Well, been in some what of a drought, I guess. Started bow hunting Roosevelt's at age 17. Killed my first in '83 at age 19, I was then hooked.
I took 7 Rosie's in 11 seasons then just up and quit hunting for 14 years. In 2005 I got some desire to go back at age 41. Took my biggest that season, a fine 6-point that scored 306. I got one the following season, a smaller 5x6, and since then have only killed one elk in the last 5 seasons. I did miss a dandy 5 point last year at 30 yards, twice, because of a mechanical failure. New job only let me hunt two days last season so I was looking forward to this year.
I took a week off of work so I started hunting on Saturday. Did not see much for elk or sign, really. I saw a cow and a spindly little 5 point in the road. I gave chase hoping that there was bigger in the group, but there was not. That was on Tuesday morning.
Wednesday, I headed back into my hunting country. No elk but did see some sign. Not enough to get too happy about.
Got out of the woods and found out a friend of mine killed a 6x8, or a 7x8, or even a 7x9, in the spot that I hunted on Monday. Cannot tell you how many points it has, lol, I am not sure what all are good points. But it is big (pictures below).
So, knowing the area like the back of my hand, I headed in there on Thursday. I managed to find his ribbon trail and followed it up to where I had tracked one elk when I was in there on Monday but had lost the tracks and no answers to my cow call or bugle
I proceeded out away from his kill site. A couple hours into it, and this is really quite uneventful, I cow called and a bull bugled back. I crossed a small draw only to see this bull coming at me at 80 yards. His rack was short and squatty, not very wide, at all. I was kind of bummed. I was debating if I really wanted this bull. As he got closer I could see 7 points on one side. I decided that only a fool would pass on a 7 point. He kept coming and I let it rip at 25 yards or so.
I set up my camera with a little Gorilla tripod and took a picture, then boned it out and got out of there reaching my pickup at dark. Packed it out the following day and threw the meat in my friend's walk in cooler. I picked it up this morning to come back home after sharing stories and taking some pictures of his fine Roosevelt.
My 6x7
My friend's bull, killed less than one mile from my:
And the two together. I know his dwarfs mine, but give me some benefit as his still has the head on it and makes it look even bigger
OK, I tried, his is big!
