Three Tags, Three Elks

Arizona Outdoorsman / AZOD

Three Tags, Three Bulls

By John Noble

We got drawn for our first elk hunt. Who's we? My brother Richard, my dad John, and me, John Jr. This early rifle bull tag after getting over the excitement of getting drawn was to be done right. We hired Mullins Guide Service, Jim sr., Jim Jr., Matt, and Tom. They were unbelievable in sharing the excitement. Our season started Sept 26 and on opening morning Jim Jr. and I got out of the truck and heard that wonderful sound of bugling elk.

There was one odd one though. A deep GROWLER! We had to see him. But when you’re in the thick cedars that is another story. The rut had peaked about a week before so they didn't want to come in to the calls very well. So we followed his music through the brush for an hour and a half. We seemed to be getting close when it slowly dropped off little by little. He had just dropped into a 400yd wide basin. We knew he was in there!

About 35 steps down the hill just as the sun cracked the sky open, there he was, 325 yards away. Jim ranged him and said there's a small opening and it will be our only chance. I moved back to 350 and shot. He lunged forward. it was a good hit. He stalled behind a

cedar, so Jim jr. bugled. He came back out into the open. One more shot. He didn't move. Then slowly walked out of sight. We were nervous and excited. After an hour passed we went to look. It took us a while to pinpoint his exact local as we played sign language across the canyon.

Finally, we had the spot. After Jim came across we looked at the ground. No tracks, no blood. Just as we went into a deep low we raised our heads to a wonderful bull laying under a tree 35yds from that spot. A monster 6x6 that was green scored by game and fish at 3875/8 gross and 385 net.

What an unbelievable hunt. Our thanks go out to The Mullins family and Mullins Guide Service. I would recommend them to anyone. Two days later my dad got a beautiful 6x6 with broken tines that would have been 350. Two days after that my brother got this awesome 6x7! 3 tags 3 bulls! Can't beat that with any stick.