No elk pics? Stories

[Titanium700]

9 hours ago, 25-06 said:

So was it your "pard"?

Nope. It wasn’t 

[Eastcoast'n AZ]

Am up in 3b last weekend and again starting last night. Has been pretty slow. Last Sunday was actually pretty good so I had high hopes this am but it was dead. 

[trphyhntr]

15 minutes ago, Eastcoast'n AZ said:

Am up in 3b last weekend and again starting last night. Has been pretty slow. Last Sunday was actually pretty good so I had high hopes this am but it was dead. 

Sunday was the only day I heard shoot as well. What are you driving 

[bonecollector]

There has been some great bulls taken this yr. 

[NOTAGS]

Satellite bulls I was seeing were pretty darn impressive… herd bulls were beasts.  Bugling was done by 6:30-7, some mornings almost zero where we were.

smoke from the Valentine fire was hideous, I think I have emphysema from hunting in it.  My gear still smells like smoke.  

[azbow]

1 hour ago, NOTAGS said:

Satellite bulls I was seeing were pretty darn impressive… herd bulls were beasts.  Bugling was done by 6:30-7, some mornings almost zero where we were.

smoke from the Valentine fire was hideous, I think I have emphysema from hunting in it.  My gear still smells like smoke.  

What unit were you in that the smoke was hideous? 

[NOTAGS]

4b.   It was like driving and hunting in the fog. It actually migrated into Heber one night, my house smelled like smoke for the next two days.

I’m sure 4a was just as bad .

[PRDATR]

11 hours ago, azbow said:

What unit were you in that the smoke was hideous? 

Probably 23S.

 

[trphyhntr]

On 9/21/2023 at 1:17 PM, CouesFanatic said:

So is the rut late or just a dud this year? Dry monsoon mess the cows up? Too warm?

I went up again yesterday and I think it was a pretty tough hunt for most people from what I’m seeing and hearing. I kinda want to go up again next weekend just for reference.

 

i will say they screamed all night long last night. Maybe this last 4 days will pick up 

 

[Eli]

In 23n. Was rough

[CouesFanatic]

4 hours ago, trphyhntr said:

I went up again yesterday and I think it was a pretty tough hunt for most people from what I’m seeing and hearing. I kinda want to go up again next weekend just for reference.

 

i will say they screamed all night long last night. Maybe this last 4 days will pick up 

 

Thanks. I hunted Friday through Sunday. it's starting to pick up but it's pretty spotty. Most mornings they were done bugling at 7:15 but yesterday we got into them till 9:30am. Last night was a bust, no bugling.

[trphyhntr]

I messed up last night with my friend. Was sitting a meadow, sat on one end because of the wind. Should have sat in the middle so could have shot to both sides. Giant bull came in far side and couldn’t get a shot. 

[Green Bullet]

I was hunting in the flag area.  Hunted for 9 days. Overall the rut was slow.  Always some bugling where we were at and I was all over the unit, but it was barely enough to give you a shot to give chase.  I would not call it a rut crazed buglefest.  
Bugles seemed to end right after first light or maybe 45 mins later    As to water, seemed like bulls were coming in after dark more and more as the hunt went on which is to be expected as the moon went from dark/new to more bright   

On aggregate bulls were call shy.  Herd bulls were running away from calls protecting their cows.    Satellite bulls were callable here and there but it was inconsistent.   
 

my theory on all this is the conditions we’re very very good with respect to water and feed.  So much so I think the elk were very spread out and with this there was less competition for the cows.   I never saw a bull with a huge harem.  Maybe one bull had 10-12 cows.  Most had 3-5 it seemed like.    
 

hopefully the rut kicks in harder this week for the guys still getting after it.  
 

as to us, we had chances each day and passed a bunch of bulls.  Wednesday and Thursday sucked though due to high winds.  Seemed to shut it all down and things got back to normal after that small front passed through.    I wasn’t going to take a small bull and was perfectly fine with my 5 star tag soup dish.   Mmmm….good.  

[Mountain]

You keeped passing on bulls. You don't like ElkMeat??? Thats a Shame 

[Green Bullet]

33 minutes ago, Mountain said:

You keeped passing on bulls. You don't like ElkMeat??? Thats a Shame 

I do but wanted to raise my bar given the horn growth this year.   I have a freezer full of various game.