2010 Monroe elk recovered

[llamapacker]

While archery hunting the Monroe unit in Utah this last weekend, I stumbled upon the carcass of a pretty decent bull taken either last year or the year before in the archery hunt. It was little more than a pile of bones, but mixed in the pile was an arrow, still covered with a few small bits of hide. If you lost a bull last year, or even the year before, send me a PM - I may have found your bull.
I have the spot marked on GPS, and it should be easy to get permission from DWR to recover the horns. If the person can identify the arrow they were shooting, including broadhead, as well as a general description of the bull and the location where they were hunting, I'd be happy to reunite you with your trophy. And if you are thinking "it can't possibly be my bull, I was too far back in from the roads", well, then this probably IS your bull. I was a solid hour hike into a nasty canyon far from any road. Of course the bull could have run for days before it expired, who knows. The bull is somewhat unique, and the antlers are in excellent shape, although a little bleached. I took some great photos, but don't want to post them until the horns are claimed. It was pretty cool to find the arrow mixed right in with the pile of bones.
I'm in the woods most days this time of the year, so be patient, but let me know if this could be your bull.
Bill

 

[2lumpy]

Would you mind if I put the word out around Richfield?

DC

 

[llamapacker]

DC,

Go right ahead and spread the word. My goal is to locate the hunter, it doesn't have to be through MM.

Bill

 

[Gator]

I hope you find the hunter.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

 

[Hawkeye]

Bill-

That is very cool. I hope that you are able to reunite the hunter with his bull.

Hawkeye

Browning A-Bolt 300 Win Mag
Winchester Apex .50 Cal
Mathews Drenalin LD

 

[rmanwill]

Great find. Hope the hunter is found. Looking mforward to seeing the photos of the bull and the arrow with the carcass!!! Keep us posted.

 

[nebo12000]

I met a hunter from Richfield at my cabin just off Long Flat a couple weeks ago that told me of a bull he had shot on the archery hunt last year but was unable to find it. He did talk to the DWR and told them about the situation so that if was able to find it at some point he could still tag it and recover the antlers. As I recall he shot it on the Cove Mt end of the Monroe. He said he thought it would end up scoring in the 340-350 range. If the bull you found is aproximately in the same area contact me and I will give you his name. I am not sure of the location for sure, because he had hunted in several diffferent areas on the Monroe, but I believe he did hit this bull somewhere south and west of Deep Lake in an area that he had to hike into for an hour or so.

 

[llamapacker]

Nebo,
You have a PM.
Bill

 

[Zeke]

Bill,

How's your archery hunt going? I've always enjoyed you stories and I hope you have a great one to share when it's all over.

BTW: Good of you to think of a fellow hunter's lost trophy.

Zeke

 

[llamapacker]

Zeke,
It has been a fun hunt so far, but a little discouraging. I'm seeing plenty of elk, and several bulls each day in the 300" class. Although there is some bugling, the larger bulls are mostly still in bachelor herds, and the rut clearly hasn't begun. The really big bulls are nearly invisible and really tough to locate this early. If a guy just wants to shoot a <325 bull, it would be a really fun hunt, and I would be done by now. It is pretty tough to keep passing on these "small" bulls, knowing this is archery hunting, and there is no guarantee of taking one on the last day. I know there are some big bulls around somewhere, but clearly not the number in years past. Can't beat being out in the woods in the fall, however. All is good.
Bill

 

[HorseCreek]

Pm sent llama


Traditional >>>------->

 

[Zeke]

Hey llamapacked,

If you feel like someone is jerking your chain by trying to dishonestly claim the bull, just give the GPS coordinates to the bottom of a hell-hole and see where it goes from there.

With the info, which you have, you'll know right off the bat if the claimant is legitimate. Good luck.

Zeke

 

[llamapacker]

No need to send anybody to the bottom of a hell-hole yet! It will be obvious when somebody identifies their arrows, broadhead and general location, etc. I actually have a lot of faith in my fellow archers.

All PM's and e-mails answered. So far no joy. Perhaps the bull has been there a couple years?

Bill

 

[fuzzyvelvet]

Good for you llamapacker for looking for the archer who killed the bull. I'm sure if the owner is found they will be very greatful.

 

[DonVathome]

Did you post this on bowsite? If you want I could for you - lots of guys there. Very rare to find the arrow! Very nice of you I hope you find him.

