F a l l Photo by George Andrejko

Transcription

1 F a l l Photo by George Andrejko

2 Founding Associate Members Douglas Sr & Donna Obert Founding Life Members Ken Alexander+ Michael J Anderson Ernest Apodaca, Jr+ Randy Beck Keith Berger Esther Cadzow John Cadzow Harry Carlson Randy A Cherington+ Pete Cimellaro Steve Clark Todd A Coleman Richard Currie Don Davidson Kay Davidson Sharon Eichelberger Ron Eichelberger Peter Ekholm Daron Evans Ed Hightower Michael Horstman+ James Johnson Earl C Johnson Edward E Johnson Richard Johnson+ Mitchell Jones Sandra G Kauffman Richard E Kauffman, Sr Bill Kelley Peter S Klocki+ John Koleszar+ James Lara Tim Littleton James Lynch Jr+ Don Martin Russ McDowell William D Meredith Anthony Nichols Cookie Nicoson Walt Nicoson Mark Nixon Donna Obert Douglas Obert, Sr Shawn Patterson Jan Purdy Forrest Purdy Mel Risch+ Tom Schorr Gregory Stainton Douglas Stancill Vashti Tice Supplee+ Dan Taylor John Toner Corey Tunnell Rick Vincent, Sr Don Walters, Jr Dee White Larry White+ Mark Worischeck Joseph Worischeck 2 The Tracker - Fall 2007 Chuck Youngker Founding Sustaining Members Bridgid & Ron Anderson+ Everett & Joyce Nicoson Founding Couple Members John & Patty Anderson Denny* & Paula Bailey Robert F & Shirley J Banks John & Taina Beaty Robin & Billie Bechtel Brad & Shelley Borden Philip* & Jamie Brogdon+ Mark & Shanna Brooks Shawn & Lisa Carnahan Kim & Lynn Carter, Sr Danny R Cline & Pat Thompson Will & Fran Garrison Tim & Patti Garvin W Hays & Suzanne Gilstrap Don & Gwen Grady Steve & Bobi Hahn Igor & Christy Ivanoff Daniel & Danny Johnson Glen & Tracey Jones Richard & Wendy Kauffman Bill & Mary Keebler Mark & Lynda Kessler Mel & Diane Kincaid Richard & Christine Krantz Dick & Nancy Krause Eric & Wendy Krueger Ron & Lisa Lopez+ Gary & Lin Maschner Shane & Tiffany May Kevin & Donna McBee Roger & Micaela Mellen Denny & Pat Moss Robert & Diana Noel Richard Oberson & Bonnie McAuley William & Vera Rezzonico Clarence Rodriquez MD Richard & Anna Schmidt David Scott & Rosemarie Nelson Bruce & Lisa Snider Macey & Becky Starling Ed & Ace Stevens Tim & Ellena Tanner Craig & Susan Thatcher Tom & Kristel Thatcher Marvin & Margo Thompson+ Keith & Lois Zimmerman Founding General Members Kendall Adair Gary R Anderson Jim Andrysiak Denny Ashbaugh Ron Barclay David Baril Cal Bauer John F Bauermeister Robert Baughman Manny Bercovich Dr Tom Boggess, III Tom Brown Tom Carroll Steve Cheuvront Carolyn Colangelo Mike Cupell Jack Daggett Kyle Daggett+ Bob Davies Gary A Davis Larry Day Nathan Day John W Decker* Chris Denham Neal E Dial Craig Dunlap Jennifer Evans Bobby Fite Chris Flanders Lorenzo A Flores Roger Gibson Courtney Gilstrap Floyd Green Jon Hanna Douglas Hartzler Art Hathaway Dean Hofman David J Hofman Norma E Hook Russ Hunter David Hussey Rick Johnson Mike Jones Doug Jones Todd Julian Charlie Kelly Charles A Kerns John Krause Joseph M Lane Robby Long Aaron Lowry Rick MacDonald Joe Makaus Daniel Martin Michael L Mason Mike McCormick Donald Meakin Prior to March 17, 2002, AES Founding Memberships were available. These individuals and couples came forth to show their support for the AES in it s early stages of development. During the formation of the AES, administrative funds were needed to pay for organizational costs that led up to the first fundraising banquet on March 16, Founding Members paid a premium membership fee to help make the first year a success. For their support and dedication, the following Founding Members will receive permanent recognition by the AES. + Membership upgraded * Deceased James O Meeks Jason Mercier Jim Mercier Tracey Miner Ken Moss Ronald J Nadzieja Mike N Oliver Craig Pearson Kenneth B Piggott Bethena Pugh Carlos Quihuis Mark Raby Robert L Read Neal Reidhead Kyle Sanford Craig Sanford Tony Seddon Arnold Shelton Dennis Shipp Tom Sisco Bruce Sitko M. Scott South Carl Staley Randy Stout Kenneth K Stringer John W Stuckey Dave Swayzee Troy Tartaglio Gary TeBeest Todd Thelander Charles B Thompson Stan Thompson Thom Tokash Brian Van Kilsdonk Rick Vaughn Kathy L Vincent Rick Vincent II Don R Walker Douglas Watson Vince Watts Todd Weber Donald D Weber Jr Tom Wooden Douglas Woodward Founding Junior Members Tyler Getzwiller Kevin H Knight Daniel Raby Nathan Raby James Rawls Sheena Smith Blake Tartaglio Alexandra Tartaglio Alexis Tartaglio Travis Thatcher Clayton Thatcher Nathan Thatcher Wayne Thatcher Taylor Thatcher Alexandra Vincent Emma C Vincent Justin M Vincent

3 IN THIS ISSUE Some of the lucky raffle winners at the 2007 Annual Meeting. Article on page 14. President s Message by Steve Clark... 4 Special Tags...and the Benefit We All Enjoy by John Koleszar... 5 In the Crosshairs: Winds of Change are Coming for Sportsmen by John Koleszar... 6 Braggin Board... 7 Why Non-lead Ammunition? by Kathy Sullivan Unit 9 Water Catchment Rebuild Project by Steve Clark My First Coues Whitetail Hunt by Jacque Hendy BB s Column by John Koleszar Upcoming Events Annual Meeting by Steve Clark Elk Hunting Clinic by Steve Clark AES Supports Kid s Fishing Day Program by Don Martin Don t Forget the Junior Elk Hunt Camp Two Commissioners Confirmed This Year by John Koleszar A Change in Focus by Paul Ferry Unit 9 Water Haul Project July 2007 by Steve Clark On Target by John Toner Antler Development by Steve and Gloria McInelly A Life-changing Experience by Christian Wolff Hunt of a Lifetime Winners Habitat Partners of Arizona Cover photo courtesy of George Andrejko. View more of George s photos at EXECUTIVE BOARD President...Steve Clark Vice President...Ron Eichelberger Treasurer...Cookie Nicoson Secretary...Tim Evans Past President... Sharon Eichelberger You may contact any officers, board members or committee chairs at rthrbhntng@cox.net BOARD OF DIRECTORS Shawn Carnahan Chuck Decker Carl Hargis Glen Jones Steve McGaughey Jim Mullins Gary Maschner Tom Schorr Greg Stainton John Toner COMMITTEE CHAIRS Banquet...Sharon Eichelberger & Cookie Nicoson Grant Writer...Lin Maschner Membership...Dee Clark Projects...Ron Eichelberger Newsletter... Maria DelVecchio Website...Leo Balthazor Wapiti Weekend...Shelly Hargis Scholarship... Wendy Stressman & Shelly Hargis Arizona Elk Society 3

