Swivelhead

A few things elk have taught me over the years: Calling, yes I do call but sparingly. I have come to believe elk know each others voice and routine. Anything out of the ordinary raises suspicion. If elk are talking, I generally don't. Some hunters are exceptional callers and sound better than elk. Don't sweat getting "called in", happens to all of us eventually. Daytime elk like the thick stuff, shot opportunities tend to be fleeting. It is unusual to get a wide open shot in these conditions. When practicing, place your targets in thick cover and get used to shooting through relatively small openings. You'll learn to judge a legitimate opportunity vs. an unmakeable shot. Broadheads are less forgiving than field points when shooting through any kind of debris, with broadheads, you do need an opening. Practice extensively with broadheads. Never hunt a bad wind, it won't work. Chaps my hide to have a fellow hunter blow out bugling elk because he was too lazy to get the wind first. Pay attention to the wind at all times, note the time of day when thermal shifts occur each morning and evening. Often an unhuntable approach becomes viable if a front(or thunderstorm) disturbs the daily thermal action. Analyze failure, learn from it, then forget about it. Most of us fail often but remain relentless. In the end, win or lose, it's all about the effort.

Bill, good job on silencing her tirade.

I had 3b last year which I am so glad to have been exposed to as a first rut hunt. even though I didn't get one I learned enough to make this hunt even better. What did you hunt in Africa? Plains game & cape buffalo. Zimbabwe in 01 and 04, Save Conservancy and Lemco (which in now called Bubye). It was a blast but I'd still rather have a unit 1 or 27 EAB tag.

More than once I've had specific places I personally hunt blurted out on these and other forums. Think it's a bad deal. That's my beef with those trying to help e-scouters.

Likely they will be there. Start in areas you are familiar with, expand your search if necessary. Turkeys scratch for seed,acorns, etc. all winter. They'll switch to bugs (grasshoppers particularly) as soon as they are available. Caterpillars work too. You know the turkeys are on bugs when their dropping begin to look like tar. Find the bugs!

WOW! As good as I've ever seen. Who did it? Did you select the pose or let the artist "have at it". Either way, it's special.

That is one tough question! I've been fortunate to hunt Africa, Alaska and a few other western states. Overall, I think the hunt and the unit you are going to is likely the best in my experience. My brother and a few friends hunted 27 many times in the 70's & 80's. What a great time it was. Enjoy your upcoming hunt, it truly is as good as it gets.

Head/neck is definitely where you want to hit turkeys. They are tough birds. The hold on the target that Little Creek Calls posted is the proper aim point. Lead, I like #5 shot, Tungsten, #6 does the job well. I tend to be a tightwad but there really is no reason not to shoot the heavy shot. Other than patterning, we should only be shooting 1 round per hunt.

+1, Bows do not hold their value well at all. Top of the line bows sell for 40% of original cost, often set up with nice accessories. 2-3 year old bows retain some value. Older equipment is difficult to market. Most want the latest & greatest.

Somebody on this site made this target available for all to download. Here it is again: turkeytarget1.pdf

Federal heavyweight 1.5 ounce #6 in 20 gauge is good stuff. Dense pattern out to 40 with a full choke. Tungsten retains pellet energy very well.

No anger here. My perception of your post prompted me to respond.

Anybody who peruses this site will learn many things. There is a lot of help on this site, given and taken. Apparently you believe CWT members should roll out the red carpet and escort e scouters to the finest areas in AZ. That's not fair to people who've EARNED those spots. There is a line that should not be crossed.

I've done well in the summer months in the high country. I've also done well in the desert during summer after a strong monsoon storm where the desert is wet and the sky is overcast. Desert cools off and it seems everything comes out to play.

