Well, the season is over and the experiences were awesome to say the least. My Bro-In-Law and my Nephew both drew LE Archery Elk tags for the Dutton this year. They had enough points that we knew they would most likely draw so we all drew Archery Deer tags for the unit as well. I was fortunate enough to draw the LE Any Weapon tag for the same unit so it looked like we were going to be living down there for a month or two
We started scouting in July making a couple of trips down to check out the unit. We didn't see a lot of Elk during scouting and we were getting a little bit discouraged but we did see a lot of very pretty country.
Everyone we talked to kept saying to stick it out cause the Elk would show up. They were right. Right around Labor Day weekend the Elk started to show up. We saw a lot of Elk and covered a lot of ground trying to make it happen with the bows but we could just never close the deal.
One day we were going in after a bull and had made the trek from the truck about a mile or so in and the weather turned on us in a hurry. We decided to try and wait it out and made a little make shift shelter with our rain coats, the tripod and a juniper. The weather never cooperated and we ended up having to make the trek back to the truck in the rain. We were soaked by the time we got back but it was kind of fun
We were able to get in close numerous times but the bulls wanted nothing to do with anything we had to offer them. All the bulls running cows all through the archery hunt were smaller 300-320 class bulls and anytime they heard another cow call or bugle they would pick up their ladies and run them as far away from us as they could.
We even saw a small 280 class 5 point running a heard of about 25 cows. He sounded huge! We know this because we went after him one day when we didn't have the spotter on us going strictly on how he sounded. When we got close enough to see him we each kept looking for the "Big Bull" cause there was no way that could be him, right? Wrong!!!
Anyway, with lots of time behind the spotters, lots of miles on the boot leather and multiple encounters behind us the hunt was running down to the last day.
During the hunt we kept seeing a pretty nice 3 point buck running around with a couple of smaller bucks. We had him pretty much figured out and on Friday, the 14th my Bro-In-Law was able to seal the deal. On the hike out my son found a dead head and my nephew found a shed.
We went out on friday night for one last chance. We found a decent 6 point to chase but he was with about 30 cows and a couple of smaller bulls. My Bro-In-Law was able to get to within about 100 yards but they still didn't want anything to do with their calling. The cows would talk back but the bull just stood there for a minute then headed them up and over the cliffs.
As my Bro-In-Laws hunt came to a close we started to shift gears and think about the next morning. What was the plan? Where did we want to be? We had seen some really good bulls and many we could have easily killed with a rifle during the archery hunt so we had some good ideas about where to start.
Saturday morning came like christmas morning comes when your a kid, very slowly! We decided to split up so we could cover as much ground as possible. We sent my son and our friend Charlie up on top to glass. We sent my Bro-In-Law and my youngest with his cousin down low to glass and my Dad and I went to a spot we had seen the Elk using as a natural funnel.
We were all in place by about 5:45 and it seemed like it was getting darker, not lighter. We heard a few faint bugles but nothing to get too excited about yet. As the sun came up it got colder and colder. You know, that coldest part of the day right before the sun comes up. Right about then I got a call from Charlie saying they had just spotted a couple of bulls. They were still trying to determine what caliber they were when all of a sudden I look up and there are 7 cows running right towards me.
I hang up the phone and get my rifle ready. As I look up I see the bull following closely behind. They had no idea we were there. The cows were busy trying to keep the calves under control as they ran and kicked in the meadow while the bull stopped right in the only opening available right at 250 yards (which I knew because I had just ranged that spot about 5 minutes before). I looked him over and it didn't take me long to decide I really liked what I saw.
I took a rest and squeezed (OK, OK, I was excited and I let the moment get the best of me. It was more like a hard jerk than a squeeze ). I thought I had missed but would later realize I hit him in the hind quarter, but he acted as if I didn't hit him. He turned the opposite direction giving me a 45 degree quartering away shot and this time I was not about to miss. I settled the crosshairs on the opposite shoulder and squeezed the trigger. As the rifle went off I could see I hit my mark as the bull humped up and started to run away but he never came out from behind the tree. I looked at my Dad and said "I think he's down" and he said "I think your right". I couldn't believe it. I had finally made it happen after 20 plus years of chasing Elk. I have killed a couple of Elk in my time with my bow but nothing that even compares to this (a cow and a small 4X5).
I called my family and friends and told them what had happened. We all walked in to get him together. I was so pumped when I finally got to see him lying there. There was no ground shrinkage.
What an awesome couple of months we had. It was very cool to have my 2 boys, my Dad, my Bro-In-Law, my nephew and my good friend Charlie all there to share in the experience with me.
I have to take a moment and thank my very understanding, loving, and supportive wife for letting me chase my dreams. She was very excited for me and that made it even sweeter
For all of you score junkies. We put a quick rough tape on him and got him right around 360ish gross. Not important to me and I am tickled pink with him either way. I love his thirds, his swords, his mass and his width.
