Idaho Elk Hunt '09

[ShirtGuy77]

Well, I met with Michelle today to drop off dad's bull for a Euro mount and we decided details need to be given.  So here's the story.

For the last 5 years my dad has flown up from Arizona and I drive over to Idaho to hunt with my brother from Boise.  I began packing a rifle 5 years ago after many years of tagging along due to other commitments.  My dad, who hunted a lot when we were kids had taken many years off from hunting and began getting back into it around the time I did.  My father has not taken an animal in 25 years or so.

Anyway, the area we hunt hasn't been too kind to us over the years.  In the 4 previous years my brother has notched his tag once, and that was a spike.  Last year, in the same area, we managed to see 1 cow in 14 days of scouting and hunting.  So this year was a make it or break it year for us.  We scouted for 6 days, just my dad and I, and managed to find 3 cows and 1 calf.  This was not what we needed, and my father suffered a meltdown of sorts 2 nights before the opener out of pure frustration.  All these years spending the money we were, the time we do to scout...it was frustration felt by all.  

So the eve of opening day was upon us and we had no plan.  My brother spent the evening before the hunt home with the kids for Halloween.  So my dad and I went to bed that night with no plan, trying to pump ourselves up for the next day.  We woke in the morning and waited for my brother to get in while we had breakfast.  I finally got tired of waiting and told my dad we needed to get on the upper road and start glassing, as light was fast approaching.  Once up there I immediately spotted a lone cow feed her way into a timber stringer 1/2 mile or so away.  Shortly after, I spotted 2 more cows at the bottom of the same drainage, just about the time my brother rolled up.  "Whaddya  got?" he asked.  "Just a couple of cows," I replied.  Big deal, or so I thought.

About 5 minutes later I heard what sounded like a bugle coming up a separate drainage.  I asked them if they heard it and they both looked at me like I was crazy and went back to watching cows.  And so did I.  Well those 2 cows turned into 6, then 12, then 20 and before you know it we have 30 or so cows, calves, and 1 lone spike feeding across the hillside we were initially watching.  I hopped on my binos and watched as 4 more cows come jogging out, watching behind them.  Just then I hear my brother say, "there's the big boy."  I then saw a brute herd bull come out of the timber chasing cows.  Not in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would see rutting elk during the General season.  I would feel silly throwing a score out there, but he was the caliber of bull my pops sees on his big bull scouting down in AZ, a big dude.  

As the bull is coming out, the lone spike has made his way over the ridge and apparently into the sites of a hunter on the opposing ridge.  The hunter shot not knowing the big guy was in there.  I ran for my truck as I watched the elk group up and start moving sidehill south, towards us.  Told my dad to get in the truck so we could get down to the main road and try to hike up into them.  My brother stayed behind to glass and try to walk us into them.  Since they were still rutting, they weren't moving far.  So we get down the road, park the truck and pack light.  Dad and I start up the spine ridge and try to get to a point where my brother can pick us up.  He of course always wants us 200 yards ahead of where we are, so we are trying not to kill ourselves.  Once we got up on a little saddle I looked up and spotted a cow working her way back into the timber stringer ahead of us at about 300 yards.  We hit the ground and my dad set up in the prone position to set up for a shot.  Hoping it was the lead cow bringing the group back, we watched waiting for the bull to follow the herd into the trees.  The cow came into the trees and came back out dropping off the back side.  "Crap" I thought.  5 minutes later a cow and a calf come over the hill, working towards the same stringer.  This time I can hear the group and what sounds like the bull chasing cows in a timber pocket 50 yards or so in front of us.  I popped my dad in the ribs, can't hear that great, and pointed to indicate they were right in front of us.  Just then I hear a cow call and a bugle to our right, which sends the cow and the calf back out of the timber and off the backside.  "Son of a"...I determined the cow call and bugle I heard were hunters trying to get the big bull going and told my dad we needed to move.  Told him I thought we had hunters in the trees to our right and we needed to get up top to get to the bull.  As we get to our knees, I spot an elk running out of the timber where the bugle came from.  As I caught a glimpse of "it" I swung around and grabbed my gun.  About that time my dad spotted it as well and did the same.  Once I got it in my scope I noticed what looked like a little raghorn and my dad says, "it's a bull".  Just then the bull slowed up before cresting a knob, checking it out before diving off the backside.  As soon as he cleared the trees I touched off, at damn near the same time, so did my dad.  Which he followed up with another shot as he thought the bull was moving once on the ground.  "Son of a....dad, what the hell are you doing....son of a....*censored*...what are you doing dad."  Immediately I was pissed at my dad for firing on the same animal I was.  Party hunting is not what our group is into, and I was very unimpressed with my dad.  Everything happened so fast though, and once my dad said, "We have a bull down" and I could see the happiness on his face, it hit me.  We did!
Neither one of us realized the other was on him, and shot at damn near the same time.  So I was able to calm down and realize the feat we had just accomplished.  All the years of tag soup, all the money he and I have spent, all the time he and I have spent humping the hills.  To put one shot in the chest and one high in the shoulder at 280 yards without any time to evaluate the situation, it was only fitting that we did it together.  Not the situation either one of us wanted, but it was a memory we will share forever...my first time firing on big game, and my dad's first animal taken in 25 years.

