Last year's spike bull- in the Collockum

[pcgamer16]

I just thought I'd share a few pics of this spike I shot last year in the Collockum. There aren't any pics of me with it since I was by myself (pain to pack this thing out of the canyon I shot it in). Anyway, I was just hiking on a nice little trail when I heard a heck of a lot of cow calls. At first I thought someone was playin a joke on my till I walk down the hill a bit and saw about 30 cows just trotting along away from me. So, I ran back up the hill and along on the trail to try to get in front of the herd. I started stalking down a little bit when I thought I had gotten far enough infront. After about 10 minutes of inching my way down, 2 spike bulls popped up out of nowhere about 10 yrds in front of me (I freaking love Scent-Lok). They didn't really spook, but the started walking away real slow. So, I stood up real slow to see where they were going and realized I was in a herd of at least 150 elk (check out the pics to see just part of the herd after they spooked). Of course, when I stood up it sounded like an explosion of elk freaking out. They all started running this way and that. I fixed my gaze on a nice 1x1 running broadside away from me. I pulled the trigger. Crap! Safety was on. That one ran behind some trees. Luckily, I spotted another spike bull running broadside about 150yrds away downhill. BOOM. The thing stopped running and walked around in 2 circles and dropped dead.

So that's just part of the story. It took me the rest of the day to quarter it and pack it out 3 miles back to camp. I was hunting with some random cop and FBI guys from down south (one of the from my church). At the beginning of the opening morning they told me to go one way, and they went the other. I felt like a loser, until I came back into camp with the hindquarters on my back and the head in hand. Haha, anyway, I think I have their respect now.

[colockumelk]

I was on the other side of the ridge with my wife.  I watched that entire scenario play out with my binos.  I can back him up by saying there was definately 150 or more elk in one group that day.  After he shot his spike and those elk made it up and over the ridge it sounded like the Civil War.  Congrats on your bull PC.  It was pretty cool to watch and it's pretty cool to finally talk to the guy I watched sneaking around. 

[halflife65]

Nice spike. I've been archery hunting up there for the last few days and the new "true spike" rule makes it pretty tough.  I saw 7 "untrue spikes" (like the one in the picture) and was in range to shoot 3 of them.  If they hadn't changed the rules, I'd be done with elk now (although it will be nice to have some of these little guys turning into bigger bulls in the future.  Maybe they can start handing out a few more draw tags in a few years.)  I have after work, next weekend and late season, I guess.

Anyway, congrats on the spike last year - good luck making it happen again this year!

[C-Money]

Nice bull! Glad you were able to score! Pretty cool to get one with a deep fork like that!

[jstone]

I wonder how many not true spikes are going to be shot and left by people who are not looking close before they shoot???

[C-Money]

There will be a *censored* load of untrue spikes left to rot. I too thought of this the moment I heard of the rule.

[colockumelk]

I wonder how many not true spikes are going to be shot and left by people who are not looking close before they shoot???

Guess we'll find that out the first week of November.  

[pcgamer16]

I was on the other side of the ridge with my wife.  I watched that entire scenario play out with my binos.  I can back him up by saying there was definately 150 or more elk in one group that day.  After he shot his spike and those elk made it up and over the ridge it sounded like the Civil War.  Congrats on your bull PC.  It was pretty cool to watch and it's pretty cool to finally talk to the guy I watched sneaking around. 

Wow! It's a small world. It's really neat to hear it from your perspective. Hopefully you didn't see me wait a minute to catch my breath from running before I stalked down!

[colockumelk]

Yeah I saw that.  But no big deal because that hill is a steep Fother Mucker.  Definately a small world.  I saw them at first light with the binos on the other side of the canyon and thought wow I have never seen that many elk in one spot during rifle season.  It took like an hour or so for the first guy (yourself) to find that herd.  It was cool to watch for sure. 

I wanted to move as soon as I saw them.  But I knew I could never get my wife down the canyon and up the other side in time to get her a shot before someone bumped them.  Like I said nice to meet the shooter. 

[colockumelk]

BTW that spike looks alot like one that I had a chance at during the bow season.  Unfortunately a 5x5 ran him off.  So instead of a nice spike at 20 yds broad side I had a 5x5 at 20 yds broad side.

You know you live in WA when having the bigger bull broadside at 20 yds pisses you off. 

[jstone]

Had to shoot a cow standing next to a 5x5 in the Clockum. The last year you could shoot cows

[sjhgraysage]

Congrats on the trophy spike!
What other bulls were in that bunch of elk?

[LongTatLaw]

too bad ya couldnt find that ever elusive 1x8 spike before they changed that rule

that one looks like he worked though