Author Topic: 2009 Muzzy Wilderness Bull (Read 9501 times)

Wahoo · « **on:** October 16, 2009, 09:23:25 AM »

After waiting 12 years for the chance to shoot a big one I was pretty excited leading up to the hunt. I had hunted the area several times years previous but always had to watch them walk away chasing the (sometimes mystical it seems) spikes.

I hiked in the day before opening and the elk were bugling just getting me more amped. I arrived at my campsite finding everything in 2 inches of snow. I set up my tarps anticipating a wet time and boy was I glad I did as the first three days it was constantly either snowing, raining or hailing on me.

Opening Day: I wake up to three elk bugling, crawl out of my tent, hear about three more bugles from them and everything goes quiet (darn). I fail trying to get a response so I head to one my familiar areas. I get into a bedding area and hunker down for little. 10 Min's later I hear elk coming and a cow pops out with two calves. I sit tight waiting for horns to follow and here they come, a 4 x 4. I decided immediately he is too small but when he gets within 10 yards of me it sure made it difficult to pass up such an easy shot. Later that afternoon I finally get a response to a bugle and thought he sounded further away then he was. I go charging after him, thinking I had a lot of ground to cover, and ran right into a herd of cows busting them everywhere, oops. Finally when it got close to dark I was working my way back to camp when I jump two cows hearing another elk take off in a different direction. I go to investigate what went on its own and end up getting into a 5 x 5. He had long tines but still wasn't big enough for opening day as I had told myself only a 6 x 6 or a huge 5 on opening day. End up going to bed pretty excited after the first day’s action.

Second Day: Hunted my butt off all day not even bumping an elk and got very wet in the process (thank goodness for fleece).

Third Day: Woke up to a very cold morning. With all my clothes and boots being wet from the day before they were frozen solid in the morning. I had to breathe on my sleeves to loosen them up so I could get my arms through and had to walk a ½ mile in my boots before they thawed enough to lace them up (tongues were frozen straight up). Hunted hard all day without seeing elk (trying a new area) until that afternoon when I decided I need to get back to an area I know. After getting to this area and making a big loop to get the wind in my favor I am sneaking through the woods when I hear something that made me cow call. A bugle came instantly back that was a clean bugle but sounded like a 5 year old kid had done it. My first thought was it was another hunter but knowing there weren't many of us back in here I looked for a position I thought had the best window if an animal approached from where the bugle came from. I got into my shooting position cow called again and it came charging in. Lucky enough it popped out broadside in my window at 30 yards. I didn't even bother counting the points as I just saw a lot of horn and decided this was it. He only went 30 yards and he was down. Gutting him I found that I had double lunged him. I didn't get back to camp until 10 that night after the skinning and bringing out the first load and ended up doing that in a complete white out blizzard. With the snow falling so hard I ended up sticking to the horse trail instead of taking my shortcuts which added almost a mile and a half to my hike back to camp.

Got everything back to camp the next day with the wonderful help of a neighboring camp who had horses. The two fellow hunters were awesome guys and are getting some nice whiskey and meat soon for the favor. Ended up hiring an outfitter to bring the meat down off the mountain and considered the payment to be one of my best purchases in quite some time. Ended up making the pack out with all my gear in one heavy trip. Horns are at the taxidermist now where I am getting a European mount (compromise with the wife). I am still on a high from this trip and can't wait to draw another bull tag. Hopefully it won't be 12 years again. Unfortunately, I didn't have the best camera with me and all my pictures were on the timer being alone.

jollyskwala · « **Reply #1 on:** October 16, 2009, 09:46:41 AM »

Way to get after it! Sounds like you earned every tine! Great pictures!

halflife65 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 16, 2009, 09:54:36 AM »

Great job! When it's easy there is no story to tell...way to earn it.

Congratulations on a fine bull.

Elkpiss · « **Reply #3 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:08:54 AM »

Awesome, Those front tines are freakin long, should score good.....

BLKBEARKLR · « **Reply #4 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:12:19 AM »

Very nice bull, it is funny that you mention the bugle sounding like a 5 year kid. I had one last year that sounded like a kazoo, thought it was another hunter, and never got ready next thing I know there is a 6 pt bull at 35 yards from me broad side.

Congrats on your bull

scoyoc5 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:16:03 AM »

what a great bull! thanks for sharing your story.

Ridgerunner · « **Reply #6 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:30:10 AM »

great job on a nice bull, love teh fronts on him.

brianmtsinc · « **Reply #7 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:36:10 AM »

Awesome! Way to work for it!!! Not many would go through what you did to make it happen.
Thanks for sharing! It gets me pumped for the late season!!!

bowsandhose · « **Reply #8 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:52:25 AM »

wow. great work on a great bull

Holg3107 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:53:29 AM »

Beautiful bull it sounds like you earned it. Congratulations.

