B
bigbullhunter
Guest
Well now that the utah muzz elk hunt is over here is my story.
My elk hunt began as any other this year the anticipation of tagging a big bull was always ever present in my mind. opening morning found me sitting on a mountain at 8000 feet with the sun rising in the east providing a scenic back drop and memory never to be forgotten. Suddenly i see elk moving towards me (51 to be exact)then i hear the first shots of the morning ring out which move the elk faster and closer to me. Upon inspecting each of the 51 elk for antlers i see only four spikes. I think to myself that its too early for me to tag out on a spike with an any bull tag so i let them pass. Opening day came to a close with me seeing 51 elk and numerous big muleys in full rut. Day 2 found me up on top of the same mountain with my dad looking over some distant ridges for elk we see 10 more but no bulls we decided to head up to higher ground for a bit to see what we could see before day light was gone to our surprise we see more ruttin muley bucks with does.
Day 3 was much the same except this morning was different for some reason i had headed up to my spot on the mountain and was watching some elk when i see a flash of cream colored fur 200 yards out automatically i am looking for some sign that it is a bull. I see clearly that he is a bull and a branch antlered bull to boot. I estimated him at 220 yards so i aim a little high and Boom! the muzzleloader goes off after the smoke cleared I could see that the bull was hit he hunched up nicely then coughed and was off like a bolt of lightning i immediately started tracking the bull when i see him 200 yards from where i shot him i also see 2 other hunters on horses then i see the smoke come from the hunters on horses barrells and see the bull drop in his tracks.
I ran up to where the bull was and the hunters and I congratulated them on a nice bull when they ask if i had just shot at the bull minutes earlier and I said yeah but you finished the job so rightfully he is yours. What a day right well it doesnt end there. The last day of the hunt I tell my dad to take my buddy up to the top on the 4 wheeler and then come and get me. They see a bull right off the bat with a sheep following him I only saw this bull and sheep after the fact when they were a mile away with no possible way to put on a stalk. we decided we should just sit in this area we have been hunting and wait it out. we seen another 30 head of cow elk no bulls in sight. The end of the day came and i had not notched my tag but i can honestly say that this was a hunt to remember with seeing so many elk and so many big muleys and the only shot of the year i took at a big bull and ended up giving it up to an older gentleman who was pleased to have met an honest and helpful fellow hunter. Success can be measured in so many ways the way i look at it my hunt was a complete success in more ways than one. I cant wait for next year!
Sean
My elk hunt began as any other this year the anticipation of tagging a big bull was always ever present in my mind. opening morning found me sitting on a mountain at 8000 feet with the sun rising in the east providing a scenic back drop and memory never to be forgotten. Suddenly i see elk moving towards me (51 to be exact)then i hear the first shots of the morning ring out which move the elk faster and closer to me. Upon inspecting each of the 51 elk for antlers i see only four spikes. I think to myself that its too early for me to tag out on a spike with an any bull tag so i let them pass. Opening day came to a close with me seeing 51 elk and numerous big muleys in full rut. Day 2 found me up on top of the same mountain with my dad looking over some distant ridges for elk we see 10 more but no bulls we decided to head up to higher ground for a bit to see what we could see before day light was gone to our surprise we see more ruttin muley bucks with does.
Day 3 was much the same except this morning was different for some reason i had headed up to my spot on the mountain and was watching some elk when i see a flash of cream colored fur 200 yards out automatically i am looking for some sign that it is a bull. I see clearly that he is a bull and a branch antlered bull to boot. I estimated him at 220 yards so i aim a little high and Boom! the muzzleloader goes off after the smoke cleared I could see that the bull was hit he hunched up nicely then coughed and was off like a bolt of lightning i immediately started tracking the bull when i see him 200 yards from where i shot him i also see 2 other hunters on horses then i see the smoke come from the hunters on horses barrells and see the bull drop in his tracks.
I ran up to where the bull was and the hunters and I congratulated them on a nice bull when they ask if i had just shot at the bull minutes earlier and I said yeah but you finished the job so rightfully he is yours. What a day right well it doesnt end there. The last day of the hunt I tell my dad to take my buddy up to the top on the 4 wheeler and then come and get me. They see a bull right off the bat with a sheep following him I only saw this bull and sheep after the fact when they were a mile away with no possible way to put on a stalk. we decided we should just sit in this area we have been hunting and wait it out. we seen another 30 head of cow elk no bulls in sight. The end of the day came and i had not notched my tag but i can honestly say that this was a hunt to remember with seeing so many elk and so many big muleys and the only shot of the year i took at a big bull and ended up giving it up to an older gentleman who was pleased to have met an honest and helpful fellow hunter. Success can be measured in so many ways the way i look at it my hunt was a complete success in more ways than one. I cant wait for next year!
Sean