4 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE by Steve Clark I m writing this column in the middle of an archery elk hunt. In the unit I m hunting, one very disturbing thing I m learning from hunters in the woods and in camps I visit, is that very few hunters know the changes that are down the road.the Arizona Game & Fish Commission and Department are making some drastic changes to the hunt structures after ignoring the many concerned hunters who attended the Hunt Structure Commission meeting in Flagstaff. Their reasoning was that they surveyed the hunting community and they were going to make changes based on the results of their limited survey.when I spoke with the hunters in camps and relayed some of the changes being made, hunters were astounded that the AZGFD would even think of moving archery elk hunt tags out of the early season to a late November archery hunt in every unit. It seems that to satisfy the average hunter AZGFD is willing to sacrifice quality of the hunt for quantity of tags to give more opportunity. Many of the hunters I have talked to who took the survey had no idea that asking for more tags would result in the conversion to low success and low quality hunts to get more tags.the other conversation that shows that hunters are very unaware of what s happening in the woods was when we mentioned the upcoming new rules in the USFS Travel Management Plan.Very few hunters know of what the USFS is planning on doing.they don t know that the USFS is proposing to do away with off- road big game retrieval.the other contentious issue is the fact that hunters will be losing the ability to camp away from the main roads camping will only be allowed in designated camping areas. Please read the articles in our publications and go to the local forest websites and read NATIONAL FOREST WEBSITES Tonto - Apache/Sitgreaves - Kaibab - Coronado - AES MISSION STATEMENT The Arizona Elk Society is a non-profit 501(c)(3) wildlife organization. Our mission is to raise funds to benefit elk and other wildlife through habitat conservation and restoration and to preserve our hunting heritage for present and future generations. up on their plans.you may be amazed at the proposed changes. Sportsmen are one of the few groups that have been missing at the table when it comes to the USFS Travel Management Plan. On a positive note, the AES projects committee has attended many meetings with the AZGFD, USFS and the local Wildlife Managers throughout elk range in Arizona and we are very impressed with the landscape planning for wildlife habitat projects that are in the works. From eastern Arizona to Seligman, there are some great habitat enhancement projects being proposed.with the $$$s that the AES, other wildlife groups and the Arizona Big Game Super Raffle have raised, along with matching grant money being put into these large habitat projects, and the cooperation that we are seeing with other agencies such as the USFS, there will be some great habitat improvements down the road. Hopefully, this will allow the AZGFD to increase the number of elk and other wildlife to give the sportsmen in this state a better chance at tags that they desire. Regretfully, it may be too late to keep the quality hunts but maybe the Department will pull back on ruining the best quality and most desirable elk hunts in the U.S. I d also like to mention that on August 24th, the Arizona Elk Society received a very special honor induction into the Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame.This award was established in 1998 by the Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation to recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to the benefit of Arizona s wildlife and their habitats. All AES members can be very proud of this award which was based on our public outreach efforts, habitat improvement projects, activities for youth and fundraising efforts to benefit elk and their habitat. And recently, President George W. Bush released the order, entitled Facilitation of Hunting and Wildlife Conservation. It directs all relevant federal agencies to facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities, wildlife management and habitat. 4 The Tracker - Fall 2007

5 SPECIAL TAGS AND THE BENEFIT WE ALL ENJOY by John Koleszar Almost all of us have what we call discretionary income. Put simply, it is money that we can feel free to use however we want and when we want. For some folks it can be as small as a pizza on Friday nights. For others, it can be a dinner at a 4-star resort. Then there are those few individuals who can virtually buy a restaurant for a night, close it down and invite 500 of their closest friends for a party. I personally rank closer to the pizza than sending out invites to 500 friends, but I think you catch my drift. Since 1985, the Arizona Game & Fish Commission has awarded 2 tags each year (now 3) to be auctioned/raffled to the general public. During that period of time these special tags have raised over $3,500,000. All of the auction tags should be considered discretionary income. I know a lot of spouses might raise an eyebrow if we came home and said Hi honey guess what I bought at the banquet tonight? For the past 20+ years, a select few individuals have come forward and often bid in excess of $100,000 for the privilege of hunting for that one magnificent bull in Arizona. That kind of money is not in my personal realm and I do not begrudge them their success. I look at how hard all of us have worked at past banquets to raise that kind of money and I know the number of hours that go into raising just $300,000 in one night is mind boggling. So when I think of the fact that someone plunks down over $100,000 for one hunt I tend to think Thank God someone wants to help wildlife that much that they are willing to become involved in the bid process. Most all of these individuals could go on private land and hunt to their hearts content at a fraction of the cost. Instead, they choose to help wildlife in Arizona by bidding on the elk tags that are available. If the total amount of the special tags was just $3,500,000, we would all walk away impressed. But when you understand that with the addition of matching funds leveraged over several different projects, the true impact is well over $12,000,000 well folks, that kind of impact is incredible. One of the key benefits is that this money goes directly into elk habitat and elk projects directly on the ground. It does not pay for salaries, vehicles or offices, but species specific work. That little know fact is written into the law that was passed by the legislature in regards to all the auction tags. So if you were concerned in the past about where the money goes rest assured it goes directly into elk projects. Not only do elk benefit, but look at the benefits the average Joe Hunter gets from all that auction money. The price of our tags has long been a topic around campfires. Two years ago sportsmen rallied around the Arizona Game & Fish Department and again requested that the Legislature of Arizona increase our tag costs. The department needed money to operate and we came forward to carry the bulk of the costs as always. I look at the figure of $12,000,000 and I think What would our costs be if we did not have auction tags? What projects would not get funded? What areas would suffer more for the lack of funding? Both the Arizona Elk Society and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation have a seat at the table to work with the department in directing where the funds go and what projects are deemed most important. I know that some people think that it can be elitist if someone buys a tag and all the rest of us need to try and get drawn. The North American Model specifies that opportunity for all must be adhered to. I agree with that concept, no question or argument. Then I look at the benefits of the two auction tags and I do a little mental balancing $12,000,000 or no auction tag? Personally for me, I am darn glad that two people get to hunt each year for a special bull. Their discretionary income goes a long way towards the bottom line of wildlife and the concept of opportunity for all still manages to stay intact. Their deep pockets and their spending directly benefits all of us Joe Hunters. I hope that you join us in thanking our friends who keep their wallets and hearts in Arizona. Arizona Elk Society 5