Unmolested birds will leave the roost, gather then begin feeding their way towards a water source. The drier it is, the sooner turkeys hit water. Once watered, they head out feeding. Usually turkeys will loaf for a few hours midday. Then they begin the feeding trek with a water stop back to the roosting area. Area meaning vicinity, I've seen birds use the same grove but often as not they may roost a 1/4 mile or more from last nights roost. If pressured, all bets are off. The turkey rut as it progresses changes the pattern due to hens depositing eggs in their clutches. Flocks tend to break up leaving lone or small gobbler groups to their own devices. I've found a number of gobblers loafing midday in wet drainages. If you can get a loafing gobbler to light up he'll usually check you out. Once the hens are incubating there are a lot of lonesome gobblers hanging out together. I'm no guru but this is what I've seen.

Nice looking birds, thanks for posting.

Online mapping is the bomb. I've learned more about the west from my keyboard than I ever dreamed. I go all over the west. Look at regs from other states that I'll likely never hunt but check out sheep units, moose, etc. It's fun!

Most of us have worked hard and spent a lot time and money finding viable areas. Coughing them up on the internet is lunacy, but people do it. I have assisted others and have also received assistance from others privately. Even that is a questionable practice. Areas i don't hunt are somebody else's "honey hole", suggesting areas I/we don't hunt messes with other hunters. We owe it to one another to be discreet with hunting areas. I've earned mine for the most part. E-scouters should asking about technique, habits, food, potable water, cheap gas, groceries, trustworthy mechanics, etc. Fact is, e-scouting works. Somebody usually wants to be a know it all or a hero. I try not to succumb but am a sucker for kids, old-timers, vets, physically challenged, etc.

Wholesale from a distributor is more than $600, with shipping, etc it's way more. You'll love that rifle, got the duplicate in a lefty. Shoots way better than I do.

So this is what e scouting has become? The OP asked a simple question, members began to weigh in. Newb's show up, hijack the thread, slam the guiding profession and anyone who would even consider using an outfitter. Oh, and then tell us all how we should hunt in order to "man-up". Amazing! Trolls? For the OP, you can't go wrong the the tag you drew. You'll have a great hunt. The unit is paved with elk, big ones too. I know a fair amount about unit 1 but will keep it to myself as I'd hate to deny any hunter the true joy of finding their own hunting spot.

Good to know CWT has members with a ton of saltwater experience i.e. BiglakeJake, Havasuhunter, murphys69law, probably many more. Me, I'm a relative greenhorn BUT what I have done is listened carefully to people with experience. Watched a ton of youtube videos, sat around the house tying all kinds of knots then testing them. I believe I've maximized my time on the water (especially knot tying practice) by doing these things. No, I don't handle a rod as well as a practiced hand. Its tough to be "all that" when you only get on the water once or twice a year. When I go, I always try to be part of 3-4 day private charter. Been a while, my gear is getting a layer of rust.

Livestock

Thank for posting the pictures and telling us about your trip. Brings back fond memories. Floating the Verde is a great time. I've floated the river 15-20 times in my life but have not done it for 15 years. Searching the internet and contacting Forest Service should give anyone considering a float trip all the info necessary to have a safe, enjoyable trip. Floated the river in open canoes up to 1000 cfs with no issues other than an occasional swamping. Most trips were at less than 500 cfs (Tangle Creek gauging station). 1000 cfs at Camp Verde is a whole different story. Beasley Flats to Childs would be a bad choice for an open canoe at 1000 cfs. Seems there is a lot less water down the river these days. That makes for a slower more physical trip. Generally, we used 15' - 16' boats. One person per boat to keep from drawing too much water. It is amazing what you can float over in a 16' plastic canoe. We always joked "anybody can paddle in water" because at low flow you would bump rocks in literally every rapid. Rock hits have a way of adjusting your path in a bad way. Usually just an inconvenience. Keeping it light is a must for a low water float.

Amazing. Bet they'll be catching Wahoo off Diego this September.

Malay area has a ton of wintering birds from 1, 27 and WMAR, hence the "hundreds" of birds there in January/February. Most follow the snow line out of the area come March/April. It is a decent area but I've always found more hunting pressure than I want to deal with when I've gone there.