Austrian Hunter · « **Reply #10 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:57:02 AM »

Great story, Congrats on a great bull, you earned it

NWBREW · « **Reply #11 on:** October 16, 2009, 12:05:03 PM »

Good job wahoo. A hARD HUNT IS ALWAYS REWARDING. Makes it even better when you get what you set out for. And those front tines are awsome.

markts · « **Reply #12 on:** October 16, 2009, 12:14:39 PM »

Holy crap those fronts are well holy crap. Congrats Mark

bullchaser · « **Reply #13 on:** October 16, 2009, 12:30:01 PM »

well done!

SkookumHntr · « **Reply #14 on:** October 16, 2009, 12:33:35 PM »

--That Bull has some Bad Ass eye guards, Nice Bull!

agchawk · « **Reply #15 on:** October 16, 2009, 01:20:39 PM »

Great story and an even better bull! CONGRATS

GoldTip · « **Reply #16 on:** October 16, 2009, 01:34:37 PM »

Congrats, awesome story and great looking bull!

vfilbert · « **Reply #17 on:** October 16, 2009, 02:21:01 PM »

great story, and awsome bull, killer fronts.

buckhorn2 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 16, 2009, 02:43:42 PM »

Took you a long time for you to get the tag but you sure made the wait worth while. Nice Bull

bowhunterforever · « **Reply #19 on:** October 16, 2009, 03:00:36 PM »

Awsome bull,Congrats!

coldsteel3d · « **Reply #20 on:** October 16, 2009, 05:38:46 PM »

Great bull, good job on making it happen.

ribka · « **Reply #21 on:** October 16, 2009, 05:57:58 PM »

Great story. Sounds like you really earned your bull. Next time I see a hunting show and see some guide get out of the truck with his client and walk 200 yds and shoot a trophy elk will think of your story.
Again congrats

SnakeEyes · « **Reply #22 on:** October 16, 2009, 06:26:25 PM »

Great story. Congratulations on a great bull.

BENCHLEG · « **Reply #23 on:** October 16, 2009, 06:31:38 PM »

awesome bull. and nothing is sweeter than the pic from the tent nice touch. thanks for sharing J

jason4429 · « **Reply #24 on:** October 16, 2009, 06:59:29 PM »

That sounds like a great hunt . Good work

WAPITIHUNTER · « **Reply #25 on:** October 16, 2009, 07:03:17 PM »

Outstanding! Very well done. Congratulations on a great bull!

nw_bowhunter · « **Reply #26 on:** October 16, 2009, 07:08:04 PM »

Great job! Nice bull elk.. congrats to you.. Looked like you earned this one..

bow4elk · « **Reply #27 on:** October 16, 2009, 07:32:05 PM »

Way to get after it and make it happen. Having that sort of motivation when you're alone is tough, especially when tent camping in cold wet weather. What a reward! Look at the front end of that sucker! Congrats!

Wahoo · « **Reply #28 on:** October 16, 2009, 09:27:07 PM »

Thank you everybody for the very kind words. My body is still feeling it, but boy was it worth it (it may be months before I come of this high). The tips of both of my big toes have been numb since I have been back but are starting to get a little more feeling in them.

I was able to recover the bullet between the skin and the ribs on the opposite side. I read a lot on here about people not caring for the PowerBelts, especially in the 295 grain, and it got me thinking a lot but it was too close to the season to change. After recovering the bullet I couldn't ask for a better performance. I don't know if I was just lucky on this occasion but seeing this bullet sure makes me a believer in it.

BoomWhop · « **Reply #29 on:** October 16, 2009, 09:37:54 PM »

Nice job, great Bull, wow what an Elk. Thanks for the story.

Todd_ID · « **Reply #30 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:08:11 PM »

A big congrats on taking a great bull on a tough hunt! I'd say that bullet did it's job quite nicely for you. Good choice on the euro mount because you'll probably draw a Peaches Ridge tag next year and take a 380" bull that you just have to get a shoulder mount done on. Good job!

SuperDave · « **Reply #31 on:** October 17, 2009, 10:39:38 AM »

Super bull! Excellent story! Gettin it done the hard way! Congratulations!

mtndew · « **Reply #32 on:** October 17, 2009, 12:02:38 PM »

Congratulations on a fine animal! Sure is refreshing to see someone with a low number of posts contributing a great story with pictures, instead of "so I am going hunting tomorrow, where can I go to shoot a monster?"

shag · « **Reply #33 on:** October 18, 2009, 07:41:34 PM »

I've shot several bulls and a cow with that 295gr powerbelt. I see no reason for you to change.

Congrats!

Is that a westside tag??

Cylvertip · « **Reply #34 on:** October 18, 2009, 08:34:50 PM »

Great Bull

, great story. The experience is what matters most to me, dropping one is a bonus. I'd rather do a solo hunt like that than any guided hunt.

Very nice

PA BEN · « **Reply #35 on:** October 20, 2009, 12:13:29 PM »

Great bull. What unit?

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Author Topic: 2009 Muzzy Wilderness Bull (Read 9501 times)

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