6 IN THE CROSSHAIRS: WINDS OF CHANGE ARE COMING FOR SPORTSMEN by John Koleszar With each passing year Arizona continues to explode in terms of population growth. The city of Phoenix recently became the 5th largest city in the United States and with this growth comes some unprecedented demands for recreation and land. Quite frankly, I compare Arizona to the proverbial 5 pound coffee can which we are trying to fill with 7 pounds of material and it just isn t going to work. For those who are not aware, the United States Forest Service is undergoing their Travel Management Plan. The plan is an undertaking to decide what areas of the National Forests will have roads, which roads will stay open and which roads will be closed to certain types of travel. Depending on who you talk to, the plan strikes fear into the hearts of sportsmen; some say that it is an action that is way overdue; and some say it won t have much of an impact. The common thread here is that EVERYONE has an opportunity to voice their opinion and be heard by the Forest Service. While that may sound great to those of you reading this article, the bad news is that this whole process has been taking place over the past 6 months and sportsmen have been visibly missing from the comment stages. Policy decisions are being made that directly affect sportsmen. Items like big game retrieval, dispersed camping, road closures and seasonal closures are all part of issues being addressed. Arizona is the lone state that has been fighting for big game retrieval. I know that many of us have taken elk in the past, and without the use of some sort of vehicle during the early hunts, spoilage of meat would be a huge issue. Part of the Forest Service logic is that way too many wildcat roads have been cut through the National Forests, cross country travel has become rampant and many folks will not walk anywhere when they can ride and if there is no big game retrieval, then there will be no issues with people cutting a new trail in an area where there should not be one. Dispersed camping is another source of concern. Like many situations, a few individuals have created a problem scenario that the Forest Supervisors must take a look at. Many times, I have taken a back road to a spot that seemed remote, parked within 30 yards of the road and set up camp. When you have thousands of people venturing up north each summer weekend with some of those folks setting up camp 100, 200 yards and even further from the road to camp, it soon becomes a great source of concern. Then compound that problem by having 3, 4 or more quads riding all day from that camping spot to the road and back and forth suddenly in one weekend a new road has been created. How do you control that boom in land use? Some of the solutions that have been suggested are 1) campground camping only in designated areas or 2) dispersed camping no more than the length of your vehicle from the road or 3) controlled staging areas of frequent use. How do these sound to you as a hunter/sportsman? The issue of road closures should be kept in mind as well. Many roads that we use today may be closed in the future. Were those roads there in 1990? 1995? 2000? Certainly if you have hunted consistently in any area over the last 15 years, you have seen new roads that were not there before. How can you guarantee that your favorite road will not be closed? For some people the issue is how can we get some roads closed? The only answer is to attend the United States Forest Service public meetings. Go online (see web addresses on page 4) or call your favorite National Forest and find out the dates and times of the meetings. The meetings that were held last fall and during the early part of this year were for the comment stages. The initial decisions are now coming out, and folks will have an opportunity to voice concerns, objections or praise for the potential planned moves. Many people who attended the earlier meetings came away with some very distinct observations. 6 The Tracker - Fall 2007

7 The OHV crowds were there en masse and they made their feelings known.they would like to see wide open travel, including cross country travel as part of the agenda.they do not want to see any closures and in fact would like to see more roads open. A very vocal large portion of our society is being represented at these meetings. If you and I are not there, then we only have ourselves to blame if the decisions are not to our liking. As far as being concerned with elk habitat and protecting the hunting heritage, it would seem that we have much work to do.you cannot hunt from roads and with wildlife needing calving grounds and quiet places in order to thrive, we need to make sure we go to these meetings and make our opinions and feelings known. The next two years will see many changes for sportsmen. I fervently hope that all of us put aside some time to make our thoughts and desires known to whatever agency is planning any strategic moves.the future depends on the actions of the present. I hope all of you will be a part of it. BRAGGIN BOARD Cory Worischeck and his dad Mark, both AES Life Members, at 7am opening morning Lori McGaughey David Myrick Steve McGaughey Arizona Elk Society 7

8 WHY NON-LEAD AMMUNITION? TO HELP CONSERVE OUR WILDLIFE by Kathy Sullivan Condor Coordinator, Arizona Game and Fish Department The Arizona Game and Fish Department and our partners, the Arizona Deer Association, Arizona Elk Society, Arizona Antelope Foundation, Arizona Bighorn Sheep Society, and Arizona Chapter of the National Turkey Federation are asking hunters to continue their proud tradition of wildlife conservation by using non-lead ammunition when they hunt in Game Management Units 9, 10, 12A/B, 13A/B. It s simply part of being a good sportsperson. Since 2005, up to 60% of Arizona hunters have used nonlead ammunition during their hunts on the Kaibab Plateau and Arizona Strip.Why? Because scientific evidence has concluded that California condors are dying from lead poisoning when they consume lead bullet fragments and lead shot found in game carcasses and gut piles left in the field by hunters. Arizona hunters want to help: I felt it was my responsibility as a hunter. If it is better for the wildlife, I support it. It s my responsibility to protect our wildlife as needed. If it takes me to change my ammunition, I will. I loved it! It sighted true and was a one shot perfect harvest. Barnes Bullets, especially the Triple Shock are the best bullet made. Great performance, mass retention, and penetration I was very happy; I will use lead-free ammo forever. Barnes bullets out perform any lead bullet. I saw five condors and one was feeding on a gut pile. It brings home the importance of less toxic ammunition. Since 2005, education efforts and a free non-lead ammunition program sponsored by the Department have resulted in up to a 60% reduction in the amount of lead available to condors during the fall hunting season.the hunting community should be proud of this accomplishment.with more support from the hunting community, we can all but eliminate lead poisoning in condors. Dropped deer right in its tracks excellent performance on game. Arizona hunters praise the performance of these non-lead bullets (100% copper Barnes Triple Shock X-Bullets). Copper bullets are less toxic but most importantly do not fragment like lead, so toxic metal fragments are not left in game carcasses and gut piles. 93% of hunters said the non-lead bullets performed as well or better than lead bullets on game: 8 The Tracker - Fall 2007

9 I believe educating the hunters about the problem is the answer. Five years of scientific studies have concluded that spent lead ammunition is the major source of lead exposure in condors. Tests have confirmed that at least 12 condors have died from lead poisoning and almost 300 cases of known lead exposure have occurred since most condors have been exposed multiple times. Over 30 condors have required medical treatment for lead exposure, and some birds have been treated up to six times. Lead shot and bullet fragments have been removed from the digestive tracts of condors 16 times. The highest level of condor lead exposure occurs during the fall hunting season. During this time, condors concentrate on the Kaibab Plateau and surrounding areas, foraging on gut piles and wounding loss animals. Deer carcass with lead bullet fragments. The typical lead-based bullet retains about 60% of its weight. The remaining 40% of the bullet is deposited along the wound channel in game, resulting in up to 700 lead fragments left in game carcasses. Since most hunters harvest big game with vital organ shots, many of these lead fragments (up to 500) remain in the gut piles left in the field. A lead isotope study funded by the Arizona Game and Fish Department concluded that lead found in condor digestive tracts and blood matches the lead from ammunition. This study combined with the other data leaves little room to doubt that lead shot and bullet fragments from game carcasses and gut piles are the leading cause of lead poisoning in condors. Good program will reap results in the future. Arizona hunters overwhelmingly support voluntary lead reduction efforts within the condor range. 83% of Arizona hunters stated they would be willing to use non-lead ammunition to help. The Department and our partners are now asking all hunters to take action. This is an opportunity for Arizona sportsmen to prove their dedication to conserving wildlife. It s also a chance to show critics that we can solve this problem on our own, voluntarily! Consider this your education - now it s time to act! If you are drawn for a hunt within condor range (Units 9, 10, 12A, 12B, 13A, or 13B), please use non-lead ammunition on your hunt. The Arizona Game and Fish Department and Arizona Elk Society are counting on YOU. Condor with ingested lead bullet fragments. California Condor Program Info: Condors are a native species of Arizona. Captive breeding and release efforts increased population from low of 22 birds to current total of 285 (59 in Arizona). Condor releases began in 1996 in Arizona Wild-breeding has been successful. Condor lead reduction efforts are funded by state lottery and gaming revenue. All quotes in this article are from a 2005 survey of Arizona hunters. To read this survey and learn more about condor-lead research and non-lead ammunition, go to: azgfd.gov/condor or contact the condor program coordinator, Kathy Sullivan, at or ksullivan@azgfd.gov. Arizona Elk Society 9

