Growing up, if you would have asked me if I was an avid hunter, I would have said I liked hunting but still had a lot to learn. There were countless times when my dad would wake me up early or let me miss school in order to experience a hunt with him. I enjoyed going hunting, but this past September, all of that changed. In the spring of 2021, I received a phone call from my dad telling me I had drawn an early rifle bull elk tag in Arizona with only 3 preference points. My dad was extremely excited! I was also excited but did not comprehend the magnitude of the tag I had drawn.
I began preparing for the hunt by exercising and shooting long distances upwards of 500 yards. My dad was also in communication with Ruger Davis, my guide from A3 Trophy Hunts, about multiple bull elk he had seen throughout the unit. I flew from Atlanta to Flagstaff the day before the season opened and met my parents at the airport. We made contact with Ruger, and he informed us of a bull he thought would be ideal for an opening day hunt. He asked us to meet him early the next morning for the first day of the hunt.
The next morning, we drove in and parked and then continued on foot approximately two miles into the unit where Ruger thought the bull elk might be. While we heard several bulls bugle and saw multiple respectable elk, we did not see the specific bull that Ruger had glassed for and followed all summer. The elk moved quickly that first morning and were over the ridge in a matter of minutes. The intense moments of bugling were over, and the area became completely silent. We waited for a while and then decided to head back to the truck and regroup for the afternoon hunt.
We hiked back in and set up near a clearing. A few minutes before dark, we heard some elk bugle in the far distance but nothing substantial. We headed back to the truck to talk about our plan for the next morning and were hopeful for a glimpse at the trophy elk Ruger had seen all summer.
We decided to meet a little bit earlier the next morning and hike into the unit before the elk began moving. Ruger felt like that was our best chance to locate and see the elk when daylight came. As we approached a small opening among the pinyon/junipers, we heard several bulls bugle, but one distinct bugle drew Ruger’s attention. I could hear the level of intensity change in Ruger’s tone as he told me, “We have to move quickly in order to get into position to see this elk and possibly get a shot on him.”
At this point, we left my parents behind because it was too difficult to move into position with four people. Ruger and I continued on while the elk continued to bugle, and cows were plentiful. We could hear two big bulls fighting to our right while cows fed nearby. We set up my rifle on the tripod and adjusted the scope on my .300 Win Mag. Ruger ranged the elk herd at 403 yards. There were approximately 20 cows feeding along the edge of the ridge and another bull bugling back in the pinyons about 30 yards. I looked at the herd, anxiously waiting for a glance at the big bull. Ruger told me to be prepared for the bull to follow the cows and to be ready to shoot if he came out into the open. Suddenly, I saw the bull’s antlers above the juniper trees. I knew he was big, and I got into position on the tripod. I looked through the scope while Ruger whispered to me that he was at 403 yards. Within seconds, the bull walked out into the open and turned broadside. Ruger told me to shoot when I was ready, and I took the shot. After the report of the rifle, Ruger asked how I felt about my shot. I told him that I felt very confident, and he said he did as well.
We waited about five minutes and listened to other bulls bugle. At that moment, I realized my heart was pounding and I was replaying the shot in my head. I thought, “What just happened? I just shot a monster bull!” We gathered our gear and made our way toward the elk. We closed in on the area where the elk was last seen, and Ruger spotted him over to my right. He was massive! All I saw were antlers everywhere. After I got over the shock of his size, I immediately looked for the bullet placement to see how accurate my shot was. I saw the entry right behind the shoulder. Ruger and I gave each other a high five, and he said, “Let’s go get your parents.”
Shortly after, my parents made their way down to where we were. My dad was quiet for a few minutes and then hugged me and said, “This is a bull-of-a-lifetime!” I knew he was 100% correct. I hugged my dad and told him thank you for making this a hunt I would remember for the rest of my life. I was so thankful that my mom and dad could be there to experience a hunt of this magnitude. There were so many variables that had to come together in order for the hunt to be successful, and we had just seen them all come together. Not only did this trip give me a new love for hunting, but it also made me cherish the time with my family and the delight of making new lifelong friends. A3 Trophy Hunts was prepared, professional, and treated us like family. We shared a once-in-a-lifetime bull elk hunt that will keep me coming back for more in the years to come. What an experience! What a hunt! I am truly thankful for the opportunity to hunt such an amazing animal. All I have to say is, “Dad, when do we apply for next year’s hunt?”
Login