Sorry for the delayed response...computer problems. The bull is a 6x6 as I didn't get many different angles as I took them by myself on the timer and just didn't get the horns turned very well. We hunted unit 444 after hunting a trophy potential area the first 5 days. The other area just didn't have much sign so we went to this area which I've hunted for many years and know some hot spots. Experience with an area really paid off. The last bull I'd shot 3 yrs ago is at the tree line to the far right side of the photo....talk about a grueling back pack trip out with that meat. This bull had only 2 cows as I was actually going after another bull that had about 8 cows. I got to a meadow in the early evening and had a bugle immediately and when I set up, the other group came out dead on top of me....literally 8 yds in front of me. The first groups calves came out in front of me and went right downwind of me. The bull was trailing as usual and he stopped about 30 yds away and bugled. I could just see the top of the horns but he froze when the cows smelled me and started getting real nervous. I knew I'd been had and could only watch as they all bolted back where they came from barking all the way. Since they didn't see me, I thought I'd try to get above them as the took off into the timber. As I was chasing them (never seeing them again) I came on to the 2nd meadow and was again spotted by a cow that was in the meadow before I realized it. We had a stare down and I was going to win no matter what. After about 5 minutes of frozen stare off, the cow turned and started moving off. So I hurried into the meadow and snuck thru the tall grass and spotted another cow. Upon sneaking closer, I spotted the familiar white tips of antlers thru the grass. I immediately got my pack off and watched as they started moving away looking a bit nervous. I had a tree about 30 yds in front of me in an open meadow so i had to go for it for a rest as they were about 100 yds off. I got to the tree and got on the bull but it was moving too fast. I said a quick prayer for the bull to stop and it was immediately answered as he paused and looked back towards me. I immediately pulled the trigger and he bolted into the trees. Fearing that I missed, I reloaded and went over to look for blood. Not seeing any, I went about the trees into the bigger part of the meadow hoping they had came out again into the open. Not seeing them, I started back to the trees to look for blood and to my surprise, I found a couple drops before I got to the trees. Picking up the tracks, I found that he did indeed come out into the open area so I started following the tracks and small blood trail. After tracking about 50 yds, I looked ahead and spotted the horns sticking out above the grass on a very steep hillside. Wahoo! I fun was all over and the work was at hand. My buddy made it over in about an hour or so and we ended up back at camp at 1:30 am. A great hunt and may preseason shooting practice really paid off!