 

[MichaelJ]

I just hope you don't get some 30 people claiming they shot and couldn't recover a bull....

On that note best of luck! lol that would be too cool!

Mike

 

[Dust]

I had a 2010 monroe archery elk. I hit a bull it was a 6 point and I shot it with a gold tip arrow and a montec g-5 brodhead. If this is in the ballpark we will talk location later. I hope it is the bull for my mental health I have had a year long gut ache about the whole thing.

 

[Dr_Hunter]

I sure would love see a happy ending to this story, in addition to seeing the photos of the bull. I hope you find the bulls rightful owner-that sounds kind of funny.

"Half of being smart, is knowing what you're dumb about."

 

[eankobert]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-31-11 AT 10:55PM (MST)[p]I lost a pretty good bull last year. I shot it behind the right shoulder. I have a few configurations of arrows that I use because I buy them at Jakes archery and don't want to wait for them to fletch with specific colors. It would have been a Gold Tip Arrow. I use blazer vein fletchings. Most of my fletchings are yellow with black, but I have some that the two same colored fletchings are orange or blue. for sure used a 100 grain thunder-head fixed blade for a broad-head. I shot it in some really thick pines, we looked for hours but couldn't find a blood trail to follow. I know I hit the bull pretty well though, I wasn't very far from it when I shot. I'm not fishing for the antlers, but can't walk into sportsmans warehouse without remembering my experiance on Monroe. I hope that you found my bull. Please let me know.
Daniel
801-602-6688

PS Give me a call and I can give you some more information on where a big bull is down there (if he didn't get shot on the rifle hunt). Most of the "bigger" bulls we ran into were 330 or so but he was much bigger than that.

 

[tyef350]

kind of funny getting guys with one post claiming they lost a bull. There thinking ill keep making user names til i guess it right haha. Then have people over to check it out look what i killed some people crack me up. Had a guy from work get a nice 4 point taken out of his camp the guy that took it went home to his family telling them look what i killed one word LOSER!!. Hope the (REAL) guy finds his bull.

 

[2lumpy]

Dust, is my neighbor. Not a joker. Not a poster but a regular MM reader. He's not blowing smoke.

Thanks llama, hope the hunter that made the shoot gets his trophy. You have my upmost admiration for your effort.

DC

 

[GotBowAz]

tyef350, I truly do not understand folks like yourself. Why would you even make a comment like that, as though you are better than anyone else! If I lost an animal in a hunt and I was just a lurker not a poster and a thread like this came up, I would jump all over it and post up! And that my friend is one of many reasons why this site is so great. Dust, eankobert and to the guys and gals out there that may have lost a animal in a hunt, I feel for you, it must be a really bad dream, I cant imagine what your going through and all the ?what if?s?. Keep using this site as an opportunity to find your animal and enjoy the things it has to offer and IGNOR @sshole remarks like tyef350?s, Karma is a funny thing. Post when you feel comfortable to post. llamapacker, good on you for posting this up, I hope someone is able to find closure with your information.

GBA

 

[Dust]

I dont know where all you trash talkers are coming from but where I come from we take our hunting serious we have fun and we help each other out. I am not on here trying to take credit for something I did'nt shoot. I hope that one of us 2010 archery tag holders can put an end to a bad dream. If my details are a match to what was found I will talk location but until then you guys have a ball talking crap I hope you feel good.

 

[nripepi]

Hats off to llamapacker for trying to find the shooter, I'm sure it will absolutely make their day/week/year...and hopefully one of the posters here (even if they only have one post) find the elk they hit. I wish I would have posted about a nice mule deer I hit and looked 4 days for back in 2001, someone might have actually found it. If someone said they found a muley in the unit and during the hunt, you bet I would be posting. What I find interesting is that we are now up to 3 hunters that wounded an elk in 2010 in the Monroe Archery, just kind of interesting, nothing more than that as they all sound legit to me.

 

[5575gb]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-01-11 AT 03:44PM (MST)[p]llamapacker you have my utmost respect! As for you other dirtballs that are trashing the folks on this thread...get a life!
For the life of me as a hunter can't even comprehend what in the world jerks like you get out of trash talking and belittling your fellow hunters!