10 UNIT 9 WATER CATCHMENT REBUILD PROJECT by Steve Clark From August , AES volunteers teamed up with work crews from the AZGFD in Unit 9 to work on the building of two upgraded water catchments. Many of the wildlife drinkers throughout the state were constructed 50 or more years ago to accommodate the growing wildlife herds at that time. In Arizona, elk were just coming into their own and the main animal in need of water was the mule deer. The capacity of these old concrete tanks was only gallons and because elk herd numbers have increased, there is a need to increase the capacity of the tanks. Not only are old tanks and concrete aprons in disrepair but they were small in comparison to the water catchments currently being built. The new catchments hold from 20,000 30,000 gallons of water. The new aprons are very large and catch large amounts of water in a short time. Coordinating with John Goodwin from the AZGFD, Greg Stainton, Jim and Matt Mullins and approximately 20 other volunteers finished most of one tank and started work on another over the course of the weekend. Greg Stainton upheld the AES tradition of supplying some of the best volunteer camp meals ever. Greg grilled up some of his famous tri tip beef and many other great meals. Even though progress was slowed by rain, the work the AES performed helped gain some ground on the tank rebuilds happening in Unit 9. There will be ongoing projects in Unit 9 for the remainder of this year with more projects and starting back up in April or May of next year. Keep an eye on the AES website for the dates of upcoming projects. The AES would love to see new volunteers at any of the projects we are working on. Thank you to all the volunteers and the AZGFD crews for working on these and other projects throughout the state. 10 The Tracker - Fall 2007

11 MY FIRST COUES WHITETAIL HUNT by Jacque Hendy It all started on December 22, 2006 we drove to our area to see if we could glass up any bucks. The prior 2 weeks we hadn t spotted anything but several groups of doe.we pulled in and started to glass as usual with nothing to be seen until right about sunset. I spotted a couple of deer but being almost dark,foggy and the kids were freezing cold we decided to pack up and head home and try again tomorrow.on Saturday our good friends and neighbors Mark Nixon offered to help my husband and I glass while his fiance Kathi Thompson watched our kids for the day.we greatfully accepted. Knowing that Mark had taked some nice bucks in this unit. Saturday morning we set up our Swarovski 15x56 and started glassing as soon as we could see. About an hour later,rodney had spotted bobcat and being that none of us had a tag we got back to business looking for bucks. Just as the sun had crept halfway down the mountain, Mark stated that he had what he thought to be a couple of bucks in his sights about 100 yds away from where I had spotted them the night before. Not 100% sure because they were about a mile and a half away,he offers to hike to get closer to check them out.we kept our glasses on the bucks while Mark hiked closer to get a better view. After about 45 minutes, Mark confirmed they were definately bucks and that one was a possible 3x3 and asked if I wanted to go for it.with the wind blowing hard on us, Rodney and I packed up our gear and headed up the mountain to south of the Mark and the bucks.what we thought would be an easier route, turned out be a quite a hard hike.iit seemed like it took us an hour to reach the point where Mark was watching these two bucks.when we got there it was an amazing view.this buck was napping in the sun on a small ridge right out in the open While the other buck was feeding in a bush behind him.this was The Perfect Opportunity. Mark had already ranged the buck at 200yds.Rodney took out our HandyCam while I got in position with the with 150grain Core-Loct.Mark sat to the right of me holding the converted binocular tripod as a gun rest and Rodney was behind us filming. After a minute or so, still trying to catch my breath from the long hike I took the shot.it was perfect! The deer just rolled over and expired.my husband hollered That s my Momma! which makes us all laugh and we do all our congratulations and Thank You s. On the hike back,after packing up the deer I found an old horseshoe and decided to call this spot Horseshoe ridge.my first coues whitetail, What a thrill. SEE YOUR STORY IN THE TRACKER Send us your story and we ll include it in a future issue of The Tracker. your story and or mail your photos. Materials mailed for publication will not be returned to the sender unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Send to Steve Clark at rthrbhntng@cox.net Arizona Elk Society P.O. Box 190 Peoria, AZ Arizona Elk Society 11

12 BB S COLUMN by John Koleszar The collect phone call came in after 2:00 a.m. BB was feeling full of himself and had managed to tine dial my phone number. He broke out laughing when I answered and accepted the call. Hey boy, it only took me three tries to punch in your number with my brow tines not bad huh? I was a little groggy, so I forgot to ask if he had connected with anyone even close to my number on his early tries. He said that he wanted to see me earlier than we had planned, so he invited me up for an early September meeting. I suspected that he was feeling a little lonely, as he told me that all the bachelor bulls had started going their separate ways. All the big bulls had rubbed off their velvet and were starting to feel more than a little anticipation and excitement. He accepted the offer to meet at the Bugle Inn, and we agreed on the date of September 4th. I noticed that his voice was a little raspy, and his only response to my comment was a deep chuckle. I knew he was ready for the rut and primed to go. The ride to Forest Lakes was an absolute deluge of rain and I felt more than a little relief as I opened the bar door with the spare key. I wandered over to the bar and started pouring myself a glass of cabernet when the smell finally registered. BB I said I know you re in here nothing else comes close to smelling like you do in rut. A booming bugle damn near deafened me in the enclosed space. BB had hidden behind a couple of tables, and his head and antlers blended in to the heads and antlers that were on the wall. Is this cool or what? he finally said. You humans wear those funny clothes in the woods that look like trees, and I used my body to blend right in to the wall call it animal camouflage. By now the aroma of BB had saturated the room. If I closed my eyes and was not dead sure of where I was, I would swear I was in the forest trailing after a huge bull with his sprayed scent all over the grasses and trees. BB I said, it may sound strange to you, but I really like your uh aroma. BB just snickered, Yeah boy guess you ve finally come around huh you and all the cows in 3C, 4B and 4A have something in common you can t resist me. No BB, it s not like that, I said. It s just that your smell brings back great memories to me. BB narrowed his eyes and said, You mean like my aroma reminds you of a pleasant experience? Yeah I said. Just smelling you, reminds me of all the things that are right about the fall and hunting. BB got that elk in the headlights look and then slowly the light bulb came on. Okay, okay he said. I just thought maybe you were getting a little strange on me. I assured BB that I was not getting strange, just that certain aromas carry messages to the human brain. I mentioned to him that certain animals carry certain aromas, and that we as humans have certain identities with those smells. BB started laughing. Well, if you like elk aroma, then you sure as hell won t like horse s aroma. You ever smell what they re like? Besides, we have an old saying in the forest Where horses go, nothing grows. I assured BB that horse s aroma was nothing to be excited about and it reminded me about the horse problem in unit 3C. I asked about coyotes and he snorted. If you ever travel next to a coyote your nasal passages will be dying to be glued shut for a week. Those critters are flat out nasty, and bears are next in line. I swear being a vegetarian has its benefits. Those meat eaters are really nasty, and bears eat damn near anything. You might think that skunks are bad when they spray, but they do it as a defense mechanism and therefore do it very seldom. I mentioned to BB that when I had harvested his uncle White Rump, he had been very busy that day spraying, and consequently the aroma was all over me after we finished the packing out process. My sons wanted to throw me into the back of the truck, and made me shower and throw all my used clothes outside in the bed of the truck. BB laughed. Your sons need to spend 12 The Tracker - Fall 2007

