AZ Elk Overrated

AZtrophyhunter · Apr 26, 2005

I just spoke w/ a guy from NV who was fortunate enough to draw an AZ elk tag last year. He was dissapointed that he only saw 3 bulls in the 350 range during his hunt. I think there is a big misconception that AZ has 350-400 class bulls behind every tree. This is not the case. Most people watch John McClendon & San Carlos videos that give them this impression. Many non residents are going to be dissapointed when they finally get their golden AZ tag & spend all that money only to find something like "three 350 class bulls" on their hunt. Don't dream about AZ to much, your own home state might be your best chance at a big bull & you don't even know it.

Steelermadman2002 · Apr 26, 2005

I am not sure if this is a Jedi mind trick or not since the application period is getting closer, but, bo-hoo to him, what did he tag out with "ONLY a 350 class elk" hopefully that will be one less applicant this season.

Yeah all non-residents should stay home!

Steelermandman

sremim · Apr 26, 2005

I have one word to solve his problem SCOUT.

AZBuckSnort · Apr 26, 2005

It is the hope of finding a 400" bull, in mostly uncrowded hunting conditions, that spur many of the nonresidents that apply to hunt in Arizona. Whether or not they take a bull in that caliber is of minor consequence as it is the chance they seek. Same as most of us really. If at the end of the hunt a hunter "settles" for something less, like say one of "only 3 bulls in the 340-350 class", or nothing at all, oh well, that hunter is all the better for the experience of hunting the vast and varied lands that AZ elk call home.

caelkhnter · Apr 27, 2005

Yes Az Elk is very overated!!! All those big bulls were probably shot out and very few if any are left. In fact the extra tags issued last year because of the idiotic 9th Circuit court ruling probably wiped out the few remaining good bulls the state had. The heavy rains this past winter have probably had a negative impact on horn growth. To be fair Az and all of its residents should do their best to let all nonresidents know the elk quality is down and nonresidents should not waste the time,money and effort to try and hunt the remaining small bullls Az has left. Boy maybe a good campaign, consistent efforts to educate the public, and years of nonresidents leaving the state alone might bring the quality back. Maybe Monstermuleys and similar websites can help get the word out. Good post. Lets all do our best to help educate the uninformed.

AZtrophyhunter · Apr 27, 2005

I agree cali hunter. Where do we start? I hear those Tule elk sure are getting big these days......

AZ402 · Apr 27, 2005

Only three 350 bulls? What was the guy expecting. If he thinks that 350+ bulls are around every tree he should try a new state. Like the high fences in Texas.

Roadtrip · Apr 27, 2005

Most hunters dream of a chance at a 350 class bull. How petty it seems to lessen the magnificance of that creature as compared to a 400. The hunt, the work, the sweat and the tears, can not be judged by a 50 point difference.

I lost my appetite for lunch.

Cheers
Roadtrip

huntazido · Apr 27, 2005

I doubt he even saw 3 in the 350 range. Very few people know how to acuratley judge live animals. I wouldn't be surprised if they were in the 300 range.

These contests they have to guess the score of elk horns and such are kinda funny. The vast majority of guesses are way too high, usually 30-50 points too high. Unless you spend a lot of time looking and field judging anmimals I don't pay too much attention to what people guess. I was born and raised in az and I have been bowhunting since 1978. In that time, I have only seen a handful of animals that would score near or above 350.

There is a decent number of 280-310 bulls but after that really drop in number. There are big animals out there but you really have to put your work and time in to find them. Heck, I would love to see 3 REAL 350 bulls on the same hunt.

John

BigPig · Apr 27, 2005

Who the hell would complain about "only" seeing 3 350" bulls? Come on. I don't think it is a question of being overrated, I think it is a matter of unreal expectations. I'd be dumbstruck just to see one bull of that class. You know what guys, I'm dissapointed that my wife is only a Victoria's Secret model and not a Playboy model. Those gals are really overrated.

archeryelkaholic · Apr 27, 2005

The average hunter wouldn't know a 350 bull if it hit them in the ass. He should have been shooting in any state. Arizona or not.

I wouldn't apply if it were me...nothing big to shoot there.

