Had a large visitor this morning...

[Capt Steve]

Still trying to figure out how to post the pics, I do now have Photobucket but when I click on Manage Attachments nothing happens??? The visitor was the largest bull elk I have ever seen, probably 900#+. He was just passing through, very docile and just grazing. We kept our distance while shooting pics and video and he did not seem to take much notice of us.

He did take notice of my garden, a 20 X 20' plot that fortunately is wrapped with 7.5' high elk fence. It is currently putting out lots of blackberries, some raspberries, apples and pears along with tomatoes, strawberries and even a couple of jalapeños.

He stayed for about 20 minutes and then wandered up the road. Our neighborhood is heavily treed and at 5,000' we often have elk on or property as evidenced by their tracks and the large piles of "Elk Duds". He really was magnificent and if anyone has a clue how to post the pics {I can email them to you for processing?} would enjoy sharing him with all of you. TIA.

 

[Onomea]

Steve, re how to post pix, see here: Video Tutorials on Posting Pictures

Let's see that 900 lb elk!

 

[Capt Steve]

I'll take all the help I can get...

Rusty1953 has offered to step up and share them {as I am still struggling to figure out how} so I have emailed him a couple of pics and hope they come through OK.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Here's the pic of Steve's new friend.

That's a lot of bull.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Nice mature bull elk. I have recipes!

 

[mike4sigs]

Thanks for Sharing Capt.
Rusty thanks for the leg work.

 

[Muddyboot]

Looks like a second freezer would be needed.

 

[Onomea]

Whoa! Thassa big un!

 

[gjgalligan]

Capt Steve
Mind telling us where you live?

 

[Capt Steve]

Payson Arizona

We moved up here in the fall of 2020 from Tucson. Payson is about 100 miles north of Phoenix sitting at the base of the Mongolian Rim at 5,000'. If you think of the map if Arizona as a target Payson would be pretty close to the ten ring.

Payson is surrounded by the largest Ponderosa Pine Forrest in North America which makes it "Elk Central". It is a nice smallish town/city with a population of around 20,000. We are only 30 miles from the Mogollon Rim which sits at 7,500' and highway 260 is the gateway to the White Mountains. Yep, we love it here!

 

[yaktamer]

Steve,

If he happens to stop by on Thanksgiving weekend, kindly point him in the direction of Unit 5A, up on the rim above Strawberry, right side of Highway 87. I have a tag that may belong to him.

 

[bigmtnman]

When those antlers drop, just send them to me !!

 

[jeffrefrig]

I must be an old softy, as I would have a hard time shooting such a beautiful creature. But I fully understand hunting them and getting that one in the sights. One of those Mountain Men episodes zeroed in on a guy who hunted the antlers to sell them before the forest creatures got to them. Lots of artistic creativity on that guy's head, for sure. Nice picture for sure.

 

[Skeet 028]

Nice critter. As for eating one...no...not when they are rutting especially. I learned a looonnnggg time ago the best eating is usually a nice size cow. Back quite a few years I shot crop damage permit deer in Md... They wanted us to shoot does. Best eating on whitetail deer too. At first they told us to leave 'em in the woods...but what a waste. I gave 'em to people that needed them

 

[625-7]

45-70 405g

 

[Skeet 028]

45-70 405g

Nah...that would hurt so bad I wouldn't be able to pick up a fork to eat it with

 

[Geronimo Jim]

This is a example of a post where the location of the poster
would be really appreciated!

 

[Rustyt1953]

Steve lives in Payson, Arizona.

 

[arjay]

He's a nice one! Worst case of buck fever I've heard of involved a Leo in a small town (100,000) who just couldn't take it anymore and blasted a huge bull in someone's front yard out of season. He and the buddy (also a Leo) who helped him load it up lost their jobs over that brain fart [emoji851]

 

[Capt Steve]

This is a example of a post where the location of the poster
would be really appreciated!

See post#10