Any OTC bull pics yet?

[Wiszard]

I had no idea that there was an OTC rifle elk hunt in AZ in July. Have I been living under a rock?

 

[AZ8]

Well over a decade now. 15+ years maybe.

 

[Wiszard]

Well over a decade now. 15+ years maybe.

Never knew until a buddy of mine told me about it. He sent me a pic of the bull he killed. I thought he was lying just to spend some time away from his wife. LOL

 

[Captain_coues]

You have to be big time prepared with a truckload of ice and a few helpers. It’s 6 am right now and it’s 75°. It will be 102 today and I’m in the middle of the otc boundaries. I’ve been watching a few elk, but nothing that’s worth that kind of risk.

 

[Wiszard]

You have to be big time prepared with a truckload of ice and a few helpers. It’s 6 am right now and it’s 75°. It will be 102 today and I’m in the middle of the otc boundaries. I’ve been watching a few elk, but nothing that’s worth that kind of risk.

Are there that many elk in AZ that they need to risk that?

 

[JPickett]

doesn't sound at all fun

 

[AZ8]

Are there that many elk in AZ that they need to risk that?

These hunts were designed to eliminate elk in non-traditional habitat. AZGFD doesn't want elk here due to private landowner conflicts. Plus it's just not traditional elk country.

Very tough hunts with low succes rates.

Save your money! ?

 

[Captain_coues]

Are there that many elk in AZ that they need to risk that?

Not really. Depending on who you ask, you will get a lot of answers. The latest one I heard was that they’re going to be constructing a lot of wind turbines and solar operations in unit 4B and it would help if the elk were gone. Parts of 3A, across the road from 4B have the same thing going on. The deer and antelope out there get more respect than that because that would never happen to them. Another excuse is that the land they’re on is “not traditionally Elk habitat “. That’s a good one since no land in modern AZ is traditional Elk habitat. All the elk we have were introduced by the Winslow, AZ BPOE many years ago when they were brought over in train cars. Land owners near the Little Colorado River have complained about the elk a lot over the years and that has a little impact.

There are not a lot of elk in the boundaries they drew up anymore. I see some near my town and there’s nothing big. I know of some big ones taken, but not that often and it’s always a local from Holbrook, Winslow, or St Johns or a friend of theirs that scored one.

 

[Captain_coues]

I think it would be better if they did what they did 20 years ago. Back then, if you drew an antelope permit in Unit 2, you could buy an elk permit and and get one. If they did that with deer and antelope permits, it could be a lot better quality. I know of some pretty big bulls taken that way back then.

 

[huntazido]

There has always been the rumors of guys killing elk outside the OTC boundaries for these hunts.

I hunt more for the experience than anything else and these just don't seem like much fun. Hunting near homes, private land and people who treat the elk like they are their pets is not my idea of an enjoyable hunt.

 

[Wiszard]

Hunting in 100 degree weather doesn't seem fun. Thats why I don't hunt deer in my local area in Cali. I couldn't imagine the stress of killing an elk at 9 am and then stressing out over getting him broken down and packed out before the4 meat turns to sh!t. I guess if you're hunting on private, they may have a tractor handy to just go scoop it up and take it to a shady place to break it down.

 

[Bowhunter05]

The boys at big Chino have dropped some good ones this year.