Western Hunter

Check out this great footage of this Montana bull bugling. What does he score? View the full article

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Arizona Hunt Planner Important facts about Arizona Elk Draw: 1)     To apply for Arizona you have to purchase a Non Resident hunting license for $151.25 non-refundable. 2)     It only then costs $7.50 per species to apply, then if you are successful you will be charged the appropriate tag fee. 3)     It is now possible to apply online. Goto www.azgfd.com 4)     Online applications can be made with Visa or Mastercard. 5)     You must purchase a license prior to applying. 6)     A bonus point only costs $7.50 per species. 7)     Up to four people can be on an application. 8)     Up to “10%†of the tags per hunt code can go to non-residents 9)     A bonus point system is in place and each time you apply and are unsuccessful you are awarded a bonus point. 10) Hunter Education is required for individuals under 14 years old to take big game. 11) The deadline to apply is February 14th 2012 and must be received in their office no later than 7pm if apply by paper applications. The quality of Elk and Antelope in Arizona make it a must apply for state. The management practices and habitat make for some great hunting. Most units in the state of Arizona have the potential to harvest a tremendous record book trophy. ELK Best-Early Archery Season September 14th-September 27th Unit 9-100 tags Unit 10-200 tags Unit 1, 2B, 2C-245 tags Unit 23N-15 tags Unit 23S-15 tags Reasonable expectations for bulls to be harvested during these seasons are 320-360 bulls  Good- Early Archery Season September 14th-September 27th Unit 7W-100 tags Unit 3A/3C-125 tags Unit 17A-20C- Limited Opportunity tags Unit 8-150 tags Unit 7E-110 tags Unit 27-150 tags Unit 6A-650 tags Reasonable expectations for bulls to be harvested during these seasons are 300-340 bulls Best Early Rifle/Muzzleloader Season September 28th-October 4th Unit 9-25 tags Unit 10-75 tags Unit 23N-20 tags Unit 1, 2B, 2C-45 tags Unit 3A/3C-40 tags Reasonable expectations for bulls to be harvested during these seasons are 320-360 bulls Late Archery Season November 16th-29th Unit 9-25 tags Unit 10-30 tags Unit 23-200 tags Unit 1, 2B, 2C-25 tags Reasonable expectations for bulls to be harvested during these seasons are 5 points to 330 bulls. Expect broken points. Late Rifle Elk Season November 30th-December 6th Best Unit 10-575 tags Unit 23-200 tags Unit 27-400 tags Unit 1, 2B, 2C-365 tags Unit 9-275 tags Reasonable expectations for bulls to be harvested during these seasons are 260-330 bulls. Expect broken points. Good Unit 3A/3C-325 tags Unit 8-500 tags Unit 6A-900 tags Reasonable expectations for bulls to be harvested during these seasons are 250-300 bulls. Expect broken points. Other interesting hunts: Rifle Peaks Hunt area Unit 7-1st hunt 30 tags Sept. 28th-Oct 4th, 2nd Hunt 30 tags October 5th-11th, 3rd Hunt 30 tags October 12th-18th Rifle 17A, 17B, 18B, 19B, 20A, and 20C October 5th-18th 35 tags View the full article

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This is the famous Bull #6 that roamed in Yellowstone National Park for years. He loves to bugle! GUESS THE SCORE GIVEAWAY- watch the video and post your guess here or on our facebook at www.facebook.com/elkhuntermagazine. After a week, we’ll randomly choose a winner and send them a surprise prize. We’ll decide how big the prize will be as the week goes on and we see the turnout. The more guesses- the better the prize! (This elk has not been harvested and scored, and therefore we do not know his score. At the end of the week we’ll have some of our experts weigh in, but the winner will be picked randomly- not by their guess.) View the full article

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This is a good guy to try to sound like if you are working on improving your elk calling. Listen to the nasal natural sound in his cow calls. View the full article

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Richelle and Craig Steele prepare for Richelle’s first archery elk hunting experience. View the full article

Here is a Arizona public land bull that was photographed by Wildlife Photographer Julie May. Check them out! Click to view slideshow. View the full article

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This footage was provided by Darr Colburn of Colburn and Scott Outfitters. Darr nicknamed this public land bull “the G-5 Bull” because of his unique G-5 on his right side. This bull looks bigger in the video when he is moving around than in the still images. What do you think? What does he score? Can you estimate the measurements of his points, beams, mass, and spread? Click to view slideshow. View the full article

Elk Hunter Magazine is proud to be partners with the Outdoorsmans in Phoenix, Arizona. The Outdoorsmans is a leader in high quality optics sales and gear for the most discriminating Western Hunter. The Outdoorsmans actually design, test and use the gear that they sell. They are hunters and avid outdoorsman. For the most professional service in the industry call the guys at the Outdoorsmans. 1-800-291-8065 They have designed many products for the Western Hunter. See below for these exclusive products. Sleeping System- There are hundreds of sleeping bags on the market that on any given day may be the perfect bag for that specific set of circumstances. The Western Hunter Sleeping System is designed to handle all four seasons regardless of the conditions that mother nature may throw at you. No matter where or when you’re going hunting, the Western Hunter Sleeping System will keep you warm and dry. Backpack-The key to the Outdoorsmans Pack System is the frame. The curvature allows the pack to ride as close to your center of gravity as possible, giving you the stability of an internal frame, but the carrying capacity of the external frame. The carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene frame is rigid enough in the vertical plane to handle a 200 lb. load, yet is flexible enough to twist with your body while climbing or twisting through brush. The bag itself is attached at eight different points with easily inserted buckles. The bag covers a meat carrying system that is tucked neatly against the frame so you can convert your hunting pack into a meat packer in less than two minutes. We call the current bag the “optics hunters pack” because it is perfect for someone who is carrying a tripod, spotting scope, or large binoculars. The frame weighs just 2 lbs and the complete pack weighs 7 lbs 3 3/4 oz with 4600 cubic inches of storage. Notice the dozens of attaching points for the suspension system; we have set this pack up for sportsmen from 5’2″ all the way up to 6’10″. Underneath each pack bag is a load carrying system that is part of the frame. This is ideal for meat packing or caching food and water for those long hunts. The V notch rifle rest in the top of the frame allows for a solid rest while shooting from the sitting position due to the solid base of the frame/pack system. The rifle carrying system is built right into every pack and securely holds any size rifle, bow, or muzzleloader. The Outdoorsmans Pack System shoulder straps and hip belt are large enough to properly distribute the weight of even the heaviest loads. Tripods- The Outdoorsmans are experts at mounting optics to tripods. The Outdoorsmans Tripod is the only tripod in the world designed specifically for hunting. Durable, steady and lightweight, this tripod is truly one of a kind and irreplaceable in the field. There are three models available and each tripod comes with a single length center post, but extension center posts are available for each size along with multiple head options, allowing you to build the perfect custom tripod or your hunting style. Turret System-A custom turret is not an original concept; there are companies that build them for a variety of different scopes. However, the Outdoorsmans Ballistic Turret is the only one that combines the industry-leading optical qualities of a Swarovski riflescope with the precision of a custom-built turret. The starting point is a Swarovski scope with a ballistic turret (BT). There are nine standard models and four illuminated models of BT scopes currently available within the Z3, Z5, or Z6 lineup. If you already own one, great! Otherwise, you can purchase one directly from Outdoorsmans (1-800-291-8065). Then when ordering the ballistic turret, the Outdoorsmans staff will need to know your precise ballistics. Don’t worry if you are not that familiar with all the terms; we will walk you through the process and help you find the needed information. Armed with this information, we will custom engrave a turret cap with the yardages clearly marked from your zero point out as far as one full revolution of the turret will yield. This distance will depend on the ballistics of your ammo and desired zero. For most magnum calibers you can expect to have marks from 200 to as far as 900 yards. For More info and to view their great products go to Outdoorsmans.com. Also check out the Outdoorsmans Facebook page at www.facebook.com/outdoorsmans for contests and giveaways. Click to view slideshow. View the full article

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Click to view slideshow.The photography editor at Elk Hunter Magazine is Tony Bynum. Tony Bynum is among the best outdoor photographers in the business today. His images are used in outdoor publications, books, and commercial advertising around the world. He’s an avid outdoor sportsman, family man, and a board member for the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Tony is a full-time freelance outdoor commercial, wildlife, and nature photographer from Montana. He began his professional photography carrier in 2005 by producing cover quality images for the outdoor editorial and commercial outdoor product industry. His images have appeared on the covers of many major hunting and traditional outdoor recreation focused magazines, including Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, Fair Chase, Texas Sporting Journal, Eastman’s, Bugle, Bowhunt America, Montana Outdoors, Montana Magazine, Western Hunter, Western Horseman, and many more. In 2010 he was selected to produce commercial advertising images for the State Of Montana’s Office of Tourism. Tony’s often hired to produce unique, compelling, thoughtful images to compliment editorial writing in magazines and books. He has worked or traveled to all of the lower 48 states, Mexico, and much of Canada, and writes regularly for his blog. He’s active on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Behance, and moderates and edits photography, outdoor activities and hunting forums on several very popular websites. Business and Education Tony owns Finalshot Photography & Glacier Impressions Gallery. He’s currently a principal member of the Glacier Two Medicine Alliance, a member of the East Glacier Park School Board, and member and past officer on the East Glacier Volunteer Fire Department. In 2004 Interior Secretary Gail Norton appointed Tony to the Montana Resources Advisory Council (federal advisory committee, member 2 years, chairman 1). From 2005 until early 2010 he managed complex scientific research projects at Portage, a private consulting firm. From 1999 to 2001 he was a special assistant and the Senior Indian Program Manager at EPA in Washington, D.C., responsible for a $2 Million budget, implementing federal statutes, strategic planning, GPRA reporting, and federal rule making.  In 1997 and 98 he was the co-chair of the technical oversight committee of the Western Regional Air Partnership. Tony has degrees in Geography, Environmental Studies, and a masters of science in Natural Resource Management. Tony also was a fly-fishing guide for many years. To view more on Tony go to his websites: http://www.tonybynum.com http://www.glacierparkphotographer.com/ View the full article