Archer

saminwy · Apr 27, 2005

so this is what hunting has become. seeing 3 350 class bulls on one hunt is a bad thing? i think its time to tell your friend to take a good hard look at himself and why he hunts.

bullwidgeon · Apr 27, 2005

I had a tag in a crappy AZ unit last year. Spent over 30 days scouting and hunting. I saw 2 bulls that might have gone 350 while scouting and maybe 10 that were at or around 300. I shot the biggest I could find after nine days of hunting a 10 day hunt and he went 338 gross and like 330 net. AZ is waaaaay overrated if you expect big toads under every juniper tree, but I would take another tag every day of the week if I could get one

. I have low expectations and goals, like a 340 next time ;-).

Bret M.

Bura Nut · Apr 28, 2005

I would be totally happy just getting an elk tag.....I have never draw in AZ for elk.....This hunter of course should have been happy and shooting at a 350 type bull......there are alot of good bulls here but you need to spend some time scouting and work the whole hunt........ Thanks, Allen Taylor......

redrabbit · Apr 28, 2005

I have been real unfortunate to have had 4 tags in one of Arizona's crappiest units (3 archery and 1 rifle), and have not had seen a bull approaching 400"and maybe one around 350;guess I'm looking behind the wrong trees. Someone told me that this unit's genetics are so good that there are no spikes and satellite bulls are no less than 360". I took two 330"ers and 2 smaller raggy 6x5's that I hunted a lot harder for. The smallest bull was taken on the last 20 minutes of the last day of the season, and the only bulls I passed on were spikes. Everytime I look at those 330" 7x7's on the wall above my desk, I curse at the elk management and wish I had not wasted my time scouting every weekend and looking for sheds. Besides, that crappy unit has no scenic or aesthetic value like the San Juans or Wasatch. It's nothing but ugly juniper, dead pinyon, and has a big ditch running through it.

Doug~RedRabbit

AZ402 · Apr 28, 2005

Doug, I know that crappy unit well. I hope I never ever draw it again.

AZtrophyhunter · Apr 28, 2005

AZ 402, I want to know one thing....what's it like shooting a bull that big? How in the hell could you even pull your bow back after seeing that thing through the tree's? GOOD GRIEF!

caelkhnter · Apr 28, 2005

And another thing the whole damn state is filled with rattle snakes and scorpions. You take your life into your own hands trying to go after those remaining small bulls. Nonresidents should be warned of the serious dangers they face trying to hunt that crappy state with its overated bulls.

gleninaz · Apr 28, 2005

Not only are the elk kinda small but I heard four hunters from New York City were scalped by wild Indians while hunting near the reservation! Very bad place to hunt these days.

azarcher · Apr 28, 2005

I think that BigPig said it all. I too had to settle for a Victoria Secret model. I'v lived here in Az. my whole life. I'v spent years looking for my trophy "Playboy Model",but had to settle for a VSM. I'v been told that all the Playboy Models are in the state of Nevada. I could have gone there,but I did'nt want to pay the Non Resident fees.

As for the elk hunting in Az. Its way over rated. Everyone thinks that the hot units are 1,3a/3c,8,9,10. Keep putting in for these way over rated units, that way I can at least still hunt the other areas that really have better hunts. I'm sure that just about everyone thats hunted Az. has killed nothing but 350+ bulls. Maybe this year half the state will burn from the wildfire,kill all those ugly pinon/juniper and pines and leave just enough trees for them elk to hide behind.

BOHNTR · Apr 28, 2005

Yeah, I have to agree with you Arizona boyzzzz.....I'm getting tired of seeing those "dinks" trampling all over that God for saken land! Besides, everyone knows if you want big bulls over 350", you need to go to Utah or Montana. They're EVERYWHERE out there.

BOHNTR )))---------->

redrabbit · Apr 28, 2005

Yep, caelkhunter, you should sell that shack south of Flagstaff and build in some real elk country like near Reserve, NM. Maybe Boy George would offer to rent the place for his guides and clients to use, kinda help with the mortgage or trade for some scouting. There's even a landing strip there for his plane.

Stan, I've seen pictures of a nice bull hanging with the cows down near Picacho Peak. Wanna put in together down there? I'll have two bogus points this year.

