bowhuntaz1 Report post Posted October 24, 2010 Ha ha ha. Short and to the point... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted October 24, 2010 Well that's great Doug, congrats......ok I'm on the edge waiting for the details! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkhunter Report post Posted October 24, 2010 Doug- please start from the beginning! Looking forward to your picture story Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
standman Report post Posted October 24, 2010 Doug, That takes talent to get two ivories with one shot. Bullet held up good for getting two teeth. Brian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lucky2hunt Report post Posted October 24, 2010 Awesome! Makes me smile and I don't even know the whole story, can't wait to read it!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted October 24, 2010 Very nice. Looks like some old teeth and a very nice bullet! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted October 24, 2010 Red Rabbit, you truely have a gift for speaking through pictures. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted October 24, 2010 I'm gonna rat Doug out on this... The story with pictures is posted on 24hourcampfire.com but not here yet... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coach Report post Posted October 25, 2010 Doug, you sure know how to make an entrance! Looking forward to the story. BTW, Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V works really well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeybari Report post Posted October 25, 2010 that were my teeth went Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted October 25, 2010 The Foggy Mountain Elk Hunt- (from the beginning ) When the 2010 Arizona elk hunts were published, I noticed that there were a few units that had a rifle bull hunt starting October 22 and running for only four days. Units that had these hunts supposedly have a bull:cow ratio that is above the management objectives. I was going to apply for this hunt anyways in hope that they may be overlooked to some degree, as this was the first year and maybe the last, these hunts were offered. While not trophy rifle hunts about the beginning of October, these had the good chance that they would be right at the peak of second estrus. Most likely the elk would still be bugling, but a question would be if the dominant herd bulls would still be with their harems or would have gone into seclusion. Surprisingly, I drew a permit for this October hunt. Knowing that the bulls may relocate several miles from their summer area when the rut starts, I made only a few trips during the summer to the unit to look at new areas, but not to locate any specific bull. When I returned from my antelope hunt in Wyoming at the beginning of October, I spent the two weekends before the hunt looking for a good bull. On the first weekend, I glassed up a nice 7x7 and a 350+” 6-point together with a few smaller bulls and many cows. This group was seen from over 2 miles away coming off a small tree-covered rise and into a grassy opening. However, there was also a flock of woolly range maggots (aka sheep) about half a mile away that might eventually alter the elk’s behavior. I did not see the elk the next morning, but I did locate another herd a few miles away in another direction which was moving from a feeding meadow to a bedding ridge covered in cedars. The following weekend, I went to relocate the larger bulls, but only saw the hundreds of sheep occupying the draw that the elk herd was in the previous weekend. As the sheep and the herd dogs seem to spread out over a quarter mile wide and sweep through the meadow and trees as they bleet, feed and ring their bells, I figured that the elk in that area would may pushed into the canyons and come to the meadows at night to feed. One evening I climbed up a small peak that offered a view into a nearby canyon, but it offered just another nice elkless view. Trucks were packed with gear and I arrived at hunting camp with friends Ryan and Lindsey Wednesday afternoon for some last day scouting before the hunt began on Friday. Wednesday night, we went to the glassing hill and were only able to locate the second herd of elk, but it only showed spikes and a raghorn. The 7x7 was still invisible. After a light rain Wednesday night, Thursday morning broke with fog encapsulating our glassing hills. Fog More Fog And still more Fog After a few hours, the clouds broke enough to reveal the second herd on their bedding ridge, but no sign of the bigger bulls. One solitary spike was also located to the west of the hill moving along a fenceline. Of course, the white range maggots were still present. Ryan tries glassing through the fog onto the sparsely-treed flats below. Thursday afternoon in the drizzle, were went to another area and found a promising ridge and hillside that was glassable. While checking out another draw that the topo map showed having a clearing and tank, a couple of large rubs were seen. There were a few elk tracks in the mud, but mostly sheep track again. I checked out another draw but found little sign so I returned a ridge overlooking the other draw with the rubs in hope that a few elk may show at dusk. Rica looks down into the draw, seeing no game either. Ryan and Lindsey went to a different hill to glass for the bigger bulls again. The only things making an appearance that evening was the full moon peeking between the louds and an orange sunset. With opening morning a few hours away and the two big bulls not located, I decided that I would be in the second herd's bedding area for when they arrive in the morning from their feeding meadow. Ryan and Lindsey in the meantime were going to another hill to glass for bulls. But Dawn of opening morning broke with a fog covering the hill and mountain tops which prevented any serious glassing by Ryan and Lindsey for a few hours. Lindsey waits for the fog to clear. I heard a couple of bulls squeal and bugle lightly as the herd approached their bedding area. The singing was coming from a raggy 3-point and a 5x6. The bugling held Rica's attention while she was leashed to my belt. Oh well, the 7-point was not around with this group. Ryan, Lindsey and I met together and then headed to the south side of the canyon where we thought the larger bulls may be in seclusion. Through the light rain, we walked the edge hoping to find an opening that would enable us to see across. With more rain and fog coming, we went to camp for a short period to warm up and have lunch. After the rain stopped, we headed back to the canyon point, but we were going to be optically thwarted by the fog that filled the canyon. But on the edge of a clearing only a hundred yards away stood three bulls in a cluster. When they separated and the chosen bull stood broadside, the rifle barked once. As they ran into the fog, I thought I saw him make a teetering run. A few moments later we could hear his last moaning breaths. So ended the elk hunt on Foggy Mountain. This bull had ivories that are much darker than those I am used to seeing from most bulls in northern Arizona. Ballistic note: The 300 WSM was handloaded with 180 grain Swift Scirocco II bullets. The bullet entered about 6” behind the near shoulder, passed though the offside shoulder and was found right underneath the hide. Retained weight was 163 grains with a nice mushroom. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TREESTANDMAN Report post Posted October 25, 2010 Beautiful bull Doug! Looks like he had him some good fights!! Thx for the story! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Coues Report post Posted October 25, 2010 Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lucky2hunt Report post Posted October 25, 2010 Congratulations Doug! Absolute beautiful bull! Although the look on Rica's face does crack me up, kind of looks a little disgusted or 'put off'... hahaha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
