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Author Topic: 2014 Bull Story  (Read 3660 times)

Offline hike2hunt

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2014 Bull Story
« on: January 27, 2015, 12:06:04 PM »
Leading up to - As with anytime spent outdoors, there is always some sort of obstacle or friction point that weighs in on our minds, the plan we have made and the final desired results. For the 4th time in the last 5 years my work put a conference on the weekend smack in the middle of archery season. It never fails that I must travel out of town on a Thursday and travel back on a Monday. As frustration can quickly consume you, I just said great, I have six solid days of hard hunting…the usual recipe I have every year, and I knew my hunting partner would already be at camp. So, he’s early encounters would hopefully pay off…if he had any.

Long weekend - As I flew back from NOLA early Monday morning, listening to an iPod full of Elk Nut calls and strategies, going over my gear list, and knowing my truck was pre-packed, staged, and sitting in the garage, the excitement and anxiety seemed to be overwhelming. The feeling you get when everyone is in your way, the traffic doesn’t move fast enough, and the lady sitting next to you on the plane ask’s if you hear the cat screaming (which is really the bugle coming from your earphones). Not this year, I had the feeling of “I will be in the woods soon,” and all this madness will be behind me, the only electronic devices I will see and use is a GPS and SPOT.

Let it begin – The drive up Monday afternoon guaranteed me some afternoon hunting. As I turned up the last winding road to camp, dressed for anything, the temperature gage caught my eye…78 degrees. Wow, this is going to be a hot hunting season. Knowing my hunting partner was out and about, I stopped at a place I had success in the past. As I pulled off the road, and geared up, I heard what I thought was a bugle, I made my way about 100m up the trail, to see a two cows and a small raghorn working down the opposite side. I let out a mew to see what I got; the small bull stopped, but with no wind advantage, slowly slipped deeper down. Normally with more shooting light, I would give chase, but factoring time-distance, this just wasn’t going to be possible. I cut my losses on a high note - at least there are elk in the area.

What a week – This is only the second year my partner and I have being hunting. We both have our own styles and desired results, but we share a common theme “lets make this a long day,” we all know hunting and shooting are the fun part. The week wore on like a bad dream. We had close encounters everyday (deer, elk and bear), we survived the historical wind storm – with tents in tact, met some members from this site – and saw a awesome bear cross the road right in front of us. But, that’s not a good read. So let’s give some highlights.

Highlight #1- running a bench across the ridge we encountered a small group of elk, couple of spikes and a few cows. With no wind advantage we tried to get the wind in our favor, as we pushed out as far as we could without losing elevation, we came upon another two hunters (guy and gal), not seeing us, we tried to push around them, but now they were between us and the herd. Knowing the wind was going to ruin this, we just stopped, normally I would go up and let other hunters know, but we were to far away to do so. So we pushed up to a ridge. My buddy let out a mew when we were about 300m away or so – within seconds we had a large bugle come from in front of us. We worked this bull hard, but got nothing, after about an hour of waiting and stalking, we came up empty.

Highlight #2 – we parted our ways for a day’s hunt, he went to his favorite area, me to mine. As I made my way down to the bench, I heard a low chuckle, and a chirp. Being patient, I turned on the slow motor. With no visual, I let out a small mew, and instantly got the low chuckle again. Not seeing what I am dealing with, I continued to move forward (with the wind in my face). After 50m or so, I let out a few mews, and got the “get over here bugle.” Hearing this, I started to rake a tree, and got the screaming bugle. Now were talking, but with the lovely mountains, you get the lovely wind shift, and just as I can see him a coming, I felt the wind on my neck, and watch him blow out of there like it was cool. The best part of this is when I turn around and see a 4x standing there, and my sudden movement sent him running too. Wow…what a morning.

Highlight #3 – going up to one of my favorite spots, I leave bright and early (330ish) and as I making my way up the ridge, I hear a vehicle on the road below. So now it’s about 430ish, and vehicle stops, so called hunter let’s out location bugle (truck running). I laugh and push on to my spot; the wind was calm, and things looked promising, but no elk this morning.

Highlight #4 – my wife texts my buddy (he gets cell service) and tells me my oldest broke his wrist. I get in the truck and go to a location I can get cell service, give them a call, get the story and I quote my wife “don’t come home, he’s fine, kill a big bull.” My family is the greatest, my son actually was more disappointed as he was supposed to come out and archery hunt. No worries I told him, we still have late season.

Highlight #5 – coming off an early morning movement, met two fellas coming down the road in a Toyota truck (one is a member here). Anyway, we enjoy a long conversation about hunting and such, and then this really nice bear comes out on the road about 60m in front of us on the road. I don’t have a tag, but one of the guys in the truck does, and he’s brother is letting him have it for being so slow to react. In good fun we were giving each other crap about our bows earlier, as they shoot Hoyt’s and me a Mathews. So I say, “that slow reaction must be a Hoyt thing.” Nice guys.

Highlight #6 – not my encounter, but as my buddy was sitting down eating (cooking) his lunch, a spike walks by at 10 yards, this area is 3pt or better, so he takes a picture, the only shooting he would do on this hunt.

