That first elk encounter…

[WapitiTalk1]

I’m talking about the one, perhaps it wasn’t the very first, that “hooked” you for life into this thing we call elk hunting. I know this question will garner some great responses… let’s go.

[dylan34_36]

September 11th, 2022. I bought my first elk archery tag and headed out to the national forest on the west side of the peninsula. Still being new to this hunting thing and a little over 9 months removed from a full acl and meniscus rebuild, I spent the night in an area where I had luckily found some elk sign ala poo on the road. I woke up to very hazy skies from wildfire smoke and as the sun rose, I bugled as best as I could, having practiced for most of the time I was immobile and recovering from the surgery. To my great surprise, my call was returned, coming from 2 separate drainages. Now I still don't know if the return bugles were from actual elk or other hunters but from that instant on, every time I hear elk bugling in the woods I get a feeling that has yet to be replicated in any other aspect of my life. Can't wait to read the other stories!

[pianoman9701]

My first close encounter was early morning entering the woods. I looked down and saw some fried chicken mushrooms, took off my pack and put them in. Got up to get going and probably 5 yards away was a cow staring me down and then bolting. Same trip, I believe, I was tracking some elk in the rain. Tracks were very fresh. Nose to the ground (not ahead), I came to a small hillock, looked up and standing right over me was a huge cow, who then bolted. It was an exciting trip and I ended up arrowing a cow with a Zwickey Eskimo and she died 20 yards away.

[Mtnwalker]

Colorado 2006-ish. Elk hunted a little on the peninsula through high school but never took it serious. Moved to CO after graduation and spent a lot of time cruising after work looking at critters. We'd been seeing a bunch of elk not far from our job site so one day my buddy grabbed a cheap Primos bugle tube from Wally World and we headed out to some state ground to try it out. Back then we thought bugling bulls was this mythical thing that only guys on tv knew how to do. We sat down in a cluster of aspen trees probably 200 yards off the road and let er' rip and instantly bulls lit up all around us. We had 4 or 5 different bulls screaming and heading our way and within 3 minutes my buddy had to jump up just as he was about to get run right over by a raghorn 5 point. Within a week of that I had bought my first bow thinking it was gonna be a slam dunk  never did have another encounter even close to that during season down there but had some good times making all the mistakes that beginner archers make and the rest is history

[Gonehuntin01]

Eastern Oregon, September 1984.  My dad and I worked up this ridge with a Larry Jones, Challenger bugle.  About halfway up we got a response, but wasn't sure what it was.  It was the first time we had heard a real life bugle.  We kept working up the ridge and then all of a sudden we started seeing shadows moving in front of us and it was the shadows of the elk crossing the ridge just above us.  It was my first encounter and had many more on that first elk trip.  We called in 2 bulls later that day, that ended up fighting in front of us, but we couldn't get a shot.  Had to lay on the ground to see them, it was so thick.  It was pretty incredible and sucked me right in. 

[Kingofthemountain83]

My first elk hunt in eastern WA was the last year it was any bull... I was 11... My dad and I walked a couple miles in crunchy snow down a closed road in the dark and my he left me in a place I've never seen before... He said the elk like to cross here find a good place to sit... I'll be back by 11 am... And off he went to his spot... I stood there in the dark kinda scared, all alone, but I went through this deer hunting earlier that year and knew the routine... But it was way colder... Not long after he left and I couldn't hear him crunch anymore a herd of elk stampeded down the ridge all around me... I had to hide behind a small tree while they busted branches off both sides... The ground was rumbling... Seemed like it went on for minutes... I was shaking scared... I stood there till it started getting light out... I saw a big slash pile above the road and figured that was the safest place to be and went up there and climbed up and found a good place to sit... A little after 8 am I heard snorting behind me and looked over my shoulder and see a spike bull walking toward me with his heard down snorting... I move to get my gun up and my binocs hit my scope and make a metallic sound and he whirls and is gone... I'm getting cold, restless, and antsy but stay put... It's about 10 am and I hear crunchy footsteps out of sight... I climb down to go investigate and find elk tracks and follow them... After a while I catch up and see a bull looking back staring at me... I throw the rifle up and put the crosshairs on his chest with no time to get excited and shoot... He starts to run so I reload and get the crosshairs on his chest again and he's really moving now and fire... And he collapses and skids in the snow down ridge a while... I walk up to him and it all feels like a dream... A little 3x4 rag horn... I start making my way back to meet my dad cause it's almost 11 am and run into him following my tracks... I tell him the whole story and he tells me how I'm the luckiest kid in the world... He paced off the shots and came up with the first one was 83 yards... Second 125... I was shooting a 243 with 100 Remington pspbt and the first shot hit the humerus and disintegrated... Fractured it and destroyed a lot of meat... The second shot was quartering away heart and lungs... I learned a lot about shot placement and how tough elk are that day...