13 more time up here in the hills. If you hike around enough, you get that aroma every so often while just hiking around. I nodded my head Yep BB, I can remember countless times when all of a sudden that aroma drifts up and I start looking for bulls. We both stood there for a second lost in our own thoughts. Then BB asked what was going on in the Valley. Any news on the OHV front? he asked. And how about this so called Travel Management Plan that the National Forest is working on? Sadly I looked at BB and started discussing the news that would ultimately affect him. BB I said, the state legislature defeated the OHV bill that we all worked on, and the Travel Management Plan is still in the works, but I have to tell you, people just flat out do not like walking anymore. If you look at any of the maps, there are mapped roads everywhere and that does not include all the wildcat roads. Any suggested closings are being met with a lot of resistance. BB just stared at me and then let loose with a string of unmentionable language. How the hell are we supposed to live up here when you have a road every mile? You wrote an article over 4 years ago about how bad it was getting then, and now the quads are coming every single weekend of the summer plus other times of the year. It seems like you humans are just going to love us into extinction.why can t you give us an area where we can grow our young and maybe rest a little during the year? I suddenly had a bright idea. BB I said, why don t you get a letter-writing campaign going among the elk herd? You could send a boatload of comments to the Forest Service and maybe they would listen.they are required to take comments from the public and I think you count as the public. Imagine if every elk was able to voice their concerns. That would be over 20,000 letters that they would receive complaining about too many roads and I bet that would be more than 19,000 more than they receive from the hunting community. BB looked away and then sadly said, Wish we could all write boy. Since we can t, I wish someone would represent us and that people would use some common sense. I thought that was what the Arizona Elk Society was supposed to be all about protecting habitat for us and making sure that there will be a future for us. I hear even your members are really divided on the use of OHV s. Closing roads for quiet areas would help the habitat because we don t destroy habitat, people do.we just use it and left to our own devices we do pretty well, besides, the department issues enough tags to make sure that there we don t eat ourselves out of house and home. I sensed that BB was as frustrated as I was, and I did not want to let the night finish off on a bad note. BB, I want you to know that not all humans are trying to ride everywhere and even though it is a tough subject with a lot of our members, most folks want to protect you and your relatives. I want you to take care of yourself this season.you look awfully good with that big rack and I m sure that more than a few hunters will be flinging arrows and bullets your way. BB snorted, Think I m going to show this beautiful rack and body during daylight hours boy? By the time daylight hits I will be resting on a canyon bench about 50 yards from the bottom. If someone is willing to close in that deep to a canyon he deserves a shot, but remember, I can smell your aroma a lot further than you can smell ours. I broke out laughing, Yeah BB, I guess we didn t cover that side of the issue, how is our aroma? BB grinned and said Worse than coyotes to us boy. With a deep chuckle he jumped onto the bar and sprayed a brief burst. Let s see what the customers think about this tomorrow! With another jump and a crash he bolted through the door. Lock up boy, and see me when the snow begins to fly. I have to hear how your hunt goes in unit 23 just don t be looking for me, I m heading to a wilderness area for some rest after this. With all my heart I wished him well, and drew a deep breath of his magnificent aroma. I thought of his life and how fragile his existence was becoming. I thought to myself, be well my friend, be well and breed as many cows as you can for tomorrow is guaranteed to no elk. UPCOMING EVENTS 10/3 YVRG Club Member Meeting 10/8 AAF Board of Directors Meeting 10/9 ABA Board of Directors Meeting 10/10 ADBSS Board of Directors Meeting 10/12-14 AAF Work Project 10/13-14 Coyote/Quail Hunt 10/16 ADA Board of Directors Meeting 10/18-21 AES Junior Hunt Elk Camp 10/20 AAF Work Project 10/23 WCC Meeting 10/24 YVRG Board of Directors Meeting 10/19-10/20/07 AG&FD Commission Meeting-Phoenix 12/7-12/8/07 AG&FD Commission Meeting-Casa Grande Arizona Elk Society 13

14 E X E C U T I V E B O A R D Steve Clark, President A N N U A L M E E T I N G AES members and a few non-members met on August 5th at El Zaribah Shrine Auditorium in Phoenix. After some status reports and updates, new executive positions as well as the board were filled. This year there was little turnover of the executive positions and board members.the AES would like to extend a heart felt Thank You to outgoing Board members John Koleszar,Tice Supplee, and Harry Carlson.These three board members have made a lasting impression and have moved the AES forward with their help on issues of elk habitat, youth programs and wildlife education. I know that we will see all of you at meetings and projects in the future.thank you for your time and dedication. by Steve Clark Ron Eichelberger, Vice President Cookie Nicoson, Treasurer B O A R D O F > > D I R E C T O R S Sharon Eichelberger, Immediate Past President (Photo not available) Tim Evans, Secretary John Toner, Board Member Carl Hargis, Board Member Shawn Carnahan, Board Member Gary Maschner, Board Member 14 The Tracker - Fall 2007

15 E L K H U N T I N G C L I N I C The 2 nd Annual AES Elk Hunting Clinic was a huge success. Speakers included Primos Pro Staffer Steve Chappell, World Champion Elk caller Dan Whitmus, Mike Miller of Millers Southwest Meat Processing, USFS, AZGFD and more.the crowd was very impressed with both Steve Chappell and Dan Whitmus. Dan brought his sense of humor out and really entertained the crowd while teaching elk calling techniques. Many of the attendees commented that the clinic was Awesome. In another room vendors were on hand to sell elk hunting gear. Every thing you needed for hard core hunting was there.the USFS, AZGFD, Dan Whitmus, Steve Chappell and others were on hand to answer questions and give hints and suggestions to make the attendees elk hunt successful.the Primos booth was crowded the whole time. Snacks of elk meat sausage and snack sticks were provided by Miller Southwest Processing and were a hit.the Navajo Guides were on hand again this year to give info on hunting the Navajo Reservation for Elk and Deer. If you are a new or beginning elk hunter or even a seasoned hunter that would like to learn what is new for hunting elk you need to attend next year. Thanks to all the attendees, speakers and vendors as well as all the AES volunteers that worked all day to make this a successful event. by Steve Clark Greg Stainton, Board Member Tom Schorr, Board Member Chuck Decker, Board Member Glen Jones Board Member Jim Mullins, Board Member Steve McGaughey, Board Member Arizona Elk Society 15

