By Steve Chappell

As I write this article, it’s early April and the Arizona draw results for elk were released about ten days ago. The excitement is high right now as I visit with hunters and friends that were fortunate enough to draw elk tags.

This year, I wasn’t one of those fortunate ones, but that’s OK. Last year the draws were very kind to me and allowed me to draw archery tags in Arizona and Utah. I’ll be sharing my experiences of those hunts in an upcoming issue of HI.

The year of 2007 was certainly a year that will go down in history as one of the greatest elk years ever here in the Southwest. In Arizona, the hunter with the auction tags for 2006 and 2007 tagged two 420-inch class bulls within a few days of each other. There were also several other 400-inch plus bulls taken during the fall archery and rifle seasons that I know of.

This year the 2008 Arizona Elk Auction tag sold for a record $195,000. That is incredible and goes to show that we are in for another great elk year in 2008. Utah also produced quite a few bulls this past season that eclipsed the 400-inch mark and then some. Utah produced an amazing 443-inch archery bull that is the potential new number one bull from the Beehive State.

This year has a lot to live up to compared with last year; but, from all indications, we are in for another incredible elk year. The late fall and early winter had me concerned due to a lack of moisture; weather predictions for the Southwest were calling for a dryer than normal winter. Thankfully, weather forecasts aren’t always accurate as we all know. The winter weather changed for the better after Christmas and we were blessed with great moisture. In the Payson and Heber area of Arizona, two friends of mine measured over six inches of moisture in a ten-day period. The Mogollon Rim south of Heber was blanketed in heavy snow up until very recently. Due to this heavy snowpack, I am predicting better than normal range conditions for the spring and summer months which will equate to maximum antler growth for the bulls and an active fall rut. Just yesterday I saw three mature bulls running together that had just started growing their new sets of antlers for the 2008 season. They were obviously enjoying the new spring growth that was starting to green up.
Now that we know that the range conditions should be favorable, let’s discuss what I believe is another important issue for a quality elk hunt – hunt dates.

In Arizona, the archery season should be stellar this year with the season starting on September 12th and running through the 25th. My experience over many Arizona archery seasons tells me that these dates are perfect and coincide with great rutting/bugling activity. The full moon falls on the 15th, so that will somewhat impact the early part of the hunt; however, I believe the hunting will be awesome – especially during the second week of the hunt. The early rifle hunt runs for seven days starting on the 26th of September. The timing of this season couldn’t be better. I predict that the hunters who were lucky enough to draw one of the limited tags for this hunt will be very satisfied. Late hunts, regardless of the unit, can be a challenge. Just because you’ve drawn an Arizona elk tag doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve got a “trophy tag.” These hunts have the potential to yield some good bulls, but generally aren’t known for high success or big bulls.

The state of Arizona does a great job managing its elk herd. Although just about any unit is capable of producing a Boone & Crockett bull, several units are managed for high bull to cow ratios and an older age class of bulls. In these units, on normal moisture years, the bulls rut hard and good calling can produce results, not to mention a very memorable hunt.

New Mexico’s outlook should prove to be outstanding as well. The Land of Enchantment is also home to some monster bulls. New Mexico offers three archery seasons in several units, two in others, and also one extended archery season for certain units. All of these archery hunts occur in September. In general, the hunts starting from the 11th and 19th of September are considered to be best due to better rutting activity during the hunts.

New Mexico also has muzzleloader and rifle hunts that occur early enough in October that a hunter should have the opportunity to hunt bugling bulls. As with Arizona, the later hunts are typically harder to score on big bulls. Look for New Mexico to also produce book bulls during the 2008 season thanks to the great winter.

Utah has become known as the land of the giants. In recent years, Utah has surpassed even Arizona and has become known for its incredible bull elk. The major hurdle with Utah is obtaining a tag. Quality Utah tags are extremely hard to come by, especially for non-residents. Expect to apply for many years in order to hunt the trophy bulls that Utah has to offer. Utah’s archery season is generous as far as total days, but is stingy about giving archers an opportunity to hunt much during the rut. With the season starting in August and running until September 12th this year, the best hunting will most likely be during the last week of the hunt. Utah’s rut rifle tags are the premier tag since the hunt takes place from mid-September into late-September. These hunts are phenomenal and produce the bulk of the monster bulls coming from this state. Utah also offers muzzleloaders the chance to hunt during the rut. The muzzy hunt occurs in early October catching the tail end of the rut. Utah also has late hunts. Again, big bulls are more vulnerable during the rut, but Utah should produce some big bulls on all hunts this year. Although a 443-inch bull will be hard to top, look for Utah to rewrite the record books again in the fall of 2008.

Other states in the West should also have a great year for elk. Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana should all fare very well this year. I predict that 2008 will be a year that will rewrite the record books for elk. Enjoy the benefits of this great moisture since we don’t always get it. Always remember that the most important things about an elk hunt are the friendships, the time spent enjoying the beautiful creation, and the memories made while pursuing what I believe to be the most majestic creature on this earth. If you keep this in mind, the harvesting of a bull elk is just icing on the cake.

As our hunting party sat in the shade of a small bush, we gazed through the small openings to our trophy a thousand yards further. This was indeed a trophy beyond comparison; we knew we were hunting one of the rarest bull elk in the world – a straight 6×6 bull that would net score over 400 inches.

This hunt started like many others – somebody gets very lucky, draws an incredible tag and, if I’m lucky, they call me wanting help! That’s what happened when Don Roach from Tucson, AZ learned of his fortune the day the results came out. Don contacted us, checked out our referrals and gave us the green light. My brother Matt was excited to know that we would be hunting his favorite unit and we started scouting immediately. To further prove our dedication to our job, Matt and I would send photos of the bulls we scouted to our clients on a regular basis. We had found an amazing amount of huge bulls and quickly noticed that this was going to be a great year for antler growth. Our team on Don’s hunt consisted of Jeff Wright, Jason Scott, Craig Cormier, my dad Jim Sr., my brother Matt and, without a doubt the funniest and best cook in the world, Zeke!

After extensive scouting, we narrowed our search down to our #1 spot – and with good reason! There were several bulls close to or over that magical 400-inch mark in this area. This is an area that we’ve hunted for many years but, with the type of terrain, most people overlook it and stay away. We had several of these bulls all to ourselves and the excitement for the hunt was building. Several days before the hunt started, Matt put me on a ridge glassing for a huge 380-inch 6×6 that we hoped to reserve as a backup. While I was glassing, I heard a bugle coming in from the flats. I spun around to get the video camera set up when I saw a bull appear. At first I thought he was one of the many 360-class bulls heading up to bed but, as he passed by me at less than 100 yards, I saw that he had extra points on top of a 360-class frame. I never saw the big 6×6 that I was supposed to be glassing, but I didn’t care – this new bull was huge! Matt and I watched the video later and came up with a score of around 415-inches. This bull was a perfect, typical 8×8 except for a broken tine on his right side. Don Roach later named this bull “Ocho Grande” and he became our #1 bull for opening day.

