Skinner's Elk Season!

[twisp_river_slayer]

sounds like you guys cleaned up! nice work matt!!!

[Skinner]

Ya and we were probably the only muzzleloader hunters wearing orange.

[Skinner]

DAY 5: 

Brought me home to the base of Mt. St. Helens.  It felt great to be home and to have my smokepole shouldered.  It was my turn, or Beau's, or Cody's.  We had 3 Toutle tags.  Beau was looking for his first bull, Cody his third, and I was holding out till the end for a good one.  The boys hadn't had much luck the first two days with Longear and JoeVon.  Socked in one day and elk bumped by hunters the next.  Longear was back to work so the three of us along with JoeVon and another buddy hit the road with high hopes of laying the smack on a nice Rosie!!

The morning started off great.  It was in the 30's and we were hunting the high nobles.  We spotted a cow feeding over a ridge so we made our way to the otherside to see the rest of the herd.  We found the cow along with a few others.  The winthrop boys and our buddy skirted the ridgetop while I sat on a landing and spotted for them.  JoeVon was at the truck with the spotting scope trying to locate more bulls.  Just before they crested the ridge above the cow a small bull ran 80 yds below them.  I starting motioning to them but they couldn't see him.  I looked back to check on the cows, 60 yds below them, and a LARGE bull fed into the open.  I don't know how the elk couldn't see me jumping up and down getting the guys' attention.  I motioned them to the bull but they weren't able to see him.  (40 yds. away)  I was freaking out.  He was a huge 6.  A Rosie that most will never see around here.  And as it usually goes the wind finally swirled, 10 minutes later, and the elk were gone.  There were 4 bulls bugling there so the guys made an attempt on them with no luck.

Throughout the day we were into bulls.  They were really talking and we had some close calls at 30-60 yds.  But no dice.  We were making our way through the timber to check out another spot when a herd crossed right in front of us and sure as $#!+ a big bull was following.  Cody had the only shot and took it at 25 yds.  The bull ran 30 and piled up on the ground.  It happened so quick and they came out of the middle of know where.  He is a monster 5x5 for around here.  I would have been stoked to wack him and I know Cody was.  Two bulls in two days and I was on both.  It was awesome!!

[Skinner]

Another angle.  The bull has big splits.  Good thirds.

[yelp]

Sweet!

[WAPITIHUNTER]

  Nice job!!!!! Who In the heck is gutting out that elk. That's awesome!!!

[vfilbert]

rad

[Wea300mag]

Great hunt recap, congrats on the elk.

[Skinner]

2 more bulls to go I'll post them on wednesday!

[actionshooter]

WED?? Whats up with that 
 Congrats!!

[BLKBEARKLR]

Sounds like you guys and girl had a great season congrats to you all. The wife could not hunt this year due to getting deployed soon. So was kind of a bummer not to be able to hunt with her. Nothing better than watching your better half score on an animal you helped her with.

[bowsandhose]

  well done

[zackmioli]

damn! sounds like i need to come elk hunting with you!

[Skinner]

DAY 6:
Dawned with us heading back to the high country.  It was me and the two winthrop boys and Beau, the younger, was first up.  He was trying to get his first elk.  Of course we had to follow the slowest rig up there!  It was daylight and we still weren't to the spot we wanted to be.  2 roads from the end of the line the rig pulled down a spur road and we decided to stop and glass.  ELK!!  Cow, cow, cow, BULL!!  Beau already had a good rest and was waiting for him to step out.  Well he ran!  I was on the cow call as long and as fast as I could.  He stopped at 110 yds and Beau layed the hammer down.  He dropped in his tracks and never got back up.  This was Beau's first bull and he was stoked.  He was probably only a 2.5-3.5 year old bull and dressed 390 lbs. We packed him out and Beau had to be back to college so he took off and Cody and I took off for an evening hunt.

That night found us overlooking a major drainage full of nobles and blue huckleberry bushes.  I decided to let out a bugle to locate some for the morning hunt.  20 yards below us a bull answered back.  It scared the $#!* out of me.  We worked that bull until we couldn't see anymore but he had too many cows he didn't want to leave and it was just TOO THICK.  That would be the thorn in my side for the next 3 days.

[BENCHLEG]

i can't stand it this suspense is killing me.