Finally time for the story and pics :} (tried adding this half a dozen times today... trying again w?o the pic)
The first morning of the season found me sitting on the sidelines of a soccer field watching my younger granddaughter play soccer. As I mentioned before, I guess hunting for them is not like it is for me as there is no way I would miss an opening morning hunt.... but, what could I do other than pace back and forth and wait
We finally hit the woods at 5:30 pm with about an hour and a half to hunt. Keep in mind that the plan was to only hunt Sat evening and Sunday morning. And when I say "We" I mean, my stepson Jacob, his daughter Chanelle (the 14 yr old hunter), his son (5 yrs old) his best friend Jim, and his two kids (11 and 6), and myself. Talk about a full load in a Toyota !!! But we hit the woods and within 5 minutes bumped a cow!! I was pretty excited that we had found elk so quickly!! Minutes later we had a bull sounding off but we could not get to him before dark. As we were driving back to camp that night I heard a bugle out of my window. We stopped the truck so we could let the kids listen to the chorus of elk, doing what they do!! It was AWESOME!! Bulls were sounding off like crazy with at least 5 different bulls sounding off nonstop! With every bugle the kids eyes would light up and they would point in the direction as if to say "he's right there!"
I loved every minute of it! After heading back to camp we discussed where we were going to set up in the morning and it was decided if Channel didn't take a bull by noon, it would be time to tag a cow if one presented itself.
It was pretty much a sleepless night with all the anticipation of the next morning. We KNEW we would be in bugling bulls and just had to make it happen!! As we were unloading the "troops" in the cool dark morning, we heard our 1st bull, and headed his direction. He sounded as though he was 200 + yards away so we all walked together for the first 100 yards or so before having Jacob stay back with the little ones. As we moved in closer to the bull, I stayed back 80 yards to call and Jim and Channel pushed forward. Unfortunately the bull spotted them first and froze with his kill zone blocked by a tree at only 40 yards!! .
This bull was a solid 340 class bull and the fist bull Channel had ever seen!!! She was sooo excited, but the bull spooked and never presented a shot. Surprisingly we never heard another bull that morning so we headed back to camp to eat and prep for an "any elk" afternoon hunt.
The afternoon was slow to start, a few cows and a spike were spotted but well out of range. A couple of other bulls sounded off but with the young ones in tow, they were just too far off. As we approached the last hour of light, everything changed! I spotted 2 cows 277 yards away and we were off to make a play. They spotted us and trotted off, but as soon as I cow called 2 different bulls sounded off and we were right in the middle!!!! I knew we had a good set up for a bull, but I also knew we were out of time and she needed to take her first possible shot. Jim and Channel moved forward as her Dad, the "Little's" and I stayed back, split 50 yards, and began cow calling. This really got the bulls going and 2 spikes came RUNNING right to her!! I could not see her but I knew they had to be very close, when all of the sudden, the spikes run back the other way!!
But I'm still feeling good because this bull behind us is still SCREAMING his head off and getting closer! I then look up on the ridge line above where the spike ran and there stands one of the biggest bulls I have ever seen! I watch him for over 5 minutes just standing atop of this rock cliff watching his heard run all around and probably making sure that the other screamer was not going to take any of his cows! All of the sudden I notice Jim and Channel coming out of the woods and I am thinking WTF
no shot? elk still standing around?? 15 minutes of shooting light?? I come to find out that there was an issue with the muzzle loader
She actually pulled the trigger 3 times!!!! once on a smaller 5 pt, once on a spike and finally a cow. Each time switching primers with no luck!!
Turns out the powder was bad
??
With much disappointment, and 2 bugling bulls within 150 yards of us, we drove back to camp to pack up and go home
On our way back, I asked if there was any way we could stay for one more morning. Just an early morning hunt I said, with a promise that we could be on the road by 10 AM. Jim could not stay due to work and he had the trailer we stayed in, so after a bit Jacob agreed we could stay in a motel 20 miles away!! This was PERFECT because now
I was going to be the one with Channel and deciding how we would hunt!!
We proceeded to town and that was a story in itself, but we had 1 more chance and I could not be happier!!!
On our drive in, 30 min before legal shooting light, we had a nice 300 class bull stand in the middle of the highway and taunt us. We moved on, and in the dark, missed our turn. We jumped 2 more small herds off of the road, but not knowing exactly where we were, did not want to pursue. As legal light hits another bull crosses the highway from private land to what I THOUGHT was public. We got out and looked at this bull for a couple of minutes but he was behind a fence and I was not positive it was public so I would not let her shoot. Back to the truck to get where we planned on going and 50 more yards down the road I realize we WERE on public land and that bull should have been dead!!
I was frustrated but knew I did the right thing. I had to teach her that if you don't know for sure you don't pull the trigger.
Anyway, after we turn to head to where we left the bulls from the night before, we spot 4 cows in the middle of the dirt road. They were on public land about 250 yards away. We stop the truck and the hunt begins. As we are working our way towards the trees, a bull from the other side of the road begins screaming!!! He is on private land though and I decided that we needed to get between him and the cows without making a sound. We set up so that she would get a 60 yard shot as soon as the bull stepped on to the public side. Her Dad and little brother get about 50 yrds from us and we begin throwing out some soft cow calls. This bull is going crazy back and forth along the fence but will not step across!!
All of the sudden a spike (a 2x1 I tell her
) comes running back from where the cows were and is headed for the private side. He crosses us at 30 yards and sees us! He jumps back, I blow a quick cow call and he stops at 37 yards broadside. Channel picks up her gun and shooting sticks, re-positions herself, cocks the hammer and shoots!!!! I never had a chance to say a word!! Smoke fills the air and I ask her if she hit it? She says "I don't know Bondo, did I?"
I thought I saw him stumble but with all of the smoke I just could not be sure. So, we wait 30+ minutes, and while waiting the other bull still continues to bugle!!! After 30 minutes we begin the track job and find her first elk 50 yards away! She did a great job and I am SO proud of her!!
Sorry for the long story, but it was a proud day for us all and I didn't want to leave much out. Thanks again to those that offer advice and good wishes!!! I LOVE ELK HUNTING!!