The antler size looked small in comparison to his body size.  He was a younger bull, but had a hanging weight of 420lbs back at the butcher.  After a brief discussion, and I say brief because I knew there was a bigger bull up there and I had 8 days to get to him, my dad tagged the bull.

We spent the next 8 days seeing quite a bit of elk, but had a hard time getting on them.  Spotted another very big lone bull, and an even bigger bull still pushing cows and raking trees on day 5.  Unfortunately the elk were pretty nocturnal due to the full moon, and they were hard to locate.  The remainder of the bulls we spotted were at long distances just before sundown.  So I didn't tag out.  But, this opening day bull that my dad was able to hang his tag on lasted me the rest of the hunt, and will do so up until next year.  It was an unreal turn of events, and with everything we have been through together, a hunt I will never forget.

Sorry it's so long.  Retelling it is like reliving it  

Hope you enjoy.

Dad and his bull


Me and dad's bull


My brother our guide

[WAcoueshunter]

Sweet, well done!  I know the frustration of not seeing elk and running out of game plans...sometimes you just need to put in the time and good things will happen.

Cool 5x5 too...a 6x6 frame that just didn't grow the second fronts.

[carpsniperg2]

good lookin bull great write up also

[LongTatLaw]

great story to read...!

go dad

ps- brothers beard is pimp!  I used to have one like urs but uncle sam wont let me now!

[h2ofowlr]

Good job.  Looks like fun.  A good hunt.

[longstevo]

Very nice. 

My dad struck out on his first Idaho deer hunt this year, but he's going back over there. 

My computer won't let the pictures load up, but it sounds like a nice story.  Congrats. 

[shanevg]

That looks like a nice bull to me!  Congrats!

[andrew_12gauge]

hey shirtguy the fact that you and your dad shot at the same time does not necesarilly classify as party hunting, now if one of you was tagged out already and then did it i would classify that as party hunting, as far as im concerned it sounds like a perfectly ethical kill, maybe next year if you guys do 39 again we'll have to meet up i know where there were some elk this year until after season opened. congrats on the nice bull looks like you guys did well

[ShirtGuy77]

Sweet, well done!  I know the frustration of not seeing elk and running out of game plans...sometimes you just need to put in the time and good things will happen.

Cool 5x5 too...a 6x6 frame that just didn't grow the second fronts.

Good catch.  Michelle wanted me to post the story and see how long it took someone to catch that.  Neither of us expected it to be the 1st post 

He was a younger bull and well on his way to being a toad.  He had points beginning to grow out of his brow tines, but I would have loved to see this bull in another year or two with those seconds.

[ShirtGuy77]

great story to read...!

go dad

ps- brothers beard is pimp!  I used to have one like urs but uncle sam wont let me now!

Thanks man...the ladies just don't get it.  My bro's beard gets out of control at times.  He's a firefighter who grows gnarly beards this time of year.  When we both go into a store or something during hunting season, people don't know if we are going to actually pay for something or just take it.  I am going for that transient look I guess.  I have noone to impress so I figured it's a garden man, let it grow....

[ShirtGuy77]

hey shirtguy the fact that you and your dad shot at the same time does not necesarilly classify as party hunting, now if one of you was tagged out already and then did it i would classify that as party hunting, as far as im concerned it sounds like a perfectly ethical kill, maybe next year if you guys do 39 again we'll have to meet up i know where there were some elk this year until after season opened. congrats on the nice bull looks like you guys did well

Thanks Andrew...It's probably not the definition, but still doesn't feel right to me.  If I hit it, miss it, put a bad shot on an animal, I want it to be my responsibility only.  But, after replaying the events in my head I wouldn't have it any other way.  Either way, the bull dropped dead in his tracks which is all we really want to do.

I know we will definitely be back in 39 next year.  So let's make sure we get together before next year so we can at least meet up for dinner in camp or something one night.  Always nice to have people stop by camp and hang out for a few beers.

Am I sick?  In one more week I will have exactly 11 months before "Monroe Pull Out" and head to Idaho for the '10 season 

[kramer]

good job on the idaho bulls.

[eastside boy]

Great Bulls, congrats!!!   Also the guys beard in the third picture kicks ass!!!!   

[180-GRAIN]

Gotta love Idaho lots of big bulls over there. Great bull congrats!

[mtndew]

Good looking bull, great photos! I like your kitchen set up. White canvas tents are the only way to go! Congratulations