If you’re just joining us, catch up on Chapter 1 before diving into Day 2 of our elk hunting scouting Arizona trip.
Scouting in the Dark
Once again, the 0400 alarm rings loud and the feeling of sleep envelopes me. I am very tired, as we didn’t get to sleep until around 10:30 last night. It is COLD this morning. I’m sure it is sub 20 degrees. UGH! Time for long johns and many, many layers.
Today Jeff and I will be out scouting, as our hunt doesn’t open until tomorrow. I get all the gear I will need for the day and walk over to meet Jeff at his RZR. This will be our transportation for the next few days.
We head to an area within the Kaibab National Forest that Jeff and I had spoken about last night. We make our way in the dark, face shields and jackets in fully closed positions, as the wind and weather are beyond chilly. Did I mention it is dark…I mean dark!
We drive for about 15 minutes and scan for elk tracks in the snow. We see a fair amount of prints and decide it is time to ditch the vehicle and start our trek up the hill. The path is easy at first, a light snow to walk through and a small incline. It didn’t take much distance, however, for all of that to change! LOL It was steep and my out of shape body was letting me know! My gear became an anchor, cold disappeared, only to be replaced with my heavy breathing and trying to get my legs to continue.
Elk Hunting Scouting Arizona: Jeff’s Courtesy Stops
Jeff made a few courtesy stops for me up the hill. Thank goodness, I felt like I was about to die and then he would give us a short break. He asked me if my heart was letting me know it was alive. LOL The previous day at lunch, I had mentioned to Jeff that I was a little worried about my fitness level, he said he was worried about it too! HAHA He tried taking it back saying he meant himself. I’ve been ribbing him about if ever since! So I tell him his out of shape fat friend will manage and we tread on up the hill.
Eventually, he found a spot on the map he liked, and I see why. It was a rock outcrop ledge. About 20 feet down to the ground below us and a huge draw that came right up past us. It was still dark, but the sun was just starting to light the sky in the distance. I reached for my phone, realizing I would have to remove my gloves to get the screen to work, and took a few pics. I got a great shot of Jeff using his binoculars (glassing) out into the valley.
Chasing the Sunrise
Meanwhile, a couple more shots and then one panoramic of the amazing sunrise before I would text my honey. Of course, we have no cell service in camp. Go figure, it always works out that way. Just as I close the camera and get ready to switch over to text Donna, I get an alert from my phone, ‘battery critically low’, and as it shuts down I think about where I had it plugged in last night.
Guess that outlet doesn’t work on the inverter. LAME! No talking to my honey this morning. Despite the fact I could not send her the picture now, I know I will be able to share it with her later. I love sharing stories with my Honey!
A Spike Elk and ‘That Other Guide’
The sunrise is amazing! I lose focus on searching for animals, as I am in awe of God’s wonder! What a beautiful place this is for elk hunting scouting Arizona has to offer. My own state, and my first time sitting here on this mountain. My mind is quickly brought back to reality with the loud boom of a rifle shot!
We had seen a guide and a client of his headed up the hill in front of us. We passed the guides truck when we were almost all the way to our lookout. Another thing that I will now use to pick on Jeff endlessly. ‘Wow, that guide drove his customer almost to the top of the mountain in a heated truck. I bet he even brought snacks and handwarmers for him’ This was only the beginning of how much I would use the ‘that other guide’ line! HAHA
Unfortunately, the guy missed his shot. It was a small spike elk and we watched him trot past us. In the end he came within about 75 yards of us. Dang, not having a bull tag today! We watch him for a few minutes before he is finally out of site. He went up over the hill, so we decided to do the same.
Spotting the Bull
Here we go, more trudging up the hill. ‘I bet that other guide drove his guy up the hill’. Jeff laughed and asked if he should carry me. We work our way to the top of the peak and start to glass. The sun is in full swing and it is starting to warm up. The view down over the valley and into Williams is spectacular.
