 |
| Alan Hamberlin and his giant 2011 6x6 Arizona Bull |
 |
| 2009 Photo of Button |
"And thats how it's done...." Alan Hamberlin, July 23, 2011. Those are the words we at Mossback AZ have been waiting 3 years to hear. On July 23rd, 2011 at approximately 7:30 pm, Alan Hamberlin dropped the hammer on a bull we named Button (When we were out scouting bulls before they started shedding antlers, this bull already had buttons on his head before the other bulls started dropping), an absolutely giant 6x6 Arizona bull that we have followed over the last 3 years. This bull could not have fallen to a more deserving hunter as Alan is as dedicated to the conservation of Arizona's wildlife as anyone that we know. Alan was able to obtain a special Arizona permit that allowed him to hunt any where in AZ for an entire year. Last August, Alan came down to hunt with our team but Button was able to prove why he has outsmarted many hunters over the years.
 |
| 2010 Photo of Button |
After a few days of searching, Button was no where to be found. We believe this bull makes a big move for the rut. This spring, Alan contacted our team again and asked us to find Button for him. This entire summer found us pounding the hills in search of this great bull and our hard work paid off as we were able to relocate him and learn his daily habits. This bull was very habitual and kept a daily routine until a few weeks ago as more and more folks began scouting. This activity forced Button into a new area and after a few days of searching, we were able to learn his new stomping grounds. Our team was able to capture some unbelievable HD video of Button.
 |
| Button 1 week prior to being harvested |
With this news, Alan arrived to continue his quest of harvesting Button almost a year after his first attempt. Over a period of 4 days, Jay and Alan attempted stalks on this bull on all but one evening. Button liked the thick cover and was usually bedded only a few minutes after sunrise and didn't come out til just before sunset. This kept Alan, his brother Jim, and Jay making mad dashes to try and close the distance before Button would melt back into the cover. Although they were often within a few hundred yards of Button, the cover was too thick to allow for any attempts at a stalk in the trees. Their patience paid off after closing the distance once again on the morning of the 23rd. The hunters let the heat of the day set in before backing out knowing that Button was bedded only a few hundred yards away. That evening, Button finally presented a brief moment of opportunity when he was out of his bed with enough light to allow Jim and Jay and close the final distance. Alan was able to bring this cat and mouse game to a close with a well place shot. Alan and the Mossback guides finally fulfilled the 3 year quest of harvesting Button. Alan has seen many giant bulls over his hunting career but was overwhelmed with emotion when walking up on this giant. Any scoring system and field photos cannot do any justice to the size of this bull's body and antlers. Jay was set up to video the conclusion of this hunt and captured amazing footage seconds before the hammer fell. Unfortunately, Alan needed a higher shooting support and had to use the camera tripod to steady his rifle. Even though the shot was not captured on video, the camera was still running and captured the quote that started this story. Congratulations to Alan Hamberlin on harversting a true world class bull. There have been very few 6x6 bulls that are in the catergory that Button is in and although many have claimed to have chased this bull, Alan and Mossback AZ were able to seal the deal. Keep checking back in as we will create a video that follows this bull over 3 years all the way up to the conclusion of this great chase. Enjoy the pictures.
 |
| Alan was accompanied by his brother Jim. |
 |
| Alan and Mossback AZ guides |
 |
| Alan and Mossback AZ guides |
