cast_n_blast
Active Member
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I have permission to post his story and his pictures of my friends Manti Bull. His smile in the first picture tells it all.
On April 28th I was notified by the Utah DWR that I was successful for a muzzle loader elk tag. This would equate to 20+ years of applying for this limited entry (once in a lifetime) tag. Needless to say, I have been anticipating this day for quite some time. The scouting started in August with my boys and extended through September with several friends. On the opening day, the big boy was found and the pursuit was on. This pursuit lasted for the next three days ending in frustration with multiple closecalls, mishaps and misfortunes. Wanting to break our current trend, I decided to take the hunting crew back to our cabin area. I've always wanted to take an elk in this area as I have watched them my entire life without being able to pull the trigger.
Late Monday evening, the herd was spotted and was spooked in my direction. After a 200 yard sprint to get to the proper location, I waited and watched 20+ cows and calfs filter through the trees, waiting for the bull at the end. When he finally stepped out, I was 75 yards away with crosshairs already leveled. A moment later, I cut loose with the muzzle loader and waited for the smoke to clear. The bull went another 40 yards before tipping over. The excitement was so great, I hardly noticed that nightfall had set in and it started to snow. Before we could get off the hill we were covered in 2-3" of snow.
The whole experience was one for the memory books.
On April 28th I was notified by the Utah DWR that I was successful for a muzzle loader elk tag. This would equate to 20+ years of applying for this limited entry (once in a lifetime) tag. Needless to say, I have been anticipating this day for quite some time. The scouting started in August with my boys and extended through September with several friends. On the opening day, the big boy was found and the pursuit was on. This pursuit lasted for the next three days ending in frustration with multiple closecalls, mishaps and misfortunes. Wanting to break our current trend, I decided to take the hunting crew back to our cabin area. I've always wanted to take an elk in this area as I have watched them my entire life without being able to pull the trigger.
Late Monday evening, the herd was spotted and was spooked in my direction. After a 200 yard sprint to get to the proper location, I waited and watched 20+ cows and calfs filter through the trees, waiting for the bull at the end. When he finally stepped out, I was 75 yards away with crosshairs already leveled. A moment later, I cut loose with the muzzle loader and waited for the smoke to clear. The bull went another 40 yards before tipping over. The excitement was so great, I hardly noticed that nightfall had set in and it started to snow. Before we could get off the hill we were covered in 2-3" of snow.
The whole experience was one for the memory books.
