collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: My elk hunt as a non tag holder  (Read 4650 times)

Offline Coulee

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Apr 2009
  • Posts: 28
My elk hunt as a non tag holder
« on: November 03, 2016, 11:57:13 AM »
Being a deer hunter my entire life, taking on elk hunting is a whole different experience!
Not having the pressure of being an "any bull" tag holder in the Observatory unit, left me to just enjoy the hunt. We arrived a week before the opener and scouted pretty thoroughly. We saw big bulls every day! I had not seen a big bull in the wild before. Hearing them scream was absolutely the tops!
With a good game plan in place my brother and I climbed onto our perch with the spotting scope. Right before shooting light I spot a big bull with my binoculars. With not enough light for me to find a moving bull in the spotting scope, all I could tell my nephew was BIG BULL! The bull hung in the timber, and no sighting by the hunter. The next morning, we were back into position with the same plan in place. On this morning, the bull was spotted moving down the timber line into an old clear cut. We felt sure another opportunity was missed. The next thing I know, my nephew is seen through the spotting scope setting up on a bull! He is facing the hill I am set up on, I have no view of the animal. Unfortunately, this turned out to be a missed shot. two hours later, after much searching, we are all confident, clean miss.
Morning three finds us with the same plan again. Mother Nature had different ideas however. On this day, the wind  blew, it rained, snowed, and really thick fog, all at the same time. My brother and I made it to the top, just on the wrong side. In the fog, we could not see 20 feet, and had no idea exactly where we were. After sitting in the lee of the wind until daylight. We climbed down from our "perch". No finding bulls in the fog on this day.
Back at camp, milling around, a plan was devised to go to a protected look out and try to spot something for the evening hunt. We all piled into the truck and away we went.
On the way, I hear "ELK"! The vehicle comes to a sudden stop! "Can you see them?" No, I say, I'm on the uphill side, if I open the door the bell will send animals scurrying away. A new plan was put into place. The two young men would quietly slide out of the truck, and attempt a stalk. Us two "old farts", would take the truck and let the boys know if the herd crossed the road below.
On the bottom road, we see elk have indeed crossed the road. Things looked bleak. Suddenly, I hear a shot! My hopes soared! Finally, a radio transmission, "SEASON IS A SUCCESS!"
The young man did his old uncle proud! He tagged his very first elk, and it is a very respectable bull.
Congratulations!
Pictures are the honor of the tag holder to post. He has posted one under 2016 elk.

Offline ElkBOW79

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 43
  • Location: EastSide
Re: My elk hunt as a non tag holder
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2016, 02:34:43 PM »
Great story Coulee!  What is your nephews handle on the site?

Offline takethetime

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 43
  • Location: Eastern WA
Re: My elk hunt as a non tag holder
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2016, 04:27:03 PM »
Ok I'll chime in with a story to follow

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


Offline 724wd

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2009
  • Posts: 3884
  • Location: Spokane
Re: My elk hunt as a non tag holder
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2016, 04:39:46 PM »
pretty bull!

Offline go4steelhd

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 1315
  • Location: Behind the crosshairs
  • MT Wild Sheep Foundation Life Time Member
  • Groups: go4steelhd
Re: My elk hunt as a non tag holder
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2016, 05:53:27 PM »
Congrats!
Nice work guys!
I hoped this hunt would end with success  :tup:
NW__HUNTER Instagram

Offline ElkBOW79

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 43
  • Location: EastSide
Re: My elk hunt as a non tag holder
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2016, 06:31:00 PM »
Yes!  Very nice Bull!

Offline Fish4Fun

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2007
  • Posts: 902
  • Location: Moses Lake
Re: My elk hunt as a non tag holder
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2016, 10:09:47 AM »
Great story and a nice bull too   :tup:

Offline pashok23

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 1375
  • Location: Marysville WA
Re: My elk hunt as a non tag holder
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2016, 11:51:06 AM »
Nice bull  :tup:,congrats

Offline Coulee

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Apr 2009
  • Posts: 28
Re: My elk hunt as a non tag holder
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2016, 12:14:35 PM »
I had a great time! The bull was a huge bonus!

