately saw a paddle. My mind went from 0-60 in 3 seconds. I grabbed the rifle and my bino’s and found a stealthy way out of the truck. It didn’t take long to realize he wasn’t a shooter. But he did get my heart racing and was kind enough to pose for some pics. At the halfway point. Cant help but hear that clock ticking in the back of my mind.

Yeah, I’d say we tipped the 6. And I am pretty sure there is still an auction tag out there.

About to post up another one. Possibly a top 5 longhunter society bull.

Met one tonight. A guy from Michigan our hunting with his wife. Only 10 tags so hopefully won’t see anyone else. Most of the locals probably just hunt deer and elk and take their moose incidentally. That’s what I would do.

Day 4 Went looming for the bull I found last night. Not sure If it was him but I found one with a cow and calf in the area. He was a shooter but unfortunately he was 70 yds onto private. Tough to see him tucked back in the quakies but he is circled below. Met up with an elk hunter who owns a large farm in the area. We drove around his place and he put me through the paces on what to expect and how to hunt these moose. Very helpful. We didn’t turn up any moose son his farm so I headed I to town to refuel and visit an of friend. A milkshake was nice. Tried to clean the undercarriage on my truck to no avail. Should have picked up a phone slope but forgot. Back after it tonight and saw a bull booking it across an open CRP field about 1,000 yds out. He was on private but headed for a small BLM island. Hauledass up there and was able to get to the BLM before him and there was just enough rise in the field to keep me concealed from sight. I could just see his horns coming over the crest below me. Unfortunately he was going to stay on the private, I called and called but to no avail. He crossed 100 yds outside of the BLM. Unfortunately no chance for pictures. Later that night I passed the elk hunter on the road near where I passed up the borderline bull on day 2. We exchanged notes for a minute and went on our way. A few minutes later he sends me a pic saying a bull just crossed in front of him right where I had been glassing. Looks like the bull from day 2.

They don’t need to study why they went blind, my Mom told me that when I was 12.

Well I am camped solo 1,000 miles from my nearest acquaintance in bear country and now I have to read this. So thanks...

Congrats Sean. Glad you got it done on a beast of a bull. Just curious, what do you think AZGFD should do about the blind bull?

I thought this was the norm. Worse for me is glassing until dark when you are way back in on a coues hunt and then having a several hour hike in the dark alone coming out. I hate those nights but it’s a necessary evil. Always tough to balance bivy’img out vs day hikes.

Day 3 Went back and glassed the corner where I saw most of the moose yesterday. Found a cow calf and yearling bull. Worked my way through some new country glassing and driving (that’s 90%) of how I am finding moose. Didn’t find any more moose so I looked back to my original glassing point and looked back across the canyon and found a bull 1.3 miles away tucked up in some trees at the end of a field I have permission for. He bedded down in a stalkable position and I figured I could get within 150 yds. Headed back across the canyon up onto the bench. The wind was perfect and I hugged the tree line as I closed from 800 yds. At the point where I thought I would be able to see him I crawled around a bend in the tree line and there he was right where I left him. After watching him for a few minutes I wasn’t sure he was a shooter but before I could confirm he jumped up and went into the trees. I’m not sure why he did that but there may have been a cow back there. I wanted a better look at him so I let out a nasally cow moan. In less than 10 seconds he was back in the open and coming on a string. It was now that I confirmed that he was in fact not a shooter. But now he was practically in my lap at 60 yds and closing. He stopped to make a scrape and I decided to send him on his way. I stood up and used all the bass in my voice to say “Get”! He didn’t move. He just stared at me and kept pawing the ground. This lasted about 30 seconds before I decided to take my own advice and get out of there. He never left, just watched me gather my stuff and back out. I didn’t see any other moose until about 30 minutes before dark when I found what I think is the best bull yet cruising a stubble field. He was moving fast and covered a mile before I lost him in a creek bottom. Who knows where he will wind up but it’s good to know there is a bigger one around. it finally warmed up this afternoon. All the ice mud is now melting off my truck and I can feel my feet again.

Dammit AZGFD is giving away my honey holes.

My IG is azgillett. But I don’t think I have anyone blocked, maybe That’s my wife’s account, which would probably make me feel better. Saw one moose tonight. Think it was a cow. In the am I am going back where I saw the bulls this morning. I probably wouldn’t pass that bull again. The cold is waring on me.

Unfortunately no. I was trying to get the tripod setup when he decided he had enough.

Still chasing moose. Pics are easier to put on Instagram so I have been updating that more regularly. Day 1 Cold and wet. Low visibility. Saw one bull in the evening but he was a dink on private land. Got camp set and organized. Day 2 was a quick start. The morning was clear and cold about 20. Passed a solid bull on public right at first light. Might have been a mistake, we will see. Saw about a dozen moose in total this morning. More snow through midday and burning off now. The scenery is unmatched.

Officially moose hunting. Visibility sucks but the rain and snow should quit around noon. Its on!

Just 7 more hrs of driving.

Looking to be a wet start to the hunt.

It’s happening ...

I really think that most lost bulls come from hunter’s who do not hunt archery elk often enough not understanding elk anatomy and shot placement well enough. Poor shooting is probably next and situational circumstances like a bull moving just as you take a shot are the least common. I can tell you from my personal experience that it’s really easy to get nervous about a gut shot and hold way too far forward even at close range punching through an elk scapula enough to get both lungs is not likely. It took me several hunts to really understand how far back to hold on a bull. Now I go to the back of the ribs and come forward 2-3 ribs. Lots of lung back there. Up tight to the shoulder of you are high or low of too far forward you are going to have a problem. Just my .02

I have debated about what to say about this as I know some have mixed feelings about these highly sought after tags being donated. But after thinking about it I hope that if we are able to share the story that more people might enjoy the experience this increasing the good that has come The selfless decision someone made to donate the tag. A little background. In April of last year my son Hunter (9 at the time) was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Toothe. CMT is a degenerative neuro-muscular condition that causes muscle atrophy and reduced sensitivity in the extremities. As a result of this condition Hunter also had hip dysplasia in both legs which led to two separate reconstructive surgeries last year. He turned 10 in August and we squeezed in a youth Kaibab hunt as well as a cow elk hunt (from a donated tag) between surgeries. I was proud of his effort as he did whatever he had to and filled his deer tag and stuck with it through three cold days for his elk hunt but that tag went unfilled. He goes to PT twice every week and probably will do PT//OT until he is skeletally mature. We are blessed that his lifespan is not impacted and for now he can walk and ride a bike likE his friends, other than limited strength and the unknown of when and how fast the degeneration of his nerves will occur. Well a couple week’s ago Eddie Corona from OE4A called and asked if Hunter would be interested in an antelope hunt. This has been an aspiration of his for several years since accompanying me on scouting trips for my antelope hunt in 2014. So the next day, after going to PT, and the dr and getting x Rays we met Eddie Corona and picked up the tag. It’s been his top choice every year since so of course we were in. Then to find out it was Unit 10 tag, well, we were over the moon. I hope to share this experience with as many as possible and want to make sure that those involved know how much this means to a kid who has not had an easy past 12 months. Thanks to Eddie and everyone who helps OE4A in anyway and also to Darren Couturier who donated the tag. We can hardly wait to share the journey with everyone.

Thanks Tony!

Now I know where your kid gets it. Stone cold killer for a mom.

I think this guy ☝️ Might want to buy one of the .243’s.