My permit draw bull

[steen]

This is the bull I shot with my permit draw in the Dayton unit.  My husband and I spent 4 days in Sept.  looking at the unit, talking to bow hunters, and looking at bulls.  We wanted to know what was there and how to hunt it.  Lots of trees.  We saw lots of 6X6's a 7X7 and a large broken antlered bull.  Very hot the day we left.
  We came back 5 days before the hunt to scout again.  First few days were frustrating cause we did not have a game plan, saw alot of elk and possiblities but not one to go after.  We did alot of driving and I did alot of walking, some in the driving rain.  I think I scared my husband one night coming out 1 1/2 hours after dark in the rain and wind.  We got a hint from the game warden and found an open spot to glass and spotted a herd of 30 or more from more than a mile away.  This was at noon!  Figured out what ridge they were on and proceded to ge closer.  That afternoon we came out in the open from the trees and we saw them but still 2 ridges away.  The 6X7 we thought he was was in there with alot of cows.  Next morning very early 4:30 up and an hour drive ( we were camped one ridge over with miles of driving between us and the elk.  Got there just as it was getting light we each took a different ridge  in so I could spot and he could get closer.   We decided the best way was to get above them and did that on the evening scout (12 hours before opening) got within 50 yds of them, to close moved up and 20 minutes later watched in awe as more than 50 elk filed out of the woods 400 yds below.  The big one was there but we can see better and he was actually an 8X7 with maybe some more small trash and palmation on the 8 side.  Wow! could have shot him from right there with the angle making the shot much less than 400 yds and little wind.  Well you can dream right?  Another nice 6X6 was also 200 yds up the draw of the big guy with a few cows.  Guess what? on the way back we ran into lots of other hunters  who were watching the same bull but they all said he was a 6X7, were they telling the truth or keeping the truth to themselves?   We didn't say anything expept yeh!  We are hunting this mountain. 
  We got up a little earlier the next morning and were through the trees in the open with an hour left before shooting hours, so we sat in the 40 miles an hour wind wating for enough light to see.  It got light pretty early so we started walking and only 5 minutes later peaked over  the steep hill to see a herd 90 yds below.  We sat and looked but he was the 6X6 then eliberated for a bit and decided to take him but we still couldn't shoot for 20 minutes.  Waited till 7:00 and started scooting down, got on my sticks waited for the cows to clear and him to turn broadside and by that time it was 7:05.  Sorry honey for not giving you a warning before I took the shot.  At 90 yds a blink is all it takes to miss the initial reaction but I thought I saw him hunch.  Wow! What a rush!  Found him 50 yds below out of sight.  Oops!  I forgot to figure in holding 6 inches low at 100 yds ( I had the gun sighted in at 300 )  Would you have figured getting within 90 Yds of the herd?  It was a clean kill.  Next time I draw watch out  mr. big.  ( his grandsons maybe?)  Out of 21 permits only 7 of the tags were filled, I guess I'm not disappointed  in not getting the big one.  We have some awesome meat in the freezer.  My husband cleaned and parted it out (I've done plenty of deer) and I started to pack it out.  We regret not getting pictures of me packing parts out but there was only 2 of us until the rain started Then our nephew came to help just in time to take the hindquarter the reat of the way up the hill while I went to get a front quarter.  We got real wet and cold but managed to get it all out except the head.  We came for that the next day after a foot of snow and packing up camp and RVs down to town.  I got a picture of me with it on my back but I have to give our nephew credit for packing it out for me and my husband for having dinner ready back at camp 3 hours later.  I just wanted to see if I could have packed  it out. 
  We learned alot and had a great experience.  I hope some others got a good elk also,  wished we could have seen the big boy on the ground, and it would have been nice if we didn't have to pack up camp so early to get the RVs down.  It was very emotional for me to leave the beautiful mountain but I took a part of it with me and the first time I ever took an animal with my husband at my side.  Sure he can dress my elk out for me.  I'd rather pack.  I  Hope these pictures tell the story a little better.

[NWBrute]

Congrats on the great bull

[bow4elk]

Great bull - Congrats!!  Great pics too!

[C-Money]

That bull looks great! He is plenty big! Congrats!

[saylean]

Grats to you and your hubby, sounds like an awesome time. Looks chilly for sure. Great bull!

[ShirtGuy77]

Awesome bull and great story....

[agchawk]

Great bull and awesome pics! CONGRATS

[Buckmark]

Holy bull!!

[MichaelJ]

great job cool pics!

[HUNT]

Thats a great bull!  Congratulations.

[Woodchuck]

where in the unit were you? great bull, any time, anywhere

[SuperDave]

Nice bull for sure!  Congratulations!

[shoot-em-dead]

nice

[WaltHenry]

Congratulations. Love hunting the Dayton unit. It can be frustrating at times but it is beautiful. Can't wait(like everyone else) to draw a big bull permit in it.

[rosscrazyelk]

That is a nice Bull.  Do you have any idea of a score?