3-Peaches Archery Tags to fill. Final Update with Pics and story*************

[trophyhunt]

Brian B tagged a 5x5, Brian C put it all out there but didn't tag out on his big bull tag. He's a damn good elk hunter, him and Blair both, Brian C great job on staying after it!! Congrats Blair on your first bull!!

[coachcw]

those boys where giving it hell ! they were going places most sain people wouldn't 

[brianb231]

Well guys,

We had 3 tags and only filled one which was a disappointment. But that is a lesson I guess in just how hard and unpredictable Elk hunting with a bow can be. We put our eyes on some monster bulls from 12 ft to 100 yards but could not close the deal for one reason or another. And there are many reasons. The wind seemed to be our nemesis around every corner even when we hiked around to get it in our favor. We put over 50 miles on our feet during the course of this hunt. We hunted as hard as I think you can. Me and BrianMTSinc hunted together trading off hunts and calling for each other. THis partner of mine has the drive and will of a flower growing out of a crack in the freeway in the middle of I-5. He brings that never say die mentality to our game. I told myself that if I had not connected by the 11th of Sept that I would not pass on bulls after that point. I had only had an opportunity on a couple of Spikes up until that point.

THe morning of the 11th came and we got to a place that we have named "Hell" for various reasons. It is a place that Always, and I mean Always has elk in it due to its toilet bowl esq nature with no bottom in sight. We never worried much about other hunters in this place because they only drove around the rim of this "Hell Hole". So we no more then got to the area and we could hear the bulls screaming. Or just enough to lure us down into the depths of hell only to laugh and draw us farther with every setup!. So after they drug us to the bottom and then we had to hike back out we had burned every last bit of life out of us.  IT was a low of lows. So as we were leaving this place in the truck BrianMTSinc says "lets go check this one last area out before throwing in the towel for the first half of the day". I have to admit I was spent and frustrated and really just wanted to go back to camp but I played along. After all I had already survived the hike out of Hell so how bad could it be. So we stop and bugle this one area and we heard no response. We were beginning to leave and had run into cell service not far from Hell so we stopped. BrianMTSinc said he was going to bugle this clearcut while I was checking my messages ( an excuse for trying to get my mind right again.) He bugles and says he hears a bugle way down the ridge. So we knew the road system went down that way so we got to where we might be close to the bull and got out. We gave an estrus call and this bull hit us back immediately with a really crappy sounding bugle. I would have assumed hunter but he was calling from a very bizarre cut of woods at 10:15AM. So I moved down into position by the skid road and BrainMTSinc stayed back and started the estrus calling again. Sure enough he was coming! and FAST! I saw the bull and only a flash of his rack. Enough to know it was a bull. It looked as though he was going to skirt by me through the thick section of timber and I was not going to get a shot, then he took a turn and headed straight down to me. I was already at full draw as he turned to come straight down to me. He came to 20 yards and stopped. My mind was made up he was not leaving without an arrow. I was going to wait for him to turn but I was pegged. Never thought I would have to take a frontal shot, but I have shot a couple thousand arrows this year so far and knew I could make a perfect shot. I pulled the trigger and watched my 440 grain arrow sink right into the center of his chest. I could only see about 2 inches of my arrow. He turned and bounced about 25 yards to my left and started to stumble and go down. I made a questionable decision to put a second arrow in him. I shot again and he "BOLTED!" I thought, oh my god, what did I just do? So after awhile of my mind working on me and how good my shots were or weren't. We started looking very slowly. Blood was ok for the first 10 yards. I then saw my arrow from the second shot and realized that I had missed? I guess the excitement took over. I would have bet the farm I laced him with that secon arrow as well. So this made me worry even more. So we only wanted to look a little farther before backing out for a couple hours but it was about to get HOT. But turns out we looked another 20 yards and brianMTSinc says out loud in a stadium sized voice " DO YOU WANT TO SEE HIM!" I was not comprehending what he was asking me. he said it again  and I look over the rise and there he lay not 50 yards from the initial shot. I was without words. We gave our manhugs etc and began with pics and processing.

My dad Roy Blair hunted his entire life and never got a bull. He got our whol group into hunting and we have been bowhunting together for the past 25 years now. We like to have a toast for the animal and to my dad thanking them for our good fortune and being with us in spirit during the hunt. He passed away in Oct of 2009. In my heart this bull was for him. He is not the bull of the woods, but on this day he was my bull and could not be any bigger.

A big thanks to my partner to keep me going and always pushing. Could not ask for a better friend.

Good luck to everyone.

Brianb231

[MtnMuley]

 

[pd]

Here's one for your father!  Excellent hunt.

[JPhelps]

Congrats Brian

[rtspring]

Proud of you guys! Anyone that hunts the places like Corey and I has balls..  Thats hunting...

Great job

[bowhunterforever]

Awsome

[Mfowl]

Congrats! Nice bull and write up!   

[coachcw]

33% success is pretty good

[bowguy]

Sounds like an awesome time. Congrats on the bull, great story. Toast to your dad I'm sure he was jumping up and down given hi fives and hugs up there.

[wingsandwilds]

Congrats! Way to stick to it.  Great story and great adventure.  Props for paying homage.  Definitely one to be extremely proud of.

[trophyhunt]

You guys have a lot to be proud of, so does your dad Brian! Great story, very well done guys!!

[mtbiker]

Brian, big congrats on that bull!  Good job persevering and sticking it out.

[elkh8me]

thats a neat hunt.  congrats