16 AES SUPPORTS KID S FISHING DAY PROGRAM by Don Martin, Outdoors Writer It was a Saturday morning that was full of squeals of delight as almost 200 kids ages 5-14 matched their skills against some hard fighting channel catfish in a pond located 26 miles north of Kingman. The event was the Mohave Sportsman Club s annual Kids Fishing Day. For the kids and over 400 fathers/mothers and even grandparents who attended, it was a day of memory-making at its best. For many of the kids, it was their first opportunity to go fishing, and if the number of fish checked in was any indication of the luck they had, it was indeed a great day! To make the KFD successful, the efforts and hard work of a number of MSC members along with other Kingman residents and businesses are always needed. This year, however - it was the support of Arizona conservation groups such as the Arizona Elk Society, Wildlife Conservation Council, Arizona Mule Deer Association and the Arizona Predator Callers that was the financial backbone for the event. This year s event cost over $4,000 to put on. This year s chairman for the event was Walt Rooster Rugh and when it was over he was very tired and pleased at the end result. Besides the responsibilities of being the chairman, Rooster held the position of Chief Cook ; and he and his staff were responsible for all the hamburgers and hot dogs that were prepared for the hungry kids and their parents/guardians. Mike Miller of the local Bashas store provided all of the food and most of the drinks for the event. MSC President Dale Lent who was attending his first KFD event was also tired but pleased as the last piece of equipment was loaded into his pickup. All in all, it was a great event, Lent said. There sure were a lot of happy kids out there. The first group of kids started fishing just after 6 a.m. and it didn t take long before the sound of I got one! rang out across the halfacre pond. 16 The Tracker - Fall 2007 After the second flight had finished fishing, Frank and Sue Patterson the official weigh-masters for the event breathed a sign of relief. They had weighed in over 150 catfish during the day, ranging in weight from one to five pounds.

17 The catfish that had been stocked in the pond a few days earlier cost almost $1,300. In addition, the Arizona Game & Fish Department (Region III) donated a number of the whisker fish for the event. Doug Lent, Smith s Food and Drug and RAW Sports donated the bait for the kids to use. Gary Martin ran the Kasting Kids event with the help of Joe Hererro, Matt Snay and Geno Sprofera, who lives in Willow Beach and is a member of the Boulder Rifle & Pistol Club. Andy Clark, the Region III Fisheries Program Manager and his staff, along with wildlife manager Gunnar Erickson, ran two interactive hunting/fishing programs that are always a big hit with the kids. Bill Yarnell once again headed up a group of volunteers that cleaned the good-eating, pond-raised catfish for the kids and had them ready for the frying pan. DON T FORGET THE JUNIOR ELK HUNT CAMP! OCTOBER 18-21, 2007 CAMPING: The Happy Jack RV Park is next to the ramada. Spaces with full hookup are $25 a day.tent camping is $12 a day.there is National Forest camping all around near the Lodge. The AES will provide hamburgers and hot dogs on Thursday night and throughout the weekend to hunters and their parents. Hunters and parents are welcome to stop by throughout the weekend for food and refreshments or to ask for help locating or retrieving downed elk. The AES will be holding seminars for youth hunters and their parents on Thursday evening. Representatives from Arizona Game & Fish as well as the Coconino Forest Service will be on hand. A representative will also give a short seminar on meat care and preparation. The AES with sponsorship from Cabela s, Sportsman s Warehouse, Bass Pro Shops, Primos and more will have door prizes and give-aways for youth hunters participating in the seminars. The MCSO Explorer group helped with the parking, passed out water that was donated by Jim McMilon at Byers Liquors and kept the pond free of trash. Several local VIP s attended the event. Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan, who is along time supporter of the KFD program, was on hand with his grandson. Sheahan also presented his Sheriff s Trophy for the largest stringer of fish to both the junior and senior division winners. Representative Nancy McLain R-Bullhead City, another strong supporter of family values and sportsmen, was on hand and passed out trophies to winners of the fishing and Kasting Kids events. Events like Kids Fishing Day are a great opportunity for parents and kids to spend some quality time together in the great outdoors.with the continued support of groups like the AES, kids will see that there is a lot more to life than just video games, ipods and computers JUNIOR ELK HUNT CAMP in Hunt Unit 6A at HAPPY JACK LODGE AND RV PARK at the Ramada next to the baseball field. DIRECTIONS: From Phoenix, take I-17 north to Hwy 260 (at Camp Verde). Go east 36 miles to Hwy 87. Turn North (left) 11 miles to Lake Mary Road, just past Clint s Well (FH-3). Turn left, go 2 miles to Happy Jack Lodge on left. RESERVATIONS: Call SEMINARS: Hunting safety.wearing of orange is recommended ATV or OHV rules and regulations and safety issues Information from the AZG&F and USFS about hunting rules and regulations Proper meat care, gutting and skinning techniques Locating elk in the field; proper use of elk calls. HELP NEEDED: Thursday Oct. 18th, we need help setting up tables and grills in the afternoon, cooking and meal prep before the seminar. Fri. Oct. 19th, Sat. Oct. 20th and Sun. Oct 21st: We could use a few people at the Ramada throughout the day in case hunters stop by and would like food and refreshments. Also in case a hunter needs assistance in the field. Sunday Oct. 21st: We ll need help packing up at noon. Contact Steve Clark if you can help rthrbhntng@cox.net Arizona Elk Society 17

18 TWO COMMISSIONERS CONFIRMED THIS YEAR by John Koleszar Commissioner Jennifer Martin was confirmed this past session by the Arizona State Legislature. The previous year she was the center of a firestorm of conflict that centered around two distinct camps of sportsmen. While the firestorm finally died down, Commissioner Martin was appointed last year and finally confirmed this year as an Arizona Game & Fish Department Commissioner. For those who have had the opportunity to watch, Commissioner Martin has often been credited with being a stable influence on what many sportsmen are calling a difficult commission to work with. While veteran commission watchers may be reluctant to call this current commission approachable, Commissioner Martin has always been one of the easiest Commissioners to work with. I personally have had several instances where I needed to ask questions, and she has always made time to either discuss the issues or hear what sportsmen want to say. Last year, we had a couple of informal meetings and once her confirmation process was complete this year, I contacted her for an interview. I asked her if there was anything that surprised her, and she said that everything was exactly as she had anticipated. She noted that there is always a mountain of paperwork to go through to understand the issues that the commission must address. My personal observations aside, she has received kudos from many in the sportsmen s community for her indepth understanding of many complicated issues. Over the past year and a half, she has been involved in some of the most contentious meetings that many of us have witnessed yet she maintains a professional and responsible demeanor at all times. Thecommission has certainly been interesting to observe for the past two years and it has been refreshing to watch Commissioner Martin become a source of logic and reason that we as sportsmen can rely on. While I am sure there will be differences of opinions (and we have had a few), the conversations have been above board and even keeled. I hope that all of you join me in welcoming Commissioner Martin, and wish her well over the next three years. 18 The Tracker - Fall 2007 Commissioner Robert R. Woodhouse was the second Commissioner approved by the Arizona State Legislature this year. This appointment by Governor Napolitano faced zero resistance from all parties a first in a while. Robbie was gracious in granting some time to go over his history and views on the Commission, the Department and sportsmen. His family from Roll, Arizona (45 miles east of Yuma) has been in farming all their lives, raising the staple crops of Arizona cotton, alfalfa and wheat. Robbie has always been a sportsman and loves the September archery hunts for bull elk. (Don t we all love the September hunts?) The Woodhouse family consists of Robbie, his wife Blanca and two sons Weston and Kellen. He has been happily married for over 31 years and relishes the perspective of the next 5 years as a commissioner. His initial impression of the position is that there are incredible complexities in almost all the issues and that the scope of work done by the commissioners is wider than even he had anticipated. Commissioner Woodhouse also said the he views sportsmen as the backbone of the Arizona Game & Fish Department. He insisted that sportsmen need to keep attending the meetings so that they also understand the complexities and that our voice may be heard on issues that are critical to all of us. We discussed the Kofa issue briefly, and as a matter of point, he agreed that if we had followed the paperwork trail to getting the waters in the Kofa, the process would have taken years, and been too late to be effective. My personal experiences with Commissioner Woodhouse have left me with a couple of distinct feelings. He does not talk AT you, but rather to you. He is not interested in hearing himself talk, but rather his interest is in finding out what the keys to the issue are and how best to solve the problem. For sportsmen, we can breathe a collective sigh of relief. This Commissioner is someone who understands us, our heritage, our needs and most importantly will let us convey our message. We may not always agree, but the policy of cordial, respectful dialogue certainly seems to be coming back to the commission.

