BigMike's Solo Montana Adventure (link to video loaded)

[BIGMIKE]

The hunt went well. A tasty 5x5 went down last Wednesday in grizzly country west of Yellow Stone National Park while hunting Solo. Everything worked out, got the whole thing on video. I always tought that self documented hunts are very cool so I gave it a try this year. As soon as I am done editing I will post on youtube add the link here for your enjoyment. I got the idea from Solo Hunters TV. It was difficult to do but sometimes luck is on our side.

Big Mike's Solo Hunt 2013

[uplandhunter870]

congrats to ya man, glad luck was on your side. now in true hunt-wa fashion, pics? haha

[JODakota]

Nice job mike! Can't wait to see the video and pictures!

[300rum]

I can't miss Solo Hunters.  Good job, can't wait for the video!   

[coachcw]

sounds like you had a blast ! congrats

[lokidog]

Tag, you could tease us with a still pic at least.   

[BIGMIKE]

I know... its a bad shot. Sometimes no matter how much or how hard you practice shooting all year, the arrow does not always fly where you wanted it to go. I have learned a lot from this hunt and I will be better tomorrow than what I am today. Thanks for watching.

[johnnyaustin44]

Awesome video. Loved it all. Bad shots happen. All you can do is give 100% to recover the animal when the do. Seemed to me you got it done. Regardless congrats. 

[Tbar]

Nice thanks for sharing.

[haugenna]

Nice bull and neat to capture it on video.

I would have been trying to get another arrow in him instead of calling to him.  Looked like a liver hit. 

How many trips did you make  back to that elk?  Looks like just the one??

[X-Force]

Looked like a liver hit.   

Checkout the video again. The bull is pumping blood out of his neck.

Congrats on the bull. Man that's some beautiful country.

Did you figure out which predator got to the bull first?

[300rum]

Great video.  I enjoyed it. 

[BIGMIKE]

Looked like a liver hit.   

Checkout the video again. The bull is pumping blood out of his neck.

Congrats on the bull. Man that's some beautiful country.

Did you figure out which predator got to the bull first?

 I did not try to stay any longer than what I needed to get done. In the back of my head its something big enough to open up the stomach cavity and eat a bunch of my elk.  I was yelling HEY BEAR!!! EVERY 5 MINUTES DURING THE PACK OUT.

[BIGMIKE]

I would have been trying to get another arrow in him instead of calling to him.  Looked like a liver hit. 

How many trips did you make  back to that elk?  Looks like just the one??
[/quote]


I ranged him at 164 yards when I was calling. no a chance in hell I could have fired another arrow.

It took me 5 trips, 2 loads the day I killed him. Then 3 load the following day. The one you see on video was the last load so i figure I could document that. The meat is heavy enough for the pack out I dont want to carry the camera gear all 5 trips. Thanks for the comments.

[pianoman9701]

Well done on the hunt and the video, Mike. Thanks a lot for sharing with us.

[JLS]

Looked like a liver hit.   

Checkout the video again. The bull is pumping blood out of his neck.

Congrats on the bull. Man that's some beautiful country.

Did you figure out which predator got to the bull first?

 I did not try to stay any longer than what I needed to get done. In the back of my head its something big enough to open up the stomach cavity and eat a bunch of my elk.  I was yelling HEY BEAR!!! EVERY 5 MINUTES DURING THE PACK OUT.

Eating the butt out first is a classic sign of coyotes.

[CoryTDF]

Big Mike is one of the hardest hunting guys I have ever known. He deserves this and many more like it! Great job Mike!!!!!!

[Woodchuck]

Congrats, nicely done. 

[3dsheetmetal]

Really enjoyed the video great job

[SemperFidelis97]

Great video Mike anyone who watched the video had to see that bull was hit hard there was allot of blood squirting out of his neck area.  I cannot imagine how hard it would be to film yourself especially on an archery hunt.

[pianoman9701]

Looked like a liver hit.   

Checkout the video again. The bull is pumping blood out of his neck.