Offline takethetime

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 43
  • Location: Eastern WA
Re: My elk hunt as a non tag holder
« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2016, 07:58:55 AM »
2016 any BULL.  What a ride it was to find out I had drawn a tag that I didn't think would come for years.  I have only had a chance to harvest a 2 elk in my life and one I missed and the other I was cold and unprepared for a quick shoot.  This year had to be more successful than the past.  As a hunting party we spent countless hours of scouting, learning and dedication to make this what it has been.  I had decided to give up my mule deer hunting for the year and go scouting for 7 days prior to season and retrieve our cameras that I had scattered across parts of this unit.  We spent morning and evenings glassing from high points and mid day retrieving and enjoying ELK camp.  seeing bulls every day in there natural habits was awesome.  I had never taking the time to pay attention to bulls with only a spike and once a cow tag in my pocket.  It was all new to me.  Three goals in mind 6 point bull, SUCCESSFUL notched tag and family harmony.  With that in mind I had a 3 week vacation planned with family and the mountains.  As I give my hugs good bye and plan when I would get to see my 2 children and wife my son says you will be home for Halloween this year and I explain my circumstances to my 8 year old son he is dead set. This in turn leads me to my 4th goal.  Opening day leads us on a huge rush things are looking great an a bull we had been watching was feeding our way, he hung a little high in the timber and we never got a shoot off.  Day two lead to a long shot at which was unsuccessful and after plenty of time searching we walked away a little discouraged but plenty of time.  Day 3 was foggy rain snow and just cruddy weather we stuck it out for sometime but as a group we had wet everything and decided to hang gear and get a plan for evening.  After a nap some lunch I started pacing and get a response of we will get you a bull chill.  We  decided with the weather of rain and fog we would just go glass around and see what we could find for the evening and role into day 4 with dry backpacks and gear.  On our way to glass I spotted some cows that I had seen my bull with 2 times the week prior to season.  I was ok with this bull, with all my goals in mind my little bro and I go in after the cows.  We didn't make it far and we were on them, after cleaning the scope and watching squirrels drop pine cones at my brother for what felt like for ever.  I finally got to see some horn this guy smelled a cow and I could see the tips of his horns I needed 2 steps.  As my brother watches me take a breath tuck in and get ready he just enjoys the moment and watches me he is 10 yard behind me and isn't able to see the elk.  After a few moments the cows with the calves feed off and no sight of the bull again.  We devise a plan from behind the tree I was using for cover.  He ranges where everything was going down and says 29 yard.  Oh my I thought it was off from the weather but looking back we were right in it.  We moved maybe five yards and I catch movement as a drop I hear "stand up Stand up"  There he was I side step grabbed a tree and sent the 270 WSM on its way.  As I watch the biggest animal I have ever taken drop I freeze.  " reload reload" I calmly do in shock and watch this bull expire within moments.  With hugs high fives and a radio transmission the easy work is over.  Pictures a game plan for removal in place we start to go to work with what I had put together as a kill bag.  We quarter this guy out and had him to camp within 4 hours what an experience. With the time I had put in I have absolutely no regrets on this easy pack. Family and hunting memories for years to come and home for Halloween and my son says that wasn't what you were after.  For this dad it was, I accomplished 3 out of 4 goals!  Hopefully I will get to share that 4th goal with the young man that wanted me there for Halloween the first time in several years..  Hunt wa enjoy hope everyone had a season to remember for what ever there goals were!! :)

Offline Windyridge

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Pilgrim
  • *
  • Join Date: Nov 2016
  • Posts: 1
  • Location: warden
Re: My elk hunt as a non tag holder
« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2016, 08:52:56 AM »
Great story maybe I'll tell my side of it including the killer varmint that almost blew the hunt.

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal