lfootmatt

Well, that explains things! The spool was next to an old barbed wire fence. Thanks guys! Now if we can only glass up some bucks! Today was super slow and hot. Later, Matt

Scouting in 33 with my son for his upcoming youth hunt. He found this skull in a steep wash hiking in. The wire thing was at the top of an untraveled finger. Thanks, Matt

I resurrect this old thread. So Catfish, we're 10 years on from you not getting to hunt, how did life turn out? Take care, Matt

Chris, Dave mentioned that you were down in 27. Miles put his down just before dark on Saturday. We got some great help from a new friend up there getting it gutted. loaded into his truck and dropped off at the processor. Yes, I do believe we had a bit easier day getting ours out than you did. I was able to find a way through the woods to the meadow and drive right up to it. I told Miles he could go the rest of his life and not get an Elk out that easy again! We spent Monday and Tuesday trying to get on a 320 5X6 and 340 6X6 but were never able to do more than glass them up. It was a great hunt! I dropped the head and cape off at Stacey Tompkinson's place on Friday. Grandpa is paying for a full shoulder mount! Sweet I was leaning toward an nice european mount, but it is a good looking bull so it should turn out nicely. It shure is about time I got one of my boys on an animal! Now I just need to get them to bag some Coues! We'll be eating well at the feast this year!!! Matt Stacy does great work. You will be very pleased. What processor did you take it to? We ended up bringing Dan's elk down in two halves (skinned) and taking it to Stacy. We loaded it whole (gutted) into the pickup and hauled it to Rickeys in Springerville. Needed to go somewhere local since I was staying to hunt more. they accidently caped it out, but did it for free sicen it was their mistake. Stacey said they did an excellent job and didn't make any of the typical mistakes on capes. Later, Matt

I figured as much, might as well stick it under the tree for him. While sighting it in it did a 5 shot group at 100 yards I could cover with a quarter. Not bad for a $475 second hand rifle with factory ammo. I've always been a Remington guy, but that Tikka is pretty sweet! Thanks, Matt

Chris, Dave mentioned that you were down in 27. Miles put his down just before dark on Saturday. We got some great help from a new friend up there getting it gutted. loaded into his truck and dropped off at the processor. Yes, I do believe we had a bit easier day getting ours out than you did. I was able to find a way through the woods to the meadow and drive right up to it. I told Miles he could go the rest of his life and not get an Elk out that easy again! We spent Monday and Tuesday trying to get on a 320 5X6 and 340 6X6 but were never able to do more than glass them up. It was a great hunt! I dropped the head and cape off at Stacey Tompkinson's place on Friday. Grandpa is paying for a full shoulder mount! Sweet I was leaning toward an nice european mount, but it is a good looking bull so it should turn out nicely. It shure is about time I got one of my boys on an animal! Now I just need to get them to bag some Coues! We'll be eating well at the feast this year!!! Matt

Who knew I was just up the road (Oracle and Tnagerine) from a hunting legend! Thanks to all for chiming in on the best route. I ended up taking the New Mexico Mule Creek route. Only one bad climb that isn't nearly as bad as the Salt River Canyon. I didn't end up filling my tag; one more for the wall of shame/unfilled tags:( However: My middle boy Miles (11) filled his nicely. 1st big game species of any kind, not a Coues but nice looking 5X5 Bull Elk will have to do. 266 yard shot kneeling off a bipod with a newly acquired Tikka .270. Facing us, quartered away, he hit the seam between the shoulder and upper chest with a cavity crossing shot. The heart was 2/3s gone with no other visible damage. Ran 30 feet and tried to jump a tall split rail fence. Reared back to make the jump, and just kept going over backwards landing on his back deader than a door nail! Heck of a shot, no painc in that boy, just a steely eyed hunter! That Tikka .270 will be sitting under the tree for him Christmas morning. Thanks again! Matt

I'm leaning that way pretty hard. Looks pretty twisty on Google Maps 3D (new function, pretty cool). 3D runs your route on Google Earth, neat! Twisty is okay, I've got a Hensley Hitch that absolutely locks that trailer in line like none other! Best $400 I ever spent! Thanks, Matt

Google maps is showing that route (I-10, 191 N, 78 East into New Mexico, 180 West Back into AZ). Thinking about it pretty hard, can't be any worse than the Little Colorado Canyon East of Globe. My truck is up to it, but why push it when I'm not in a huge hurry? What about taking the 87 North out of Phoenix to Payson, and then heading overto Show Low? Thanks! Matt

Hauling a heavy toy hauler from Tucson to the Springerville/Alpine area in Unit 1 for an upcoming hunt. What is the best route to avoid any really nasty climbs like the Little Colorado canyon East of Globe on the 60? I don't mind adding a few hours drive time, but would like to avoid the above canyon and any really nasty switch backs. Thanks, Matt

Unit 1 Nov 25 - Dec 1 Bul Elk General Hunt (rifle)! 1st time being drawn for Elk in AZ! Been her and applying for 8 years. This was my second choice hunt. 1st was some stupid 40 tag rut hunt I'll never get drawn for. Later, Matt

My son Miles (10) needs data for his science fair project. Our game cam just isn't getting hit enough (partially due to my bad aim) to get the data he is trying to collect. He is trying to collect data using a game cam over a water hole and compare that to weather conditions. date, time, and number of animals. Vacant pics count as 1 animal (something had to trip it). Originally he wanted to survey just deer, but that rapidly changed since we aren't getting enough data on deer alone. Trying to get data in southern AZ so he can norm it to the same weather data as his data. Preferably data collected in the past few months if possible. We don't want to know where your camera is, just that it's in southern AZ. If anyone can help it is greatly appreciated. I'd have him post, but we don't allow our boys to maintain any internet social media accounts. Thanks, Matt

I've consistently glassed 3 nice bucks in this area since the early October youth hunt. Just seemed to loose them since the current youth hunt started. We las saw 2 of the three the weekend before the current youth hunt started, so I don't think they got taken. The spot I think they flee to when spooked is also out of the wind and in an un-glassable position. Small protected area that you can't get above or really look up into. MY theory is that they were bedded in there. No real flats close to these guys so I don't think they would have moved that far. I think they are still in there. Thanks for the advice! I'll be back in there Tuesday with my 10 year old. Thanks, Matt

Is anyone seeing any movement??? We saw little movement in spite of being in an area where we have very consistently seen good bucks in. Friday we saw a few does no bucks. 2 boys and their dad did take a forky a couple of hills back of us. With the wind and huge bright moon we sawabsolutely nothing the past two days. Should I move on to another spot or stay in there??? Need to get the boys a couple of bucks! Middle boy's (10) hunt ends Thursday. I'm signing my late November 33 tag over to my oldest (13) since I failed to get him a shot during his October hunt. Our buddy Dave (forgot his CWT screen name) did find this The mass is ridiculus!!! 12" ruler for scale.

Hmmmm 15 and dad won't let me hunt because of a bad grade. I bet you are thinking about how unfair this is and that everyone, especially dad, is against you. Catfish, no one is against you, sounds like everyone here is for you, in the long run. Losing one hunt now is nothing compared to learning to hold yourself to a higher standard. I got really bad grades until I was a senior in high school. Grades don't mean everything, but they mean a lot. I smashed the ACT and SATs to get into a really good small private college, but had to pay for it all myself. That equals student loans, tens of thousands worth. My lack of attention in grade through middle and high school also made college a whole lot harder. Ever study math (calclus) 8 hours a day 7 days a week for an entire year. Yes, that stunk. Had I studied math hard in highschool my basic math skills would have carried me through a lot easier. Didn't hunt once while in college because I was unprepared and had to put in that much more time, effort and work to accomplish my goals. Was it worth it? Absolutely! Great job, live in a great place, can afford to hunt, fish, boat, travel, have big boy toys, ect, ect.................all with my 3 boys (13, 10, 6 yrs). Unless they get bad grades that is! Ask my 10 year old about last Christmas. His PSP got locked away until his D is Social Studies turned into an A the next quarter. He got to look at that PSP everyday from Christmas until his A showed up. I'd have taken his hunt away, but he was only 9 and couldn't draw yet! Don't sacrifice your dreams for small desires. Get your grades up, and keep them there. Good grades give you options and choices in life. Bad ones limit them! Work hard! Matt