Even a Blind Squirrel. . . . .

C

cantclosethedeal

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I finally closed the deal on a bull I am thrilled about. I know there are better bulls on this unit, but I promised myself I would go directly after the first bull I saw that met my minimum standards. This beautiful animal is MORE than enough for me.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this success. Even though I scouted and hunted alone, a lot of people deserve credit for making this happen.
Dr Sheehy and Gibbs, Loni Olsen, (Helped pack out, what a guy!) Roy, (aka BOHNTR), Travis (aka Deerbedead), Scott (aka Swbuckmaster), Eric (aka Chroma380), Daniel (aka Net388). All the local hunters who were more than happy to share what they knew. And, of course, my wife. She not only tolerates my obsession, she celebrates it! You da best baby!

I was able to get ahead of and ambush the bull with about 25 cows. Took a steep downhill shot leaning over a cliff at the outside edge of my effective range. 20 sec later, he was down.

This was without a doubt the most fun I have had hunting. Big bulls everywhere, and I did not see so much as another hunters track. I had these bad boys all to myself.

Now it's time to get serous about some Archery Muleys!
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That is just awesome! You kept an upbeat great attitude the whole hunt.
I knew based on your first post that you would connect. Great job on a GREAT bull
 
Great bull! Congrats, I'm so jealous :)

____________________________________________________________________
"Ain't no pisscutter worth it but we keep doing it!" -Bobcatbess
 
You just ruined my day.....

I have been working hard on not thinking about my bull tag and after reading your post I am all ancy and cant focus!

I still have a week to go....

Awesome bull.....Congrats
 
Sorry to leave out so many details. This was a Limited Entry hunt in Utah. Beaver unit, Archery, solo backpack hunt.
There are a handful of 380+ bulls on this unit, but I was not willing to pass a 350 class bull in hopes of getting a chance at one of these super bulls. I am sure many of you pro?s would have held out for a bigger animal, but I did not hesitate for a second. One look at this bull and I was ALL IN!
Thanks for your kind words.
 
Beautiful bull! If that is the quality of bull that meets your minimum standards - then well your standards are definitely higher than mine! Love the mass on those G4's - some great character to this one for sure.



UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)
 
closesthedeal,

I told you your attitude was good! Nicely done on a great bull. I will say it once again, the archers who get out and try will kill great bulls! Nicely done!

Pm me me if you found any herds of billies I need to know about, please!;-)
 
Congrats! Great bull, great hunt, great mass, great meamories. Thats what it is all about.
 
Thats a stud bull man!!!! and with a bow is even more spectacular for sure!!! I would love to hear the story and start it with arriving in Utah :) With your enthusiasm, you deserve every inch of that bull. Great field photo as well. Well done!

buck1.gif


Later, Brandon
 
Seriously, nice work! That is a spectacular bull. Congrats and post up the story when you can. Sounds like you made a great shot.
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-02-09 AT 03:47PM (MST)[p]Very Nice BULL!!

It's good to hear that a few people are having success on the Elk with Archery, other than myself!

I am always amazed at the kindness of other's on this website and how they are willing to help out fellow hunter's!!


?-ERock-> ?
 
What the hecks wrong with you.........????


Apoligizing for shooting a bull like that???? Like most people won't????? Your insane man! I'm trying to figure out exactly why people would pass that bull and only the fact that they've already shot a few like that comes to mind. Believe me, I've killed my fair share of bulls and that's the only, and I mean only, reason I would pass a bull like that. I tell you what, I plan on passing bulls like that but will make sure I have someone standing right behind me to kick me in the a$$ when I do. I still have a hard time passing 330 bulls is you'd believe that. Get your I don't give a dam& attitude out when you write that story up and write it with some pride. A few lies about all the 400's you passed up so bullmania would be able to get excited sounds in order. I have to call foul on you saying you shot it with a bow. I still don't believe people kill elk with a bow, and until I see that with my own eyes I will have to say..."yeah, sure" lol

Awesome bull, totally awesome. I now oficially hate you. I had my elk fever under control and now I realize its september and that the elk are rutting and I have a freakin LE tag next to your unit with a real weapon lol

BTW: how the heck did I overlook so many bulls when I scared all the big ones off the beaver two weeks ago???





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silly liberals, paychecks are for workers!
 
Great bull, you did well and should not even think of the bigger bulls you saw. This was archery, so the bull you killed was probably harder to kill and better than a 380+ during a rifle hunt on the same turf.
 
i could sleep easy for the rest of my life if that was the biggest bull i ever killed! awsome and great job on a killer bull that anyone, with any sence at all, would be proud of!
 
That is a wonderfull bull!

Some great guys here on M&M that helped you get him off the mountain.

congrats

Robb
 
No need to apologize or even justify your reasons for taking that bull. He looks awesome! As has been noted, anybody that passes that bull up on an archery hunt is danged fool or an idiot. And to do it single with a backpack and a bow makes it even all the more amazing.
 
Awesome bull!! Congrats! Can't wait for my hunt! I wouldn't hesitate for a second if I seen a bull like that! Way to go buddy!
 