Jeff and I would be hunting with Don Roach, while Matt and Jason headed out with another client. They would be hunting a bull that Matt has a long history with – the rest of the bulls were ours to pursue. Dad and Craig would keep tabs on our plan B and C bulls while we hunted our plan A bulls. We usually hunt the archery hunts in teams of three. This allows one guy to run the video camera while the hunter and the other guide stay back to do the calling.

When opening day arrived, Jeff, Don and I dropped off a rim to intercept Ocho as he made his way up to bed. The wind was wrong, but we hoped we could drop off fast enough to get our wind past the bull as he angled up the ridge. Running down, we soon realized that our plan wasn’t going to work. Ocho knew something wasn’t right and he moved up around us and headed over.

We had located Ocho every day after my first encounter with him, and he was always alone, never bugled much and, when he did, it was barely audible. He acted like an old bull and he had a favorite bedding area, so we felt confident that we would find him again and backed out. Back at camp, we decided to go after a bull that Matt had named “Wrongway” because his beams turned up the wrong way. Don had the opportunity to see Wrongway before the hunt with Matt and we all knew he would be pushing the 400-inch mark or better. However, Wrongway lived in open country and always had a herd of cows with him. Dad had been watching Wrongway and put him to bed that morning, so we all headed out to watch him. We climbed our hill and, as we sat in the shade of a small bush, we all gazed through the small openings to our trophy a thousand yards further. This was the hardest bull to hunt out of all our prospects, but he was definitely worth a try! Our plan was to watch him all day and see what direction he headed in the evening. Just before dark, the herd got up and headed our way. We were sitting in a saddle with very few trees and I anticipated that Wrongway would head through the saddle. Jeff set up behind us to hopefully coax the bull if he held up out of range, while Don and I set up under the only available tree that kept our wind right. The herd was heading right for us and I had the camera rolling. As the herd came closer and closer, I was sure we were going to get a shot when, all of a sudden, they turned hard right and went up and around us just out of range. It was an awesome sight as Wrongway skylined with the sunset behind him – he is a gorgeous bull!

Don, Jeff and I backed out and, even though the plan didn’t work, we felt good about what we had learned. Wrongway had moved through that saddle before and we now had a decent pattern to him. We decided to let him do his thing the next morning and wait to hunt him until that next evening. In the meantime, we decided to hunt a different 390-inch type bull in an area close to Wrongway. But, now that we had seen Wrongway, we really wanted to get our hands on him.

The next morning, we did get close to the 390-inch bull after an awesome long belly crawl by Don. The bull’s cows busted when he only needed 30 more yards to the bedded bull. The video was awesome and the stalk nerve racking, but now we had our sights back on Wrongway and we were eagerly waiting for evening. Craig and two other buddies of ours, David and his wife Jenny, showed up to see Wrongway and hopefully get to watch our hunt from a distance. Our problem today was that Wrongway had picked up more girlfriends and now had a total of nineteen! That’s a lot of eyes out in this open country, but we knew where he would go and hoped for the best.

Evening came and we set up with Jeff up high with the camera, while Don and I picked a different tree on the side of the saddle that the elk went up the previous night. The problem with this location was that if the herd decided to take the saddle, they would be downwind. But, with the angle of the wind, we would hopefully get a shot at the trailing bull before the lead cow spooked. Everything was set, and I could hear Wrongway bugling as he pushed his cows our way. The herd angled up like before, but Wrongway ran up and pushed the cows back down and headed for the saddle! Using a rangefinder, I whispered the yardage to Don as they all passed by out of range. The bull stayed on the opposite side of the cows which put him at over 100 yards but, we had cows at less than 20 yards at the same time! Soon, the lead cow got some wind, spun and took the rest of the herd with her. I frantically did a “lost calf” call on my reed, hoping to at least make the cows question what was happening. Surprisingly, one cow stayed close and the lead cow came back. She was mewing nonstop looking for me, but I had stopped as soon as I knew she was coming back. I could then see the ears of all the other cows coming back into the saddle, and then antler tips! Wrongway was following the cows in and soon, with one cow at less than 20 yards, I could see that we might get a shot. Don drew his bow very slowly and, without any other movement than his drawing arm, he held steady. The cows were all staring at us as Wrongway walked into a shooting lane through all the cows and stopped. I had been whispering the yardage as he came – 100, 90, 80, 70 – Don then asked if he should take him. I said, “Yes,” and the arrow was on its way! Upon impact, Wrongway buckled and hit the ground hard. I jumped up with Don and he put another arrow in him quickly. In less than a minute, Wrongway lay still.

With our buddies running down the hill, Don and I were overcome with emotion and could not believe we had made it happen. We walked around the fallen beast and couldn’t believe his size and beauty. Don had to walk off a ways to take a moment to reflect and I just sat there in amazement that we had Wrongway on the ground. I had dreamed of hunting and harvesting a bull of that caliber all my life and, even though he wasn’t my bull, it felt the same. We all worked very hard and put our knowledge and skills to the test to make that moment happen. Don Roach is the type of guy you like to see get a trophy like Wrongway because he knows and appreciates what he’s achieved. He amazed all of us in camp with his shooting skills, and he is very knowledgeable about elk and their habits. He hired us this year because he had no time to scout and he knew how precious his tag was. Thank you very much Don for placing your trust in Mullins Outfitters and, without a doubt, you deserve that bull buddy!

We never forgot about Ocho Grande during the hunt. David was one of the lucky few who had the early rifle hunt for this same unit. He and his wife were able to find and relocate Ocho several times up to the evening before his hunt started. We all headed out opening day and, like clockwork, Ocho showed up following the monster bull I had initially set out to find the day I found Ocho. This bull is a typical 6×6 pushing the 400-inch mark, but David passed him up at 150 yards – he wanted Ocho. Soon Ocho stepped out, presented a shot and BOOM! David made a great shot and Ocho went down quickly. Ocho is a spectacular bull with eight matching points all the way up. If un-broken, he would have easily scored over 425 gross. He was 415 gross as is! It was an amazing ending to an incredible hunt. We were able to put our hands on two of our biggest bulls this year in less than two weeks apart. Again, I would like to thank these hunters for allowing us to help and also to the Mullins Team, you guys are awesome!

It was 2006, and my hunting partner, Brad Sears, and I had just put in for the bull elk draw. I was up fishing in Alaska when the draw results were released. Brad gave me a call and let me know that we had both been lucky and drawn. We immediately began scouting and found some good bulls. Now we just had to wait for hunting season to arrive.

