Everything is lining up (story and pics added)

[sneakyjake]

I haven't found time to shoot my bow, my kids are taking over my life, my wife has much for me to do, the tree house isn't finished, the fair started, work is busy, my hunting partner backed out on me, my mule broke when I was getting ready to load it. I'm on my own. I think I'm  gonna get lucky, do you ever feel like that?   I smell a dead elk.

[2MANY]

Love it!!!

Go gettum.

[sneakyjake]

It's a good feeling, especially when it comes true.

And I smell a dead elk.

[jasnt]

Congrats......story??

[steeliedrew]

that's awesome!!! I know how you feel. Often times when I'm steelhead fishing solo I have the best days. Way to get it done considering how busy life is for you! I'd love to hear the story. Looks like you got him in some reprod?

[deerhunter_98520]

 

[MLhunter1]

The best days on the water and in the woods I have ever had were solo.

[wiremonkey]

Awesome, congratulations. I cant wait to hear the rest of the story. It appears everything took a turn for the best. 

[turkeydancer]

Way to go Sneaky (Jeff) ....

Funny looking turkey thouugh .... 

[sneakyjake]

So down the rabbit hole I went.  After having some partners switch to the East side, some got too old, others quit.  I have one good partner left and he put in for a rifle tag and didnt tell me.  Little known fact, you cant switch your east/west tag after you put in for a special permit.  Which leaves me hunting alone, whatever, I kill more things when I'm by myself anyway.
Three hour drive, light badlands pack filled for a 3 day hunt.  2 hour backpack to a place I love to hunt.  Has been void of animals the last two years, but there is always hope.  Set up a little camp, checked my watering hole and of I went.  Ten minutes later I made a cow call at 3pm and got a half hearted bugle up the hill from me.  I was into elk for the next five hours.  Cat and mouse, multiple herds, I got busted by at least 6 cows protecting this bull.  Bands of cows hhad split up and some had moved with him to the back side of the mountain where he remained, taunting me occasionally.  I tried to gain elevation and use my knowledge of the area to ambush him.  I climbed up to the top above the tree level, about 5000'.  He quieted down, the dark bowl seemed empty, but I knew he was still down there.  I decided to wait until sunset and then try again the next morning.  I had a few days, no need to blow them out of the area.  I stood up to hike back to my spike camp that I was an hour away from now with no trail.  The bugle came on the ridgeline directly behind.  I yelled "Oh Yeah, game on M-FR!", I really did, outloud.  I know, but I was amped.  I took off running down the ridge line looking evverywhere.  I peeked over the back side and I could see cows milling around.  But where was he?  I moved forward again and then heard him bugle maybe 400 yards ahead of me.  I crept up and peeked over the craggy rocks and saw a massive herd, not the same ones from the other side.  It was getting dark and there was no approach through the low huckleberry.  I would wait them out then come back.  As I was watching them, 20 yard to my right a sat bull came trotting by and stopped broadside next to me in the open and put his head down to feed.  I just said to myself "really? 10 years and this is how it is going to happen"  I took about  5 steps towards him drew, he kept his head down and I shot.  It made that sound I heve heard about, like a watermellon, bloop.  I dropped, cow called, he never saw me.  I heard a crash.  I tracked him through the huckleberry for 2.5 hours.  There was dark blood, then there was lung blood.  The trail ended at a cliff.  I looked everywhere for more blood, nothing, I guess he went over.  I searched the area for another 30 minutes.  Decided to come back in the morning.  He was 20 feet from where I was standing the next morning,  I swear I looked pretty hard.   A phone call to my  buddy, 5 hours of butchering, 8 hours of packing the meat to the truck, fire, whiskey, mountain house, sleep.  Went back in to  get my camp the next day and pick some berries for a pie. 
BTW why didnt anyone tell me about the bee thing.  I got stung over a dozen times.  There were thousands of them.  uggg
Dad got me this.

After the shot, waiting to track

Great country

Double lung pass through

Help arrives



My sweet wife even took my huckleberries and made me a pie last night

[foambeetle]

Nice work getting it done - congrats! 

[Labs07]

Great story and nice Bull!  Congrats on a successful hunt!

[dmv9]

Awesome, congrats!

[rosscrazyelk]

Way to get it done

[jasnt]

I need that shirt!  I always do best on my own.