BACK FROM THE WENAHA!

[hambone]

 great bull thats some tough country love the blues

[MuleySniper]

Great bull caveman style!!!
MS

[New England Native]

so where is the story this one looks interesting

[fc2038]

Sure looks like someone took some WOOD to it? Come on whats the story sure looks as if the tree had his way with that monster.

[Skinner]

Gott'em in the neck.  Way to go!  Less bloodshot that way.  Nice bull!

[SuperDave]

Lets hear the story, nice looking bull!!  Congrats!

[bowsandhose]

congrats

[WALLEYERICK]

First I have to say this has been a great web sight.  Really gets a guy pumped up for the hunt, be it bow, muzzleloader or rifle.
After scouting from Three forks trail head and the Teepee trail head I decided that my feet nor my wife's "show horses" where going to help me much in this country, so I called an outfitter out of Pomeroy.  After a short discussion is was set, he would have a furnished camp ready to go,no guide. All we had to do was show up with our gear, food and clothes.  We Planned to go in Sat morning and scout Sat. and Sunday.
Sat arrived, 9:00 am at teepee, the outfitter arrived we loaded and away we went with a 6 mule pack string and 6 horses.  No guide, we where going to do the rest ourselves.
Sat evening we spotted bulls on distant ridges. Sunday morning we spotted bulls in the same areas and watched them off and on all day.  I would say the bull to cow ratio is
about 50% or better on the bull side.  Well the plan was if the animals where in the same areas, I was going to take one of my buddies and start the trek after them.
I say trek because it ended up being 6 miles one way from camp (3 hrs prox).  Monday morning proved to be the same, the animals where still in the same areas we had spotted them days prior, so at 10 am we set off for a distant ridge (second pick I posted).  For those of you who don't know, that distant ridge is Weller Butte.  We where camped at Huckleberry Springs.  We arrived atop the elk at 1pm and the wind was blowing quite good at times from the west so we went about 400 yards off the top to eliminate sent that might drift over and into the canyon below.  My plan was with the wind blowing was to wait till 4:30 and then head down over with my Sherpa (buddie) and hopefully either spot them coming out of timber to feed or have my Sherpa push the timber in hopes they would head out where I could see them.  I have to be honest here because my "Sherpa" will probably read this and will not hesitate to correct me if I bs.  So we started a fire to keep warm because the weather was starting to rain and snow on us while we waited.  4:15 came along and my plan was suddenly foiled.  There where 2 guys with tags staying in Lodgepole spring and they had spotted a bull in the same area and had started there sneak on him.  One had spotted there bull and all hell broke loose over the edge, and I do mean edge.  #($(+# I said and away we scrambled over to see what was going on.  Down a cliff we sneaked with eyes wide open, in hopes that our plan was not foiled by theirs.  I knew the bull and 5 or 6 cows were in the bottom of a steep ravine about 1/2 a mile from all the shooting (like 15 shots) , but I wanted to get to a spot where I could see if they vacated the area.  As I climbed down the spire, I expected to see sheep or goats along the way, I looked back and my "Sherpa"  had stopped and perched him self just 50 yards down from the top. I found out later he had been looking thru his binos, had gotten dizzy, and had not been able to proceed.  So I guess I was on my own.  I dropped down the cliff about 300 yards wondering if I would fall to my death never seeing my wife or my sherpa again, then started my walk in towards the bottom.  There where avalanche shoots every so often and I knew they where in the last one before the timber started.  Just before the last shoot, wind and snow swirling, I heard them bust.  The "1" nice thing about this country being so steep, and if your not in the timber, is the visibility is quite good.  I could see them bolting in the timber straight up the hill across from me on the next ridge (150 yards).  I couldn't make them out and my scope was set on 12 power, so I quickly switched it to 6.  They don't run up hill very long around that country, and soon I could hear them busting branches headed across the hill towards an open hill side.  Never could I have dreamed they would cross in front of me at about 200 yards.  Out they came so I dropped and got ready.  Cow after cow till the last cow came out. 30 feet of opening they crossed then back into the trees.  Then he arrived what seemed min. was probably only 3 seconds behind.  BLAM, he folded and tumbled into the timber.  Down he went almost to the bottom.
I he had not got caught, he would have gone the bottom.  I had broke his front gear box, and in this country, that is the best shot I could have asked for.
Well the rest is work, we left him held by the tree and gutted him then headed for the rim.
we crested the rim (1000 ft) at 7:30 and got back to camp at 10 pm.  I wanted to empty a pendleton bottle, but knew I had my work cut out for me the following morning.  Tues came and we headed out after a good breakfast.  On the trail at 10 am. This time I had 2 Sherpas and my 74 year old father stayed in camp.  We had 5 trips out of the Hell Hole and had all the meat, cape and rack to the top by 6 pm.  We left the meat in a tree, and headed back to camp (9 pm) with the rack.  At the risk of loosing my hunting partners, I felt it was my duty to mix the pendleton, Crystal lite and spring water the rest of the night.  The pack train came in the next day, we rode to get the meat (3 hr round trip by horse and mules), and where back to the teepee trail head by 6 pm.
Who ever gets this tag next year should get ahold of me.  I learned alot about this country and know I will probably not get the tag again next year.
I pays to turn in and get a tripple convicton on a dead beat too! 10 extra points!!!!!!!

[deaddog]

I know we have archery season, gun season, muzzy season but deadfall trap season? great bull, congrats!

[BIGBULLBALLS]

Great bull, great story, and great pictures!  Can't wait until I draw one of the tags over there

[bucklucky]

Got anymore pics of your bull?

[TheHunt]

Great story, thank you for sharing.  I agree with Bucklucky, do you have any more pictures to share?

[firefighter4607]

nice bull! 

And awsome story to go with the amazing hunt.

[bowsandhose]

Got anymore pics of your bull?

congrats on a nice bull

[jae]

Congratulations on a great bull!