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This is a thread for discussion of the article, 12 Year Old Bags 6X6 Bull Elk, By Mike Greene. Here you can ask questions or make comments about the article.
12 Year Old Bags 6X6 Bull Elk
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270 Sender0
Well-Known Member
"When the Wallow Fire swept through our forests I came to realize that nothing is forever. I suggest that readers take a moment and enjoy the world around you today while it's still there, because tomorrow it could be all gone!"
Thanks for taking the time to post this hunt, it brings back past hunting trips with my kids and nephews, they have been some of the best adventures in the woods.
Steve
Thanks for taking the time to post this hunt, it brings back past hunting trips with my kids and nephews, they have been some of the best adventures in the woods.
Steve
noordinaryjoe
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This is a magnificent animal and your grandson should be very proud! My comments below are not intended to take anything away from those points.
I wonder, however, about the tactic of introducing young hunters to trophy hunting.
A doe or spike whitetail is plenty enough to get the excitement going, pride up and 'hook' a young hunter for life, IMHO. (It was for me and everyone else that I hunt with.)
I'm sure a cow or one of the smaller bulls that you spotted earlier could have done the same and would have had a higher success rate to help avoid the possibility of the disappointment of an unsuccessful hunt that you were so worried about. Dreaming of 'the big (ger) one that I'll get next year!' is part of the magic, starting out with the 'trophy of a lifetime' just doesn't give your grandson much left to dream about.
That aside, I very much enjoyed your article.
-Joe
I wonder, however, about the tactic of introducing young hunters to trophy hunting.
A doe or spike whitetail is plenty enough to get the excitement going, pride up and 'hook' a young hunter for life, IMHO. (It was for me and everyone else that I hunt with.)
I'm sure a cow or one of the smaller bulls that you spotted earlier could have done the same and would have had a higher success rate to help avoid the possibility of the disappointment of an unsuccessful hunt that you were so worried about. Dreaming of 'the big (ger) one that I'll get next year!' is part of the magic, starting out with the 'trophy of a lifetime' just doesn't give your grandson much left to dream about.
That aside, I very much enjoyed your article.
-Joe
Nice to see and hear about you teaching your 12 year old how to hunt properly - great story. I just got me bull the weekend of Oct 15, using my customized vingtage 6.5X55 with original barrel, spped kit, cock on opening with new trigger in glass beeded ramline stock, with 140 gr Berger hunting ULD, one hole groups at 100 yds at 2856 fps. What a delight to shoot, the gun is old and so am I. practised at length at 500yds, under MOA groups, and then in the field I sneak up on a 6X6 bull at 50 yds. Had to shoot through a very samll window through brances - neck shot. Very nice bull. Glad to see you are working with a Twelve year old kid, I wish him many years of hunting pleasurte, may all his shots be good to the mark. God Bless!
Ranger Jim
Active Member
Congratulations to you and your Grandson on a successful hunt. I have very fond memories of hunting with my grandfather and successfully taking Black Tailed Deer, Pheasant, Quail, Ducks, and allot of fishing. Your Grandson will cherish these memories for the rest of his life, Bless you for taking your time in doing this. I see way too many fathers and grandfathers that do not take the time to teach and share the outdoors with their families.
Ranger Jim
Ranger Jim
prtaylor
Well-Known Member
This is the same area I hunt every year. I have not gotten a tag in 8 years but I go elk hunting every year with my camera. The fire did burn alot of area but it is not a total loss. The burn areas are now covered with new grass and growth and thge next few years will make for magnificent hunting. Congrats to you and your grandson. These are the most memorable times. My granddaughter got her first mule deer this year, a 4X4, and she was on top of the world
19elkhunter51
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CONGRATULATIONS on harvesting such a magnificent bull elk!!!!! I know that feeling of cleanly taking an elk and I must say that even at 60 years old I still get the shakes as I walk up to the animal.
Nothing can be taken from this hunt. Memories of this hunt with you and your grandson will live for many years and NOTHING will replace that memory.
I will say that when I was introduced to hunting I was sorely disappointed in my first hunt because we did not harvest an animal. I don't think I was quite eight years old yet when my dad and my grandfather took me deer hunting. It was in the same area that you were hunting ( I was born and raised in Tucson ). The rest of the deer camp had almost completely fill their tags and we were the only ones that did not fill our tags. My dad made it clear that the hunt was more than just taking an animal. It was the time in field with all those friends, watching the forest wake up in the morning and putting the forest to bed at night. The ability to be in the field with my grandfather and my dad is what made that hunt important.
I really would like to believe that the important part of the hunt is not the killing shot but the magnificent beauty of the forest, the elk and turkey while in the company of great friends and family. Success is wonderful but you yourself indicated that you have not drawn a tag after many years. My concern is that your grandson now has only the the great possibility of failure for many years. Will he next year complain about not drawing? What if he does draw and the season is one that we have all lived through; no elk, no turkey, no deer. Just long days in the forest with only our friends and family.
I would agree with someone that posted earlier. At his age does he completely understand that a bull elk of that size is literally a once in a lifetime opportunity and how very, very fortunate he is to have harvested an elk of that size?
In parting I would like to say that it is a true blessing to have family that teaches their children how to hunt. I was able to have my father hunt elk with us this year and he successfully harvested a fine cow. He will be 83 in March.
Nothing can be taken from this hunt. Memories of this hunt with you and your grandson will live for many years and NOTHING will replace that memory.
