Dave's T. Early Rifle Elk Hunt with Colburn and Scott Outfitters

Posted by Janis Putelis:
Dave Toyne was my Early Rifle client in Unit 10 for 2011.  After getting to know each other a bit, it was decided that we were going to hunt for a 370"+ bull for the first five days as Dave already had a couple of trophies on his wall.  We hunted hard, but with the rut being hit and miss and only pockets of elk actually acting rutty, finding one of the big boys proved difficult.  As the week wore on, bigger bulls were spotted, but unfortunately most of them were already broken.  With only a day and half to go, Dave decided he'd rather shoot a smaller bull than go home empty handed.  We had a spot where the bugling had been good, and slipped in under the cover of darkness on the last morning.  The bulls were screaming, we were set up to watch the parade go by, but as the second half of the herd was nearing, the wind swirled and our position was revealed.  The elk took off and we took off after them.  It was a solid twenty minutes of hot-footing, but we caught up just as they were about to go over another ridge.  I glassed Dave's bull, thought him to be a great last day shooter, and told Dave to get into shooting position.  With only one small shooting lane left before the bull would dissapear we were cutting it thin.  Dave came through with pounding heart rate and all.  He made a 312yd shot from a seated position in a 4th and Goal type scenario.  After a couple finishing shots the bull was down.  Congratulations Dave!  I'd like to thank Colburn and Scott Outfitters, Darr Colburn, Jay Scott, and everyone else that helped make this hunt happen.

Awesome sunsets.

A lion kill only 100yds from one of our favorite glassing spots.  Makes the walk out in the dark a litttle more interesting!

Dave passed on bulls like this one hoping to cross paths with a true AZ giant.

Waiting for the bugling to begin.

Dave was pumped to score on a couple of sheds during the hunt.



We were blessed with beautiful starry nights with the Milky Way clearly visible from one horizon to the other.




Dave made a 312yd shot seconds after following me at a fast pace over two ridges.




A happy hunter after six and half long, hard days of hunting.




Although not a huge scoring bull, with 57" and 58" main beams, he definitely has some WOW factor.




Darr showed up just in time for pictures, skinning, quartering and the pack job.



Dave packing out his hard earned trophy.

Darr and the KUIU Icon 6000 packing a boned out ham, shoulder, and the neck roasts.