B
BHBISH
Guest
My brother and I had a great time hunting together with his Fish Lake archery elk tag. Weston, my brother, has hunted elk only a few times and has never killed a bull and he was looking forward to the opportunity of harvesting an elk. We spent the last week on the unit and had some good days and bad days. Typical for a pre-rut hunt. The bulls, for the most part, were bugling but not responding to cow calls. We never did call one in. So our stratigy was to chase bugles and try to work the wind so we could get in on a bull. As you know, this is not an easy way to hunt because bulls with cows have the advantage with all the eyes and noses and the swerling winds. He had a few chances for 280" to 300" bulls but held off hoping for a bigger one. Our mother was mad we had passed on the smaller ones. She just doesent get it. It did pay off for us on the last morning of the hunt! We got on a game trail and walked ever so quietly and listened as we walked. We had a few bugles a far off before we walked onto a bull bugling on a small ridge in front of us. We walked to the edge of the aspens and Weston got set-up. We had a very small clearing that ran to the bottom of the ravine with heavey pines against the opposite slope. We could hear the elk in the pines and noticed a calf at the bottom and then a cow walked out into the meadow facing us and walking up the trail toward us with ten other cows and calves behind her. I thought we would get busted before we even saw the bull. We were lucky when the lead cow worked from right to left in front of us and didn't come up the trail. The wind was slighty in our face and the cows were within 15 yrds. Five minutes and still no bull as the cow continuded to feed; although, we could hear him walking around in the pines and he would let out his raspy bugle every once in a while, but he would not show himself. Ten more cows and calves and a spike walked into the meadow from the bottom and filled the small meadow with elk, all the while I was hoping the wild would hold true. Finally, the bull showed himself and walked into the middle of the meadow like he owned the place and took charge by letting out another bugle. I marvled at his ivory tipped antlers as he postured himself amongst his cows and knew this would be a bull of a lifetime for my brother with his bow. He was 30 yards away with no clear shot because of the other cows around him. One of the cows came up the trail at us and looked straight at my brother and jumped back unsure of what she had seen. Actually, I think it's because my bother is ugly! She knew something wasn't right and the only reason she didn't blow out of there, is because she never winded us. She worked to the right of us moving up at a 45 degree angle, wanting to clear the meadow into the thick cover. The bull followed her as my brother drew his bow back waiting for him to stop. He put his 30 yard pin on him and as the bull paused, he let the arrow fly. The bull went to the ground instantly! His shot was high because the bull was within 20 yards and the arrow broke the bulls back. He put another one in him to finish him off and we then looked at each other and new we had pulled off the improbable. It goes to show, that at times, it is better to not force a situation and let things unfold without getting involed with calling. I thought about cow calling before the cows had showed them selves and I'm glad I didn't. We also stayed put and didn't try to close the gap into the pines where the elk was bugling before we saw any of the cows. Many things went our way that morning and you could even say we had luck on our side, but we were patient and put ourselves in the right place at the right time and just let things unfold. Weston is now the proud owner of a 355" bull off the Fish Lake unit. The taxidermist said that he believes the bull to be 10 plus years old and taped him out a bit over 360". I didn't give him so many inches and taped him up at 355". His teeth were worn down to the nub. His fifth on the lift side is just shy of 4" the other fifth is close to 12". He would be a solid mid 360" bull if the 5th's matched. O well, if wishes were kisses, we'd all have chapped lips! We are very happy with the out come and will remember the hunt for as long as we live. Thanks for passing on the smaller ones Weston and giving us the opportunity to "live the dream"!
Me with Westons bull.
Me with Westons bull.