When the rut kicked in, the bulls moved a few miles and I was unable to find the largest bull. My brother Vinnie and I went out the day before the hunt started and tried to locate him. Vinnie was lucky and happened to find him. He promptly called me and told me that he had found the large bull.

On opening morning, our group went out and saw some good bulls, but we never could find my large bull. That evening we went back out and, right before dark, we came across the large bull. I missed a seventy-yard shot that went just under him. I couldn’t believe it! I finally had a shot and I missed! We followed the bull for a little while and couldn’t get another shot. We carefully tracked the bull and watched him bed down for the night.

The next morning it was really windy and nothing was bugling. We were unable to locate the bull. That night my friend, Ryan Mell, showed up and wanted to go out with us the next morning. He must have been good luck, because the next morning the bulls were going crazy. We had been following a nice six-point all morning, which I would have gladly taken, but I was never presented a shot. Then, all of a sudden, I heard another bugle close by. The large bull appeared and started fighting with the bull I had been chasing. I hurried to close the distance. When I was approximately thirty yards away from the bulls they broke up. My bull started walking right towards me so I took the shot. The shot was a little far back and high, but it did the job. The bull went about seventy yards and went down.

I would like to thank Vinnie, Ryan, and friends for filming, scouting, and loading my bull up. This was a great hunt and I’ll never forget it. My bull was one of the top archery bulls in the state of Arizona for 2006 and officially scored 411 6/8 gross and 393 1/8 net non-typical P&Y.

Joey’s great Arizona archery bull elk was featured in the 2008 King’s Bull Elk Calendar

Behind the Re-creations

Hunter: Joey Wyatt
Date: September 2006
Location: Arizona
Points: 7×8 non-typical
Gross Score: 411 6/8 P&Y
Net Score: 393 1/8 P&Y
Featured: 2008 King’s Bull Elk Calendar

by Jim Giles

My quest for a huge bull elk started back in 2002 when a couple of my good friends bought me a landowner tag on the San Juan Elk Ridge, limited-entry unit in Utah for helping them with a land development project they were working on. Since then, I guess you could say I have become a bit of an “Elkoholic.” I spend hundreds of days scouting and hunting both for myself, my wife and my friends. As far as I am concerned, there is nothing better than getting up close and personal with a big, bugling, bull elk.

Over the years, I have been very fortunate to take a number of bulls ranging from the low 370’s to the low 390’s. But in 2007, I was fortunate enough to take a true giant 7×7 typical bull. It all started at the end of July when I started scouting to see what type of bulls I could turn up. I knew it was going to be a good year when, after only a day and a half of scouting, I had turned up two bulls over 400-inches and two more that would break the 380 mark. One of the two bulls over the 400-inch mark was the one that I ended up taking. I knew he would go over 400, but I honestly did not know he would push the 420 mark.

The afternoon of September 5th, 2007 turned out to be one heck of an afternoon for me. I was pulling down a side road to park my truck and walk to a lookout that allows me to see for miles. The location where I hunt is relatively flat, and there are only a few vantage points to glass from. I was about 500 yards from where I like to park my truck when I spotted some cows in between a 30-foot opening through the cedar trees about 400 yards away. I stopped the truck, glassed the opening, and could see one cow standing and a few more lying down. Just as I started to move forward, one of the cows that was lying down got nervous, stood up and instantly started trotting away from me across a CRP field. This caused the entire herd to start running. As I glassed the opening, it turned out that there were about 25 elk and it was one cow after another until, out of nowhere, bringing up the rear, there he was – the big 7×7. My eyes just about popped out of my head. I had not seen him since the end of July in the velvet. At this point, my excitement level was as high as it had ever been. I pulled my truck up a couple hundred yards into the cedar trees, parked it, grabbed my gun and started running the 400 yards to the edge of the CRP field. As I reached the edge of the field, I leaned up against a tree, looked through my scope, and could see the last three elk up against the cedar trees on the other side of the field 480 yards away. It was two cows and the big bull. I decided that it was now or never. I shot and the big bull acted like he had been hit, but was still standing. I fired a second shot and the bull walked five steps and into the trees. I felt confident that I had hit him the first time, but due to excessive shaking, I felt like I had missed him the second. As I was walking across the field to get to where he went into the trees, I called to let my buddies who were hunting another part of the unit know that I was pretty sure I had hit the big 7×7 and asked them to come and give me a hand.

I hadn’t walked more than 25 feet into the trees when the big bull jumped to his feet and took off. It was obvious he was hit, but I was not sure how hard. I got on his tracks and started tracking him. I tracked him 150 yards further into the trees and then out onto a sagebrush flat. As I stood at the edge of the flat, the big 7×7 got back to his feet about 100 yards away. I hit him two more times and put him down for good.

As I started across the flat to go get a look at the bull, I looked behind me and could see my buddy, Nate Jacobson, running for all he was worth. I waited for him to catch up. We walked up to the bull and I grabbed his antlers and turned his head. I could not believe my eyes. He just kept getting bigger and bigger. About ten minutes after Nate and I walked up to the bull, my two other buddies, Barry Fullmer and Steve Forman, caught up to us and the high fives started all over again.

It is hard to put into words what it felt like walking up to a bull of a lifetime after hunting and scouting for literally hundreds of days over five years. I will probably never have another opportunity to take a bull of this caliber but, I can tell you this, I will have fun trying. My bull has been green scored at 417 5/8 gross and 404 7/8 net typical B&C and could be one of the biggest typical elk taken in 2007.

Almost exactly 24 hours after I had harvested my bull of a lifetime, Steve and Barry climbed to the vantage point that I was headed to the day before and, standing below them in the same field with the same group of cows, was Barry’s bull of a lifetime. He made the shot count and harvested a huge 6×6 bull grossing in the high 390’s and netting in the high 380’s. In two consecutive days, two buddies had taken two Boone and Crockett bulls. It does not get any better than that. It truly was the hunt of a lifetime.

I would like to give a special thanks to my wife Heidi and my three girls Kira, Kenzee and Katelyn for letting me pursue my addiction for hunting and the outdoors. I love you. I am grateful that, when time permits, they spend their free time with me in the field in pursuit of big bucks and big bulls. Whenever possible, take a child with you and let them experience the magic of the outdoors. Start taking them early even if they are going to be in the way and are too noisy and could cost you an animal. I have heard all the excuses. Remember, it is never too early, only too late.

There is an old cliché that says, “Good things come to he who waits.” I must admit that there were times in my life that I thought the wait was actually going to kill me! There were even times when I wondered if I would even put in for the next year’s draw because I had put in ever since I could remember and, even with thirteen points, could still not draw a limited-entry elk permit.

