Rained Out in 16B 3rd Season

[Hunt4more]

My father and I drove 14 hours to Flagstaff on the 16th in anticipation to meet our guide and pack into the Gila on the 17th. That evening we called our guide to tell him how far we had gotten only to have the camp cook answer and tell us the hunt was cancelled. Apparently, our guide was still stuck in the Wilderness with 20 horses and clients from the second season. They said he called on a Sat phone and was stuck inside the unit. His plan was to go from the Northwest of the unit and try and make it down to the Gila Nat'l Monument which he said may take 3 days.... The morning of the 17th we woke up in Flagstaff, called the wrangler at the guide service and he said all the roads had washed out and he described a small creek that had turned into 150 yards river at 10' deep. He also said big trees were floating down the river and the entire unit was not safe or accessible. With no knowledge of the area and not wanting to get our truck stuck or in a situation that would be ugly, We drove 14 hours back home the next day. Today is the first day of 16b. I am home in CA with a elk tag in my pocket. What a turn of events. Unbelievable.

 

[1FastGambler]

Wow, that really stinks. I know a lot of roads are washed out, but that does not mean that there is NO access at all to 16B and/or unit 22. From Flagstaff you were only 4 1/2 hours from being able to hunt some pretty good elk country.

I know, I know... Hind sight is always 20/20, but you should have posted this and asked for help before you went back home.

That tag is way too hard to draw as a non-resident to give up so easily, not to mention the money lost in the tag, outfitter fees, cost of the joyride across AZ, etc.


16B is a huge unit plus it is combined with unit 22.
Both units still have good country that you could access by foot without your outfitter or with another outfitter that has enough sense to complain about a creek that is now 150 yards wide and think he can cross the Gila river on horseback (sounded like he was on the North side of the Gila river to begin with). Something about that just sounds fishy to me.

I certainly hope that you get your money back from the outfitter. It is his job to resolve issues. I'm sure he could have found another guide to take you SOMEWHERE with elk in either 16B or 22.

I truly hope you draw that tag again soon and get another chance to go and enjoy the heaven on earth known as the Gila.

 

[NMHUNTER]

We just left 16b on wednesday is was pretty bad but you can still access from the east through winston and beaverhead. We got a ton of rain during the second hunt but the road that goes south from beaverhead is still in good shape

 

[264mag]

That's a real shame.I met up with my guide on Wednesday(16b) and packed in about 9 miles.shot my bull at 7:45 Thursday morning and packed my elk and gear back to my truck.I got back to northern California Friday nite.

 

[Hunt4more]

Well good for you. Considering the conditions, I'd say you did real good. How about a pic of that opening morning bull??

 

[264mag]

I will send a pic or email a pic for someone to post.

 

[NMPaul]

I also think the outfitter should have had some solution for you even if he found someone else to help you.

NR bull tags are to few and far between.

 

[Hunt4more]

The problem with that is he was stuck inside the unit himself with little to no access to a phone, 20 head of horses and clients from the other week. Still have yet to hear from him. Hope he's alright. I agree about the bull tags being few and far between. Tough spot.

 

[NMPaul]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-22-13 AT 02:29PM (MST)[p]Real sorry about you and your Dad's hunt.

 

[BigPig]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-22-13 AT 06:16PM (MST)[p]Similar thing happened to us. That place is a war zone. Crazy rain every day Water all over, flooding, downed trees, rocks, mud, etc. Our packer called and cancelled as we were en route from So Cal. We said screw it and went anyway. We probably shouldnt have. Barely got in and barely got out. It was a little hairy. We got lucky, walked in and killed a nice bull, passed another little one. But I was concerned for our safety. You probably did the right thing. The trailheads that were open were a zoo and after a day or two all the elk shut up and went into the nasty that no man could access. We made a good hunt of it, but it was stressful. Did you try to turn your tag back in and get your money back? I bet the state would work with you this year. Anyone who says you should have done something different, or that your outfitter should have, wasn't there and didn't witness how bad things were. I was there and you did the right thing. Sorry about your hunt but things could be worse. It was gnarly. Life is more important than an elk tag.

 

[hank4elk]

One local tow guy is going to try and get in tomorrow to get 4 stuck trucks out.
Bummer about your hunt,but your outfitter should work out some solution. Hopefully.
Even the State and county roads are a total mess in the PJ/grasslands below.

 

[Gator]

Has it gotten better yet.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

 

[muleywhisperer]

Simply Amazed! I just got out yesterday from 16-A. It seemed that almost all access into 16-b was from the Reserve side. The road from snow lake up to Loco Mountain was washed out. This left trucks, horses, camping trailers and an out of state hunter stranded in there for 13 days." He did not seem to mind though, he went in for the second hunt and according to some very brave souls that packed in there any ways, was still out with his bow chasing bulls during the middle of the 3rd hunt." He probably figured why not, can't get out Game and fish wont come in. I saw some very nice bulls taken out of Willow Creak including one that was 370+. The bulls were screaming from that unit and watched allot of elk in there from across boundary lines. Your outfitter should have taken you in that way.
My brother hiked into and around airplane mesa to scout for his upcoming hunt and did not see much at all. The trails in there were muddy and slick and the grass just off the trails was very boggy.
My hunt was Great didn't connect but I did not leave anything wounded either.( I saw 5 different bulls wounded) 3 shot in the rump, 1 in the neck and one stomach). We tried to stock up on these bulls but they all were in some deep canyons where the creaks made any type of stalk near impossible. I found 1 bull well over 380 chased him for 2 days. I had him at 25 yards almost straight on but would not take the shot for fear of wounding him because of the angle and a stiff wind. Rain and hail made evening hunts miserable and the wind knocked down dozens of trees within 100 yards of where we had to take shelter from quarter size hail, Gail force winds and lightning. The mornings were fine but the evening weather made morning hunts very wet. This was by far one of the most frustrating and hard hunts I've been on. I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! I hope to do it again next year. Good luck to all of you with upcoming hunts, be well prepared if going into the wilderness and stay safe!

 

[1FastGambler]

This was
>by far one of the
>most frustrating and hard hunts
>I've been on. I LOVED
>EVERY MINUTE OF IT! I
>hope to do it again
>next year. Good luck to
>all of you with upcoming
>hunts, be well prepared if
>going into the wilderness and
>stay safe!


Love your attitude!

Funny to hear the story about the guy that just kept hunting. I'm sure I would have done the same thing... A man's gotta eat, right?

Terrible to hear that you saw any wounded elk, much less a bunch of them. I'd bet that several were shot by the same SOB.

 

[BigPig]

Muleywhisperer had it right! What a mess. Stressful and frustrating hunt with the conditions, but we walked in and made the best of it. My buddy killed this bull I called in for him and I passed a smaller bull.

Man I want that tag again, but under more normal weather conditions!

 

[264mag]

Nice bull! Congrats