YukonDall · Apr 28, 2005

ARE YOU GUYS KIDDING I HOPE??? RATTLERS,SCORPIONS,INDIANS,& ONLY SMALL BULLS AFTER HAVING TO PUT UP W/ALL THAT. MAKES ME WANT TO SPEND ALL MY PTS. AND KILL A REALLY BIG BULL/BUCK IN MY FAVORITE UNIT. I"M PUMPED,...YD.

caelkhnter · Apr 28, 2005

As I stated above I think we have an obligation to warn uninformed nonresidents of the serious problems with hunting that overated Az elk herd. I know there are many others on this site that much more creativity than, I but I have a suggestion for the title for our information campaign. How about calling it

" A BAD TAG" Campaign. This is the abbreviation for the full name of the campaign:

Arizona's
Bulls
Are
Disappointing
Toads
All
Gone

Like I said I am sure many on this site can come up with a better name. I just want us to work together to get this thing off the dime and help those uninformed nonresidents. If we work together maybe we can help nonresidents avoid those Dinks of Arizona.

Boskee · Apr 28, 2005

There's truth in those words boys more than I care to believe. I flew in several units on an aerial survey project and the results were a lot worse than anticipated. All those extra permits did take a big toll on the few larger bulls that we HAD. Arizona dinks might just be very hopeful thinking. There were a couple of places where the antelope had bigger racks than the elk and there were only a few of them. Bleak may take on a whole new meaning for the next couple of years. If the fire season is bad things will get really rough. These boys were so small that a coues yearling could kick sand in their faces and they wouldn't even think to hook him. No doubt about it the good old days may just have been that looking toward the future.

Elkcrzy1 · Apr 29, 2005

Yeah you guys should all start coming to colorado where public land bulls are easy and most of them are in the 400 class so I can draw arizona and have to settle for a 350 bull. laughing my ass off. I aint buying, sorry boys !!! Gary

elk_horn · Apr 29, 2005

Its a very sad day when hunters are disappointed over only seeing 3 350 bulls... maybe they should give it up! I would love to go hunting and see 350 bulls I dont care what state it is.

WyoXtec · Apr 29, 2005

350?

350?

You pass on a 350 and you either have some problems, been lookin at too many magazines or have more many than your worth.

WYOXTEC

RACKMASTER · Apr 29, 2005

Non res can not apply for any California ELK hunt!!
RM

ELKMAN · Apr 29, 2005

This 350/400 crap is killing us!

If you are an AZ resident, how are you going to get kids involved in hunting?

Well, son you might be able to hunt 2 times in 15 years, but get all excited about it!

huntazido · Apr 30, 2005

Great comment elkman and very true. Personally, I wouldn't mind trad'n a little quality for some more quantity. Hard to recruit youngsters and KEEP them interested if they can't go hunting.

782warbird · Apr 30, 2005

I guess you guys are all correct Arizona has only DINKS
A 350 class bull is way to small to shoot practially a yearling

ALL OF YOU APPLYING THIS YEAR FOR ELK TAGS
Don't apply for Arizona leave all the tags for us residents
we'll shoot those dinks don't worry

excaliber · May 1, 2005

I have a better idea. Why don't all you residents who think the hunting will be so bad this year not put in at all. This way all the non res hunters who draw tags will see for ourselves how bad the elk hunting is in Az. and they won't put in for tags in the future.

That way you will have it all to yourselves for years to come.

Someburro · May 2, 2005

Show me a "hunter" with a tape measure and a score sheet in his pocket and I'll show you an a-hole who needs to have his *** kicked.

Anaconda · May 2, 2005

Wild Indians, scorpions, small bulls and big ditches?
Wow, what am I gonna do with all these worthless points?

It's easy to see where all the high hopes come from in AZ. If you read Trophy Hunter and Eastmans, each year there are about ten different stories about elk hunting in Arizona?s prime units and early seasons. Of those ten, two or three have 400?+ bulls, and at least five more have ?Booners?. What you rarely hear about is the hundreds of people who take a bull in the 250 to 320 class, and the hundreds more who hold out for a giant and go home empty handed, or shoot a spike on the last day.