I have a friend and coworker that wishes someone like you would stumble upon his Wy bull from last year. They spent many days looking for it and I know he thinks about it every day of the year.

Again llamapacker I hope this story has a happy ending!

 

[chunter]

llamapacker you sound like a stand up guy, I wish I would have been on this site in 2007 I hit a great bull on the Nebo Unit that I never found and it still eats at me to this day. So I hope that the deserving hunter finds your post and can get these antlers.

 

[hornkiller]

Hey man i found a bull on the nebo the f&g let me keep it! Where was you hunting and how big do you think he was?

 

[chunter]

He was down holman canyon near the top trail, he was a nice 6x6 that was 330-350 class bull. Sorry i did not want to take from this post, I just wanted to give this guy props for what he is doing (but it would be nice if it was my bull)

 

[tyef350]

>tyef350, I truly do not understand
>folks like yourself. Why would
>you even make a comment
>like that, as though you
>are better than anyone else!
>If I lost an animal
>in a hunt and I
>was just a lurker not
>a poster and a thread
>like this came up, I
>would jump all over it
>and post up! And
>that my friend is one
>of many reasons why this
>site is so great. Dust,
>eankobert and to the guys
>and gals out there that
>may have lost a animal
>in a hunt, I feel
>for you, it must be
>a really bad dream, I
>cant imagine what your going
>through and all the ?what
>if?s?. Keep using this
>site as an opportunity to
>find your animal and enjoy
>the things it has to
>offer and IGNOR @sshole remarks
>like tyef350?s, Karma is a
>funny thing. Post when you
>feel comfortable to post. llamapacker,
>good on you for posting
>this up, I hope someone
>is able to find closure
>with your information.
>
>GBA


Im sorry for jumping the gun and saying people was starting accounts to guess the bull and arrow to see if they could take it. I should of not said that i was wrong. i have a close friend that lost a real nice bull on the manti a couple years ago hit him and knocked him down twice had it on video, tracked blood for 3 days never found him felt so bad for him. im really not a a$$hole im the type of guy that would drop everything and have to help a friend get a animal off the mountain. I just didnt think before i put that on could be a real guy looking to find his bull. Thanks llamapacker your a good guy for trying to find this hunter his bull i hope you find him.

 

[Gator]

tyef350
Welcome to the hunman race Buddy. The hardest thing is say I'm sorry or I'm wrong.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

 

[5575gb]

>tyef350
>Welcome to the hunman race Buddy.
>The hardest thing is say
>I'm sorry or I'm wrong.
>
>
>"I have found if you go
>the extra mile it's Never
>crowded".


Right on! Good job tyef350

 

[eankobert]

I've been checking this every day. Hopefully llamapacker is coming off the mountain with a nice bull of his own and can tell us all the story. On my hunt it didn't get good till about the 12th of september.

 

[llamapacker]

I got back in from hunting late last night, and will head out again soon. Thanks for all the good wishes.

I believe I have answered all the PM's and e-mails on this topic. So far nobody has been able to identify the arrow or the bull. I'll keep checking back, but will really be ramping up my efforts on this hunt soon, so be patient. If I missed your PM, etc., please send me another, and eventually I will reply. It would be neat to reunited this bull with the hunter, but I understand everybody is still not reached by this type of web connection.
Bill

 

[2lumpy]

Maybe someone with DWR connections could get a list of the people that had Monroe LE archery tags a last year. Once we have the names of the hunters, we could elliminate those that didn't loose a bull and contact the others to see if one of them hit and lost one.

There can't be that many folks that got archery tags last year. It would seem like a pretty small group of people to contact, if someone had the names and phone numbers of the hunters.

Anyone with the DWR willing to help?

DC

 

[Gator]

+1 on what 2lumpy said.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

 

[Zeke]

Great idea 2 lumps.

I know there are some privacy laws now which might prevent the DWR from providing a list. I hope it works however.

It's a good thing that Bill is willing to do for some unlucky/lucky hunter.

Zeke

 

[SDBugler]

I keep checking back on this post hoping for a happy ending to the story. I hope the hunter is located and kudos to llamapacker for his efforts to find the hunter. Good luck on your hunt llamapacker.

 

[gaetz]

Nice Post Llama-

Not trying to stir the pot, just brining up a possible scenario...

