ML Goose Prairie Bull

[Timber_Hunter]

Well, I am usually not for writing long stories, but my experience deserved to be heard.  After putting in for 16 years I was due to get drawn.  I finally got drawn for a muzzleloader quality bull tag.  My dad and a buddy Jesse were going to be my callers.  October 1 arrived and we had decided our best bet would be “the meadow.”  We were a few hundred yards from the meadow when we heard at least 3 different bulls bugling.  Jesse and I snuck to the edge and the better sounding bull was at the back end behind some trees and was fired up.  After sneaking to a good point, we sat for a good half of an hour and a cow, calf and the bull came throw an opening quickly at about 150 yards and then were gone.  Because the bull was on this cow, we had decided to stay quiet at this point. 
We went up through the timber and circled around and set up on a smaller meadow.   We could hear bull bugling back in the timber (maybe the same one we had just seen) so this would be a good place to set up.  The Montana decoy of a broadside cow was set up and my dad and Jesse would be calling back behind her.  If everything went to plan, the bull would be broadside going by me anywhere up to 90 yards which is where the timber on the other side was.  Jesse began cow calling a little here and there.  The bull would bugle back in the swamp area where he was.  He never seemed like he was too interested.   I was positioned back so that if he came out into this swampy meadow, he would not be able to see me as I was behind a stump that I would use for a rest.  30-40 minutes passed and Jesse was coming over to me to see what the plan would be because this bull wasn’t having anything to do with us. 
When my dad saw that Jesse was done he decided to start on his estrus cow call. He had been practicing his Imaka da bullcrazy call, but didn’t want to call until Jesse was done.   When my dad blew that call the bull just started screaming but was still hung up.  Jesse blew a young bull bugle and the bull began chuckling.  My dad in the meantime was still cow calling.  When Jesse chuckled back that bull was ready to fight and boy could you hear the brush crashing as he raced towards us.  The bull came out of the swampy brush at the upper end of the meadow.  Then my dad cow called and the bull focused right in on that Montana decoy.  As soon as I heard another cow call I flipped off the safety of my knight bighorn.  The bull went into the brush on the other side of the meadow and came out in the wide open broadside, but moving fast on his way to the decoy.  I cow called with my reed diaphragm and the bull continued so I cow called again.  He stopped and began to bugle and that is when I shot.   
Going into this hunt I wanted a bull that would have good fourth points and a good upper fork to make it a good six.  I didn’t care about score.  When that bull came out, that was all I needed to see.
After the shot my dad asked him if I had hit him and I was sure I had, but with the big puff of smoke after the shot, I only saw him running away.   
We went to where I had seen him run into the brush and there were tracks, but no blood.  30 yards into the brush, 40, 50 and still on the tracks and finally around 60 yards a big pool of blood and relief.  We tracked him for about 150 yards and then I could smell him.  We could see him moving through the timber very slow so we backed off for a half of an hour.  We went back to where we had last seen him and there he lay.  I can honestly say that the wait over the 16 years to draw that tag was definitely worth it.  Since Monday I have replayed that hunt in my head several times.  That will go down as one of the best hunting experiences I have had.  Huge thanks to the crew for opening up your camp to us and to Jess and dad for great calling and packing.  I wouldn’t have changed a thing!

[270Shooter]

Awesome story and bull man, those 4th's look huge! just out of curiousity have you got him scored yet?

[carpsniperg2]

Dandy bull congrats

[RG]

Cool bull!  I've been hunting that hunt all week too, have been into a number of bulls but haven't got the shot yet.  Good job!

[buckreaper]

Hey, like I said, "you shot my bull".  Congratulations.  That's a dandy of a bull.  I would definitely say that one met your criteria.  Now I need to find another one.  Hopefully we can get together and talk soon.  Again....job well done.   

[pips4bucks]

Stud bull!  Congrats!

[mkcj]

I think you definitely got your 4th 5th and 6th you were looking for! Great story and bull

[Lunchbox1981]

Congrats.  Awesome bull.

[Maligator]

Whew, that's a really nice bull....Congrats!!!!!!!!   

[SniperDanWA]

Great story and awesome looking bull.  Congrats to you on this milestone.

[boneaddict]

Some real gorgeous trophies showing up here this week.   Very nice bull!

[dreamingbig]

Awesome bull.  Congratulations!

[ELKBURGER]

Congrats on a long awaited monster!

[Sawbuck]

Congratulations!! What a bull, he's what we all dream about. Nice write up and pictures.

[wamuledeer]

Awesome bull, congrats.