Here is the long winded story. Believe it or not, this is the SHORT version.
The Story:
All you guys who have drawn a LE tag know what I was going through. Nothing else matters. It took 12 years and 9 points to draw a resident Archery elk tag. When I read 350+ potential but a steep difficult hunt, I knew this was the tag for me. I apologized to my wife. I was going to be physically and emotionally unavailable for the next 4 months. I stepped up my training regimen to include long steep hikes with 60lbs of water in my pack. I stepped up my gear a notch, and I contacted every hard core hunter I had ever met. Before long, I had 10 pages of areas to look at, techniques to try, and a list of successful vs. unsuccessful previous hunters.
After the first 5 days of scouting, I was a little disheartened. I was not finding any bulls at all. The next 5 days of scouting revealed hidden bachelor groups of quality animals with at least on shooter on the fringe if each group. The final 3 days turned up a couple of the ?World Class? animals everyone talks about. The plan was simple. Pack in deep, keep camp on my back and be in the mix all day every day.
The hunt:
Holy Shi* batman!!! Bulls everywhere! On the first 5 day stretch I had two different 340 class bulls under 40 yards at full draw. I passed on one 5x5 that I immediately regretted not taking. He was a HOG. I found the bull I eventually ended up harvesting but could not get in range. At one point, I counted 13 different branch anterlered bulls in sight at one time. Bulls were starting to bugle, wallow, and push each other around. ELK HEAVEN plain and simple.
After two days at work, I was back on the mountain. I hiked in after dark and got to sleep around 1am. 4:30 could not come early enough. I got out early to try and locate potential bulls. I hiked around in the dark for an hour and half bugling into different drainages trying to decide my plan of attack. Not much help, elk would respond in virtually every canyon.
By shooting light, the mountain was on fire. Bulls bugling, antlers crashing above and below me. Then something special, mews and chirps. One of these bulls already had a harem. As I raced around the mountain to get the wind in my favor, it was obvious I was going to intercept the herd as it moved from the water below to the bedding area above. Unfortunately, it wasn?t a few cows, it was 20+. This was going to take some finesse. One look at the bull and there was no doubt. I would be honored to have him on my wall. I tried to work around a small cliff to get in position. Too late, the cows were already there. I crawled to the edge of the cliff and looked down. There he was, right below me pushing his cows along and away from my position. It was now or never. I quick range down the steep angle had me holding just below his spine as he quartered away. The shot felt great, the thud sounded promising, and his panicked diminishing energy left no doubt. He was mine!
Thanks for all your kind words and encouragement. I had no idea I would see this much action or have this much fun. Literally every minute will be cherished.
 
That's a great looking bull Hope NM has one of those in store for me in OCT. I will crawl a long way to get one like him.


"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
 
You talk about not passing up a 350 bull in order to get a chance at 380. I might be off, but this bull looks much closer to 380 than 350. The MASS!!!
 
That is a heck of a bull. Congrats on doing it hard core! Back pack by yourself. That is awesome! You will remember that hunt forever!

I actually think I passed you on Bangerter on your way home. I waved as I went by. If it was not you it was another bowhunter with a great bull and a very big smile on his face!

Congrats on killing a true trophy very much deserving of your tag!!

Good luck on your deer too!

Chad
 
Congrads on a real nice Bull. Looks like you got lucky also. He could have been down in the bottom of that finger.
 
Fantastic bull, great story and way to go hunting him hardcore.

Thanks for sharing him with us!

Pred
 
SWEET STORY AND A HARD EARNED BULL. YOU PUT THE TIME IN,AND THE EFFORT, AND MADE IT COUNT, AND HAVE NO REGRETS.....THATS WHAT HUNTING IS ALL ABOUT RIGHT THERE. CONGRATS ON A FINE BULL!!!!!


BUGLEMN
 
Congrats Mike,

That is an awesome bull, looks like you had a great time. I missed a bull that I thought would go 380 + this morning, I am sick about it. I had him at 15 yds and couldn't get a shot, finally I got a little window at 60 yds and I shot just under him. I guess that is why they call it hunting. Congrats again hopefully I can Closethedeal soon..................
 
We are all rooting for you Daniel! Pull one of those mosters off the unit and one up that 390 hog that put you in the record books. (Is he still #3 all time Pope and Young in Utah?)

While you are at it make Mitch jealous one up his 440!
 
Beautiful bull! There's no way I would have passed on that brute as well.
Congrats!


------------------
DRSS Chapuis 470NE
SCI
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WSF
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NRA
 
Congratulations on a great bull! Well done and goes to a very deserving hunter. The great thing about a hunt and experience like this is (in my opinion) that you can have the satisfaction of knowing that you did all of the scouting, planning, practicing, and hunting to make the success happen. For me that is the most satisfying part about DIY bow hunting. The successes and failures are all your own. I would be proud to be able to harvest a bull of that caliber (that most of us only dream about harvesting). I hope you are able to enjoy the memories of this hunt for years to come every time you look at that set of antlers up on your wall!

Steve
 
Way to go Mike......YOU did a great job amigo.....congratulations on a beautiful bull elk and a trophy of a lifetime.

BOHNTR )))---------->
 
Good job I know the feeling. Six years to get one myself.

Congrats on a beauty
 

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