My boys AZ bull / NM Antelope

C

couesfever

Guest
I had been putting my son in for a bull elk hunt since he was old enough to hunt. This year I asked him if he would like to hunt bulls or cows.I knew he could draw a cow tag with the three points he had. He told me he wanted a bull. I said I wasnt going put him in for the late elk hunts because usally Im guiding on the late Kaibab hunt. So that left the early rifle hunt. We all know the odds of pulling that tag but he said he would wait till he drew a good hunt. I said that might be awhile. He said that would be ok. After the results came I couldnt believe he had acutally drawn the tag.

I decided to go ahead and get him and a antelope hunt in New Mexico to help him with his confidence to hunt big game. He and I spent alot of time at the range preparing for both hunts. About three weeks before our Antelope hunt I was on my way to his football practice and had just pulled in the parking lot and walked on the field when I saw his coach helping him up I could tell something was wrong. As I walked up I looked at his arm and just cringed. One because I could tell he was in pain and two I didnt know what we were going to do about our up coming hunts.

brocks_arm1.jpg

Aug_22_2008_0211.jpg


Luckily it was is left arm. We gave him a couple of weeks then we were back out to the range to try and shoot with a cast on his arm. I had my doubts but there wasnt much else we could do.

We left for New Mexico and spent one day scouting the ranch. I was disappointed to only see 4-5 mature bucks. I knew me might have a little trouble getting on a buck. There were two other boys with their dad on the ranch also. On the first morning we found a buck with a few does around 3/4 of a mile away we stalked in to 300yds I looked the buck over and decided that we could do better. As we moved on glassing I found another buck that had been on another ranch the day before. Lucky for us he had moved onto our ranch to rut a doe. We put another stalk on this buck. I decided if given the chance we would take this buck as he was one of the better bucks we had seen.

Unfortunaltey the wind changed when we got into shooting range. As we packed up and headed back to the truck my friend called and said his boy had taken a buck and they were watching a good buck. We made our way over to them and started to put a stalk on this buck. We closed the distance to 300yds but my boy couldnt see the buck when he laid down to shoot. We tried getting closer but this bucks does picked him up and they moved off. As we followed they moved out to 700yds. I was standing behind a mesquite tree glassing when all of a sudden the buck came running right at us. It was I could do to get down and help my son get set up. The buck came to 40yds stopped and just stared at us laying on the ground. The buck was quatering to us and I told Brock to go ahead put it on his shoulder and shoot. He made a great shot the buck didnt make it 50yds. He did awesome crawling on the groung and packing his own gun with a cast on.
BrocksAntelope2008007.jpg

BrocksAntelope2008029.jpg


Just two weeks later and another new cast we were elk hunting in one of the best units in Az. A good friend of mine had just got done guiding two archery hunters so he knew where to start. We hunted hard for four days for a bull that would score around 380. This bulls home was in the cedars. Anyone that has hunted the cedars knows how frustraiting it can be. We decided we should move on and let Brock take a bull so we could get him back to school. So on the fifth eveing we got to our spot and heard bugles right from the start. We made our way over and found a few cows by their selfs. The bull was still down in a small canyon but was making his up to us. A few cow calls later and the bull was at 30yds. Brock was set up ona downed pine tree we had to get him turned enough to shoot. Brock held on the front shoulder and the bull have it. He's not the biggest but a great bull for a boys first. We had a great time hunting with some really good friends. Thanks to everyone that came and helped. When he got back to school he had to sign a contract that he wouldnt miss any more school that semester. Thanks for reading. Sorry it was so long.

Brocks2008elkhunt001.jpg

Brocks2008elkhunt013.jpg
 
I wanted to comment on the great animals but I can't quit squirming after seeing that arm.....jeezus that looks painful....OUCH!!!

JB
 
Great animals and you've got yourself one tough little dude there, you should be very proud!!!

Yeah, I'm gonna go with D13er on those arm pics!! I can gut animals all day long and not even blink but theres something about seeing a contorted human arm or leg that sends my gut a'spinning. MTV's show "Scars" is a prime example of something that will make me get in the fetal position and suck my thumb!

Donnie
 
very nice, 'coues'..a big 'pat on the back' to your son. that bull he will always remember, and be proud of. a nice speed-goat, too. nice story, and nice pics...thank you...(you could have 'left out' the pic of the arm, that looks 'bad')
 
Way to go guys looks like you had a unforgetable time them are some good looking animals - Did you have to field dress for him to keep his cast clean? lol jk
 
Wow, that's a spitting image of my daughter's break.

xray.jpg


It's been 5 months and she's already back to normal. We're working a bit on getting better rotation in her wrist, but beyond that, she's fine.

Those are some great animals... and awesome photos.
 
my doughter broke her arm when she was 5 on the swing set. i picked her up ran threw the house yelled at the wife and headed to the hospital.
when i got to the hospital my phone rang.
it was my wife, she asked "did you forget something"
i said "no why"
she said "me"
she had to have her sister come get her and bring her to the hospital.
oops
great critters and good lookin kid you two have many years of fun to come but look out they go by mighty fast.
my son turns 23 next week and my baby girl turnned 19 last sunday.
i told their mom if she kept feeding them they would grow up
 
Damn that looks like it hurts!

Congrats on the great animals and those are awesome pictures!
 
NICE ANIMALS,
BOTH ARE BEAUTIFUL. WHAT A TROOPER YOU HAVE.WHAT CALIBER DID HE TAKE THOSE WITH.COULD OF USED A BOW!!DONT APOLIGIZE ABOUT THE LENGTH OF STORY JUST SOUNDS LIKE A PROUD PAPPA TO ME,AND FOR GOOD REASON.
SIMO42
 
Congratulations to your son on a couple wonderful animals and hunts. He's also learned a lesson about perseverance. Some people would have given up and not followed through with the hunts, but he has learned that if there is a will, there's a way.
 

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos
Back
Top Bottom