Luckily as the years passed, so did my discouragement. The hope of drawing a big bull tag brought excitement and determination – this could be my year! As January was approaching, I began to think that maybe I needed a change of strategy. I had always been determined to hunt Monroe Mountain. I have lived at the base of this beautiful mountain most of my life and had dreamed of harvesting a big bull there. I submitted my application for Monroe Mountain; but, in the days that followed, I made the decision to change my application to hunt on Boulder Mountain.

April came and the draw results were posted. The thrill I experienced when I received my e-mail with the words, “Darrell Snedeger – “SUCCESSFUL”” matched everything I ever imagined. September sounded like forever and I found myself wishing away the summer.

Early August brought about an unbelievable chain of events. My wife threw me the first curve when she was told she had to go to Washington, D.C. for training the week of my hunt. She said she would go alone, but the look in her eyes told me that she needed me to go with her. I told her I would turn the tag back in and go with her if she needed me to. To my disappointment, she promptly said, “Thank you, thank you.” I went so far as to call the DWR to find out the process for turning back in an elk tag and the last possible date to do so.

After sweating it out for a couple of weeks, my wife was able to postpone the trip to Washington. The decision was made; nothing was going to stop me from going on this once-in-a-lifetime hunt. That was, until I received a letter a week later requiring my presence at Federal jury duty in Salt Lake City the week before my hunt was to begin. “What is going on?” I said. “Am I not supposed to be going on this hunt?” “Could a person’s luck really be this bad?” I learned quickly that elk hunting was not a priority to the court system. They showed no sympathy to my situation, and my only hope was that the case would be settled without going to court. Of course, I would not know that until the day I was to appear. Another week of blood, sweat and tears passed (well, maybe not blood, but definitely sweat and tears) and I made the phone call to learn that the case had, in fact, been postponed and I did not have to appear for jury duty. The hunt was on again!
The opening morning of the hunt turned out to be quite uneventful. My son Zach, brother-in-law Steve, his two kids Shelbee and Hunter, and a friend Darrin and I left camp about 4:30 a.m. At about 11:00 a.m., we got into a small herd with several bulls. We got a couple curious, small bulls to come in to us but, after about an hour, they tired of us and we watched them walk away. The evening hunt proved to be about the same. We did not locate any elk and went back to camp a little disappointed and concerned that this hunt may be more challenging than we had thought. The elk were not bugling and it was making it more difficult to locate them.

The next day was Sunday, so we enjoyed the beautiful weather and spent time in camp with our families. That night I tossed and turned until midnight and finally told my wife that I was so excited for the morning hunt that I couldn’t sleep. I wasn’t worried; I was just as excited as I had ever been to actually be on a big bull hunt. I told her, “I can’t believe this is happening to me.” By 4:10 a.m., we were up and ready to go. Since we hadn’t actually located any big bulls, we took off from camp on our four-wheelers without much of a plan. As we went down a trail, we stopped every quarter of a mile or so and used the bugle and cow call to try to get a response. After about two hours, we had gone quite a distance when we finally heard three bull elk responding to our call. They were in the thick, dark trees so we could not get a look at them. We did get a glimpse of a four-point, and made the decision to start walking towards the bugling because of the time of morning. The elk we heard captured our curiosity because of the sound of their bugles. One was deep and hoarse and the other had a deep grunt. As we made our way through the thick trees, we got excited by the condition of the small pines which had been shredded from elk rubs. As we made our way to a small, light opening on the top of the backbone of the mountain, we stood together and looked over the valley below us. After a few minutes, a noise caught Steve’s attention. As he turned and faced me, he made a slight hand gesture about waist high to get my attention. As I looked at Steve, I noticed that his eyes were literally as big as silver dollars and the blood had left his face leaving him as pale as I had ever seen. He mouthed the words, “JUST SHOOT! JUST SHOOT IT!” As I turned to look behind me, there stood the biggest bull elk I had ever seen. My movement caused the elk to lunge, so Steve hit the cow call once again and the elk stopped behind a dead tree and turned his head to look directly at me at 15 yards. Luckily, there was no time to think. I pulled up my 300 Winchester short-mag. My 6.5×20 Leupold scope was black, the shot was too close. I pushed my rifle as far forward as I could until I could see only a pin-hole through the scope. I put the crosshairs on the elk’s forehead and moved slightly to the right behind his ear to his neck area and pulled the trigger. All of this happened in three to five seconds. The bull did not take a step. He dropped right where he stood.

As we stood over this giant bull, we acted like any grown men would act. We yelled and danced and jumped in the air. I picked Steve up and threw him in the air three times. I don’t think, even then, that we comprehended the magnitude of this beautiful animal. We soon realized that we had walked in without our cameras, so we hiked back out to the four-wheelers, made several phone calls, and arranged for a friend to come up with his horse. After about nine exhausting hours, we got the elk back to our camp.
“God’s Gift” as I affectionately named him, officially measures 434 1/8 gross and 423 0/8 net non-typical. He is a magnificent animal and surpasses everything I could have ever dreamed of. He was truly worth the wait!

In the last couple of years, some tremendous animals have been taken by hunters all across the country. It seems that every year there is another whitetail that is pushing the 300-inch mark, continually altering the record book standings. This past year was no different as Helgie Eymundson shot a massive Alberta whitetail buck that has been green scored at 287 gross B&C. However, 2007 was not just the year for record whitetails. There was also the amazing story of Kyle Lopez and his 303 net non-typical mule deer from Colorado which made history as the largest buck taken in the last twenty years. This, in and of itself, is amazing; however, what makes the trophy even more outstanding is that Kyle Lopez is a mere fourteen years old. Many kids seemed to be getting into the act this year and showed that they could do as well, or better, than adults as far as record book animals are concerned. There is word of a young boy taking a great 200-class whitetail and, what about the crazy story of the five-year old boy from Maine shooting a 400-pound black bear?

These kids carried things over to big bull elk as well. With that, we begin the tale of fifteen-year old Cheyenne Moore. She drew a coveted either-sex permit in District 700, which skirts the southern Missouri Breaks in Montana. Her father had been putting in for that district for the past 29 years with no success. Cheyenne was determined to take a nice bull and even passed on a 320-class bull. Her patience paid off when they spotted a big bull and realized that there was an even bigger bull running with it. Cheyenne made true on her shooting and the big bull went down. The 7×7 typical rack has been scored at 401 SCI and she is waiting on the drying period to get an official Boone & Crockett score. Further south, Cheyenne wasn’t the only lucky teenager bagging a big bull. Fifteen-year old Dillon Sanders was hunting with his family in southwestern Colorado with just a general season tag in his pocket. Little did they know that there was a monster elk in the area that had possibly come over from the Utah border. Maintaining his composure like a pro, Dillon put down the monarch non-typical elk which has been green scored at 417 gross and 397 net B&C.