Congrats on the bull. Man that's some beautiful country.

Did you figure out which predator got to the bull first?

 I did not try to stay any longer than what I needed to get done. In the back of my head its something big enough to open up the stomach cavity and eat a bunch of my elk.  I was yelling HEY BEAR!!! EVERY 5 MINUTES DURING THE PACK OUT.

Eating the butt out first is a classic sign of coyotes.

Or wolves. He was in the right place for them, too.

[JLS]

What was the total time lapse between when you shot the elk and when you recovered him?  Was all of the meat still good, or did you lose any to bone sour?  Where did the shot end up hitting?  Looked like the neck area?

Good job on being persistent.

[haugenna]

Looked like a liver hit.   

Checkout the video again. The bull is pumping blood out of his neck.

Congrats on the bull. Man that's some beautiful country.

Did you figure out which predator got to the bull first?

Ah, I see that now on a bigger screen.  I was going of the DOA part with the stomach open and the orange/brown blood at the base of his nose.  My mistake.

[pianoman9701]

I would have been trying to get another arrow in him instead of calling to him.  Looked like a liver hit. 

How many trips did you make  back to that elk?  Looks like just the one??

I ranged him at 164 yards when I was calling. no a chance in hell I could have fired another arrow.

It took me 5 trips, 2 loads the day I killed him. Then 3 load the following day. The one you see on video was the last load so i figure I could document that. The meat is heavy enough for the pack out I dont want to carry the camera gear all 5 trips. Thanks for the comments.
[/quote]

You did great on shooting him, video, and packing him out, all solo. What a fantastic hunt and great hunter. You've really accomplished something cool.

[nw_bowhunter]

Big Mike...great job on a solo hunt! I enjoyed the video...bummer on the predator getting some of your elk.  Thanks for sharing. I liked the rawness of the video and you captured my attention throughout the video.

[TylerMulie]

Great Video, very cool to see the process.
Being a Videographer and editor myself I have a few pointers that could really make your videos top notch!

1. Show the full start to finish process of your hunt, like packing the truck, getting your gear ready hiking out the trail head etc. also show some quick shots of scenery every so often.
2. Have shorter scenes. When you have shorter scenes with different shots it will add more content to the whole video, it will draw the viewer in and hold thier attention. when you have legging scenes with a lot of talking and repeating yourself, you will loose the viewers attention very quickly
3.try and keep the interviews of yourself short sweet and too the point. they can be long interveiws, but you want to be talking about different content throughout the interview, this will keep the viewer engaged.
4. add Voice over narrations, try adding in voice over narrations when your editing.
5.GREAT HUNT!!! congratulations on the kill!! so pumped whenever i see a WA hunter killing a animal from a different state!

Not trying to be critical, just trying to help out a fellow videographer.

[deerhunter_98520]

Looks like an awesome hunt .....congrats and great video....keep them comin 

[mulehunter]

   great job!

[JJB11B]

Right on Mike. Hopefully next year our schedules will jive better so we can get some hunts in together. Either way it's always a good time seeing you and the rest of the guys at camp. Congrats on ANOTHER branched bull. Eat good and take care.

[carpsniperg2]

I would say wolves or yotes. A bear would have drug it around more and opened it up a lot more. Congrats on your bull.

[Pathfinder101]

Big Mike is one of the hardest hunting guys I have ever known. He deserves this and many more like it! Great job Mike!!!!!!

I'll second that.  Mike's an animal on the mountain.  Congrats Mike! 

BTW, anyone ever see a bear eat the a$$ out of something?  That looks more wolf/coyote to me...

[BIGMIKE]

I just wanted to say thank you for all your input and encouragement. I had a great time huntin and reading all your comments.

[MLBowhunting]

Nice job BigMike 

[7t9cobra]

Nice elk! Great video as well. Normally i wouldnt have watched a video that long but you kept my attention. I probably would crap myself after seeing my kill was being eaten in that short amount of time.

[CAMPMEAT]

Hat off to you. Cool video.