Muley_73
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Well I have to admit I'm a muley addict and that usually means I don't apply for elk in Utah. But over the years I have hung on to 5 points and figured someday I might cash them in. Well after looking at odds and realizing I could draw an achery tag on the Fishlake I decided this would be the year to try. The Fishlake will always be my "home" unit. I knew I might not shoot a giant but the memories past and present meant more to me than inches I guess. I ended up shooting my bull less than 3 miles from where I saw my first elk ever, standing on the front seat of my dads 1975 Jimmy as they crossed the dirt road in front of us. About 7 years later when I was 12 I went on my first elk opener with dad. He shot a bull less than 2 miles from where my bull fell. 8 years later I shot my first spike bull in the same area and 2 years after that my first spike with a bow. So to me the Fishlake has always meant elk hunting.
Tag arrives
Time to start shooting
The usual summer outings on the Fishlake turned into scouting trips this year.
Few trail cams set up just for fun
Shooting all summer...70 yard group with broadheads...it mattered later!
More than ready for the opener
Daylight breaks to 37 bulls in this basin. Nothing huge but it was a great morning with my brother.
After the opener it seemed the rain and hale was the featured actor in our hunt. It was unreal and everyday. Makes for quiet hunting for sure but it got old after awhile.
I have never seen the mushrooms and puffball like I saw this year. They were everywhere including the sagebrush flats.
Labor Day weekend it was more rain and the lava rock I love so much!!! My youngest son was a hiking machine as usual but you can see how much he loves the rain and lava too!
The rain was keeping the bulls in the thick stuff
Well the final week of my hunt arrived and the elk were finally talking. I took the week off and planned to hunt the final 8 days after spending 12 hit and miss days during the first few weeks of the hunt. My wife surprised me by taking the first few days off because she didnt want me hunting alone on my birthday and mostly because she just kicks a## and enjoys the hunt!
We left the cabin on the razr and after 16 miles parked and planned on listening for bugles and mostly spotting for the evening.
As the sun dropped behind the horizon the bulls started to light up the canyon. Most of the bugling was in the distance and I watched as a herd of cows and younger bull drifted out into the sage to feed. I bugled back mostly to hear them go again as they were to far for a stalk that night. Immediatly I had a bull answer just below us. What started as a mellow evening/scouting/hunting trip got serious in a hurry. I dropped along a cow trail through the aspens toward the bugle and cut the distance quickly. After a couple minutes I bugled again and his answer cut me off, he had moved up the draw toward me and was fired up. I started to glass ahead and spotted him destroying a sagebrush in the flat that opened up right in front of us. We moved up to 133 yards and watched him again for a minute he was totally focused on tearing up the brush and bugling at the bulls across the canyon. My wife decided to hang back and watch as I moved foward. I closed to 90 yards and noticed he had bedded in the flat and was occasionally bugling. I was running out of cover and trying to figure out how to cut more distance off when I noticed 2 deer enter the flat above him. Just as I hoped he turned his head toward them looking away from me as they crossed the flat, giving me a chance to quickly cut off another 20 yards. I ranged again and got 70 yards on the button. I still wanted cut down another 20 yards if possible but the second I step out from the tree he turned and bugled catching me in the open. He slowly stood and turned broadside. I felt very confident at 70 yards so I drew picked a spot, checked my bubble, half breath and watched as the arrow buried to fletching tight against his shoulder. He took 3 or 4 huge leaps and I saw him stagger. He paused for a moment as I held my breath and his legs went as he toppled less than 50 yards from the shot. At that point I let out a yell and jumped around like a little kid, within 10 seconds Heather was jumping around with me as she had watched it all unfold.
Sagebrush he was working over and bedded next to.
Flat he was bedded in, look close and you can see my wife standing where he was at the shot.
Trees I shot from.
We waited a little while to approach the bull and ended up field dressing him in the dark. So all the rest of the pics are from the next morning. Didn't crawl into bed until 1:30 that night. It didn't really matter because I didn't sleep a wink.
Wouldn't have traded my hunting partner for anyone. It was an amazing night to share with her. Great memories we will always have together.
He's not a giant but my personal goal was 300 P&Y, he ended up gross scoring 310 6/8. Not a huge bull but I wouldn't have traded how it all went down for 40 inches of antler any day.
