After being blessed and getting drawn for both multiseason deer and elk permits this year, I really wanted to make the most of it. Hunted hard in SW Washington all archery season (which is usually my elk weapon of choice). Found some nice new area and was chasing elk around every day, but never could seal the deal.
Was able to connect on a 3x2 mule deer on opening day of the muzzleloader season to fill that tag and then get back to focusing on elk. Went back to the same spot I archery hunted, but this time carrying the rifle. After hiking 12+ miles a day and battling nonstop rain and fog, the fog finally decided to lift near the end of the day on Tuesday the fourth. We hiked back up to the top and immediately spotted elk. I was watching elk about 800 yards away, which included a decent bull, when this guy decided to pop out of the woodwork and walk towards me. He followed a ravine (out of sight) towards me and popped out about 225 yards away. He dropped about 75 yards from where he was initially shot and then the work began. It took my dad and I 11 hours to pack him out. We were four miles from the truck and shot him about 30 minutes before dark. We were able to manhandle it in two trips and get back to the truck for good at about 3:30 am. Beer has never tasted as good as it did at that moment. He is not a monster, but my biggest to date and he has a really nice dark maroon rack with ivory tips. The pictures don't do him justice as he did have good mass.
He had a broadhead stuck in the back of his head right below his left ear. It looked like it was from this year and was quite infected, but it didn't seem to be bothering him too bad. He also had grass growing out of his head; not just sitting in his hair, but actually growing grass all over the top of his head, which was also a first for me. Anyways, it was a great hunt and one my dad and I will remember forever.
