My Dad's Watershed Bull

[Watimberghost]

My dad finally drew his first special permit this year. "Selected" for the mill creek watershed. He, and my whole family were so excited! This will be the first time any of us have stepped foot inside the shed, so my brother and I started pouring over the internet trying to get as much info as possible for what to expect. This site was by far our best resource. I was able to get ahold of a few Huntwa members that had past experience with this hunt, and their willingness to share was amazing (you guys know who you are, and my dad and family are so very grateful). Even with all the helpful info, and uncountable hours spent tearing through google earth, topo maps, etc... Nothing beats seeing it in person.

We were able to make 4 trips up their before the season opened. We drove around the whole shed, hiked what we could of the intake trail, but mainly spent many hours behind the glasses. And talk about encouragement, we saw great bulls everytime we went. Our anticipation was killing us. After our preseason scouting my dad felt confidant in holding out for a good mature bull. But the family would be happy with anything he decided to pull the trigger on!

The friday before the hunt the weather came in and the snow restricted access up top. We were hoping to camp up there, so our plans changed from the get go. This is how God works... Have your perfect day one plans ruined, then realize that God has it in control and, in faith, go forward enjoying every step, every moment. And we did. We got to cover a very large portion of the shed in 3 days. From top to bottom to top each day. Coming in on a different finger and coming out on a different finger. What a beautiful place! We saw elk everyday, but did not get in range of a shooter bull for the first two days. We saw a couple shooter bulls on distant ridges, but that BIG country takes a long time to actually get to them. At the end of day two my dad and brother were able to locate and bugle back and forth with a few bulls. It was getting late, so they decided to let them be until morning.

Day 3. Accessed the area where they had located the bulls from the day before. Saw a few cows in that drainage, but even with the howling wind, we heard what sounded like a bugle from the other side of the ridge. We continued down the ridge line and the further we went the louder the bugles. We were able to pin their location... Down in the bottom, of course. Dad and i looked at each other and it was clear... Here we go. Down the steep hillside we went... and went... and went. Bugles getting louder and louder. Wind was blowing hard uphill right in our face. Just as we neared the bottom the bugle sounded like it was now going away from us, around another finger. We spoke briefly trying to plan our next move, then it all happened fast. Movement started flooding in down below. Accompanied by a loud screaming bugle, now directly toward us and coming our way. There were multiple bulls, but one was obviously the herd bull orchestrating the show. He was flashing in and out of big timber pockets. My dad got set up on a rock about 215 yards from a big snag that we thought the bull was behind. Then out he stepped. In triumphant fashion. Bugling while trotting left to right. He stops. Dad says, "I'm gonna take him." I said, "DO IT". Boom, he drops in his tracks. Shoots again for good measure. My dad just shot his first big bull. The moment was unforgettable and will go down as one of my favorite hunting expiriences ever. My dad is a great man and a very hard worker. He has paid his dues and some.  I was so grateful to be the one to share that moment with him. We boned out and caped him. Hung 3 quarters and packed out. Met my mom and brother one step outside the shed boundary. It was an incredible family moment, giving all glory to God. My mom and brother were as much a part of the hunt as my dad and I. It was getting dark, we packed out. Went in the next day and the whole family got to enter and exit the shed. What a great day. All in all, we felt incredibly blessed to have expirienced the moments that we did. An all around great elk hunt.

Met some good people in the process of this hunt. It was very nice meeting and speaking to you guys. What you read about the watershed is true. Be in shape. Great shape. Even then, its a difficult hunt. Big beautiful country. God's country.

Thanks for reading my long winded post. Happy hunting all!

[cbond3318]

Nice Bull and heck of a task! My quads are quivering just looking at those pics!

[rosscrazyelk]

Congrats on great memories and a nice bull.

[Timberstalker]

What an awesome hunt and a solid set of unforgettable memories.

[Pinetar]

Great story, great family. Congrats to all of you!!

[full choke]

Congratulations!
Thanks for sharing such a great hunt!