The last day – As we made preparations for departure the next day, a long week of hunting wears on the mind. The last few days of up and downs make you rethink everything you do, but one thing is for sure, we see it through to the end, that mental toughness is only breed through experience and the fact that it only takes “one ethical shot” to change the whole season. This day my partner and I parted ways, he would hit some of his honey holes on the trek home and so would I. I don’t save honey holes to the end, I try and hunt the whole area I am in, the beauty of the PNW is the lack of visual confirmation, unless you are glassing clear cuts, you do a lot of traveling to see elk. I don’t leave elk to find elk. So, as I make my way to my morning hunt, I slowed everything down, I was enjoying the fact, that I was in the woods, the company of my buddy, and the truly blessed week of ups and downs. As I came upon my area, I must have made it about an hour before sunrise, begin of nautical twilight was just started, the weather was predicting another warm day…blah. Getting into position, I first ensured I had good shooting lanes, I range out all of my shooting windows, the wind was favorable…for now. Just as the sun started to rise, I hear what I think is a small chuckle. The winds are starting to pick up, so I am not sure, until it I hear a chirp, then a mew, and then a small bugle. I started to reevaluate my location, and whether to call or not. Instantly it is a no on the calling, as I am near what they are coming for…water. Knowing they don’t want problems at the water hole, I do nothing, except prepare to take the first shot opportunity. As the cows begin to emerge, I am already ready to take the first shot, but they are moving through my shooting lanes to fast, and I am asking myself…where is the bull? I know I heard him, and then I see the flash of antlers. Wow, he is nice, and he is moving much slower then the rest, I might get a shot. As he makes his way toward me, I come to full draw, get my window, and he passes behind the only dead fall on the bench below me. I let off, and lose sight of all of them on the rock band below me.

I begin to stalk toward the waterhole, but as Mother Nature would have it, the dry conditions sound like walking on a floor of Frito-Lays, I drop my boots, and begin stalking in my socks, and then finally moving up on my hands and knees, I can see the cows buy the water hole. Being a good judge of distance, I make it to a spot, which keeps me off the skyline, but gives me a good shot. As I begin to set up, I catch movement to my right; crap there’s a calf less then 20m away staring right at me. Trying to give my best tree stump imitation – I make no movement. The calf continues to feed toward me, and at the same time the bull has come up and made it to the water hole…game on. I am taking the first shot on whatever I get…except the calf.

As it always happens, the cows are away from the water hole, the bull is in the water and the wind swirls. I make no movement; I have two shooting lanes, one very desirable, the other…not so much. The lead cow starts to go crazy running around looking for the danger, moving left, right in circles, and then it all calmed down. In that time the calf has made it back to the herd – thank you. I pull up the rangefinder, 40m shot – either lane. The bull comes out of the water chasing a cow toward my lanes, he passes the first big tree, I come to full draw, and then he blows through my first shooting lane, now I have one left, he will come in broadside, and the plan is to give him a nervous grunt to stop him – didn’t need it, he stopped and I let the arrow fly – perfect hit. I jumped up to watch him and the herd boogey off the bench into the drainage – the one drainage we kept in the back of our minds as the last place we wanted to pack in elk out of, steep, lots of fallen trees, did I mention steep.

Listening and hearing him crash, I made my way back to the truck to get on the radio with my buddy, get my hauling pack, kill kit ready, and eat some chow as it is going to be “a long day.” As he lay – this bull died on a downed tree, on a 50-degree slope, we totally boned him out, and it took the better part of 5 hours to break him down, and 7 plus hours to get him out. I think my muscles are still screaming. May your arrows fly true, and your lines always tight - until next year.

Offline TopOfTheFoodChain

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Re: 2014 Bull Story
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2015, 12:24:07 PM »
 :tup: Nice, good read. Good hunt there.

Offline Rainier10

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Re: 2014 Bull Story
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2015, 12:51:53 PM »
Great story and solid bull, way to go.  :tup:
Pain is temporary, achieving the goal is worth it.

I didn't say it would be easy, I said it would be worth it.

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The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of HuntWa or the site owner.

Offline MADMAX

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Re: 2014 Bull Story
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2015, 12:53:01 PM »
cool
I Ain't Captain Walker.
I'm The Guy Who Carries Mr. Dead In His Pocket


What would life be without the thrill of the hunt ?

Offline WapitiTalk1

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Re: 2014 Bull Story
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2015, 02:21:46 PM »
Great write up and pics.. Thanks for taking the time to share your hunt. 
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Offline Watimberghost

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Re: 2014 Bull Story
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2015, 03:33:29 PM »
That's an awesome story and a great bull! Hard work paying off is always great to hear :tup:

Offline Bc316

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Re: 2014 Bull Story
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2015, 05:33:50 PM »
Nice bull.

Offline Vo2max

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Re: 2014 Bull Story
« Reply #7 on: January 28, 2015, 08:27:15 PM »
Well done! Nice write up as well.

Offline SemperFidelis97

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Re: 2014 Bull Story
« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2015, 08:40:43 PM »
Great write up, and pictures.  That is some steep country you packed that bull out of.

Online Karl Blanchard

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Re: 2014 Bull Story
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2015, 10:05:38 PM »
 :tup:
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Offline idaho guy

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Re: 2014 Bull Story
« Reply #10 on: January 28, 2015, 10:10:34 PM »
 :tup:

 


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