What if the person who arrowed the bull and never found him, decided to keep hunting and arrowed another bull. Maybe he'd not feel too good about coming forward to claim his original bull?

I hope this isn't the case though and that you can find the guy who's not been able to sleep since arrowing him. Can't wait to see pictures.

TRH

 

[quickdrawkinker]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-08-11 AT 02:11PM (MST)[p]Seems like there were 22 archery tags given out last year and I had one of them--I was fortunate enough not to wound/lose a bull. Big Pig killed--I'm sure we can account for the other 20 tags if we all compare notes--somebody knows someone who had that tag last year.

 

[2lumpy]

We can think of a scenarios that could keep Bill from finding the archer who shot the elk. We could each imagine a half dozen, "what ifs" that will keep the outcome from being ideal but how about we all think positive and see if there is some way to contact the folks that archery hunted the unit last year. We ask them about their hunt and if they hit and lost a bull. They can respond in a whole bunch of different ways. That's none of my business or my concern.

Bill found a bull with an arrow in it. Somebody shot it and "MAY BE" we can find that person. If he/she doesn't want it, they'll let us know, some way or another. If the person that shot it didn't take home an elk home and wants to identify this one as his/her, Wahoo! If we come up empty, so what, we tried and Bill did the honorable thing and we did the right thing by trying to help.

If all the negative stuff your concerned about happens, no skin off our nose, we did what we could. What the other guy does, he/she can live with.

I'm for taking the positive path. If you don't want to participate, that's okay too. To each his own.

Amy, thank you for responding and sending the request up the ladder to the proper authority. We'll wait to hear back from them our yourself.

DC

 

[dleonard3]

Is the rack still laying out at the kill site? I would think the F&G would want to at least check it out and recover the rack.

We all hope the number of wounded and lost bulls stays low, but I'm afraid it will turn out that, on average, nearly every hunters has "wasted" at least one.

 

[2lumpy]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-09-11 AT 09:51AM (MST)[p]Not my call on either issue dienard3. We're just trying to help a hunter connect with a bull he killed in 2010.

How the folks deal with the rest of the legalities and the other matters will be up to them.

I'm staying positive and believe and expect those that are involved will proceed within all the rules and regs. Keeping this alive until llamapacker decides he's had enough.

DC

 

[Coldtrail]

Sent you a PM Llamapacker.

 

[llamapacker]

Just back into town after my hunt. I've answered all PM's and still haven't found the archer. I will let this run another week or so and then post pictures, details, etc., and make arrangements to keep the bull myself. Will post a hunt report when I can type straight...
Bill

 

[llamapacker]

Just thought I would type a bit more of a hunt report on this thread.
In the end, I did not tag a bull or fire a shot. It was an exciting hunt. I had numerous bulls within range, but elected to pass on all of them in hopes of finding one of the really great bulls that wander this mountian. Truth is, I passed on bulls that would make most people salivate. And yes, I questioned my sanity a few times. Several of these bulls were in the 320-340 class NET score, and I am a pretty critical field judge. Perhaps one of these bulls would have even gone 350.
As a B+C and P+Y official measurer, I fully understand the criteria for a high scoring bull. It might be more fun to claim several of these bulls were 375+ or whatever, but I am quite certain this is not the case. Perhaps I was being too picky, but each time I walked away from one of these better bulls, I would ask myself if I would be satisfied to tie my tag on that bull. And each time I resolved to keep looking.

I am fortunate to hunt elk in several states each year, and on most general tags in most states I would have quickly and quite happily shot several of these bulls. They really were some magnificent animals. I enjoy hunting and shooting elk, and generally am not that hung up on score. If I take a 300+ elk on my general tag in WY this year I will be very happy. I knew there were some very good bulls on the Monroe, and I resolved before the hunt to find one of the great bulls or go home empty. I saw two bulls I would have loved to have shot. One was just a fleeting glance early in the hunt, never to be seen again. The second good bull suddenly showed up in the area on Wednesday the 14th, and was constantly being spooked by folks scouting for the rifle hunt. I got within 100 yards twice, but each time the stalk was ruined by folks that had no idea I was moving in for the kill. It is frustrating at times, but that is public land hunting.

In the end, I had a great hunt, a really fun time, and saw some neat elk behavior. I also saw a couple bulls taken down on opening day of the rifle season. Here's hoping everyone else has a productive fall.