[HUNT]

Well done!

[bobdog86]

Awesome, very happy for your father and your family.

[bowhunterforever]

Great bull

[ShaneTyTrey]

Great bull, great story and great memories, congrats!

[csaaphill]

Awesome!

[Brushbuster]

Awesome Bull & having the family share in the hunt was priceless!! Thank you for sharing!! 

[mkcj]

I don't know of anyone that hunts harder than this family, A well deserved trophy and look forward to see it hanging on the wall!

[redi]

Great story. Congrats.

[E35alex]

Wow! sounds like you had a great hunt and great write up! Congrats to your dad!

[Skyvalhunter]

Congrats to your Dad that's a fine animal!!

[Boss .300 winmag]

Wow nice bull, congrats to your pops. 

[WAcoyotehunter]

Awesome job!  That is a tough place to hunt, but rewarding when you get one to the truck

[elkchaser54]

AWESOME!!! I love those old blue mountain monsters.  Congrats.  The fronts are incredible on him. 

[Fish4Fun]

Nice bull and a great story to go with it. 

[Milkman]

  Great work! Seems very well deserved.

[724wd]

well done!  how bad was the temptation to just eat the bull in that hole rather than pack it out? 

[firefighter4607]

Congratulations to your dad! Glad you were able to enjoy the time with your dad. Are you going to get it scored please keep us informed if you do!

[ElkBOW79]

Great story!  Nice work and congrats to your Dad!

[Stein]

Sounds like a great hunt and dandy bull.   

[sternwarning]

Great bull! Great family...memories for life!

Story is a bit long winded...

Great write up!

[Watimberghost]

Thank you for all the encouraging and positive comments! It was an incredible time spent with family in amazing elk country. Could not have asked for more

[spikehunterII]

Awesome

[Browndawg]

Awesome bull!! I love the great stories that come out of the Watershed.

[SeatoSummit88]

Awesome Tanker Bull!

[hunting4sanity]

Congratulations to your dad and the whole family effort, great looking bull!

[jackelope]

Great bull, great pics. Next time someone asks what it's like to hunt the 'shed, they should be referred to the photos here. Wow that's steep and deep.
Thanks for sharing.

[Falcon]

Congrats to your Dad.   Great bull on what looks like a total tough guy hunt

[SWHUNTER]

Congrats to your dad. You guys are animals.
Pretty sure I've met you before.

[Watimberghost]

One of the many things I love about this site! All the intertwined relations that are made/rekindled/updated.

SWHUNTER, any idea where we may know each other from?

[BENCHLEG]

congrats and thanks for sharing.Someday i will Draw Again.

[JWEBB]

Awesome bull! Yep the watershed is an awesome but hard hunt. Good work!

[Watimberghost]

Congratulations to your dad! Glad you were able to enjoy the time with your dad. Are you going to get it scored please keep us informed if you do!

In the split second that we were able to see all of him we both had no question on whether or not he was a shooter. My eyes had him somewhere around 315"-320". But he's actually more in the 305"-310" range. Main beams were a touch on the short side.

I hate to even sound the least bit critical of this bull. He's got everything that a mature 6pt bull should have. Great symmetry,  only 2-1/8" difference from each side. Not one broken tip. He's perfect!

[csaaphill]

awesome bull yeah grats.

[firefighter4607]

I hate to even sound the least bit critical of this bull. He's got everything that a mature 6pt bull should have. Great symmetry,  only 2-1/8" difference from each side. Not one broken tip. He's perfect!

Honestly any bull you can shoot in Washington is a great Bull.
But taking a bull out of the shed is even more special and rare! There is nothing to be disappointed in that bull at all. I think the percentage of successful hunters in the shed is around 25%, you have to work you a$$ off to find a bull in that hole. I didn't see many bulls in there this year, and even the rangers were saying it has been a bad year for elk numbers in the shed.

[TommyGun496]

I love the respect that is shown to the bull in the last picture...congrats on a nice bull!