H
huntazelk
Guest
My son grew up with hunting in his blood and he says hunting is his favorite thing to do. How could you not with a name like Hunter!
My sone finally drew his first elk tag this year so we decided to make it count. As soon as I finished my early archery bull elk hunt in another unit I began scouting for Hunter's hunt. I knew this area well. I soon found some nice bulls and two good shooters. This was my second choice but the bigger bull was not as consistent in his routine. I watched this bull for almost a week before the hunt started. I told Hunter about the bulls I had been watching and he got really excited for the hunt to start. Opening morning we were out there before light. We had to hike in a ways to get to where these big bulls hang out. As we hiked in the dark we had to pass a bunch of bugling bulls to get to where we needed to go. As we crept over the ridge we could hear our bull's unique bugle. I glassed him up on the opposite ridge pushing his cows into the thick timber. I ranged him at 530 yards. I couldn't believe he was already heading into his bedding area. I cow called a couple of times and the bull responded but kept pushing his cows into the trees. I saw one other small satellite bull in the trees. All I could think was that our morning hunt was over already.
I decided to try doing some lost cow calls and see what I could do. I was using Steve Chappell's Signature Series Matriarch Elk open reed call. I called for a little bit and soon my son said, "Dad. there's a bull right there!" I could not see it and thought it was probably the smaller satellite bull. I looked where he was pointing and soon saw that it was the big bull we were after and he was coming toward us. I told Hunter to get ready. I kept calling as we watched that big bull come in on a string. Soon the bull was below us where we couldn't see and I told Hunter to get ready and to watch for the tips of his antlers coming up the hill. We could not see him but we could hear he was getting closer. We did not know exactly were where he was going to come up the hill so it was a little nerve racking. Soon we heard that unique bugle right in front of us as his antler tips began rising up in the air just 30 yards in front of us. The bull stopped to bugle perfectly broadside to us at less than 30 yards. I told Hunter to shoot and I waited for that big 338-378 Wby to go off. I again impatiently told Hunter to shoot when he said he didn't have a shot. I could not see from where I was but there were some branches on the ground that were blocking Hunter's shot of the bull. The bull immediately turned and ran back down the ridge he had come up. I told Hunter to get ready and we would shoot him as he started up the other side. Hunter got set up and as the bull started up the other side at about 90 yards I cow called and he stopped and turned around. Hunter shot and the big bull stumbled and took a step back. I told Hunter that since he was still standing to shoot him again. Hunter's second shot put him on the ground. Hunter was ecstatic! Hunter couldn't believe he had killed his first elk and it was a monster.
Good job Hunter! Your off to a great start.
Rod
My sone finally drew his first elk tag this year so we decided to make it count. As soon as I finished my early archery bull elk hunt in another unit I began scouting for Hunter's hunt. I knew this area well. I soon found some nice bulls and two good shooters. This was my second choice but the bigger bull was not as consistent in his routine. I watched this bull for almost a week before the hunt started. I told Hunter about the bulls I had been watching and he got really excited for the hunt to start. Opening morning we were out there before light. We had to hike in a ways to get to where these big bulls hang out. As we hiked in the dark we had to pass a bunch of bugling bulls to get to where we needed to go. As we crept over the ridge we could hear our bull's unique bugle. I glassed him up on the opposite ridge pushing his cows into the thick timber. I ranged him at 530 yards. I couldn't believe he was already heading into his bedding area. I cow called a couple of times and the bull responded but kept pushing his cows into the trees. I saw one other small satellite bull in the trees. All I could think was that our morning hunt was over already.
I decided to try doing some lost cow calls and see what I could do. I was using Steve Chappell's Signature Series Matriarch Elk open reed call. I called for a little bit and soon my son said, "Dad. there's a bull right there!" I could not see it and thought it was probably the smaller satellite bull. I looked where he was pointing and soon saw that it was the big bull we were after and he was coming toward us. I told Hunter to get ready. I kept calling as we watched that big bull come in on a string. Soon the bull was below us where we couldn't see and I told Hunter to get ready and to watch for the tips of his antlers coming up the hill. We could not see him but we could hear he was getting closer. We did not know exactly were where he was going to come up the hill so it was a little nerve racking. Soon we heard that unique bugle right in front of us as his antler tips began rising up in the air just 30 yards in front of us. The bull stopped to bugle perfectly broadside to us at less than 30 yards. I told Hunter to shoot and I waited for that big 338-378 Wby to go off. I again impatiently told Hunter to shoot when he said he didn't have a shot. I could not see from where I was but there were some branches on the ground that were blocking Hunter's shot of the bull. The bull immediately turned and ran back down the ridge he had come up. I told Hunter to get ready and we would shoot him as he started up the other side. Hunter got set up and as the bull started up the other side at about 90 yards I cow called and he stopped and turned around. Hunter shot and the big bull stumbled and took a step back. I told Hunter that since he was still standing to shoot him again. Hunter's second shot put him on the ground. Hunter was ecstatic! Hunter couldn't believe he had killed his first elk and it was a monster.
Good job Hunter! Your off to a great start.
Rod