Of course, the kids didn’t get all of the action in 2007. Nevada seemed to kick things off early as the Governor Tag holder took a beautiful non-typical bull in the velvet that scored over 430 gross B&C. Also, fifteen-year old Cheyenne wasn’t the only one to connect on a trophy bull from Montana. Even though dry weather conditions made the early hunts very difficult, things picked up for an Indiana non-resident archery hunter. Fighting through the less-than-optimal conditions, hunter Tim Hite found a great bull with the help of Trophies West and connected on a pretty 7×7 typical bull. This bull has been roughed scored at 410 gross P&Y and has beautiful back tines. As the archery hunts started to heat up, many hunters were wondering if Arizona was going to get relief from the drought and if the big bulls had gotten enough water to put together a banner year. Though western Arizona is still hurting from the drought and many bulls had broken antlers, the state as a whole ended up with a very nice year. Many great bulls ranging from 400 to 410 gross were taken, with the top bull being the Wrongway bull. Mullins Guide Service had a great year as they produced two great 400-class bulls for their clients. Tucson resident Don Roach held out for the famed Wrongway bull and arrowed what is now the new #5 archery typical elk in the world with a score of 400 5/8 net P&Y. Don’s outstanding bull follows the great news of Shawn Patterson’s 2005 Arizona elk. Shawn’s elk is now the new world record typical archery bull with a score of 412 1/8 net P&Y. Arizona is riding high as they now hold claim to the world record typical and non-typical archery elk. However, before you start thinking that Arizona is the only hotspot for bull elk, look at what Utah produced in 2007!

There is no question that Utah is taking a little of the thunder away from Arizona as the premier state for monster bulls. Arizona residents don’t really mind that as they hope it eases the pain of trying to draw another tag in their home state. The 2006 season for Utah was the year of the 6×6 typical giants as new state records were broken in multiple weapon categories. The 2007 season will now go down as the year of the giant non-typical elk. The season started with a bang as a tremendous archery non-typical bull elk was taken by Jimmy Ryan. Guided by Team Mossback, Jimmy is now in the record books again, but this time as the hunter who holds claim to a pending #2 bull elk in the world for Pope & Young. The official score on this 7×6-point bull is 428 3/8 net non-typical P&Y with the gross score going over the 443 mark! This bull is now the largest non-typical bull for the state of Utah in any weapon. However, that status didn’t go unchallenged. Back in 2002, Jeff Diderickson put Utah on the map with the first 400-inch bull taken by a hunter. His state record bull scored 412 net non-typical B&C. Amazingly, through the years of incredible trophies, this bull still held the title of state record non-typical until 2007. Darrell Snedeger was hunting with family when he jumped a bull at close range. Before he knew what he was looking at, he had the bull on the ground. It wasn’t until then that he realized he had just shot the biggest elk he had ever seen. Darrell’s bull is now the new state record rifle bull elk with an official score of 434 1/8 gross and 423 0/8 net non-typical B&C. This puts it as the #2 overall elk for the state behind the Jimmy Ryan archery bull. This is just a summary of the many great bulls from Utah. There were other amazing archery bulls, including a possible 415 net non-typical and another 397 3/8 net bull taken by hunter Cory Meacham. Cory’s bull has sweeping 26-inch royal points. Even though the dry weather made for tough conditions, there was also a great late-season 7×8 elk taken that will net score over the 400 mark.

Utah definitely seems to be peaking. I don’t know how you can get any better and produce such amazing bulls in back to back years. How long can Utah hold this up? Can management continue to keep the age class where it needs to be to continually produce mega bulls? Some feel that Utah may be struggling in the next few years as many of these big mature bulls are being taken off the mountain. Only time will tell. Until then, we will enjoy this incredible year and see where the next mega bull will come from in 2008.

Hello fellow elk fanatics! At the time of this writing, the Arizona archery and early bull hunts have just ended and oh what fun they were. Despite some unpredictable weather and high winds, we still managed to have a fantastic season here in Arizona.

As is the case each year, I am always reminded how challenging hunting elk can be – especially when you are hunting the herd bull. Since tagging the monarch controlling the herd is rarely easy, let’s explore his habits and tendencies during the rut and also during the late-season to try and put the odds in our favor.

As August comes to a close each year, mature bulls have already shed their velvet two to three weeks prior. With a new set of polished, hard antlers and testosterone levels rising each day, bulls become obsessed with establishing dominance and joining up with cow/calf groups. During the first couple of weeks of September, a bull will spend lots of time rubbing trees to darken his antlers and also to mark his area with scent. Due to heightened hormones and traveling activity in search of cows, a herd bull will also frequent water daily to drink and wallow. Most often this will occur during the late evening and night hours, although bulls will also sometimes hit water in the morning before bedding. In areas of dense timber, a bull may also hit a wallow during mid-day if he does not have to travel far and he’s got good cover so that he feels secure to do so.
Rut Hunts

If you are hunting during the first two weeks of September, the bugling activity can be very hit and miss. There is no doubt that a big bull is much more vulnerable when he is aggressive enough to be looking for cows but is not yet with them. Good calling can result in a great bull during this time if done properly. During this period cow calling can work well. Also, bugling and cow calling to simulate a herd that has moved into a bull’s area can peak his interest. The more authentic you sound on the calls, the better your success will be.

Once the middle of September arrives, the big bulls are usually getting pretty “cowed up.” As most of you know, this presents a huge challenge because now the bull has full-time guards on the lookout for him. Other than rare days of absolute rutting insanity, I haven’t seen many cows that will overlook much. The bull seems to realize this and relies heavily on his cows to keep him out of harm’s way. You can use this to your advantage if you are stealthy enough to get close to the herd. Realize that a herd bull’s number one goal is to keep and breed his cows. This causes him to be very possessive and also constantly distracted due to other bulls pestering him in an attempt to steal his cows. Understand that a herd bull’s focus is on jealously guarding what he’s already got. As a result, he will naturally stay very close to his cows. He understands that anytime he leaves them he leaves himself open to another bull cutting in and stealing his cows. My rule of thumb with a herd bull is to not expect him to separate more than 100 yards maximum from his cows and sometimes less in thicker vegetation.

