# Late AZ elk hunt.



## robfromaz1977 (Dec 5, 2011)

My 14 and 15 year old daughters drew late bull tags here in AZ for and area about 30 miles south of where we live. Should have been a better hunt but the wallow fire messed up alot of area. Just finding elk seemed to be almost impossible but finally on the 5th day of the hunt we went further down in the unit and found some. My 15 year old missed a bull that morning but at least we had finally got to look at an elk. We seen a couple of bulls running along a canyon bottom around 10:30 that morning as we were traveling to another place to hunt. They crossed the road and dissapeared over a ridge. Later that day we came back to the same area to walk in and sit until dark hoping they would pass by us on their way to feed. The grass is over a foot tall in the burned areas. After sitting for a long time and dark only 20 minutes away I decided to head back to the truck. I had the girls walk in front of me a ways just in case we saw something. After about 10 minutes my 14 year old says "Dad, I think I see one". So I pull up my binos and sure enough a bull was standing up on the hill side looking at us. She got so excited she asked me "what do I do"? So I helped her get ready for a shot and told her to aim where we had talked about. I thought this bull was going to bolt at any second when the gun finally went off. I put my binos up and watched as a bull ran over the hill. I thought maybe she made a bad shot so we hurried up to where he was standing to look for blood. Thats when I heard the sounds of a dying bull and found him piled up. It turns out there were two bulls up there and I only saw the one. I'm not sure who was more excited between me or her but I was very proud of her. She hit him through both lungs and the top of the heart. Perfect shot. There were only two days left in the hunt and sadly I wasn't able to get my other daughter another shot. Hopefully she will get another chance next year.


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## indiansprings (Dec 5, 2011)

Fantastic, congrats on a successful hunt. Main thing is a dad out enjoying time in God's great outdoors with his daughters, they'll never forget the expierence as long as they live, again, congrats and thanks for being a great dad.


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## Fifelaker (Dec 5, 2011)

Good job on the elk. I grew up in Az hunted 6a I think it was around Strawberry for elk .Never got one but had fun anyway.I was lucky enough to draw a Buff tag in 1972 East of Flagstaff GAD I can' t think of the name of that place. My dad got his at Houserock E. of Jacobs lake in 1967.


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## robfromaz1977 (Dec 5, 2011)

indiansprings said:


> Fantastic, congrats on a successful hunt. Main thing is a dad out enjoying time in God's great outdoors with his daughters, they'll never forget the expierence as long as they live, again, congrats and thanks for being a great dad.



Thanks for the kind words. It was enjoyable time spent and great memories were made. 




Fifelaker said:


> Good job on the elk. I grew up in Az hunted 6a I think it was around Strawberry for elk .Never got one but had fun anyway.I was lucky enough to draw a Buff tag in 1972 East of Flagstaff GAD I can' t think of the name of that place. My dad got his at Houserock E. of Jacobs lake in 1967.




Thanks. I hunted 6A once with my dad durring and archery bull hunt. Saw more hunters than anything. I think the name of the place east of Flagstaff is Raymond Ranch?


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## Fifelaker (Dec 5, 2011)

robfromaz1977 said:


> Thanks for the kind words. It was enjoyable time spent and great memories were made.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yup Raymond ranch it is. 6a was busy back in the 70's so I guess some things never change.Do you remember when the loggers were abducted out of Strawberry?


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## robfromaz1977 (Dec 5, 2011)

Fifelaker said:


> Yup Raymond ranch it is. 6a was busy back in the 70's so I guess some things never change.Do you remember when the loggers were abducted out of Strawberry?



I must have been just a baby since I was born in 77. I remember when the movie came out about it though.


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## mdavlee (Dec 5, 2011)

That is awesome for your girl. I hope I can take mine hunting one day. She's only 2 1/2 right now. I've been trying to get her a gun for about 3 years now.:cool2:


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## robfromaz1977 (Dec 5, 2011)

mdavlee said:


> That is awesome for your girl. I hope I can take mine hunting one day. She's only 2 1/2 right now. I've been trying to get her a gun for about 3 years now.:cool2:



It will definately be worth it. And yeah the sooner they start shooting the better. I first thought mine would have trouble handling a 270 or 30-06 but neither did. Recoil didn't bother them. I gave my 270 to her since she is the first person to kill anything with it and she shoots it well. I have had it for about 5 years I think and until this year it had maybe 3 boxes of rounds fired through it.


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## Sdh1218 (Dec 5, 2011)

*Great job*

My father in law in MI can't wait till we move out ther so he can take my daughter (3 1/2) and son (1 1/2) hunting and fishing. Tell your daughter GREAT JOB and enjoy the meat.


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## Buckshot00 (Dec 5, 2011)

Congrats on that kill.


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## robfromaz1977 (Dec 5, 2011)

Sdh1218 said:


> My father in law in MI can't wait till we move out ther so he can take my daughter (3 1/2) and son (1 1/2) hunting and fishing. Tell your daughter GREAT JOB and enjoy the meat.



