2022 Elk Hunts

Muley_73

Very Active Member
Messages
2,770
When AZ card hits dropped in March I knew 2022 was gonna be focused on elk. After weighing gas prices and work load I decided to look at hiring a guide for the first time. I talked to some here on MM and also reached out and researched for options. In the end I was sold on booking with Koury Guide Services. I won't just make this an advertisement for Shane and his son who guided me, Skyler. But I will say it was worth every penny I spent and Skyler over delivered on my entire hunt. I hope I get a chance to hunt with them again someday!

Next it was time for a new bow, after loving my Hoyt for a decade I was set on buying another Hoyt....until I shot the new Prime In Lines ! Could not get enough of shooting this new set up this year.
tempImagec6CPiv.png

Its crazy to see the advancement in our technology across the board. I have shot archery for over 40 years and shooting 100 yard groups like this has changed the game. (No I don't shoot at animals at 100 yards but it definitely makes the closer shots easier).
tempImagebKKS5P.png

Before heading south to AZ my son had a Utah OTC Any Bull Tag to fill. After a lot of days on the desert and chasing the needle in the haystack he was able to call in this bull for his first archery kill two days before we left. If you have spent time chasing Utah Any Bull elk on public land you know this bull is honestly a much better trophy than what I was about to chase in Arizona. A ton of drive and perseverance paid off for him!
tempImageSEglmZ.png

E12FECDD-0138-4CF5-979A-767A4E0B13A6_1_201_a.jpeg
96A40D89-7BA5-4D26-A017-3ECC9EB9D2EF_1_201_a.jpeg
F90A4170-5A73-478D-92DD-A2C7C6B019CF_1_201_a.jpeg
4680F36A-0212-4951-A60C-CE0A5FD01358_1_201_a.jpeg


Finally headed to AZ and 14 days of chasing bugling bulls......HOPEFULLY

54C4F251-3E8C-4DE8-BB11-BCAA9597FDE8_1_201_a.jpeg


We arrived a day and half early, just to look around the roads and get a bit of feel for the unit. After a morning of 11 bulls screaming and an evening of glassing several mature bulls we were beyond excited for the hunt to start the following morning. Out of the gate Skyler had us on a stud bull that we spent chasing for 3 days in the highest area of the unit, finding the bulls in flat ponderosas at daylight and following them up into the steep pines. As bow hunting goes we needed one more step on several occasions to let an arrow go on our target bull.

tempImageQlh5db.png
tempImageYBPoP3.png

From the start everyone had told me 320-330 bulls would be the top end on this unit with a possibility of one or two bigger bulls. I told Shane and Skyler I would have no problem passing that type of bull if we were chasing the next level. I was just as excited to bugle in bulls and hunt a full rut as I was in inches of antler. The first 3 days in the higher elevations I couldn't have asked for a better experience. We had been so close on two different 350-360 class bulls and passed more great bulls than I had ever dreamed I would. The rut was at its peak and I was having the best elk hunt of my life. Hunting pressure in the area was pushing the elk a little, although not horrible it was definitely a factor and the bulls were starting to show it. We made the decision to head lower and check some areas that Skyler liked to hunt. New days, new areas and new bulls with virtually no other hunters. The hunt just continued to fill my dreams. Sunrises, rain storms, bugling bulls and sunsets filled up the next 4 days......
 
Continued.....
AD8985D9-6906-4607-B5AA-9C5002C6B8D4_1_201_a.jpeg

tempImageMDNH6z.png


Natures Sneaky Feet !!!
tempImageMfAh5y.png

FD54936B-CC06-4BC7-B04D-774D6D7F0DF7_1_201_a.jpeg
2D96AEB9-757B-4AFA-86C9-68772BD737A0_1_201_a.jpeg


Here a couple of the bulls that got a pass in the first week. We had 13 different 6 point bulls inside of 60 yards and as close as 3 yards, in situations that I felt like I could have taken a good shot. To say the first 7 days were amazing elk hunting would be a major understatement.
080E8217-97E2-4EAB-9E62-D5BA67985688_1_201_a.jpeg


We had this bull at 42 yard for 8 mins, bugling and raking a tree, when he turned and slowly walked away I was worried my son was going to throw a large rock at me.
5A47E1CB-F94F-4FCA-A2E3-D8FD45E4C816_1_201_a.jpeg


Day 8 and 9 things started to taper off on the rutting activity. We took another run at the high country and ran into more hunters than even the first 3 days. The elk were spooky and the bugling was ending quick in the mornings and slow in the evenings. We were still seeing mature bulls but the smaller raghorns were starting to move in with the cows and you could sense the peak may have passed.......to be continued.
 
