2021 Oregon Blue Mtn Bull

[JPhelps]

We had watched our target bull for 2 days leading up to season. He was content in a pretty tight spot until an hour before dark the night before the opener.  Then he decided to cross a ridge and into a new drainage, throwing a wrench into the plan we had been drawing up for two days.

On opening day we turned up his buddies and some of the cows but couldn’t turn him up. We assumed he was now holed up and wasn't going to willfully show himself.  We looked all day after changing locations and angles and just couldn't find him.

The next day had us in the same area. Elk seemed to be everywhere with the better weather. Within an hour of being able to glass, we had spotted six herds and seventeen bulls.  Looking them all over in the spotter we weren't interested in getting a closer look at any of them. Finally we spotted a heavy 7x6 that pulled us 1,500 ft. down the mountain to get a closer look. We relocated him and he was at 400 yards bedded but we could only see bits and pieces of him. We didn’t think we wanted to shoot him but I did want to see him on the hoof to confirm.  First he lulled us to sleep by not moving for a couple hours then somewhere between a minute of not checking the spotter he vanished never to be seen again.

After the "rookie mistake", we decided we should hike back out and glass from above. On our way up the ridge I was getting some crazy headaches and stopped to take some Advil/Tylenol and while I was putting my bag back together Brian spotted a bull moving quickly up the mountain at 400 yards and after a quick observation it was the bull we had been looking for. I had a few seconds to get my gun cover off, a bullet in the gun, get a rest and get on the bull. He had one opening he would go through. The guys yelled when he got there and all he did was speed up. I thought he was gone forever. After a few seconds I heard Dirk say he was coming back up and would show in a second. I saw him come into the scope and settled the crosshairs and started to squeeze. One shot from the 338 edge and the bull was piled up.

[JPhelps]

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[JPhelps]

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[JPhelps]

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[Limhangerslayer]

Congrats on an awesome bull Jason.

[jrebel]

That's a dandy bull.  Great job and thanks for sharing. 

[bearhunter99]

Holy tine length Batman!  Great bull!  Congrats!

[Taco280AI]

Great bull and area 

[KNOPHISH]

He shoots, He SCORES!!, Phelps for the win.   

[X-Force]

Killer bull Jason!

[2MANY]

Who are the other 3 guys?

[Watimberghost]

That's a great bull anywhere! Thanks for sharing 

[Pathfinder101]

What an awesome bull.  Congrats Jason 

[hunthard]

Very nice

[SeatoSummit88]

Watched your video online last night! Way to put him down, heck of a Bull! Cant wait for Saturday morning! I'm headed out in 2 days!