Okay guys I finally got a new keyboard so I'm able to type my story much fast without having to double type every letter. So here ya go:
I had hunted the opening morning of the Any Bull Utah Elk Hunt. I had scared a 4x5 bull out of the canyon I was in that morning up over the top into private land and they had shot the bull. I never saw an elk the rest of that day. Monday morning I awoke at my house to get my things ready because I was planning on camping in my area for the week by myself. I arrived where I would camp at 1:30 and began setting up my things. No sooner than I had my tent up, some guys came down out the this area with a decent bull. I asked them if they had been seeing a lot of elk and they said that it was the only bull they had seen. Immediately I thought of going to another area but I decided I would stay there and try it for a few days. I have one canyon that I hunt in this area. I have always enjoyed this area and I love the canyon and I figured with enough patience I would see one in there. Well, Monday night I hiked into this canyon which is about 3 miles back in this area. I saw a lot of deer glassing that night but could never spot an elk. ONce dark came I made my way back to camp. As I was getting to my tent I was stopped by 3 people, Carlos, Tammy, and Sue. They had no idea who I was but asked me how my hunt was going and then offered to feed dinner to me. I couldn't turn it down and I was glad I didn't because I became great friends with these people. THe next morning I set out and was going to be hunting in the back of this area. On my way to the back I passed the canyon that I have always hunted and just thought I mine as well go up in there. I hiked up in the canyon in the dark and sat towards the back of the canyon as light hit the canyon was just as I left it, there seemed to be no elk and a few deer I had spotted. I began to hike up a hill in the back of the canyon hoping to get a better look at the back of the canyon. Going a quarter of the way up the hill I spotted an elk in the back and began looking through my binoculars, at all the elk in the group when I spotted what looked to be a decent bull near the top of the herd. I estimated the shot to be somewhere near 500 yards and I was comfortable with this shooting distance and there was no way I could get closer without spooking the elk so I found the steadiest rest I could and fired. Then again. The elk had no idea what was going on. They sat there and looked around. THe third shot connected as the bull lunged forward but wasn't enough to knock it down. I continued shooting hitting it a couple more times before going over the hill. NOw over the top of this hill is the private land and I was curious as to whethere or not I should go after it. I came to the conclusion that I would go to where I saw the bull last top over the hill, if there was blood I would not let a wounded animal walk, if there wasn't I would leave the bull and go back over into the canyon I was hunting in. I made my way to the ridge and found blood. NO sooner had I walked further over the hill I saw the bull standing quartering away from me looking right at me. THe sun was glaring in my scope and I found a tree to help shade the scope so I could take the shot. With my "bull fever" and with me panting so hard I shot over the bulls back the first shot, the second shot connected just behind the shoulder and the bull collapsed. I was so happy with what I had just done. I had killed my second bull and it was a dandy 4x5. I couldn't believe it. I must thank some people when it comes to this bull. The people that are with me in the pictures saved my butt. Those people are the ones I had met the night before I shot my bull. THey stopped their hunt to give me a hand with the bull. They helped me quarter it and they used their own mules to pack it out for me. I was so grateful for them being there or else I would have spent that whole day getting that bull out. It was a great experience for me and I'm excited to do it again.
