marley
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LAST EDITED ON Sep-09-12 AT 01:36PM (MST)[p]Getting a big bull has been number one on my list for years. Up until yesterday the big bull had always eluded me. About a month ago I backpacked into the unit and found a bull that just made my jaw drop. I was a little discouraged with my scouting trip though as he was the ONLY bull I saw that I would be willing to pull the trigger on. But, every time I went scouting, I would see this bull in the same HUGE basin. About a week before the hunt I went up there one last time to see if I could turn him up again. I found him in the same place but this time with over 100 cows. This area is between 12,000 and 13,000 feet so well above timberline. I thought it would be impossible to get close enough to get him with my muzzy with that many cows and not much cover.
My friend and I backpacked in Friday morning and set up camp at 12,000 feet. After setting up camp we hiked another mile or so in hopes of turning him up again. For two hours we sat watching 2 five points feed a couple hundred yards away but still no big bull. As my friend scanned the far hillside more than a mile away he turned up a big herd at the very top just bedded in the rocks like sheep. The spotting scope verified that it was our bull.
He eventually fed up over the top with his 54 cows. They were now in the worst place they could possibly be to be able to get them. No cover, in shale rock, with the wind always blowing that direction. My friend said, "the only chance we have is if they feed to the south to that boulder pile on the far end."
It was a long, sleepless night with freezing temps. All of our water was frozen up in the morning but we strapped on the packs and off we went hoping they fed to the south. When we got there the entire valley was socked in with a heavy blanket of fog with visibility at about 100 yards. We were afraid to go any further in fear of bumping them so we had nothing to do but sit and wait out the fog.
When the fog cleared we heard antlers rattling just around the bend and I was praying it was our bull. We quietly crept around the corner to see two five points going at it. After a few minutes they caught our wind and they were off. We sat there really not knowing what to do with no sign of the big bull and the wind now straight at our backs. Not long and my friend says that he sees a cow round the bend down by the boulder field way to the south about a mile. Then another cow and another. Then out steps our boy....right where we needed him to be.
With the wind the way it was, my only move would to be to go all the way around the backside of the mountain and pop up over the top of them hoping they wouldn't feed out of range before I could make the mile around. About a hundred yards before the boulders, I took of my pack, grabbed 3 charges, and took my boots off. I slowly crawled up the rock slide to peek over the biggest rock. As I peeked over I saw 3 cows not 30 yards from me with the majority of the herd about 300 yards away. I found the bull and ranged him at 287 yards. I dialed my peep sight for the yardage rested it on his shoulder and at the shot heard the most beautiful "whop" sound that we all love so much. Instantly the herd took off running right at me with the bull lagging behind. He stopped again at 210 yards, turned broadside and absorbed another 460 grain "No Excuses" bullet to the shoulder. Again he trotted to my left and disappeared around the corner. I quickly reloaded, ran to the edge to see him still on his feet at a hundred yards. My last round through the shoulders crumbled him. I ran to the tallest rock I could find and jumped up an down waving my hat to let my friend know that he was down.
We sat in amazement that so many things that had to come together actually happened. What a rush. I shot this bull at 8 AM and got home last night at midnight.
Here's a link to a video after the shot:
Thanks for the help I received from a few MMers that helped me on this hunt and most importantly my friend Brad for being there to share it with.
My friend and I backpacked in Friday morning and set up camp at 12,000 feet. After setting up camp we hiked another mile or so in hopes of turning him up again. For two hours we sat watching 2 five points feed a couple hundred yards away but still no big bull. As my friend scanned the far hillside more than a mile away he turned up a big herd at the very top just bedded in the rocks like sheep. The spotting scope verified that it was our bull.
He eventually fed up over the top with his 54 cows. They were now in the worst place they could possibly be to be able to get them. No cover, in shale rock, with the wind always blowing that direction. My friend said, "the only chance we have is if they feed to the south to that boulder pile on the far end."
It was a long, sleepless night with freezing temps. All of our water was frozen up in the morning but we strapped on the packs and off we went hoping they fed to the south. When we got there the entire valley was socked in with a heavy blanket of fog with visibility at about 100 yards. We were afraid to go any further in fear of bumping them so we had nothing to do but sit and wait out the fog.
When the fog cleared we heard antlers rattling just around the bend and I was praying it was our bull. We quietly crept around the corner to see two five points going at it. After a few minutes they caught our wind and they were off. We sat there really not knowing what to do with no sign of the big bull and the wind now straight at our backs. Not long and my friend says that he sees a cow round the bend down by the boulder field way to the south about a mile. Then another cow and another. Then out steps our boy....right where we needed him to be.
With the wind the way it was, my only move would to be to go all the way around the backside of the mountain and pop up over the top of them hoping they wouldn't feed out of range before I could make the mile around. About a hundred yards before the boulders, I took of my pack, grabbed 3 charges, and took my boots off. I slowly crawled up the rock slide to peek over the biggest rock. As I peeked over I saw 3 cows not 30 yards from me with the majority of the herd about 300 yards away. I found the bull and ranged him at 287 yards. I dialed my peep sight for the yardage rested it on his shoulder and at the shot heard the most beautiful "whop" sound that we all love so much. Instantly the herd took off running right at me with the bull lagging behind. He stopped again at 210 yards, turned broadside and absorbed another 460 grain "No Excuses" bullet to the shoulder. Again he trotted to my left and disappeared around the corner. I quickly reloaded, ran to the edge to see him still on his feet at a hundred yards. My last round through the shoulders crumbled him. I ran to the tallest rock I could find and jumped up an down waving my hat to let my friend know that he was down.
We sat in amazement that so many things that had to come together actually happened. What a rush. I shot this bull at 8 AM and got home last night at midnight.
Here's a link to a video after the shot:
Thanks for the help I received from a few MMers that helped me on this hunt and most importantly my friend Brad for being there to share it with.
Not only is he big, but he's a good looking bull too...gonna look great on the wall!
