My 2007 Bull

[TheKid#10]

This years Little Naches Bull. One of six bulls I called in or out if you will on opening day. Three 6x6's, one 5x6 and two 5x5's. Three of the six to less than 40 yards, two to less than 80 yards and one at about 130 yards. 15 minutes into the season I called a 6x6 to about 35 yards, less than 100 yards from a road! Could have pulled him out whole but wasn't quite big enough for me. All the bulls were in the same drainage within about one square mile of each other. The bull I shot wasn't even the big one. I shot him by mistake in heavy timber only to watch the bigger one trot away after I downed this one. Still a dandy though. What an awesome hunt. If you ever draw the tag I'll guide for a fee with a guaranteed shot on at least a high 200's bull.   

[kirkl]

Nice, thats the hunt i want, rifle bull rut hunt. My first choice every year.

[Buckshot Bill]

Nice bull!  Congrats.  When did you get it?

[TheKid#10]

October 1, 2007 @ 5:47pm.

[kirkl]

Are you a guide? Thats really not that hard of a hunt, woods to yourself with some muzzleloaders and 10 other rifle hunters with rutted up bulls.

[NRA4LIFE]

I agree with Kirkl, that's got to be one of the easiest elk hunts in all of the country, if you can draw the tag.  If you can't fill that one, it probably means you didn't leave the truck.  Oh wait, probably means you never left home.

Just curious, how many preference points did you have to draw it?

[GoldTip]

Congrats on a nice bull.

[M_ray]

that's got to be one of the easiest elk hunts in all of the country

Is it now? how come it's not 100% harvest then? when it comes to Elk hunting there are no gimmys! He may have harvested on the first day and so did I with a muzzloader but I have heard there were plenty of others with Archery, Rifle and Muzzloaders that got after it and still came up with tag soup! And I'm not talking about road hunters these guy's were doing the same thing we did and don't have a bull to show for it. Thanks for diminishing our hunts.

Thats really not that hard of a hunt, woods to yourself

HMMM I spent time in the blues this season too it seems the only guy with a tag in the Tucannon went home empty as well WOW he must really suck since he had the only tag and the woods to himself with more bulls than there are in the Little Natches. Oh BTW it's a 3-1 cow to bull ratio there it's over 20-1 in the Little Naches.

[TheKid#10]

Thanks for the support M_Ray. I'll agree this is not the most difficult hunt in the world but you still have to apply yourself to get quality results. You get out what you put in, (lots of scouting and locating of good animals). My Dad told me only three things in life are guaranteed: death, taxes & hookers. 

p.s. My guide fee would be: good times, cold beer, perhaps some Crown Royal and a little backstrap and tenderloin.   

[Skyvalhunter]

Hey the way I look at it is any elk is a good elk reguardless of how long it took or how far you had to pack it. Something to be proud of!! Congrats

[tmike]

Nice bull Kid! NRA post up some of your Washington bulls. A mature 6x6 isn't a guarantee anywhere. I had a prime permit tag, hunted 8 days, but the one on the meat cart already wrapped in white packages never stepped out. It wasn't for lack of effort though.

[NRA4LIFE]

Apologies, apologies!  I didn't mean to diminish anyones hunt.  Anybody would be thrilled with a bull like that anywhere, anytime.  And, yes, there are no gaurantees, especially elk hunting.

I'm still curious, If anyone who has drawn that particular tag, the little Naches A (oct 1-10) how many preference points did you have?

[saylean]

JUDAS PRIEST! nice bull.

[TheKid#10]

I had 4 points. Lucky lucky huh.

[M_ray]

I had 4 points. Lucky lucky huh.

Yes you are
I had 10 points when I drew Peaches Ridge Muzzloader not the Rifle A tag.

three things in life are guaranteed: death, taxes & hookers. 

That's funny right there!

p.s. My guide fee would be: good times, cold beer, perhaps some Crown Royal and a little backstrap and tenderloin.   

When are we going? I'll tell you what I'll draw the Little Naches A next year with no points and I'll hire you!!!! I have a feeling that will be one fun camp!!!!!

[TheKid#10]

Sounds good, I've got you booked. I'll need a down payment of a pint of Crown though.   

Hey, you never know about the drawing. I personally know two guys that each drew separate Peaches Ridge Modern tags this season with zero points each!!

Just rub those ivories together in your hands and pray to the elk gods the night before you submit your choices.

It's worked for me.

[M_ray]

What if I prefer Pendleton?

[Opportunist]

Great looking bull!, even if he was the little one! I'll take that kind of little one any day of the week.

You and M-ray both screwed up and ended your dream hunt too soon I bet that is part of your reasoning behind wanting to guide someone else, just getting to go along and enjoy a hunt like that can be as good as hunting with the tag in your wallet!

I know after my Peaches hunt this year my dad (who is a die-hard west-side hunter) is going to put in for the rifle or muzzle little naches hunt.

Hell I'll up the ante on your 'guide fee', I'll buy the whiskey and drag the hayburners over just to get to go along!

[M_ray]

You and M-ray both screwed up and ended your dream hunt too soon

Ya some might say that and I know there were much larger bulls in there and I know what you are saying. If I passed I would have had a blast hunting them for the next 11 day's, but the shot I had was too perfect, 75 yards quartering slightly with my goal I had set prior to my hunt (a mature six point) standing there! It wasn't that tough of a decision for me I'm not afraid to admit I haven't killed enough of them to be passing on a pretty mature bull. Tmike's dad allways Say's " shoot on the first day, What you would shoot on the last day"

Also I have 10 points in Oregon and I plan to pass this type of bull there and I'll get a bigger one than this guy I'm sure. I have passed before and come home empty I have had friends that I have hunted with that did the same it depends on the situation, another goal I had was to not come up empty this time!

I stuck with my goals and it paid off I don't regret it, I'm not sure what the Kid's goal was but I think from his story he may have been after another bull in this herd.

[Opportunist]

That's a good kind of screw up. I'ts never a mistake to take a trophy animal you have set your goal for, it just sucks to end a hunt too soon.

It's easier to call the wife and say I have to stay longer to fill my tag than to explain I want to hang out in camp and drink for the next week.

M-ray what are you thinking for an Oregon elk hunt?

[robb92]

Congrats on the nice bull!!!!

[M_ray]

Opportunist

it just sucks to end a hunt too soon.

I couldn't agree more there was defiantly a part of me that was bummed that it was over so quick.

It's easier to call the wife and say I have to stay longer to fill my tag than to explain I want to hang out in camp and drink for the next week.

But as far as that went I did have an extension to my hunt if you will, my buddie drew the East side raffle elk tag so I got to spend some of the time off I had for planned for my hunt with him in the Blues chasing more elk but it was bitter sweet to see the quality of bulls that he was passing were far larger than the one that I shot though.

As far as Oregon goes I have been putting in for Wenaha or Walla Walla this last year I had changed and put in for Starkey Experimental Forest but got the call from the Oregon Fish & Wildlife that all non-res tags for Starkey were allocated to outfitters so I changed my choice to My Emily. tmike was in for Emily as well as another friend of ours and our other buddie drew. Going into this next year I have just about max points for the Forest if I want, almost max for Emily and I am probably 1-2 more years from Wenaha or Walla Walla. So I am in a Oregon Elk snit already and it's not even Christmas!