NMPaul
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LAST EDITED ON Oct-20-10 AT 10:20PM (MST)[p]This hunt started with on day one, 5 minutes into daylight looking at a 320"-330" bull through the spotting scope about 350 yards away. I decided to pass on the bull because it was so early in the hunt and if I punched the tag on him I would eliminate any chance to kill a monster.
20 minutes later is seemed I made the right decision. We glassed up a monster of a bull sneaking up a shaded hill side from water.
We made the decision to close distance rather than bed him and we ended up in the trees with him and he winded us and he took off and never stopped.
Day one a bust. Zach, Kevin, Jordan and I hiked in 2 hours before daylight to be in position. We were in the right place I just blew it.
Day 2 Zach, Kevin and I again went into another area that we had seen several good bulls the previous weeks during Zach and Kevins hunts and scouting.
Sure enough at daylight we glassed up a real wide bull a mile away and I took off after it. As I closed Zach got on the radio and told me it was a 5x5 super wide but, not what I was looking for. Didnt, matter since they fed over the hill and I could not close the distance.
Day 3 Kevin back at work and Zack back to school. Got up early and hiked into the same spot from the first morning 2 hours before daylight. Again watched a few nice bulls through the spotting scope but nothing I wanted to kill almost 4 miles from my truck. I started glassing a heavily treed hillside and spotted a 5x5 bull. I watched him and sure enough there was a monster with him. I ranged them at 780 yards.
There was a short hill between me and them. I made that hill, but, because it was short I could not see them on the top.. The wind was perfect so I decided to sneak in. Another bad decision. I snuck in ready for a quick shot and when I got to where I knew them to be. I could smell them and see their sign. A bull lunged to his feet 50 yards from me. I could not see his antlers and I did not want to shoot the 5x5. He took several steps and I saw that he was the huge bull, but, those steps took his body into the trees. Again I made a bad decision taking a poorly advised shot through brush at him. My bullet struck tree and he left the state. I was now down in the dumps. 3 days and 2 really good bulls I blew it on.
I decided having 2 days left I was going to hike out, take Zach out of school early and bring a spike camp into the area so I would not have to hike up the mountain in dark almost 4 m iles.
We packed in that evening and saw a few elk that night and heard shots way way in the distance that we later learned were a 374 bull taken by an outfitter friend of mine's client.
Next morning we again spotted some rag horns and cows. we then heard bugles way in the distance. We took off. As we came over the hill I heard elk running. I took a few quick steps and a bull was standing there. He was not wide and not long but, he had long fronts. I could not stop my finger from pulling the trigger though I knew it was a mistake the second I did it. We were over 4 miles from the truck and I told myself I would only shoot a monster this far of a pack out. Well my finger had not read the memo.
These pics were the happiest one's I had. Most I was frowning thinking of the pack out and the mistakes I made.
In retrospect, I am very lucky to be able to hunt these elk with my son and friends. We had some great experiences, we saw lots of bulls and I got some great exercise. I do have my regrets and one way or the other we want to get Mr. Big next year. Wife still has a ranch only hunt the last week of december so we still have a chance this year.
The pack out was one of the worse I had. Khart, actually left work, drove over an hour and hike in to help pack this bull out. You cant get a better friend than that.
Would have been a great bull in 2 years.
Zach was pretty fired up. He made 2 solo hikes back to our camp almost 2 miles away by himself while I bone out the bull. Pretty proud of him.
Khart has some packing out photos to post.
20 minutes later is seemed I made the right decision. We glassed up a monster of a bull sneaking up a shaded hill side from water.
We made the decision to close distance rather than bed him and we ended up in the trees with him and he winded us and he took off and never stopped.
Day one a bust. Zach, Kevin, Jordan and I hiked in 2 hours before daylight to be in position. We were in the right place I just blew it.
Day 2 Zach, Kevin and I again went into another area that we had seen several good bulls the previous weeks during Zach and Kevins hunts and scouting.
Sure enough at daylight we glassed up a real wide bull a mile away and I took off after it. As I closed Zach got on the radio and told me it was a 5x5 super wide but, not what I was looking for. Didnt, matter since they fed over the hill and I could not close the distance.
Day 3 Kevin back at work and Zack back to school. Got up early and hiked into the same spot from the first morning 2 hours before daylight. Again watched a few nice bulls through the spotting scope but nothing I wanted to kill almost 4 miles from my truck. I started glassing a heavily treed hillside and spotted a 5x5 bull. I watched him and sure enough there was a monster with him. I ranged them at 780 yards.
There was a short hill between me and them. I made that hill, but, because it was short I could not see them on the top.. The wind was perfect so I decided to sneak in. Another bad decision. I snuck in ready for a quick shot and when I got to where I knew them to be. I could smell them and see their sign. A bull lunged to his feet 50 yards from me. I could not see his antlers and I did not want to shoot the 5x5. He took several steps and I saw that he was the huge bull, but, those steps took his body into the trees. Again I made a bad decision taking a poorly advised shot through brush at him. My bullet struck tree and he left the state. I was now down in the dumps. 3 days and 2 really good bulls I blew it on.
I decided having 2 days left I was going to hike out, take Zach out of school early and bring a spike camp into the area so I would not have to hike up the mountain in dark almost 4 m iles.
We packed in that evening and saw a few elk that night and heard shots way way in the distance that we later learned were a 374 bull taken by an outfitter friend of mine's client.
Next morning we again spotted some rag horns and cows. we then heard bugles way in the distance. We took off. As we came over the hill I heard elk running. I took a few quick steps and a bull was standing there. He was not wide and not long but, he had long fronts. I could not stop my finger from pulling the trigger though I knew it was a mistake the second I did it. We were over 4 miles from the truck and I told myself I would only shoot a monster this far of a pack out. Well my finger had not read the memo.
These pics were the happiest one's I had. Most I was frowning thinking of the pack out and the mistakes I made.
In retrospect, I am very lucky to be able to hunt these elk with my son and friends. We had some great experiences, we saw lots of bulls and I got some great exercise. I do have my regrets and one way or the other we want to get Mr. Big next year. Wife still has a ranch only hunt the last week of december so we still have a chance this year.
The pack out was one of the worse I had. Khart, actually left work, drove over an hour and hike in to help pack this bull out. You cant get a better friend than that.
Would have been a great bull in 2 years.
Zach was pretty fired up. He made 2 solo hikes back to our camp almost 2 miles away by himself while I bone out the bull. Pretty proud of him.
Khart has some packing out photos to post.
Even though we saw several bulls that were bigger, there were memories created that will last a long time. We hunted hard and you killed a good bull. Many folks would give their left nut to put their tag on that bull. Congrats.--Kevin