Day 10...We head back to the low country to see if we could pick of one of the bulls we had chased earlier in the week. The morning started out a bit slow with a few bugles but spread out and bulls on the move. My son had positioned a couple of miles away on a tall knob glassing for another bull we were looking for, his text to me was not the one I was hoping for. "30-40 cows one small 6x6 and the rest is Rag City". About that time Skyler and I started calling to a bull that had been the most vocal that morning. He started to get a little amped and come our way, as he was breaking out of the trees another bull entered our flat with 10 cows. Both bulls were 300 class bulls with the first bull being obviously older with a bigger body and short palmated back end. We made the decision to pass both bulls as they walked past at 60 yards. As we sat watching the show the older bull ran the younger bull about 200 yards off the cows, he quickly returned and began to work himself into a frenzy while circling his newly acquired harem. Within minutes the entire area seemed to come to life. We could count 10 different bulls bugling and working closer to our area. It was like the switch flipped and it was go time for the entire area again. We left the palmated bull and started to work toward another mature sounding bugle that was about 300 yards through the cedars. As we got closer the bull popped out at 190 yards. I immediately said to Skyler "I think I should probably shoot that bull if we can". Which he quickly agreed with. The problem was we were in a very open space with only 5 or 6 trees in a 200 yard area. As we sat tight we got a break and the bull walked over to a small tree and started raking heavily. This gave us a chance to run forward cross a fence and cut the distance to 110 yards. Most of our success calling during this hunt was with challenge bugles on herd bulls so lucky break number 2 landed in our lap as 8 cows fed out around our bull. We set up under a big cedar and ripped a call. The bull immediately whirled and ran to 90 yards screaming as he came. We sat tight and waited. After 30 seconds he bugled again and Skyler cut him off with a second challenge bugle. This got him moving again but he was circling and not charging right in. As he circled he started to angle a bit toward us. Skyler started whispering yardage, 82, 76...I reached down and dialed my sight to 70 yards as he flattened out his walk and came to stop. Skyler said "Better do it now if you're going to do it, he's 67. Holding my pin on the lower 3rd I released. If you bow hunt you know that feeling with you know you released the perfect arrow, time slows down and you see it fly, then the thud and time seems to jump to warp speed. I heard Skyler say "You crushed him", and then it was quite as I saw him side step run into the cedars 150 yards away. After 10 days it had all happened super fast but one of the moments you want to relive over and over again. I quickly called my son and told him to head down the hill and meet us. We gave it 20 minutes and walked up to where the bull was hit. Tracking was easy as we picked up his tracks in the soft ground quickly. We went about 50 yards and only found one small drop of blood. I was not too worried as we had both felt the shot was on the money but with archery hunting its hard not to let the doubt creep in if you don't see the animal fall or a huge spray of blood. I wanted to wait for Garrett for the recovery anyway so we back off for another 40 mins. Once Garrett showed up we started to get serious and push forward on the tracks. 200 yards in and 2 drops of blood and I was starting to wonder a little. As we stood looking at the last drop I glassed ahead to a spot that caught my 100 yards ahead I could see the yellow body and one beam of my bull. Another 50 yards and the blood trail turned to a spay. He had probably only lasted 30 seconds after the shot and run to his death. It sounds cliché and easy to say with one in the salt...but had that shot not come the hunt would have still been one of my most amazing if not most amazing hunt I have ever been on. The country, the rutting activity the bulls, the people and the whole experience was more than I could have dreamed. I hope someday I get a chance to hunt AZ archery bulls again. Maybe next time it will just be me helping my son and that works for me!
7CB5299A-CA6A-4EF6-BA10-7F49278867FF_1_201_a.jpeg
tempImageJxkCmk.png

E69D65C7-0053-47DE-AAF4-DC345EF2FBBB.jpeg
tempImagehtgkQU.png

Headed home after 13 days in AZ with memories for a life time and truck bed full of bull....and cab!!!
CC5003B4-28A7-4FA5-8A70-4B5312B0CF0C_1_201_a.jpeg


A quick post script...After being home a week we headed back out to the desert to see if we could turn up a bull for Garretts best friend. G pulled it off again on the OTC Any Bull and put Ty on his first elk opening morning. Great way to end a 4 week run !!!
CD56ACD9-7D97-4DE8-913C-99E71FFEEBD6.jpeg
 
Last edited:
That was quite the hunt. Congrats to you and the laddy. His OTC bull is no joke and your AZ bull "okay." ;)

Your guide Skyler--is he of the YouTube Skynic channel?
 
