One Of Our Most Exciting Call Ins!

[Elknut1]

  Oh ya, sometimes you need to be so focused that it takes everything you have to hold your ground & composure, this was the case this year for my son, it was awesome! Here's his story of how things unfolded! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I know that I can’t do this call in justice. It was unreal the amount of adrenaline that coursed through my body after I touched the trigger. We had to do a couple set ups on this bull to get (as we say) his temperature/emotions to start rising. After about 30 minutes of working him we are now within the magic 100-150 yard mark. We make a plan and I setup in front of a tree. ElkNut drops back a little to get into some good willows to prepare for some raking, bugling & cow calling. I see in front of me two ways the bull could come in. The one to my right would be a straight line between him and my dad and would bring him to about 20 yards broadside.

The other one he would have to side hill around a tree and then he would be facing me at 40 yards. ElkNut starts his magic and you can tell the bull is not happy as he screams back a warning. He is even a little closer then the last time we heard him. My dad starts doing some raking and this is really making the bull commit. A couple more bugles and a few cow calls and I see a flash coming across the mountain heading for that tree I had talked about. It was a rainy morning and the ground was real soft so I could not hear him coming but he is at a full trot, I need him to slow down!

I have about a half a second to get my bow drawn back before he is going to round the tree. Somehow I get it back before his first eyeball comes around the tree. He has not slowed down and is coming straight at me from 40-30-20 all I can think is that any second he is going to stop and start looking for the other bull (my dad) but there is no stopping. Through my peep all I see are pins and hair coming at me fast. At about ten yards I remember opening both eyes for a spit second and thinking yep I'm dead center in the middle of his chest. As soon as I closed my other eye I saw all pins right where they should be and squeezed the trigger on a frontal shot. The bulls skid marks were FIVE YARDS from where I was kneeling. He hit the breaks hard and took a 90 degree turn. My heart about fell out of my chest. He ran 20 yards in open sight and stopped.

I thought he was going to turn back and try to figure out what just happened but instead both his back legs started quivering and gave out. With hardly any leg kicking he layed motionless on the ground. I do not know how to describe the feelings that I was going through at that moment. I have been in a lot of elk encounters but none that compare to a not so happy bull running straight for me as if he was going to go right through me. I’m 90 percent sure that he would not have hit me running by but still about sh** my pants. Oh my gosh what a rush!!!! My Dad comes running up from the willows 25 yards below me and was like he was right on top of you. I was like you have no idea, I had a bit of the shakes. What a monster adrenaline rush it was for both of us! OTC DIY!

  ElkNut/Paul

[Slaysthefish]

Stud bull and great story congrats!

[nwwanderer]

Thanks a bunch, well described

[mikelonsford]

AWESOME!!!  Congrats on a Great hunt and time shared with your Dad!

[bracer40]

Great story and bull!

[pianoman9701]

Wow, that's another great bull, Paul.

[deerhunter_98520]

Awesome bull! What a great story!

[elkrack]

That title is saying something coming from you! Congrats on yet another great bull!

[CedarPants]

Great job guys!!

[Elknut1]

Thanks guys, yes sir it was a memorable elk hunt for sure!

  ElkNut/Paul

[SteelheadTed]

I can imagine it but I really can't.  Excellent bull and setup.

[nitroelk]

awesome story, Oh the joy of having a bull tag. I heard so many bugles on Tuesday the 18th it was unbelievable, but no spikes.

[724wd]

very cool!!! 

[Johnny Doe]

You guys rule! Paul^2 = Big Bull Down!

[b0bbyg]

Thanks for sharing! awesome story and awesome bull