I have enjoyed reading forums on the Hunt Washington cite for years, so I've decided to share a hunt. I have been applying for a muzzleloader quality bull elk tag for years, then in the year 2015, I finally drew the tag. I could hardly believe my eyes! It seemed to be a long summer as I practiced shooting to build up confidence in shooting at longer ranges. The end of September came fast. My hunting partner, Gary, and I headed out Sept. 30th to get there early. We set up camp with two other hunting partners. Before the season opened, we looked over some new areas and talked with other hunters. They seemed excited for me to have a quality bull tag as they knew they are hard to draw. The first day we are up early and out of camp before first light, up the mountain we hiked. After hearing some bulls bugling, we found some elk. A few minutes went by and more bugling [a different bull]. I was getting excited. My partners son, Brian, bugled back and the bulls bugled back. We were in a thick brushy area; the bulls wouldn't leave the cows. Going farther up the hill we heard more elk. Soon, a cow and calf crossed the hillside. More cows followed, then there was a nice bull. The lead cow spotted me and turned back. She took the rest with her. I couldn't get a shot. I was disappointed but I calmed down and hunted the rest of day not seeing any more elk. The next day I hunted the same area. I found several elk but couldn't seal the deal.
Back at elk camp that night, some hunters that we had talked before the season opened, stopped and told us they had seen some bulls in a different area and thought we should try it. The next day we hunted the same area as the two days before, Elk were more quiet, and there was no action. That afternoon we decided to check out the area we were told about. We got permission to cross some private property to get into the area. The next morning up early, we went to new area. Crossed the private property before daylight then waited for more light. We headed down hill into a very big canyon on an old skid road. About an hour in, my older partner [78 years young] decided to stay in a big semi open flat, while I continued down the skid road. Another hour and half has passed, seeing or hearing nothing, but it looked liked great area to be in. On the way down I had seen some old elk sign, but it had been very dry so it was kind of hard for me tell how old. I continued down the skid road, it seemed like 5 miles but it was probably only 3. If was a little after 9, the sun was starting to shine on the hill sides, what a nice area this is, there should be elk around. As I was looking the hills over I heard an Elk bugle, that got my attention. It was some distance on the far side hill. I started working my way to where the bugle came from, I went 100 yards or so and heard him bugle again. I cow called, another bull answered, the excitement was on. The first bull bugled again, I kept working toward the elk. I could hear cows talking. I knew I was pretty close. I cow called again, no response and then I heard elk moving across side hill in the trees. I cow called again, still nothing; the elk were moving. Next thing I heard was some hunters voices on top of the ridge; I think the elk heard them too. I worked my way around the hill, seeing and hearing nothing so I decided to go back and check on my partner.
I started back up the skid road checking for any new sign, went about ˝ mile and there was some dirt in the road that caught my eye. There was some fresh tracks. In looking the hillside over, I saw a pine tree moving back and forth.Then I could here some scraping. It was a bull, beating up a pine tree. I could watch the tree moving with my binoculars but could not see the elk. It went on for a few minutes, seemed like ˝hour. I watched, then it quit and I could hear the elk going in the rocks heading back to were I had just come from. I hurried down the road trying to get ahead of the bull. The skid road came to a sharp left turn, and I could see across a meadow. I saw the nice bull quartering up the hill. I didn't need to look twice, catching my breath as I got down on one knee, taking aim at 80 yards. After the trigger was pulled; while looking thru the smoke, I could see he was hit right in the vitals. Watching him go up the side hill while I was reloading my gun, he ran about 100 yards up the hill, stopped, twitched a few times and flopped onto his side, then rolled down the hill and hung up in some pine trees. I watched him from 80 yards to make sure he was down. He never moved. I called and waited for my partner to come down, while watching the motionless bull. We went together climbing up the hill to check out what I had just taken. Hi fives were had, what a great elk. How excited I was to be able to get such a quality elk; the kind I've always dreamed about over 55 years of hunting.
