Westside (Elk) Story

[milldozer]

The weekend before the Westside rifle elk opener I set up a game camera in an area I had seen elk in the past.  Not expecting much, just hoping to see if there were elk passing through the area.  I set the camera on 10/27 and I would be returning on 11/3 for the opener.

Opening morning I went to a different area.  I had missed a bull in this spot last year so I had a score to settle.  I was hunting through a thin-logged area with great visibility (for Western Washington).  Despite my best stealth mode I was busted by some elk while moving through the timber.  I didn’t see any bulls in the group, but was disappointed they got the jump on me.

After a brief siesta I decided to check out the area I had set my cam the previous weekend.  I slowly picked my way through the brush and ferns towards the creek bottom I had set it in.  About 10 minutes in and 50 yards from my cam, I look to my left and see the dark silhouette of an elk head at about 70 yards through the trees.  I raise my rifle and count:  one... two… three…  Confirmed, it’s a legal bull.  All I could see was his head and upper portion of his neck.  I settle the crosshairs just below his chin and squeeze.  A sharp report and he dropped in his tracks.  This was at approximately 3:00 pm.  With the help of my dad and uncle we get him quartered out and back to the truck.  With the last glimpse of daylight I bust down to my cam and pull the card.

Back at camp we look through the images and get a very cool bonus to the story.  I had captured some great images of the bull I just shot from 10/28 and another cool looking bull on 10/29.  The topper was I got a bunch of great photos from the bull I shot, from that day, less than 1 hour before he expired.  These pictures, along with some field photos, are below.  I ended up with 260 lbs of meat and couldn’t be more happy with this red-headed Roosie.

[milldozer]

More Pics..

[ljsommer]

AWESOME! Great post and pictures, thanks for sharing and congrats!

[pianoman9701]

Nice!

[ASienkiewich]

I’ve always hoped I could have this happen! Awesome story and great bull! Congrats!



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[Milkman]

Great bull! Congrats

[DOUBLELUNG]

Awesome!  Thank you for sharing.

[nitroelk]

Nicely done, I got a couple trail camera shots of a nice little 3 x 4 buck a couple years ago, including the last couple seconds before he turned broadside and I let him have it!

[Birdguy]

Great story, we have pulled of the cam pics of deer killed a  few times! Great job and great bull!

[milldozer]

Thanks all!  Have been enjoying a heavy diet of elk meat and currently have some tenderloin smoking on the Traeger for some red meat on the Thanksgiving menu.

[E35alex]

Congrats!


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[Calvin Rayborn]

Not bad! 

[blackveltbowhunter]

Great bull

[TVHunts]

That’s pretty sweet he’s on your camera also, Congrats!

[Watimberghost]

Really cool to shoot an elk you captured on cam! Congrats!