That was quite the hunt. Congrats to you and the laddy. His OTC bull is no joke and your AZ bull "okay." ;)

Your guide Skyler--is he of the YouTube Skynic channel?
Snoop thanks for the kind words. No it is a different Skyler, however I do actually know the Skyler you are referring to. Both young killers!
 
You Take Lumpy on any of the Adventures?
Bess,
He didn’t chase elk this year with us. But I did spend the entire deer hunt down south with him. We’ve got dedicated tags together for next 3 years so it gives us lots of time on the hill talking deer and politics! Lol
 
Kody-

Congrats on a very nice archery bull. Even better is the time in the mountains with your son. As a side note, what broadheads were you shooting? The shot looked good. Did you get a pass through?

hawkeye
 
Kody-

Congrats on a very nice archery bull. Even better is the time in the mountains with your son. As a side note, what broadheads were you shooting? The shot looked good. Did you get a pass through?

hawkeye
Hawkeye,
I was shooting a SEVR titanium 1.5". That's the second mature bull I have killed with them. It was not a pass through I did lodge in the off side rib. The blood trail was a not great on this one out of the gate. When the arrow came out about 40 yards from the bull is was a waterfall. I'll be honest and say I was set on moving to a fixed blade this year due to that fear but after shooting all summer I just could not get away from the SERVs. They literally fly better than my field points.
tempImageXBJM5z.png
 
Kody-

I’ve had the same experience. I have killed 2 LE 6x6 bulls with my archery set up. My first bull was shot with a rage hypodermic expandable broadhead at about 15 yards. The entry hole was massive but the arrow did not pass through. That bull ran about 125 yards and died within sight. Due to the lack of pass through, the blood trail was fairly limited. I’m glad that bull did not make it far.

My second bull was shot with a G5 striker fixed blade broadhead at about 40 yards. With that shot, I got a complete pass-through with good entry and exit wounds. That bull did not go far before dying.

As a result, I struggle with the same dilemma. I prefer to use a good fixed blade broadhead to hunt elk, but expandables shoot much better out of my bow. Last year, I carried three arrows with fix blades and three arrows with expendables in my quiver. My thought process was if I got a shot at an elk at under 40 yards I would use a fix blade broadhead. On the other hand, if I got a shot at 40 to 70 yards, then I would use an expandable broadhead because they fly better.

Congrats again on an awesome archery bull elk!

Hawkeye
 
Kody-

I’ve had the same experience. I have killed 2 LE 6x6 bulls with my archery set up. My first bull was shot with a rage hypodermic expandable broadhead at about 15 yards. The entry hole was massive but the arrow did not pass through. That bull ran about 125 yards and died within sight. Due to the lack of pass through, the blood trail was fairly limited. I’m glad that bull did not make it far.

My second bull was shot with a G5 striker fixed blade broadhead at about 40 yards. With that shot, I got a complete pass-through with good entry and exit wounds. That bull did not go far before dying.

As a result, I struggle with the same dilemma. I prefer to use a good fixed blade broadhead to hunt elk, but expandables shoot much better out of my bow. Last year, I carried three arrows with fix blades and three arrows with expendables in my quiver. My thought process was if I got a shot at an elk at under 40 yards I would use a fix blade broadhead. On the other hand, if I got a shot at 40 to 70 yards, then I would use an expandable broadhead because they fly better.

Congrats again on an awesome archery bull elk!

Hawkeye
Hawkeye,
I actually did the same thing, I carried 2 Tooth of the Arrow fixed and then the SEVR.
 
That looks great! Congrats on a beautiful bull and a memorable hunt with your son!

Hawkeye

P.S. - I sent you a PM.
 

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