A Big Thank You

TOPGUN

Long Time Member
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10,637
I just got back yesterday from an 11 week trip that took me to four states on hunts for elk, mulies, antelope, and pheasants. I would like to offer a big thank you to GOTBOWAZ for all his help before and during our September archery elk hunt that my buddy drew in unit 6A in AZ. Eric went out of his way setting trailcams and made various scouting trips before our hunt and then was with us for the opener and the following weekend. Eric, you especially saved our bacon with your 10'x20' canopy with all the rain we had the first nine days of the 2 week hunt. Although John did not take a bull, we were into elk on all but one day and saw nice bulls most every day that would have been gravy with a rifle! I hope we can do it again soon because the area Eric put us in was super and we had a great time even though the bulls were not responding much to calls. I would also like to thank Sig for his help in setting trailcams and scouting for us before the season. Although we did not make it down to the southeast part of the unit where he had scouted, I'm sure we would have been into elk down there too. Thanks so much guys and I'll say again that this kind of interaction with the members on these forums is what makes it the best there is!!!
 
11 weeks? Good gosh man. And not one picture to share or story? Come on......
:D
"Courage is being scared to death but saddling
up anyway."
 
We were into elk all but one day of our 14 day AZ archery hunt that my buddy had a tag for in unit 6A. However, the rut was not going and although John could have shot numerous bulls with a rifle we couldn't get close enough for a bow kill. However, we did get his buddy a nice 6x7 bull on our Wyoming trip a couple weeks later and I shot a fair 4x4 mulie for the area we hunt. I also shot a doe antelope that I had made into tasty salami. The mulie hunt John had a tag for in unit 2B in NM was tough with very few decent bucks spotted as the rut hadn't kicked in yet. I ended the trip with a pheasant hunt last week with my pointer in ND and we got quite a few birds. Here are several pictures of those hunts.
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Ahhh there ya go!! Sounds like a nice trip. I hope someday to be able to do a similar American Safara myself with some wonderful people. BTW that far left rooster sure does appear to have a wooper of a tail. Did ya happen to get a measurement of it?

"Courage is being scared to death but saddling
up anyway."
 
As a matter of fact I did, because it was so long compared to the other birds we shoot out there. It ended up as the second longest one I've ever shot at 22 1/2". I shot one old bird many years ago back in the 70s when we had good hunting here in SW Michigan that was 24". These birds were shot on a public area in SW ND that was hunted heavily hunted this year before we got there. Judging from his long, sharp spurs this bird was at least 2 years old and maybe 3, so he finally got outsmarted when we went through water with 6' cattails to jump him out of his hideyhole!
 
TopGun,

It was my pleasure and great fun I had with you and John with his hunt here in Az. I can only hope one day we can do it again. It was a pleasure meeting you and being in the field with you two. I'm glad to hear your back safe and sound and from the sounds of it you had a great trip. I do wish that Fish and Game would move the archery hunt out at least one more week. When I helped out the 2 guy?s I told you about on their early rifle bull hunt the rut was smoking hot. I got them on some nice bulls and one was a good 7X7 bull roughly a 370 inch that we just couldn't close the deal on. What fun though. I see Herc put up some nice birds for you and you got yourself a decent Muley too. Icing on the cake?Congrats to you sir! lets do it again one day.

GBA
 

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