I would post a picture but, oh snap…crackle…snap! Jeff and I halt and stare at each other. He is giving me the sound signal and pointing out the direction. I look again, see movement and let Jeff know this with a signal. We wait it out, Jeff is frantic with signal and my adrenaline is pounding. We realize the sound from the left is a hunter.
There is a small window of clearing, and it is there we see a huge bull elk and a very large cow. Today is the last day to hunt for bulls, and that is what the hunter on our left is looking to get.
The 545-Yard Shot
Indeed, the shot is long. My guess was around 500 yards. The hunter is sitting down in front of us and trying to adjust for his shot. His shot will be across the saddle and halfway up the adjoining peak. He has plenty of time, as the animals are not on the move. Trying several times, he just can’t find the right spot. Finally he lays prone, gets his pack under himself, and sets up that way.
After what seems an eternity, he fires! Jeff is glassing and says he was high. The animals have yet to move and the guy adjusts his scope. BOOM! He injures the elk. He is now limping and they are trying to move away. They head over the edge of the hillside from us.
Afterward, we go over to tell the guy where the elk went over the hill, as we had it marked. We waited as the guy had a friend on a different peak spotting for him also. He could see the animal still limping, so we waited it out. Eventually both elk came back over the hill, so one last shot and he had his bull. His range was 545 yards. Crazy distance!
Meeting Randy
We chatted with the guy as his friend was going to drive around and he would lead him up the hill to the animal. The guy introduces himself, “Hi, I’m Randy.” We do the cordials and chat, but this guy sure seems familiar to me. Really, a random mountain up in the high country of Arizona and I run into someone I know?! Even I am a little baffled by this one! LOL
Ends up our paths have crossed before. In our conversation, he talks of Washington and Oregon. I finally ask where he is from, and he says he lives in Washington just north of Portland. Of course, I say, ‘Vancouver’? He is very shocked that I know this little town. We converse about my time there and what brought me there.
A Small World, Old Friends
Naturally, we talk about hospitals and he asks me about some charities that I know well. He proceeds to tell me he founded one of those charities! I had spent lots of time with that charity in the hospitals I worked in. What a small world.
Randy and I talk for about 45 minutes. Just crazy all the names we bring up and the people we both know. Come to find out, this Randy happens to be Randy Meyers the baseball player. The conversation with Randy was great! I told him that my wife and I write a blog and told him to be sure and visit so he could read about the rest of our journey. He wrote down the site address in his phone and I’m sure he will visit!
Jeff and I eventually say our goodbyes to our friend Randy and head down the hill. It is time to go back and get some lunch and warm-up a little. We decide on our way to drive around the mountain and see if we could find them with their bull. After about 20 minutes, here comes Randy with a full quarter on his back. We lead him to his friends’ truck, say goodbye again and head back to camp.
Back to Camp for Lunch
A quick tuna sandwich, thanks Honey, and some chips and water, and I am good to go for our afternoon trip out. We stay in camp for a couple of hours before heading out to scout more. A different direction and a new area this time.
Still, we drive a little, walk a lot, my load, once again, becomes an anchor, and I am short of breath. We see some beautiful forest, but very few tracks and absolutely no animals. Other than a really fast grey squirrel with freakishly large ears. HAHA
We scout several areas and head back to the RZR just before dark. Along the way we follow the gas line road back to camp and see that Jeff’s other friend has just arrived! Once parked, we exit the RZR to say hello to Armon. As I walk over to greet him, my hamstring cramps up and I can’t move. Jeff makes fun of me, and Armon comes to shake my hand. Sorry I can’t stand very well, but nice to meet you. LOL
After a good 10-minute cramp session, we go into Jeff’s camper. We have some dinner and beers and talk about tomorrow. Of course, Jeff decides that we got up the hill a little late today, so tomorrow we should be earlier. We have decided on being atop the mountain at 5:00am. UGH 4:30 leave time. Tomorrow will begin our hunt window.
I head back to the RV and prepare in anticipation for the morning! Off to bed as that 3:30 alarm is going to come fast…
Up next: frozen toes and a long wait on a fallen tree in Chapter 3.