If you are able to position yourself within 75 to 100 yards of a herd bull you dramatically increase your odds of success. Why? Because many times a herd bull will simply make a mistake while moving around to keep his cows rounded up or moving to the outskirts of his herd to bugle at nearby satellite bulls or to rake a tree. Although I love to call and have had great success in calling in many bulls each year, many times in a situation where you are able to sneak in close to a herd your best option is to not call at all. This allows Mr. Big to make a mistake and give you a shot opportunity. If you do call, you’ve still got to be within this 75 to 100-yard “zone” in order for the bull to either want to come check you out as a sexy cow or as a threat if you use bull sounds. If you are too far away and out of “the zone” when you call to a herd bull, he will simply bugle at you but not budge and then eventually the herd will become uneasy and move away from you.

Throughout late September and into October, the scenario will typically remain the same. The big herd bulls will still be herded up and aggressively defending their harems from other bulls. When cows come into estrus, pure rutting insanity is the order of the day. This is what we live for as elk hunters. Usually when this occurs there will be several bulls right in amongst the cows and the bugling will be out of control. During the last two years in Arizona the hardest rutting days that I encountered were October 1st in 2006 and October 3rd of this year. I’m sure this was strictly due to cows being in heat. These hard rutting days will most often occur anytime starting about the 18th of September and continuing into early October. Most of the cows will come into heat and be bred during this ten to fifteen-day window.

When the elk are rutting and out of their mind and you find yourself hunting in a scenario like this, you can never be too aggressive. Be stealthy, but aggressively get in there and infiltrate the herd. Again, calling can work at this time, but it will usually just bring in the younger bulls. This is also a rare time when the cows are typically not as edgy and observant. With all of the noise and movements that they are making, the cows will usually overlook you as well. With cows in heat the satellite bulls get bolder and really put the pressure on the herd bull. He again is vulnerable because he is not only trying to stay with a hot cow, but he is also bugling often and making runs at other bulls in an attempt to ward them off. Use the rutting insanity and herd bull’s jealousy to your advantage. Now is the time to get in there and fill your tag!

Late Hunts

If you have a post-rut hunt, there are some key points to keep in mind to help you succeed. Number one is that the herd bull’s urge to breed has been replaced by an urge to survive and avoid danger. Most big bulls have lost over 100 pounds of body weight due to the rigors of the rut. In order to survive the winter a bull must replenish his body by feeding heavily and not moving a lot since running around burns precious energy.

Big bulls don’t get to be six years and older by standing out in open meadows next to roads during hunting season. Rather, they are usually going to be away from the roads and the hunting pressure where they feel secure to feed and rest. At this time of the season, bulls don’t move much at all unless pressured. This can be a positive or a negative depending on how you see it. If you are able to locate a bull by glassing, he is going to stay very close to where you find him which will allow you to make a stalk into shooting range which plays to your advantage. However, if you are having trouble finding elk this works against you since the big bulls are not running around covering country and potentially bumping into you like they do during the rut.

Basically it boils down to this. On late hunts, you must work hard and hike into areas that most people won’t go. Big bulls are usually going to be a mile or more from the road and on the backsides of mountains, down in canyons or in thick cover (if it’s flat juniper country). Bust your hump to get into areas where the big boys will likely be and then use your optics to find them. The bulls will be feeding several hours during the day and not moving much. Use this to your advantage.

If you are seeing cows and young bulls, move on. Very rarely will a large bull be hanging out with the cows and small bulls during the post-rut. Those same cows that protected the herd bull during the rut are no longer his ally. He knows instinctively to stay away from them in order to survive.

By contrast, the bulls that were the herd bull’s enemies and rivals during the rut are now his friends again. Although bulls don’t always hang out together, it’s not uncommon to see two or more bulls together during the November and December seasons. Many times on late hunts, if you see one mature bull, others will be nearby. I must admit something that happened to me a couple of years ago on a late November hunt. My hunter and I were fortunate enough to hunt hard and kill a 330-inch bull. But, once the shooting ended, an incredible 380 to 390-inch 7×7 materialized. All we could do was watch and admire him. The big 7×7 had actually come from the other side of the ridge when he heard us shooting so I don’t know that we could have done anything differently. Anyway, hindsight is always 20/20!

Well, if you hunted during the rut, I hope that you are now reveling in the memories of the season and already planning for what next year will bring. If you are preparing for your upcoming late-season hunt I wish you the best of luck. Do the things that 90% of the other hunters won’t do and you’ll increase your odds dramatically. Be in shape and as always make your first shot count! Whether you hunt during the rut or the late-season my wish is that these tips will help you succeed on your next elk hunt. See you on the mountain!

Year after year it was the same; the disappointment of the dreaded “Unsuccessful” letters from the Division of Wildlife. I figured that 2007 would not be any different. I didn’t know how wrong I was.

From April 26th on, I trained hard by running, hiking, using the elliptical – anything I could to be ready for my hunt of a lifetime! I took several scouting trips to the mountain, more so to learn the area than to find elk. I studied maps like I was getting ready for an exam, I talked to every person I could to find out info about the unit. On my first trip I was so impressed with the quality of animals that I found, that it made it even harder to get sleep. I lived on very little sleep for two and a half months. These bulls haunted my dreams nightly. Ask my wife!

On my last scouting trip, three weeks before the hunt opener, I was at my friend Mike’s house talking about the upcoming hunt, sharing stories, and even going to his friend’s homes to look at sheds from years past. I was so excited after an hour or so of visiting with him that my confidence level was soaring. Then it happened. As I was leaving Mike’s home, I stepped off of the front porch and twisted my ankle. An overwhelming feeling that my hunt had just been ruined came over me. My wife helped me to the truck and I struggled to keep the pain down while we drove the two-hour trip home. I was just sick at the thought of my hunt being over before it even started.

The next week and a half I could not work out at all, as the pain in my ankle would not allow it. In hindsight, this was good because the ankle did heal up relatively fast. That week all I did was shoot my bow. The whole summer I only missed a couple of days of shooting. I shot 20-90 yards and anywhere from 10-100 arrows per day. I felt that I was as ready as I would ever be.

A friend of mine, Adam, flew in from California to join us on the hunt. My wife went to pick him up from the airport while I put the finishing touches on our camping outfit. We left for the mountain about ten minutes after Adam arrived in town. He said that I was “tweaking” over the elk pretty hardcore. I guess he was right.

Adam and I got to the mountain with about fifteen minutes of light left to scout. We ditched the camper and hurried up the hill to a vantage point to glass. We found a couple of good bulls, but nothing special. I felt confident that we would find the big boys in the morning.

After a restless night, Adam and I were up and looking at bulls. A couple bulls were in the 370-380 class. We got a glimpse of one bull that we felt was really huge, but he disappeared into a small basin. I thought that if we went to a small point between us and the basin we might be able to get a better look at him. As we neared the top of the point, I realized that I had screwed up. There was elk sign everywhere; this was a huge bedding area! I looked back to see if Adam had realized what was going on and, just then, I heard branches snapping below us in the timber. Suddenly, there were horns everywhere. It was the big bull. We froze in our tracks and the bull came to within twenty yards before he spotted us. We had a two-second stare down before the bull trotted off into the timber. I didn’t feel like the bull had been spooked out of the area, so we backed out and headed back to set up camp and wait for our other partner, Coby. Coby would be hunting deer and helping me out with my hunt.

