Arizona Elk

Jay Nistetter

Jay Nistetter

New member


September 22-23, 2007
Spent all day Saturday and Sunday until noon filming elk in AZ.

I had Steve Dillon with FOXPRO along and also a couple long time hunting buddies.

We went out Friday night to try and capture some good sounds but didn’t stay out too long. Poor ol Steve’s originating flight to AZ was cancelled due to fog and he had a 3 hour bus ride to another airport and by the time we drove up north is was late. Adding to the long day was the three hour time difference between PA and AZ.

Saturday morning we were out shortly after daylight and the elk were fairly vocal so we had no problems getting in on them. Rain started to fall pretty good around 1PM but that’s a good thing when hunting elk. They like the rain. It’s bad for video and sound recording equipment though. The four of us were needless to say “SOAKED” from head to toe, but we were thick in elk.

Sunday morning we were back in the same general area. One thing you need to understand is that taking video and recording sounds takes a hugely different approach to hunting animals of any kind. It’s a bad thing to have the wind in your face for recording quality sound and mildly less important when recording video. Blah, blah, blah.

Anyway… we ultimately got good sounds and video as well.
We were anywhere from 8 feet to 35 yards from elk both days.

The rut was not in full swing yet but surly starting. Lesser bulls were still in the heards and the herd bulls hadn't run them off yet. This next week should be the time to be out watching the show.

Here’s short clip of several times we got into the middle of elk. At one point, I showed the guys a pile of cigarette buts I amassed while recording one segment. These elk bedded right in front of all 4 of us while we sat on flat rocks in the wide open. It WAS shadey however.

We tired of watching the elk as they went into silent mode and started messing with them with a varmint call. (What else?) At one point all 4 of us (only ten feet apart maximum) were blowing predator calls as loud as we could. The video is quite interesting.

Here’s the link. Sure wished we had talked a couple tag holders I knew into tagging along with us.

 
Careful Uncle Jay, you can't legally harass wildlife! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif What's up with that High Fence! Ha Ha

Great Video! Can't wait to see what you come up with next when the rut is full speed ahead. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Jay,I did almost the same thing last weekend. We were in unit 23 and got a similar small 5x5 in pretty close. I'd post some pics but don't know how./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif We got rain but stayed dry in camp. I've decided that calling in bull elk is more fun than calling in coyotes. Too bad bulls won't come in to a call year round.
 
I would never do that with tag holders out there looking for game. It is discourteous and disrespectful to those lucky enough to draw.

Also pretty likely that a G&F officer would issue a citation to appear under ARS Title 17-316.
 
Quote:
I would never do that with tag holders out there looking for game. It is discourteous and disrespectful to those lucky enough to draw.

Also pretty likely that a G&F officer would issue a citation to appear under ARS Title 17-316.



Oh how cute. Don't make me laugh. Everything was going pretty good until you accused me of being discourteous and disrespectful. I don't know you and yet I do know oh so many people just like you. Shut down the woods because I don't have a tag? Listen moron, I didn't even put in for the draw giving some statute happy Yahoo like you a better chance at getting drawn. Since you feel a citation was pretty likely, you must be a law expert too. Well answer this Johnny Law...What about the archery squirrel hunters? You gonna turn in every dove and quail hunter you see when you're out trying to call coyotes? Did the elk on the video clip look spooked to you? Did they looked harassed? You gonna restrict woodcutters and bird-watchers too? Sounds like you think anyone in the woods shouldn't be around if good ol GTIMANiac is out there hunting.

BTW. We were where the elk were and the hunters weren't. We were wet in the rain while the hunters were in camp complaining about the rain. We did offer to take tag holders along to where the elk were.


Edited
Holy Crap! I just read your other post. What a hypocrite. You were elk hunting in 5BN and didn't have a tag and you're pointing your crooked little finger at me? What a joke!
 
Mike,
Good for you. It's a thrill for sure. Most people never experience the thrill of calling in a big bull elk looking to protect his harem. Can be a might scary too.

I'm positive that this coming weekend will find the elk where we were very, very active.

I used to hunt elk in Unit 23 off FS101 almost to the end and also a place called Frog Pond if I remember correctly.
 
Fireball221,
I knew somebody was going to notice the Arizona High Fence.

I've used a predator call for 30 years to locate deer, elk and Javelina. What a predator call does is get them to either stand up or move in order to look your direction. I have acidently spooked deer and then blown a predator call after they were hauling a$$. Many times they will stop running and sometimes amazingly come back toward you. Especially does, cow, young bucks and bulls.
 
Jay........there's one in every crowd.

The video looks good, and I wish I could have been there with ya....I have watched it two or three times, and it makes me smile every time I watch it. Thanks for sharing!!