19 A CHANGE IN FOCUS by Paul Ferry In 2006, with one point, a bull elk tag and a rifle, I entered my first hunt. That s right, one point, no experience, and a whole lot of heart and determination. In seven days I logged 20 miles on foot, 10 hours on a Ranger, and 200 miles in the truck. Friday afternoon, I came across a water hole off of the 76 Road. Directly across from it, were 8 broken 50 pound bags of lime with some other discarded household debris. What really concerned me was the lime was in a natural waterway headed directly into this water hole. Monday evening was calling for snow, so time was of the essence. On Friday I contacted several local, state, and federal agencies to remove the poison. On Monday afternoon I decided to remove it myself. With my truck, 3-mil garbage bags and a shovel, I removed as much of the lime as I could. The Forest Service had already been there to take pictures and start an investigation. Very close to that water hole was another illegal dump in-progress. This site contained shot up Video Games, household trash, and most recent - a pile of newly discarded construction debris. There is currently an ongoing investigation into this site. Volunteer Sheriff Herb Johnson is a local from Parks. He managed to get a 10-Yard Dump truck and some Detainee volunteers from Coconino County and removed the trash and the remaining lime from both sites as well as some other small dumps near by. Many thanks go out to Sheriff Johnson for all his work here. Though my hunt was without a trophy, I feel I helped out the Wildlife and brought attention to growing problem in our area. I ve lived in Arizona for 24 years and I love this state. What really concerns me is how people can act without thinking and without a conscience. Arizona Elk Society 19

20 UNIT 9 WATER HAUL PROJECT JULY 2007 by Steve Clark This past July the Arizona Elk Society teamed up with the AZGFD, Robert Petzoldt & the South Grand Canyon Sanitary District, to haul water to the wildlife drinkers in Unit 9 around Tusayan. Many of the water catchments were getting close to being dry and the AES did not want to see a repeat of 2002 when animals were having a hard time finding water. After 8 days of hauling and 100,000 gallons of water we were getting a handle on the situation. Most of the wildlife water around Tusayan is available in water catchments and old dirt tanks. Unit 9 would be dry as a bone if it weren t for the man-made drinkers. The AES & AZGFD are in the middle of a multiyear plan to upgrade the water catchments, clean out the dirt tanks and install a pipeline to help alleviate the need for water hauling in the future. Many thanks to Robert Pedzoldt and the South Grand Canyon Sanitary District for supplying the water that was hauled. They have come through in the past and supplied many 100s of thousands of gallons of reclaimed water throughout the years. 20 The Tracker - Fall 2007

21 ON TARGETby John Toner Hi, it s me again, JT. It s time to get out the cleaning rods, clean the rust out of your barrels, be sure you have powder and primer in your bullets to avoid misfires,... tune your bows and put new feathers on your feather sticks, because it s all about to happen again HUNTING TIME. Just a few short notes from some of my recent adventures I went to Branson Missouri and made a stop at the Bass Pro Shop in Springfield. My wife and I walked for 3 and ½ hours to see the store and the Wonders of Wildlife Museum. I decided I really was 65 years old by the time we finished and I m still not sure we saw it all. We moseyed on down to Eureka Springs, Arkansas where we saw the largest statue of Christ in the U.S. (seven stories high and arms outstretched 65 feet) As we were leaving, I looked into the woods and saw 2 squirrels one of them an albino squirrel. That was a sight we probably will never see again. Our camera had just taken its last picture, but another group of tourists had a video camera, so the lady kicked off her shoes and ran after the squirrel trying to get its picture. While driving through New Mexico, we were listening to the radio. The news was reporting the 30% drop in the number of hunters from 2001 to the present. The only tag that hadn t dropped was the elk tag. They are starting to feel the squeeze to run their Game and Fish Department. Just like in Arizona, by the year 2030 there may be no more sportsmen here. I feel there is so much indoctrination in schools, and from animal rights groups that is turning our kids away from the centuries old tradition of hunting and fishing. favorites is If God didn t want us to eat animals, He wouldn t have made them out of meat. Now, all joking aside, for all of you who are in the NRA, be sure to read the letter about the Second Amendment legal action pending for the United States Supreme Court. If you are not an NRA member, please consider joining, because it is all about numbers. This is the big one, which will have a huge impact on you, your children and every American gun owner for generations to come. The NRA needs all the help it can get. Good hunting, good fishing and may the Good Lord take a liking to you. Some of the lucky raffle winners at the 2007 Annual Meeting. Article on page 14. I took my grandson out for his first dove hunt, and I hadn t shot my shotgun for a long time. My grandson was missing the doves. I said, Here s the way you do it and the dove kept on flying. Shane said, Grandpa, you missed. I told him I had blanks with no bullets in the shells. That s the best answer I could come up with. I set up to sell my knives at several sport shows each year. One of the things we enjoy is reading all the crazy t-shirts the sportsmen are wearing. One of our recent Arizona Elk Society 21

22 ANTLER DEVELOPMENT by Steve and Gloria McInelly of Lakeside, Arizona These photographs of a single bull were taken over a time period of almost 1 year. They document the fascinating development of the bull s antlers. February 2006 April 2006 May 7, 2006 May 22, 2006 May 31, The Tracker - Fall 2007 June 9, 2006 June 17, 2006

23 July 26, 2006 August 10, 2006 August 19, 2006 August 23, ELK HUNTING CLINIC See article on page 15. Arizona Elk Society 23