I will say that when I was introduced to hunting I was sorely disappointed in my first hunt because we did not harvest an animal. I don't think I was quite eight years old yet when my dad and my grandfather took me deer hunting. It was in the same area that you were hunting ( I was born and raised in Tucson ). The rest of the deer camp had almost completely fill their tags and we were the only ones that did not fill our tags. My dad made it clear that the hunt was more than just taking an animal. It was the time in field with all those friends, watching the forest wake up in the morning and putting the forest to bed at night. The ability to be in the field with my grandfather and my dad is what made that hunt important.
I really would like to believe that the important part of the hunt is not the killing shot but the magnificent beauty of the forest, the elk and turkey while in the company of great friends and family. Success is wonderful but you yourself indicated that you have not drawn a tag after many years. My concern is that your grandson now has only the the great possibility of failure for many years. Will he next year complain about not drawing? What if he does draw and the season is one that we have all lived through; no elk, no turkey, no deer. Just long days in the forest with only our friends and family.
I would agree with someone that posted earlier. At his age does he completely understand that a bull elk of that size is literally a once in a lifetime opportunity and how very, very fortunate he is to have harvested an elk of that size?
In parting I would like to say that it is a true blessing to have family that teaches their children how to hunt. I was able to have my father hunt elk with us this year and he successfully harvested a fine cow. He will be 83 in March.
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congrats.he will always remember this hunt
Tepco
Member
Sorry I didn't get back to everyone sooner.
2 days after the hunt, I blew out a cervical disk in my neck......
That was almost 2 months of pure hell because all the doctors kept trying to figure out what was wrong with my arm rather than my neck....
There were many opinions that I noticed, some were very complimentary and I thank you!
There were some that were rather critical of my introducing the boy to an elk of that size, and I will address that right now.
The 1st nice bull elk I/we stumbled onto during scouting and had patterned, was a 410+ bull 8X8 and extremly proportianate, with awsome palmation.
That bull was harvested the last day of archery season... the day before our hunt began.
When you take your son or grandson out hunting I don't believe in looking for the most inferior animal so that there will only be room for improvement.
I am sure when I am dead and gone, my grandson will have a story to tell to his friends and own grandson!!
Some suggested that he should have had harvested a cow or yearling.... He had a trophy bull hunt tag!!
He won the lottery!!!
What parent who loves their grandson or son, would tell the lad that he has to pass on a 6X6 because he's too young, and might be dissapointed later in life? Especially if he used all the skills he had been taught to harvest the best bull he could???
To those of you who spent quality time in the Unit 1 area with parents who taught you to appreciate the beauty that we have had the privelidge of growing up with. I hope you have lots of pictures... that way your grandkids can see what the forest looked like when we were children. I believe the forests will still be beautiful for them but not the same as when we were kids.
In all the world, for 58 years, Unit 1 is my favorite vacation destination!! I never get tired of it!
Mike
BTW Matts 2nd and 3rd choices were for cow hunts so that he would hopefully get to hunt.
2 days after the hunt, I blew out a cervical disk in my neck......
That was almost 2 months of pure hell because all the doctors kept trying to figure out what was wrong with my arm rather than my neck....
There were many opinions that I noticed, some were very complimentary and I thank you!
There were some that were rather critical of my introducing the boy to an elk of that size, and I will address that right now.
The 1st nice bull elk I/we stumbled onto during scouting and had patterned, was a 410+ bull 8X8 and extremly proportianate, with awsome palmation.
That bull was harvested the last day of archery season... the day before our hunt began.
When you take your son or grandson out hunting I don't believe in looking for the most inferior animal so that there will only be room for improvement.
I am sure when I am dead and gone, my grandson will have a story to tell to his friends and own grandson!!
Some suggested that he should have had harvested a cow or yearling.... He had a trophy bull hunt tag!!
He won the lottery!!!
What parent who loves their grandson or son, would tell the lad that he has to pass on a 6X6 because he's too young, and might be dissapointed later in life? Especially if he used all the skills he had been taught to harvest the best bull he could???
To those of you who spent quality time in the Unit 1 area with parents who taught you to appreciate the beauty that we have had the privelidge of growing up with. I hope you have lots of pictures... that way your grandkids can see what the forest looked like when we were children. I believe the forests will still be beautiful for them but not the same as when we were kids.
In all the world, for 58 years, Unit 1 is my favorite vacation destination!! I never get tired of it!
Mike
BTW Matts 2nd and 3rd choices were for cow hunts so that he would hopefully get to hunt.
6mm Remington
Well-Known Member
Congratulations to you and especially to the young man! Fantastic story and hunt.
carpetman2
Well-Known Member
That was a great story. You have made some unforgetable memories for you both. As for the lad shooting a trophy, it will dawn on him one day if it hasn't already, that he did shoot the bull of a lifetime, and he did with his grandpa. Then he will most likely spend a great deal of time thinking of you and the hunt while he pursues another bull of a lifetime, smiling along the way.
I shot a 170 class whitetail 23 years ago... my first whitetail! I've spent the past 22 years trying to do it again. and it's awesome:>
I shot a 170 class whitetail 23 years ago... my first whitetail! I've spent the past 22 years trying to do it again. and it's awesome:>
tony m
Well-Known Member
I am Canadian, and we packed into the White mountains in the early 90's and remember Escudilla Mountain..near Springerville , I think..You do grow some nice elk in eastern Arizona.Too bad about the big burns
