AZ late elk success for my son

Sherlock

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Happy for my son’s successful AZ hunt. Because of a school function, he wasn’t able to make it for opening day. I went down a week ahead and scouted up 5 bulls that I thought were in a secluded area, one of which was really nice, as follows:


Opening morning I spent sitting up on a hill monitoring the area as it was socked in with snow and fog. Hoped it would be like that all day and he’d not lose out any opportunities at the big one when he arrived for the hunt the next day. Unfortunately, a little after 11am, the fog lifted momentarily and two missed shots immediately rang out and the big bull and two of his buddies bailed out of the country.

I happened to be watching a new bull when this happened, which also happened to be the same one my son ended up harvesting…


Next morning my son and I hiked up high above where the one bull in this area remained hidden in some nasty stuff. We crossed the fresh tracks of three other hunters in the snow that appeared to be going through the bottom towards the same area we were gonna look at from above. I wondered if they’d find this last bull and shoot it. Regardless, we pressed ahead exhaustingly up the steep rim hike.
When we finally scaled the top and could see down where the bull had been, it took only about a minute to locate him 600 yards below us. Here’s a pic:
45FAB2BD-9362-4E8A-869E-1A55A2871F53.jpeg

My son was able to get a couple shots in him, but he still managed to get up and move out of sight. So my son ran down (more like slipped, tripped, and slid much of the way) and relocated him and finished him off at 100 yards.
FDD6E81C-DA24-4572-A4E5-8ECF7F5C8EC8.jpeg

8BFD0D53-10ED-4DAD-8303-17AFD6D8A0DE.jpeg


The pack out for a while was a bit hairy…

F0CC6885-BFAF-4181-BDD5-EA70A2133928.jpeg


And we had to use motorized goat variety rest of way to base camp this time instead of my pack goats.

FB8A6A29-3426-4CE4-AF0C-26BA62BE350F.jpeg
 
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Nicely done.! Ya know, I used to think the pose with an elk's head tilted down so the beams go straight up was just some attempt at making them look bigger... but then I saw a bull sleeping like that so now I think its natural and looks pretty sweet.! Thanks for sharing.!
 
Interesting video. He acknowledged the first shot, but it didn't appear to spook him. Looked like he bedded. Did he?

At the second shot, appears as if there was no response.

Thanks for sharing.
 
Interesting video. He acknowledged the first shot, but it didn't appear to spook him. Looked like he bedded. Did he?

At the second shot, appears as if there was no response.

Thanks for sharing.
That video was on Day 1, when my son hadn’t yet arrived. Somebody up top was shooting at the bigger bull to the east of him. In this instance, I didn’t see where he went after the second shot. He just melted into the cover. The next day we found him bedded in the sun as shown in the pic. Seemed to be a pretty chill bull. I think he just felt (too) safe where he was. 🤷🏼‍♂️
 
Happy for my son’s successful AZ hunt. Because of a school function, he wasn’t able to make it for opening day. I went down a week ahead and scouted up 5 bulls that I thought were in a secluded area, one of which was really nice, as follows:


Opening morning I spent sitting up on a hill monitoring the area as it was socked in with snow and fog. Hoped it would be like that all day and he’d not lose out any opportunities at the big one when he arrived for the hunt the next day. Unfortunately, a little after 11am, the fog lifted momentarily and two missed shots immediately rang out and the big bull and two of his buddies bailed out of the country.

I happened to be watching a new bull when this happened, which also happened to be the same one my son ended up harvesting…


Next morning my son and I hiked up high above where the one bull in this area remained hidden in some nasty stuff. We crossed the fresh tracks of three other hunters in the snow that appeared to be going through the bottom towards the same area we were gonna look at from above. I wondered if they’d find this last bull and shoot it. Regardless, we pressed ahead exhaustingly up the steep rim hike.
When we finally scaled the top and could see down where the bull had been, it took only about a minute to locate him 600 yards below us. Here’s a pic:
View attachment 128578
My son was able to get a couple shots in him, but he still managed to get up and move out of sight. So my son ran down (more like slipped, tripped, and slid much of the way) and relocated him and finished him off at 100 yards.
View attachment 128572
View attachment 128568

The pack out for a while was a bit hairy…

View attachment 128574

And we had to use motorized goat variety rest of way to base camp this time instead of my pack goats.

View attachment 128570
Wow great story telling matched with great photos. Do it again!
 
I know this isn’t the main topic here but can someone tell me how to shoot out to 200yds plus with accuracy since you can’t use scopes on your muzzle loader? Will it be like the Henry Rifles from the old west where you lift up the bar that you look at for different yardage?
 
I know this isn’t the main topic here but can someone tell me how to shoot out to 200yds plus with accuracy since you can’t use scopes on your muzzle loader? Will it be like the Henry Rifles from the old west where you lift up the bar that you look at for different yardage?
Depends what state you're in. Az you can use scopes. I'm also pretty sure that's the point of a muzzleloader. You're supposed to get close. That's why it's considered a primitive weapon.
 
Happy for my son’s successful AZ hunt. Because of a school function, he wasn’t able to make it for opening day. I went down a week ahead and scouted up 5 bulls that I thought were in a secluded area, one of which was really nice, as follows:


Opening morning I spent sitting up on a hill monitoring the area as it was socked in with snow and fog. Hoped it would be like that all day and he’d not lose out any opportunities at the big one when he arrived for the hunt the next day. Unfortunately, a little after 11am, the fog lifted momentarily and two missed shots immediately rang out and the big bull and two of his buddies bailed out of the country.

I happened to be watching a new bull when this happened, which also happened to be the same one my son ended up harvesting…


Next morning my son and I hiked up high above where the one bull in this area remained hidden in some nasty stuff. We crossed the fresh tracks of three other hunters in the snow that appeared to be going through the bottom towards the same area we were gonna look at from above. I wondered if they’d find this last bull and shoot it. Regardless, we pressed ahead exhaustingly up the steep rim hike.
When we finally scaled the top and could see down where the bull had been, it took only about a minute to locate him 600 yards below us. Here’s a pic:
View attachment 128578
My son was able to get a couple shots in him, but he still managed to get up and move out of sight. So my son ran down (more like slipped, tripped, and slid much of the way) and relocated him and finished him off at 100 yards.
View attachment 128572
View attachment 128568

The pack out for a while was a bit hairy…

View attachment 128574

And we had to use motorized goat variety rest of way to base camp this time instead of my pack goats.

View attachment 128570
By the way, SCHOOL is overated. Never let a Kid miss a Elk hunt for School reasons. FOOLiSH!
 
Believe me…I did everything I could short of outright forcing him. Even had his uncles put the pressure on him. Sometimes kids only learn real life the hard way. 🤷🏼‍♂️
 

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