24 A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE by Christian Wolff After picking up my first bow in September the year before and helping some friends on there archery bull hunt in unit 10 I was hooked and wanted a chance at an elk with my bow. Not expecting to get drawn for anything I was shocked to here the words You were drawn for elk. you were drawn for hunt number At this point I started to freak out and could not believe that I had drawn a 7W archery bull tag! After the banquet I was able to really get a grasp on the fact that I had drawn one of the most coveted elk tags in Arizona. I immediately started to plan the first of many scouting trips. Steve came over and gave me a ton of information about the unit and some good rut areas. I was able to talk with Jimmy Mullins and he also gave me a lot of good areas to check out. I took the info with open arms and cannot thank either of them enough. After much scouting and with the hunt upon us, I was ready. Wednesday before the season I headed up with my mom to where we had planned to camp. When we arrived, Manny, his family and my dad were already there. I spent the day before the season glassing and watching some good bulls. During the middle of the day Gary Williams showed up to camp with us with his friends Keith and Dan. Going into the hunt I had 37 days of scouting and tons of confidence. On the eighth day of the hunt we went in to the area where we had 24 The Tracker - Fall 2007 been glassing the last 2 afternoons. With this being Manny s last day calling I was not going to be picky since he had put in so much time. We got in there and weren t hearing any bugles. Manny spotted a 5x5 going up over the ridge. While working my way up the hillside with Manny I spotted a raghorn down in the bottom. We worked the raghorn and a spike for an hour or so with no good shot opportunities. When we got down into the bedding area, Manny was able to get a bull to respond. The bull came in on a string and was a funky 6x1. I drew back and tried to get a smoker shot at 12 yards but hit a branch and had a clean miss. Another buddy showed up (Rob) to help out for the afternoon before he went to help another friend in a different unit. We went into where we got on Headshot and got some bugles around 5:00. We tried to follow bugles but the wind was blowing in all directions it seemed. We decided to sit by the meadow and waterhole hoping the bulls would funnel through. We had about 7 bulls bugling around us and we setup on a really deep growling bull. We started calling and it sounded like he was working his way in. I was able to see his cows but never him. Then all of a sudden we had a weaker bugle coming in. We all thought it was going to be a raggy but I was willing to shoot anything at this point since it was Manny s last afternoon calling for me. The bull stepped

25 out and we were all surprised to see a 6x6 that had dark antlers and ivory tips.the bull was coming in on a string. He dropped down through a drainage which was my opportunity to draw. He came up out of the drainage and stopped at 22 yards facing me. I held at full draw for over a minute when he bugled. I then decided at 22 yards I was confident I was going to be able to put the arrow where it belonged. After holding back for around a minute and a half, I took a deep breath and released. I watched as the arrow hit its mark and sunk in about 16 inches.the bull took off running and I saw him stop on a ridge about 100 yards away and lay down. He got up one more time, walked 4 steps and laid down.we decided to back out and come back after dinner.when we got back to camp I told my dad and he wanted to go back right then.then Pops showed up to hang out for the night and have some ribs that Gary had made.we ate some of the best ribs, if not the best ribs of my life.we went back out to find the bull about 2 ½ hours later. We went to where we last saw him and he was laying right there! I could not believe it after 37 days of scouting and 8 days of hunting I finally was able to harvest a great bull. This hunt was a life changing experience and I could not have done it without all the help of all my friends. I would like to thank them all Manny, Steve, Jimmy, Matt, Ryan, Tyler, Nate, Brad, Cody, Kit, Gary, Keith, and to my Dad. AES 2007 HUNT OF A LIFETIME RAFFLE WINNERS by Steve Clark 1ST PRIZE - GRIZZLY BEAR HUNT RICHARD WICK, INGLESIDE, IL 2ND PRIZE - CARIBOU HUNT JAMES VOGT, WINTER HAVEN, FL 2007 OPTICS PACKAGE JERRY VORDENBAUM At the Annual Meeting, this year s Hunt of a Lifetime winners were chosen.tickets were drawn and the lucky winners got a cell phone call with the good news. Because of where the winners were located, most were sound asleep and had to be awakened to hear the news.the common phrase each exclaimed was I never win anything! The AES thanks all the entrants that bought raffle tickets for this years drawing.the Elk Habitat in our state will be much improved with the money raised. Check out the funded projects page on the website for information on how we spend the money we raise. As always this money will be matched with other groups, organizations and Agencies to get the most bang for the dollar. The Tracker is a quarterly publication for the members of the Arizona Elk Society. Letters, comments, news items, articles, pictures and stories are welcome and will be considered for publication. You may mail or any such items. Materials mailed for publication will not be returned to the sender unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Arizona Elk Society, P.O. Box 190, Peoria, AZ, rthrbhntng@cox.net, ADVERTISING IN THE TRACKER Get your product information in front of thousands of Arizona outdoor enthusiasts and hunters by placing your full-color ad in The Tracker. Ad Rates for interior pages: Quarter page: $100; Half page: $175; Full page: $350 Ad rates for inside back or inside front cover: Full page: $500 Discounts for 1 year+ contracts. Accepted format is high resolution PDF. For more information, mdelvecchio9@mac.com. Arizona Elk Society 25

26 Habitat Partners of Arizona With the rapid loss of open space to development, wildlife habitat is being reduced at a rate of 7 square miles per day. Arizona s elk herds are loosing traditional migration corridors, calving grounds, forage meadows and other important habitat.the new Habitat Partners of Arizona program is designed to help protect that land.the main focus of this program will be to preserve land and prevent the rapid decline of Arizona s elk habitat. HOW WILL MONEY BE USED? Conservation Easements: An agreement between landowners and a qualified conservation organization in which the owner of the land agrees to place restrictions on the type and amount of development that can take place on the property. Land Donations: A gift of land or real estate from a corporation or private landowner. Bargain Sale Purchase: The purchase of property with a portion of the price being discounted as a property donation. Possible Land Use Changes: By partnering with ranchers, landowners and government agencies the Habitat Partners of Arizona program will be able to maintain forage-rich grasslands, critical elk winter and summer ranges, migration corridors, calving grounds, natural water sources such as riparian areas and increase wildlife habitat. After the land has been designated saved, the AES can then plan projects to restore and improve the habitat. HERE S HOW YOU CAN HELP: Become a Habitat Partner with your tax deductible donation starting at $2500 ($1000 for 17 and under). Payment Plan Available: $500 minimum commitment per year.you will be recognized for a donation level once your payments reach that level for each level you attain. All program participants that reach the $2500 level and above ($1000 for youth) will be recognized in literature and on the AES website and will receive a plaque at each level. If you are interested in donating property or a conservation easement, the AES will work with you to designate the appropriate level based on the value of the donation. DONATION LEVELS: Legacy Partner $500,000 Habitat Guardian $250,000 Monarch Partner $50,000 Imperial Partner $25,000 Royal Partner $10,000 Supporting Partner $5,000 Sponsor Partner $2,500 Spike Partner (17 & under) $1,000 TO DONATE: Complete the Habitat Program donation form on the AES website and mail to: Arizona Elk Society P.O.Box 190, Peoria, AZ Walt and Cookie Nicoson Supporting Partner Level Steve and Dee Clark Sponsor Partner Level Ron and Sharon Eichelberger Sponsor Partner Level AES Habitat Partners Sportsman s Warehouse Sponsor Partner Level Pacific West Representatives Sponsor Partner Level Cabela s Sponsor Partner Level Harry Carlson Royal Partner Level with goal of Imperial Partner Level 26 The Tracker - Fall 2007

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28 Arizona Elk Society P.O.Box 190, Peoria, AZ ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE PAID Phoenix, AZ Permit No. 5572