That night as all the guys got together at camp, we decided that I should focus on hunting the big boy who we figured was an 8×9 and around 400 Boone and Crockett.

Opening morning, I headed up the trail at 5:00 a.m. to be in position at first light. As I approached the spot where I wanted to be, I could hear the familiar sound of hooves hitting logs and branches snapping. I stopped where I was and waited for more light.

As dawn arrived, I was in position and trying to gain altitude on some bulls that were at the top of the drainage that I was hunting. I had covered half the distance I needed to when I was told the bulls had hit the timber for the day. My hunting partners also informed me of a “shooter” bull in the next drainage to the north. This bull was a long shot, but I took off as fast as I could safely go on the steep terrain. After about 1200 yards, I could finally see the bull through the trees. All I could see was a hip and his antlers. I ranged him, 35 yards, no shot. The bull began to move and I tried my best to follow quietly, but he was soon gone. After a long day of chasing the bull around the mountain my knees were shot. I hobbled my way back to camp.

The next morning found me in the same spot. I wanted to try to find the huge bull that we had seen earlier but, as the morning went on, it became painfully clear that I needed to get off the mountain. I reluctantly called on the radio to get one of the guys to come pick me up, I was done.

When Mike came to get me on the four-wheeler, he suggested that I may want to go get a cortisone shot. Mike also told me of a bull that he had
seen on his way to pick up “the whiner.” We stopped for a minute and looked at the bull which was about a 385-390 class.

After a day in town cleaning up, going to the doctor and getting my cortisone shot, I felt like a million bucks. But, as part of the instructions from the “sawbones,” I would be taking the next two days off. This gave us the opportunity to do a lot of glassing.

On the third night, I elected to disobey doctor’s orders and I headed up the mountain. Mike told me about a bull I should come around the mountain and check out. It was the 8×9! I hurried as it got darker, but there was not enough time to get in for a shot.

That night Coby and I decided that because there were other people after the bull, we should sleep on top of the mountain in the truck. This proved to be the most uncomfortable night of my life! Another one of my hunting partners, Greg, also came in that night to join in on the fun and to help out if I ever connected on an elk.

Sunday morning, Greg and Adam set up on the west side of the ridge. Mike was on the east-facing side so that wherever the bull was spotted I could drop off the respective side and close the distance.

It was not long before Mike hollered at me, “Three spikes.” There were no other elk on his side.

I hollered at Greg and Adam to find out that they had a big bull that they felt was a “shooter” on their side. Coby and I took our shoes off, lost the packs and slipped off the side of the hill for what would be the most grueling and exciting stalk I have ever been on.

Coby and I saw the first antlers at around 100 yards. From that point on, it took us about one hour to close in for the shot. At around seventy yards, the going got extremely slow. The timber we were in was dark and noisy to move around in. I had cramps in my thighs, my feet, even in my backside. We crept along at a pace that a snail would laugh at.

Finally, Coby ranged the bull and hand gestured “54” to me. I began to shake. The bull was raking his horns and feeding, but the timber was too thick for a shot. Just then, another one of the three bulls that were present came up to the big bull and they started rattling their head gear together. This gave me just the opportunity I needed to get into shooting position. Coby ranged the bull again – “48.” The bull turned a little from quartering forward to broadside and I let the arrow go through a small opening I had picked out. The arrow smacked hard and the bulls all bolted. I turned to Coby to tell him it was a good hit. He was still looking where the elk were and all of a sudden he said, “He’s rolling! He’s rolling!” Coby lost his mind right there. We hugged so hard I thought that dude would break my ribs.

After a while we had all the guys around the bull for a photo shoot. This hunt far exceeded the expectations I had for this hunt. My old friends and a few new ones helped to pack my bull off the mountain – Coby, Greg, Adam, Mike, my tracker Shandon, Walter, Cory, and Heath (Mr. Kodak).

When we got to the road there was another local waiting there to help. He hauled us and the elk back to camp where he put a tape to the bull. An unbelievable 398 6/8ths! The bull was around forty inches bigger than my “settle for” goal.

I would like to give a very special thanks to my beautiful wife. She put up with my one track mind, putting off chores, forgetting responsibilities and countless other screw-ups. I love you Amy.

I don’t know what is more aggravating, a bugling bull at four yards in brush so thick that there is no shot possible or a bull in the wide open country, scoring 350-plus, that won’t come anywhere near you. I grew up hunting elk in the Northwest – mainly in Idaho, where the terrain is steep and filled with mountain maple, snow brush, and chaparral, mixed with timber so thick an ant would give up crawling through it. Several times other hunters in my area would tell me of their morning hunt, explaining that they had called in a 340, 6×6 but had no shot. I never did understand how that could happen, heck, most of the time I couldn’t tell if the animal had horns or not, until I shot one and tracked him down. I’ve been fortunate enough to learn some good techniques for hunting elk in the thick cover. This strategy can work in open country too; you just need to be aware of the elk seeing you move from a further distance. This is a trick I use a lot since I hunt by myself; I call it the “Half-Moon Drive.” Remember, elk can pinpoint where you are calling from to the inch and when they approach you they will almost always sweep downwind of you so the game is in their favor. Once you have a bull respond to your calling, try and locate him so you have a good idea of where he is coming from. You may need to bugle at him or cow/calf call to him. Another good rule of thumb is that if he responds and starts to advance towards you, stay with that sound. Obviously, the bull liked what he heard and, as long as he keeps coming, don’t change your call. Other sounds may be used to get the bull interested and can be used in different scenarios to make an elk come all the way in if he is being stubborn.

Picture this set up. You begin to call and a bull quickly responds back. Quickly check the wind with a good wind checker. Now, imagine the bull has bugled back from 300 yards out and at your same elevation. You are by yourself, doing all of the calling and the shooting. You determine the wind direction and, in this case, it is going downhill to your right. You would need to quickly move downhill and forward in a half-moon sweep and not straight-forward towards the bull. If you were to move straight-forward and turn off the trail to the right or left, you would leave a scent trail that the bull will cross. Once the bull picks up your scent, he will stop on a dime and take off. A more successful strategy would be to move ahead approximately 30 yards and look for a good set up with an open shot the bull may come through. Don’t get in behind a tree or brush pile; get alongside of it or out front and blend in with the surroundings. Do not call from this location and give up your position, wait a few minutes and see what the bull is doing. If you can hear or see the bull coming, let him come looking for you. Remember that the bull is going to the location where he last heard your calling. At this point, nock your arrow and check your yardages. Imagine in your mind that if the bull were to come…”I will do this” or “If he goes over there, I will have to do that.” Always check the wind. If the wind changes, you will have to move to adapt.

