I guess the word is out, way more hunters this year in our area, but I was able to get my bull on opening day. Not much of a story, the weather was pretty bad on Sunday, rained hard all night. Thankfully it died off in the am, headed out to our spot and hiking in a found one set of fresh tracks. Followed the tracks up the hill till I lost them, finding them off and on. I heading to a place I call the bedroom, found the tracks again and did some cow calling, quite as a mouse except for some meows I was hearing up the hill. Never heard cat sounds in the woods before, there was at least 3 or 4 different animals making the sounds, as I got closer to them they stopped. I'm guessing it was a family of cougars? Anyway, I saw a nice spot to have a snack and look over the area, before I made it there, I saw what looked like a bedded elk and head. It was about 80 yards away in a shadow, then I saw the jaw moving, chewing! That's when I knew it was an elk! I stood motionless for about 2 minutes trying to decide how to move without being seen, I couldn't tell if the elk was a bull or if it was looking my way or not because it was in a shadow. I decided to just get down on a knee in a shooting position, as I did this the elk stood up broadside. Put the scope on him and saw little antlers, it's a bull! I thought for a second about not shooting him, then I got my senses, I can't pass up a legal bull on a otc out of state tag. Put the cross hairs just behind the shoulder, with a smile on my face thinking, damn, I'm going to kill an elk!! Boom, he stumbled a few yards forward and fell over. My hunting partner called me on his rino and I saw he was just a couple hundred yards away from me, nice to have an extra hand with possessing. Quartered and boned just a bit later we were packing. I did the gutless method and it worked really well, even got the tenderloins without seeing any guts. Small bull but it's always a blessing taking game and putting good food in the freezer, I'm greatful.