Click to view slideshow.Jay lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife Jeanne.  Jay has been a professional hunting/fishing guide in the state of Arizona for 14 years and has guided for many impressive trophies. Jay is co owner of Colburn and Scott Outfitters which specializes in high quality trophy elk, sheep and deer hunts. Jay is an avid hunter and has harvested many trophies around the west, which include several animals that make the Pope and Young and Boone and Crockett record books. Jay has been featured on Realtree’s Monster Bulls and was a videographer on Extreme Bulls 1-5. Jay is currently a Field Editor for Western Hunter Magazine. As well as being a hunter, Jay’s other passion is fly fishing. Jay has fished all over the Western United States and has traveled abroad on many adventures including chasing the large brown trout of New Zealand. Jay spends the summer chasing big trout with his fly rod across the Western Rockies. For more info go to his websites JayScottOutdoors.com and ColburnandScottOutfitters.blogspot.com View the full article

Nonresident Deadline (Jan. 31) Wyoming is perhaps the single best option for the nonresident hunter looking to take a good, mature bull. Nonresident quotas are generous and elk are generally plentiful. Prices can be steep, but if a person is smart about how they apply, getting a decent tag in Wyoming every 4-8 years isn’t unreasonable. How to Apply: A nonresident can apply for either a general tag or a limited entry area, and all applications can be done online from Jan. 1 – Jan. 31. The resident application period is Jan. 1 – May 31. Regular vs. Special Tags: For the nonresident hunter, Wyoming has two different price structures – regular ($591) and special ($1071). The split is 60% of allotted nonresident tags into the regular pool, and 40% into the special pool, with the theory being that drawing odds will be better for those willing to pay more. Most times this is the case, but not always, so do research before you apply to ensure you’re not throwing away $480. Preference Points: The chance to take a big bull on a relatively frequent basis is excellent in Wyoming, and we definitely recommend applying. Wyoming has a point system where you will be awarded a point if you apply but don’t draw. Also important to note is that Wyoming also has a period from July 1 – September 30 when you can purchase a point for $50 if you didn’t actually apply for a tag in the spring. This is an excellent way to go, as within 3-8 years, you will have enough points to be hunting in a great elk area. Top Units: There are a few prime areas that reliably produce big bulls, but as you might guess, those drawing odds are usually the toughest. Some top Wyoming areas for big bulls include all the limited entry units on Yellowstone’s east flank (54/65, 55, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63/64); the well-known Area 7 near Laramie, which has good bulls but has heavy hunting pressure; limited entry units in the southwest near Flaming Gorge (areas 30, 31, & 32); and some limited entry units in south-central Wyoming. between Farson, Rawlins, and Wheatland (areas 16, 19, 22, 24, 100, 111, 118). The units east of Yellowstone produce the best hunting and largest bulls, but be prepared for extreme country, both in steepness and size, as well as a ridiculous amount of grizzlies and a fair share of wolves. Nonresidents and Wilderness: Wyoming requires that nonresidents hunt with a registered guide in designated wilderness areas. This is a significant issue to be aware of when planning backcountry elk hunts. General Areas: Chances of drawing the general license are better than 50/50. Wyoming has dozens of general hunt areas, which provide excellent opportunities for both rifle and bow seasons. Don’t overlook this option for getting to know Wyoming elk habitat. Ryan Hatfield's 2011 Wyoming Bull View the full article

Click to view slideshow.Dan Staton is passionate about elk hunting and fitness. Â He co-owns CrossFit Spokane Valley (link http://www.crossfitspokanevalley.com) as well has Train To Hunt (link http://www.traintohunt.com); a website dedicated to making hunters fit for their hunts. Â He lives in the beautiful Northwest, is an avid bowhunter and writer, and lives to elk hunt. Â Dan hold’s a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology and has worked alongside numerous professional and collegiate athletes. Â His main agenda is to provide fitness programming for hunters and inspire others to make themselves better predators through fitness. View the full article

Here is a great clip of bugling action. This would be a great clip to listen to while practicing your bugling. View the full article

Click to view slideshow.Tim Allen drew an Arizona Unit 10 archery tag and hired Darr Colburn of Colburn and Scott Outfitters. They had a great hunt and Tim was able to harvest a giant 400 inch bull.  A quick look at the numbers reveals several things, points and main beams once again are most important aspects for a bull to score high. Tim’s bull has a left side that scores 179 5/8 with a beam that is 58 2/8 inches long, point total of 91 4/8 and mass of 29 7/8. While the right side scores 183 6/8 with a beam that is 59 inches long, point total of 95 4/8 and mass of 29 2/8. The inside spread of this bull is 37 inches for a whopping total of 400 3/8 gross. Awesome job guys, make sure to check out the video of the hunt. Tim Allen 400 Bull Part 1 Tim Allen 400 Bull Part 2 View the full article