What an awesome hunt!!!
"The problem with quotes on Internet Forums is that it is often difficult to verify their authenticity." - Abraham Lincoln
We started scouting in July making a couple of trips down to check out the unit. We didn't see a lot of Elk during scouting and we were getting a little bit discouraged but we did see a lot of very pretty country.
Everyone we talked to kept saying to stick it out cause the Elk would show up. They were right. Right around Labor Day weekend the Elk started to show up. We saw a lot of Elk and covered a lot of ground trying to make it happen with the bows but we could just never close the deal.
One day we were going in after a bull and had made the trek from the truck about a mile or so in and the weather turned on us in a hurry. We decided to try and wait it out and made a little make shift shelter with our rain coats, the tripod and a juniper. The weather never cooperated and we ended up having to make the trek back to the truck in the rain. We were soaked by the time we got back but it was kind of fun
We were able to get in close numerous times but the bulls wanted nothing to do with anything we had to offer them. All the bulls running cows all through the archery hunt were smaller 300-320 class bulls and anytime they heard another cow call or bugle they would pick up their ladies and run them as far away from us as they could.
We even saw a small 280 class 5 point running a heard of about 25 cows. He sounded huge! We know this because we went after him one day when we didn't have the spotter on us going strictly on how he sounded. When we got close enough to see him we each kept looking for the "Big Bull" cause there was no way that could be him, right? Wrong!!!
Anyway, with lots of time behind the spotters, lots of miles on the boot leather and multiple encounters behind us the hunt was running down to the last day.
During the hunt we kept seeing a pretty nice 3 point buck running around with a couple of smaller bucks. We had him pretty much figured out and on Friday, the 14th my Bro-In-Law was able to seal the deal. On the hike out my son found a dead head and my nephew found a shed.
We went out on friday night for one last chance. We found a decent 6 point to chase but he was with about 30 cows and a couple of smaller bulls. My Bro-In-Law was able to get to within about 100 yards but they still didn't want anything to do with their calling. The cows would talk back but the bull just stood there for a minute then headed them up and over the cliffs.
As my Bro-In-Laws hunt came to a close we started to shift gears and think about the next morning. What was the plan? Where did we want to be? We had seen some really good bulls and many we could have easily killed with a rifle during the archery hunt so we had some good ideas about where to start.
Saturday morning came like christmas morning comes when your a kid, very slowly! We decided to split up so we could cover as much ground as possible. We sent my son and our friend Charlie up on top to glass. We sent my Bro-In-Law and my youngest with his cousin down low to glass and my Dad and I went to a spot we had seen the Elk using as a natural funnel.
We were all in place by about 5:45 and it seemed like it was getting darker, not lighter. We heard a few faint bugles but nothing to get too excited about yet. As the sun came up it got colder and colder. You know, that coldest part of the day right before the sun comes up. Right about then I got a call from Charlie saying they had just spotted a couple of bulls. They were still trying to determine what caliber they were when all of a sudden I look up and there are 7 cows running right towards me.
I hang up the phone and get my rifle ready. As I look up I see the bull following closely behind. They had no idea we were there. The cows were busy trying to keep the calves under control as they ran and kicked in the meadow while the bull stopped right in the only opening available right at 250 yards (which I knew because I had just ranged that spot about 5 minutes before). I looked him over and it didn't take me long to decide I really liked what I saw.
I took a rest and squeezed (OK, OK, I was excited and I let the moment get the best of me. It was more like a hard jerk than a squeeze ). I thought I had missed but would later realize I hit him in the hind quarter, but he acted as if I didn't hit him. He turned the opposite direction giving me a 45 degree quartering away shot and this time I was not about to miss. I settled the crosshairs on the opposite shoulder and squeezed the trigger. As the rifle went off I could see I hit my mark as the bull humped up and started to run away but he never came out from behind the tree. I looked at my Dad and said "I think he's down" and he said "I think your right". I couldn't believe it. I had finally made it happen after 20 plus years of chasing Elk. I have killed a couple of Elk in my time with my bow but nothing that even compares to this (a cow and a small 4X5).
I called my family and friends and told them what had happened. We all walked in to get him together. I was so pumped when I finally got to see him lying there. There was no ground shrinkage.
What an awesome couple of months we had. It was very cool to have my 2 boys, my Dad, my Bro-In-Law, my nephew and my good friend Charlie all there to share in the experience with me.
I have to take a moment and thank my very understanding, loving, and supportive wife for letting me chase my dreams. She was very excited for me and that made it even sweeter
For all of you score junkies. We put a quick rough tape on him and got him right around 360ish gross. Not important to me and I am tickled pink with him either way. I love his thirds, his swords, his mass and his width.
What an awesome hunt!!!
"The problem with quotes on Internet Forums is that it is often difficult to verify their authenticity." - Abraham Lincoln