Wife’s Idaho OTC elk hunt

[blackveltbowhunter]

Already Epic! Nice job on the pics and write up so far

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Very exciting!

[Ironhead]

This is good stuff!

[huntnnw]

Okay back to hunt..end of day 4 had us double checking for blood and making sure it was a clean miss. After that we worked back over ridge to glass and call to see if we could locate herd. We didn’t eat lunch that day so we still had a meal and snacks to stay in, but it began to rain and we were not prepared for rain and decided to walk out instead risk getting wet and below freezing temps. We heard a distant bugle as we left in bottom and figured that was the herd. Walking out in dark we cut 3 of the biggest wolf tracks we had seen on this trip and about 200 yards later they began to howl it’s a eerie sound as it was pitch black and poring. We made it to camp around 10 pm.

[sjhgraysage]

Great story, can't wait for the next installment 

[huntnnw]

Day 5 comes and we head into town and wash clothes, shower pick up a few things we need and leave the elk alone for a day.

 Day 6 we are up early refreshed and making the drive back to camp . We got the forecast and had lots of rain /snow coming Thursday thru weekend, so we loaded packs to stay in 2 nights. Back at the trail and off we go we start seeing elk tracks about a mile from camp and seeing more and more as we approach our camp. We arrive where we had previously camped and elk walked through our camp spot.. well
that’s a good sign  . Gathered wood and got camp settled it’s now about 3 pm and I let out 2 bugles and nothing. We decide to walk down from camp about a 100 yards where we can glass and listen for a bit. We get to opening and hear what sounds like plates busting ! Baffled by sound I remember a huge wallow below that was frozen .. there’s elk in it ... I start glassing and see a 5 pt bull in it 454 yards away . He starts towards us and up the hill we are on and lose sight of him. The wind wasn’t great so we move across hill to get a better wind , but there’s really no vantage point on this hill , so if we see him it’s going to close! I set my wife up on shooting sticks sitting down next to a tree. I hid behind tree standing and cow called and keeping a watch out for any movement knowing I’ll see tines first . A min later I see his tops coming right to us ! I hide behind tree and tell wife he’s coming fast I plug ear waiting what seemed like forever for the rifle to go off .. boom! I stand and all I see is tines! Bull down!

 We were 298 yards from camp, few hours later we had the meat at camp and settled in for a long next day. We awoke at light packed camp and took first load out. Dumped it off and back in. 9 hours of hiking and was at truck with a few min of light left.

[huntnnw]

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[Mfowl]

Great story and pics! Congrats!

[full choke]

 

[Lincoln4]

   Great Story.

[Tschaefer72]

Way to stick with it. Congrats to you guys on a great bull!

[idaho guy]

Thanks for posting that’s a great story 👍

[Widgeondeke]

Another phenomenal read tonight.  Thanks for sharing and congrats to the huntress   

[SWHUNTER]

Great write up and pics. Congratulations to you two! Thanks for sharing.

[WAcoueshunter]

Great story, thank you!  Congratulations to you and the wife!

Feel like Hunt-Wa is on a roll, some great stories getting posted.