Thanks I will tell her. I don't think there is much a much better way to spend time with kids than being outdoors. And since I cut all my own meat I do enjoy it. In fact I have a hind quarter hanging at the house waiting for me to get home.


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## lfnh (Dec 5, 2011)

Big smile says it all. Thanks for the story and great pictures and for sharing them.


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## RVALUE (Dec 5, 2011)

Great story, and pics. I can't understand how you have children that age, and you're a kid yourself.


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## robfromaz1977 (Dec 6, 2011)

RVALUE said:


> Great story, and pics. I can't understand how you have children that age, and you're a kid yourself.



Yeah it makes me wonder sometimes. Truth be told these two girls are from my wifes first marriage. I adopted them this year after almost 10 years of trying. They have really never know anyone as dad except me. They were only 4 and 5 when I met their mother.


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## olyman (Dec 6, 2011)

good on yah!!!! more gents,,need to take daughters hunting,,and have them hunt beside them!!! the ex,,wouldnt have any part of me wanting to take the girls hunting!! and she both bow and shotgun hunted!!! me thinks she was afraid of being upstood by the girls,,as they were all crack pistoleroos..ex's attitude,, runs in her family.........


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## ShoerFast (Dec 6, 2011)

robfromaz1977 said:


> My 14 and 15 year old daughters drew late bull tags here in AZ for and area about 30 miles south of where we live. Should have been a better hunt but the wallow fire messed up alot of area. Just finding elk seemed to be almost impossible but finally on the 5th day of the hunt we went further down in the unit and found some. My 15 year old missed a bull that morning but at least we had finally got to look at an elk. We seen a couple of bulls running along a canyon bottom around 10:30 that morning as we were traveling to another place to hunt. They crossed the road and dissapeared over a ridge. Later that day we came back to the same area to walk in and sit until dark hoping they would pass by us on their way to feed. The grass is over a foot tall in the burned areas. After sitting for a long time and dark only 20 minutes away I decided to head back to the truck. I had the girls walk in front of me a ways just in case we saw something. After about 10 minutes my 14 year old says "Dad, I think I see one". So I pull up my binos and sure enough a bull was standing up on the hill side looking at us. She got so excited she asked me "what do I do"? So I helped her get ready for a shot and told her to aim where we had talked about. I thought this bull was going to bolt at any second when the gun finally went off. I put my binos up and watched as a bull ran over the hill. I thought maybe she made a bad shot so we hurried up to where he was standing to look for blood. Thats when I heard the sounds of a dying bull and found him piled up. It turns out there were two bulls up there and I only saw the one. I'm not sure who was more excited between me or her but I was very proud of her. She hit him through both lungs and the top of the heart. Perfect shot. There were only two days left in the hunt and sadly I wasn't able to get my other daughter another shot. Hopefully she will get another chance next year.



Fantastic hunt!


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## rburg (Dec 9, 2011)

Do you have any idea how much the elk weighed? Its good to see your girls enjoy the outdoors with dad. Enjoy the time together because it goes by fast.


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## robfromaz1977 (Dec 12, 2011)

rburg said:


> Do you have any idea how much the elk weighed? Its good to see your girls enjoy the outdoors with dad. Enjoy the time together because it goes by fast.



I have no idea what he weighed but it was alot. We couldn't budge him with all 3 of us pulling on him.


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## J1m (Dec 12, 2011)

RVALUE said:


> Great story, and pics. I can't understand how you have children that age, and you're a kid yourself.



I was thinking the same thing! I'm two years older and I don't even have kids yet!! 

Very cool story and an excellent experience for all!


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## ShoerFast (Dec 13, 2011)

rburg said:


> Do you have any idea how much the elk weighed? Its good to see your girls enjoy the outdoors with dad. Enjoy the time together because it goes by fast.





robfromaz1977 said:


> I have no idea what he weighed but it was alot. We couldn't budge him with all 3 of us pulling on him.



Best guess?

3 1/2 year old bull, weighting in at about 625 - 675# live weight.

Hard to get an elk on a scale. I have weighed a lot of horses and cattle. And have seen those of known weight in the same pasture as elk. 

They are not for moving whole, quartered they transport easily with horses.


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## robfromaz1977 (Dec 13, 2011)

If I had to guess I would say he was around 5 to 6 years old and close to 750 pounds live weight. I was told that their ivorys turn solid when they are 5 years old. His ivorys were solid and worn down some but not worn flat like the 8 year old bull I got back in 2003.


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## genestar (Apr 22, 2012)

Fifelaker said:


> Good job on the elk. I grew up in Az hunted 6a I think it was around Strawberry for elk .Never got one but had fun anyway.I was lucky enough to draw a Buff tag in 1972 East of Flagstaff GAD I can' t think of the name of that place. My dad got his at Houserock E. of Jacobs lake in 1967.



Raymond Ranch?
My uncle shot a BIG bull buffalo back in 89 or there abouts. used a 338 win mag he bought just for that hunt...


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