Bill

 

[HalfAce]

Just pulled this up again to see how the search was going.

Llamapacker, thats what trophy huntings all about, sounds like you squeezed every bit out of that tag that you could. But I would have shot your 350+ bull, aka 360! all jokes aside, Kudos for trying to reconnect the bull with the hunter. Hope this lead doesnt go cold, good luck in wyoming.

 

[llamapacker]

RE: 2010 Monroe elk recovered- Update

After answering all PM's and posts on this site and others, I have not had any luck finding the archer who shot the bull I discovered. Earlier this week, I was contacted by DWR and asked to cooperate with them on an investigation of the recovery site. I have turned over the arrow, which I brought home with me, and provided DWR the gps coordinates and photos of the site. I understand they are likely to hike into the area in the near future to document the bull, and make a determination of whether or not it was likely to have been poached. If that investigation turns out positively, then I can request they release the skull to my possession.
It is interesting to note that DWR contacted me. They have been very professional and seem very willing to bring this discovery to a successful conclusion. As always, the few DWR employees I know or have met over the years have been a pleasure to work with.
I thought due to the interest my original post has generated, that I would post a photo I took at the site, exactly as I discovered the bull. As you can see, the bull is very heavily decomposed, and the arrow is in the bone pile.

I am beginning to think the bull had been there for more than a year, but it is really hard to tell.
Bill

 

[nripepi]

RE: 2010 Monroe elk recovered- Update

That is really cool. It looks like it could be one or two years old and the shot was a little high and far back

Anyway to age the broadhead or arrows? If I were going to go on a limited entry elk hunt, I would have the latest and greatest broadheads and arrows.

 

[Dr_Hunter]

RE: 2010 Monroe elk recovered- Update

Cool picture. I have never come across anything like that before. Looks to be more than a year old. I would say two-three.


I don't think there is any other quality
so essential to success of any kind as the
quality of perseverance. It overcomes
almost everything, even nature.
-John D. Rockefeller

 

[coloradoman]

RE: 2010 Monroe elk recovered- Update

Looks to me like it was shot out of a tree stand...almost straight down next to, or thru the spine???

 

[elkantlers]

RE: 2010 Monroe elk recovered- Update

looks to me like it has been there a few years.

 

[llamapacker]

RE: UPDATE: 2010 Monroe elk recovered- Update

I don't think you can say anything very definitive about the shot from this picture. Sure, the arrow is laying high next to the backbone, as if shot from a high angle. But realize all of the decomposition / scavenging that had to have happened over the last year or two and the arrow easily could have been somewhat relocated. If I picture a "perfectly" gut shot animal, with the arrow sticking straight out of the side, with the animal dead and the flesh being consumed I can imagine the arrow still ending up laying on the ground near the back bone.

My initial reaction when looking at the arrow is to suggest it did not get very good penetration. While not visible in the picture, the arrow is actually nearly broken right where the piece of hide is laying, maybe 4-5 inches up from the broadhead. Some may have also noticed that this is a mechanical broadhead. But I still think it is mostly speculation. The more I look at the picture, the more I think this was likely there for at east two years, but I will probably never know. I do know it is the most complete skeleton I have ever encountered in the field.

Bill

 

[Gator]

RE: UPDATE: 2010 Monroe elk recovered- Update

It looks older then a year, Could be 2 years ago that this bull was lost.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

 

[nripepi]

RE: UPDATE: 2010 Monroe elk recovered- Update

I bet only a few hunters used expandables on this hunt...that should narrow it down really quickly.

It kind of looks like a Rocky Mountain Snyper XP3? That might make it 3 years old if my memory is correct on when they came out and if this hunter used the newest and latest gizmo...i think i am stretching the CSI a bit here!

 

[bonepicker]

You may be able to tell the age by the antlers. Are they cracked on one side or both? I do quite a bit of shed hunting and in my experience, an antler that is out for 1 year will almost never be cracked on both sides. However after about 16-18 months the back side of the antler will start to crack (small, hairline cracks) so if you've got cracks on both sides, you're likely looking at a 2 year old kill. It can depend somewhat on the cover and shade and such but after 2 full years it would almost definitely have cracks on both sides.

 

[coloradoman]

I guess I just assumed that piece of hide was still attached to the spine....or close to it.