Joe
 
I should be whipped with a wet call lanyard. One of my favorite activities at this time of year was to watch the herd bulls bugle and run themselves ragged as smaller bulls try to cut cows from his harem. I've even watched the bulls fight, putting on a good show for the cows and criminals that were there to intrude upon them while the tag holders road hunted. I was even so bad that I stopped a road hunter or two so I could direct them to the elk so they could finally fill that elk tag. A few years ago I directed a road hunter onto a big Desert Bighorn ram so he wouldn't have to eat his once in a lifetime tag. I'm so ashamed. I'll never look at an animal again unless I have a tag in my pocket.
 
Just for the record, there was not an archery bull hunt in unit 23 last weekend when we called in a bull. The early rifle hunt starts on the 28th. I won't be there this weekend!!
 
Quote:
Weasel, you can borrow one of mine! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif



It's a deal! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Putting that guy on the ram was probably as exciting to me as it was to him. He was on his last day and hadn't seen squat. The ram he took was the third largest one I had seen in the area and the only shooter I had seen that day. I think the guy soiled his britches when he first saw it. I know I nearly did! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
GTIMANiac,

I have pasted in a copy of the legislation you are referring to below. I do NOT see ANYTHING in there that would make calling in elk for purposes of photoagraphy a crime. The verbage for this law CLEARLY states that people who "intentionally interfere with, prevent or disrupt the lawful taking of wildlife." Read clause E1. This clearly points out that other people have the right to be in the woods for purposes of recreation (ie photography).

I am a hunter but I also love photography. There is only one time a year that elk bugle, and a photagrapher has as much constutional right to be in the back country on public ground as the hunter. In fact several of the makers of mouth blown game calls advertise their calls as good for hunting AND photoagraphy. Any Game Warden that issued a citation for a legal activity would be looking at a lawsuit.

Calcoyote


17-316. Interference with rights of hunters; classification; civil action; exceptions

A. It is a class 2 misdemeanor for a person while in a hunting area to intentionally interfere with, prevent or disrupt the lawful taking of wildlife by:

1. Harassing, driving or disturbing any wildlife.

2. Blocking, obstructing or impeding, or attempting to block, obstruct or impede, a person lawfully taking wildlife.

3. Erecting a barrier without the consent of the landowner or lessee with the intent to deny ingress to or egress from areas where wildlife may be lawfully taken.

4. Making or attempting to make physical contact, without permission, with a person lawfully taking wildlife.

5. Engaging in, or attempting to engage in, theft, vandalism or destruction of real or personal property.

6. Disturbing or altering, or attempting to disturb or alter, the condition or authorized placement of real or personal property intended for use in the lawful taking of wildlife.

7. Making or attempting to make loud noises or gestures, set out or attempt to set out animal baits, scents or lures or human scent, use any other natural or artificial visual, aural, olfactory or physical stimuli, or engage in or attempt to engage in any other similar action or activity, in order to disturb, alarm, drive, attract or affect the behavior of wildlife or disturb, alarm, disrupt or annoy a person lawfully taking wildlife.

8. Interjecting oneself into the line of fire of a person lawfully taking wildlife.

B. It is a class 3 misdemeanor for a person to enter or remain on a designated hunting area on any public or private lands or waters or state lands including state trust lands with the intent to interfere with, prevent or disrupt the lawful taking of wildlife.

C. The commission or any person properly licensed to take wildlife who is directly affected by a violation of this section may bring an action to restrain conduct declared unlawful in this section and to recover damages.

D. A peace officer who reasonably believes that a person has violated this section may order the person to desist or to leave the area or arrest such person upon refusal to desist or leave.

E. The conduct declared unlawful in this section does not:

1. Include any incidental interference arising from lawful activity by public land users, including ranchers, miners or recreationists.

2. Apply to landowners, permittees, lessees or their agents or contractors engaged in animal husbandry practices or agricultural operations.
 
GTMANiac may have a point, that looks to me like blatant tree abuse by that Bull Elk.
A game agent needs to find that Bull and write em up.

Great video Jay!!
Carl
 
Sure didn't look to be harrassment to my eye? Just two small satellite bulls being filmed while they do what elk do....eat and rub antlers.
 
If you don't mind my asking, how far down in Southern Arizona are you? I used to haunt the area around Elfrida, Tombstone, Douglas, and Fly's Peak. I have been very lucky in watching Elk up on the Rim, but have not hunted them. But being so close to mountain lion up there by accidently helped to spur my interest in lion hunting in Oklahoma since there now is a year long open season restricted only by the proviso that one must be licensed and the lion must be involved in predation.

Sam
 
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