My dad and Kay showed up to help with the packout. Dad always took me hunting and Kay use to check me out of high school to go archery elk hunting while dad worked. It was pretty special to have them both there.
This hunt created unbelievable memories I will have forever, along with reminding me of many I have already had on the Fishlake. Fishlake will always be my "home" unit and I wouldn't ever want it any other way.
Sorry for the long post and I know it got a little sappy at times but I hope some of you enjoy it.
Tag arrives
Time to start shooting
The usual summer outings on the Fishlake turned into scouting trips this year.
Few trail cams set up just for fun
Shooting all summer...70 yard group with broadheads...it mattered later!
More than ready for the opener
Daylight breaks to 37 bulls in this basin. Nothing huge but it was a great morning with my brother.
After the opener it seemed the rain and hale was the featured actor in our hunt. It was unreal and everyday. Makes for quiet hunting for sure but it got old after awhile.
I have never seen the mushrooms and puffball like I saw this year. They were everywhere including the sagebrush flats.
Labor Day weekend it was more rain and the lava rock I love so much!!! My youngest son was a hiking machine as usual but you can see how much he loves the rain and lava too!
The rain was keeping the bulls in the thick stuff
Well the final week of my hunt arrived and the elk were finally talking. I took the week off and planned to hunt the final 8 days after spending 12 hit and miss days during the first few weeks of the hunt. My wife surprised me by taking the first few days off because she didnt want me hunting alone on my birthday and mostly because she just kicks a## and enjoys the hunt!
We left the cabin on the razr and after 16 miles parked and planned on listening for bugles and mostly spotting for the evening.
As the sun dropped behind the horizon the bulls started to light up the canyon. Most of the bugling was in the distance and I watched as a herd of cows and younger bull drifted out into the sage to feed. I bugled back mostly to hear them go again as they were to far for a stalk that night. Immediatly I had a bull answer just below us. What started as a mellow evening/scouting/hunting trip got serious in a hurry. I dropped along a cow trail through the aspens toward the bugle and cut the distance quickly. After a couple minutes I bugled again and his answer cut me off, he had moved up the draw toward me and was fired up. I started to glass ahead and spotted him destroying a sagebrush in the flat that opened up right in front of us. We moved up to 133 yards and watched him again for a minute he was totally focused on tearing up the brush and bugling at the bulls across the canyon. My wife decided to hang back and watch as I moved foward. I closed to 90 yards and noticed he had bedded in the flat and was occasionally bugling. I was running out of cover and trying to figure out how to cut more distance off when I noticed 2 deer enter the flat above him. Just as I hoped he turned his head toward them looking away from me as they crossed the flat, giving me a chance to quickly cut off another 20 yards. I ranged again and got 70 yards on the button. I still wanted cut down another 20 yards if possible but the second I step out from the tree he turned and bugled catching me in the open. He slowly stood and turned broadside. I felt very confident at 70 yards so I drew picked a spot, checked my bubble, half breath and watched as the arrow buried to fletching tight against his shoulder. He took 3 or 4 huge leaps and I saw him stagger. He paused for a moment as I held my breath and his legs went as he toppled less than 50 yards from the shot. At that point I let out a yell and jumped around like a little kid, within 10 seconds Heather was jumping around with me as she had watched it all unfold.
Sagebrush he was working over and bedded next to.
Flat he was bedded in, look close and you can see my wife standing where he was at the shot.
Trees I shot from.
We waited a little while to approach the bull and ended up field dressing him in the dark. So all the rest of the pics are from the next morning. Didn't crawl into bed until 1:30 that night. It didn't really matter because I didn't sleep a wink.
Wouldn't have traded my hunting partner for anyone. It was an amazing night to share with her. Great memories we will always have together.
He's not a giant but my personal goal was 300 P&Y, he ended up gross scoring 310 6/8. Not a huge bull but I wouldn't have traded how it all went down for 40 inches of antler any day.
My dad and Kay showed up to help with the packout. Dad always took me hunting and Kay use to check me out of high school to go archery elk hunting while dad worked. It was pretty special to have them both there.
This hunt created unbelievable memories I will have forever, along with reminding me of many I have already had on the Fishlake. Fishlake will always be my "home" unit and I wouldn't ever want it any other way.
Sorry for the long post and I know it got a little sappy at times but I hope some of you enjoy it.