Now, let’s say the bull has not moved from where you first heard him but is still talking and responsive to your calls. Move back up the hill close to the level where you called from first. When the bull answers again, try the same half-moon drive again. Keep this up until you’ve reached the point when you feel you are close enough that you could be busted when the elk spots you. This is when you will have to change your calling sequences to get him to come in the rest of the way. A few tricks to consider are to try calling by throwing the sound further behind you. You can also point the tube into the ground or muffle the end so the bugle sounds further away.
Calling in the Thick Brush and Trees
Rockie Jacobsen likes to hunt the thick country for the close encounters it provides

This is a good time to put into action a combination of calling methods to make the bull think something is going on and that he doesn’t want to miss out on the action. For example, mimic a cow in heat making estrus sounds or maybe a younger bull sounding off chasing the cow around. Tell them a story and give them something to be interested in. Even moving just ten feet from where you first called can give you an advantage over the bull. This is where two-on-one hunting has its advantages; your calling partner can hang back calling while the shooter advances closer for the set up. The caller can direct a bull to his shooter by moving uphill or downhill, calling to get the bull to turn at the right time in front of the ambush set up. Once again, if the bull is within range but behind a tree, and you need to get him to move for a shot, try carefully picking up a rock or stick and throwing it towards the area that you would like to make the bull move to. The bull will possibly think that the sound came from another elk and move for a closer look in that direction. I have used this technique a few times and it has fooled elk. Just don’t let the bull see you move your arms as you throw. An important thing to consider in thick brush elk hunting is to always be aware of what’s in front of you when you are getting ready for a shot. Hidden twigs always seem to pop out from nowhere when the shot goes off. Remember, close in front of you is a common problem area. Your arrow will come off the rest in a lower sight pattern than what you are looking at through your sights. Shooting through small openings can arch your arrow and hit brush on the way out. A bow which has a flatter shooting trajectory is a good idea or, just wait for a better shot (which may sometimes result in you having to let the bull go.) A wounded animal isn’t worth it as there will always be another bull some other day.

Sportsmen hunt the thick country for the close encounters it provides. The bulls seem to be more aggressive which causes them to come in quicker and closer. Elk cannot see their target and have to get close to make things happen. The number one reason I like hunting in thick brush is because it is the terrain where I live and it is close to home. I have hunted in other types of terrain and the elk tend to respond a little differently; you just have to develop the instincts of a hunter and go with the flow. Make things happen and don’t be afraid to try something different in your calling or hunting tactics. You will learn from your mistakes and this is what develops your instincts. I have produced the DVD, Full of Bull III, which shows these sequences on true public land hunting. You can utilize this set up either by yourself or hunting with a calling partner.

I wish you the best in your hunting experiences and good luck.

The draw results had just been released when I received a call from Woody, my sub-guide, about the elk lottery on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Woody was so excited I could barely understand what he was saying. Woody and I had both drawn tags for two of the best elk units in the world. I had drawn a tag in the R100 unit and Woody drew the Dry Lake unit.

Woody and I started scouting right after the draw because both of our hunts started on the 16th of September. We were in our units during the first hunt, which started on September 1st. We saw numerous bulls during the first week, but it was on September 8th that I found my bull. We figured that we would leave the bull alone until a couple of days before September 16th. We just hoped the bull would still be there so we could keep track of him.

While we were scouting, Woody and I found a bull in his unit, Dry Lake, that would have probably shattered the current typical world record by at least 65-70 inches. The bull was a perfect 9×9, 520-class typical. You do the figuring. This bull was bigger than anything either of us had ever seen – by far. He was with two other bulls that would have scored at least 375-380 inches and he made them look small. He was a true giant.

Back to my hunt, Woody and I ended up finding my bull again about two days before the opening day of my hunt. We followed the bull closely and kept track of where he was. I spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out where he would be on opening morning of my hunt. I was glad none of the other hunters had found him yet.

The morning of September 16th, Woody and I woke up at 2:30 a.m., made coffee and had a small breakfast. After a very sleepless night, we departed from camp and I wished Woody good luck on his hunt. Nobody was even close to where we had last seen the bull, an 8×8 with triple brow tines. I started up a ridge with some friends right above where the bull had bedded the night before. We heard him bugling right above us. It was almost light by the time we topped out on the ridge he that the bull and his cows were on. We followed his bugles until it was light enough to see. I started cow calling and got his attention. The herd was in a saddle right below a big mountain. After a few more cow calls, the bull turned back toward us – a big mistake on his part. I picked him up at about 340 yards just twenty minutes into the hunt. He stopped to rake some brush when I put him down with my 300 Ultra Mag. The first shot went right through his shoulders. He got up so I double-lunged him. He went a short distance before I put the brute down for good with a shot to his neck. I didn’t want to lose a bull of this caliber. After high fives and a few war whoops, I called my cousin Dewey Wesley Jr. on the radio. Dewey and Jimmy Duane had watched and heard everything from down below, so they came up to help out and celebrate.

The bull ended up grossing 407 5/8 Boone & Crockett. He is an 8×8 with triple brow tines. This bull is also the second, 400-plus bull I have killed. I took both bulls thirty minutes into each hunt and on the first day. Lucky!

My bull from 2004 was a 9×8 and grossed 419 5/8 inches. I killed both bulls about a half a mile apart in the same unit. Woody ended up killing a different bull which grossed 402 as a 6×6. His party talked him into shooting this bull because they thought that they couldn’t locate the big 9×9 before the season closed. I would like to thank all of my friends and cousins who helped out on my hunt, as well as my buddy Woody who shares my love for hunting and being out in our playground. I’m also thankful to my wife Rachel and my children Mariah, Rayel, Tyler and Kevin who all put up with me being gone a lot to go hunting and scouting.

Xtended Info:

Hunter: Gabriel Jackson • Location: Arizona • Area: San Carlos Apache Reservation • Outfitter: Turnbull Guide Service • Guide: Self • Date: September 16, 2006 • Time: 6:30 am • Days scouted: Many • Days hunted: 1 • Weather: Hot & slightly overcast • Moon: 27% waning crescent • Temperature: 90’s • Terrain: Pinion pine/juniper • Camouflage: King’s Mountain Shadow • Gun: .300 Ultra mag • Bullets: 180 grain Nosler partitions • Spotting scope: Burris 20-60×80 • Binoculars: Steiner • Range finder: Bushne