[luvmystang67]

When I was probably 6 or 7, my dad shot a 5 point bull in SW WA.  He brought the head home and my brother and I rode it like a horse, holding onto the antlers.  We already had hunted blacktail with dad as kids, but this was next level.  I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen.  Maybe 8 years or so later, I was down hunting with dad in the same area, and caught a herd of cows just poking their noses into a clearcut.  I spotted them first (from the truck) and was so excited to see some in the wild.  There wasn't even a bull, but I was hooked even before I saw that herd.  I've been hooked ever since, but the fascination with a "giant deer thing with huge antlers" started with that one dad brought home.

They still get me, even though I now see them often in Idaho.

[30.06]

About 12 years old exploring a canal at dusk on a summer RV trip. Saw lots of elk sign, it got really foggy, I kept working slow and quiet until I could smell the herd.

Spotted them on the other side, found a place to get across the canal, fog intensified to pea soup thickness. Managed to get right in middle of the herd, but the fog had gotten so thick that I could only see legs all around when I put my head close to the ground. Several times I could have wacked em with a yardstick. Kinda lost my nerve thinking about possibly getting trampled if they spooked. Backed out to the other side and paralleled them as they fed along the canal until I left due to darkness.

My goal in Big Game hunting remains to get as close as possible. It's still what makes a memorable experience for me. Great thread!

[Kingofthemountain83]

My first bull... My dad surprised me with the mount... He taught me how to cape it out... Then it disappeared for a while... I lived with my mom and step dad in Kitsap area  and my dad lived in Puyallup... So when I came to visit some time later there he was... I was speechless... I thought maybe he was getting something done with the antlers... I knew it wasn't a very big bull and didn't think it was worth mounting myself... But when the regs came out before he got it back and he had me take a look knew he did something special... He said do you realize what you did? After a few years of spike only I also thought I shot my last bull in WA...   

[Fishmaker57]

Late November 1987, just east of Sedro Wolley. Been trying to pattern a small herd of elk for 3 days, not really knowing what I was doing, but loved being in the woods and trying to figure them out. Hunted daylight to dark for 2 days and the third day was drawing to an end, also the last day of the season. Just about ready to leave the brush pile I had been sitting in for hours, in the middle of an alder pecker pole patch, when I heard a branch break. Looking through the trees I see movement, big blond movement! Quickly threw my gun up and tried to find an opening to get confirmation it was a shooter, and there he was…slowly walking left to right at about 150 yards. Found another opening I knew he would walk through and when his shoulder showed I pulled the trigger. The 7mm mag sounded like thunder, and down he went on one knee then turned 45 degrees and kept walking! Now I am in full panic mode, as this was my first bull and I wasn’t going to l eat he slip away. 4 shots latter and several dead trees I finally connected again, with the same result! Down on one knee then up and walking. At this point he was even with me and headed for and old grade that was above my about 50 yards. I knew if I beat him there, I would have a clear shot, so off I ran. Sure enough, he stepped onto the grade and started walking straight away! Tried a back of the head shot and missed, then he stops and looks back at me! Ok, one more time at the neck, and missed again! I would love to blame it on it getting dark, but I’m shooting free hand and shaking like a leaf!! Down to my last bullet, so dark I can barely see him with the naked eye, and he lays down on the grade. Finally, all I have to do is wait for him to expire. I sit down and check on him through the scope for about 10 minutes, and he is still just looking around. Ok, enough of this, he is laying down and I get a good rest and let fly with my last bullet. I know I hit him and he stands up! Now what? Lucky for me he takes 3 steps and tips over!!! I walk up and lay my hands on my first bull! Just a rag horn 4 x 5, but I was thrilled beyond words! Get him dressed out and head down the hill to my buddies house to get some help. I walk through the door and they both turn to me in disbelief…..you can’t be serious? Monday night football, Raiders and Seahawks, Bo Jackson and Brian Bosworth! We finished getting him out around 11 that night!

Killed several more bulls in that area over the years, but nothing as thrilling as the first time…..

[Dan-o]

12ish years ago, I was solo hunting elk with my muzzleloader.   Eastern Wa,   
I happened into a huge herd of elk moving along.   
I don't know how man elk.... a LOT.
They pretty much moved through me on all sides.
I was seeing small, medium and large bulls.
The whole rut scene was playing out with a large herd.
I hadn't had a good opportunity at a spike yet, but at that point who cares.

I decided to rip off a bugle, and an absolute masher 7-point bull came charging through the brush to within 3-4 yards of me.

He was screaming and drooling and frothing out the mouth and stomping and he had bad intentions.

I literally feared for my life.

I just remember thinking that if decided to gore me, I was SCREWED>