Author Topic: Got a great bull! (Read 11935 times)

saudog · « **on:** November 19, 2009, 08:06:54 PM »

Sorry it took so long to post it. I've been busy...

IT was a great season. I'll keep the story short but there was snow on the ground the day before the opener and every day after that at our camp, and since we hunt up from there it got real deap at times. It's just my dad and I but we prefer keeping a small camp for efficiancy and less complications.

Anyways I take off opening morning up the hill and whether we are the first guys into our area or not, doesn't really matter. We know it well. Once we split up I had four sets of man tracks ahead of me and I figured they were well up the trail since they had came from a small spike camp halfway up from where I camp. I then came around the corner and saw all four looking up the hill with their bino's. Well, with all of them locked in on something but none of them having a rifle out, I figure they're looking up at some elk but it's too far for them to shoot. I then put it in high gear and marched right towards them. They saw me and immiately took off. I'm pretty adept at storming up hills and they were all pretty heavy footed, so I went right past them and on up the trail. It seems to me though that they must have decided after a short while not to follow at all, because I stopped seeing the back behind hind me all together.

A this point things get real elky as I start to see tracks cutting my trail and I could assume they were real fresh based on the snow. I didn't take off after them because I new it could have been over an hour old and i would be better off too hang in the area that was funneling these different sets of tracks. Eventually I got to the top of a canyon and could see a good distance up the ridge and over. Well coming down the trail into the canyon I'll be damned if I don't see a smaller group of elk with 5 or 6 racks in it!!! This just doesn't happen to guys in this area, or any area very often this late in the season!

Now I haven't been in the position to pop big rack bulls very often if at all, because up to this point my elk killing has included rag horns and spikes, and not always being the only shooter. This was something special. I didn't freak out, knowing they had no idea i was looking up at them with the trees I had in my way and the pretty heavy snow fall keeping me hidin. I got down on my butt and put my elbow up on my knee, which I have always loved and it was perfect with the hill behind me sloped up. I figure it was 100 yards. They start moving out of the opening they were in towards the top of my ridge. They were going in and out of some humps in the terrain so getting a beed on one was a challenge. they got backed up behind a big hump and I couldn't see them at all. Then the cows start jumping up the hump, pausing to gather them selves, and moving on. I knew the next bull to jump up there was the one. Didn't care about getting the biggest at that point, just knew I had to get one. Sure enough this guy jumps up onto the hump and pauses....BANG!

It was as calm and cool as I could ever hope for, not being in that position very often. You question if you have what it takes until you continue to get in the position consistantly and do the right thing. I know this will add to my development as a good hunter.

Camp was great and my dad and I got to chase them around all week in this stuff. We saw a lot of elk and could have probably pulled the trigger on one or two more, but we didn't really need two. These are long packs we're dealing with and we only need so much meat. Hope you enjoy the story.

p.s. - I had a chance to take of photo of the rest of that herd after I shot.

Crunchy · « **Reply #1 on:** November 19, 2009, 08:15:20 PM »

Nice job, how did the Alaknak hold up. I know I spelled it wrong.

Elkslayer · « **Reply #2 on:** November 19, 2009, 08:18:15 PM »

Nice looking Bull! Great job and story, sounds like your headed in the right direction with your hunting.

saudog · « **Reply #3 on:** November 19, 2009, 08:34:19 PM »

The Alaknak holds up pretty well. We sleep in it confortably and stay warm and can dry clothes somewhat with the stove. We cook outside in a seperate cook shack. We really like the tent because of the bucket floors and ability to stay real dry inside without tarps overhead. We put felt down underneath the tent and a nice clean peice inside as well, and it gets real comfy. You have to knock the snow off of it or it will build up, and the very outer edges of the tent material start to condensate in extreme weather. Extreme being the primary description of Western Washington modern fire-arm elk season weather. All in all I'd say this thing is a great peice of equipment given the way we've tested it the last couple of years.

carpsniperg2 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 19, 2009, 08:48:05 PM »

congrats

go4itlab · « **Reply #5 on:** November 19, 2009, 08:59:18 PM »

Love a great story sounds like you and your pops are stand up hunters, pictures awesome

strutnrut1984 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 19, 2009, 09:10:18 PM »

outstanding looked like a fun hunt u had

washelkhntr · « **Reply #7 on:** November 19, 2009, 09:11:27 PM »

Congrats!

WAcoueshunter · « **Reply #8 on:** November 19, 2009, 10:21:55 PM »

Well done. Love the after pic...even at distance with poor vis, you can still pick out at least four bulls.

saylean · « **Reply #9 on:** November 19, 2009, 10:24:37 PM »

Looks colder than a well diggers post over there.

Grats on the big ole bull!

rosscrazyelk · « **Reply #10 on:** November 20, 2009, 02:06:40 PM »

Congrats, Where were you?

saudog · « **Reply #11 on:** November 20, 2009, 03:34:52 PM »

Quote from: rosscrazyelk on November 20, 2009, 02:06:40 PM

Congrats, Where were you?

You'll have to find me there in person before you will ever know that. Too few places like this exists anymore. I'll add a couple more pics though.

halflife65 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 20, 2009, 03:47:50 PM »

Man, looks like you guys were in a great place - I love that kind of hunting.

Nice job and congratulations!

Broken Arrow · « **Reply #13 on:** November 20, 2009, 03:48:25 PM »

last pic rules....great story....great bull...nice job

bow4elk · « **Reply #14 on:** November 20, 2009, 03:57:28 PM »

I especially like the fact that I did not see one quad in the photos. Looks like you laced up the boots and got it done the old fashioned way - hard physical work and effort. Nice job!

IronMike · « **Reply #15 on:** November 20, 2009, 04:11:08 PM »

Great Story and Awesome pics!! Congrats on a good hunt,

MHWASH · « **Reply #16 on:** November 20, 2009, 05:57:45 PM »

I thought you were way out in the boonies, until I saw your tent under the power lines.

KillerMiller · « **Reply #17 on:** November 20, 2009, 06:00:02 PM »

Congrats!

Huntbear · « **Reply #18 on:** November 20, 2009, 06:06:14 PM »

Congrats on a great hunt, and a great bull elk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Looks like you guys had fun.

saudog · « **Reply #19 on:** November 21, 2009, 12:28:55 PM »

Quote from: MHWASH on November 20, 2009, 05:57:45 PM

I thought you were way out in the boonies, until I saw your tent under the power lines.

Uh, no power lines. That's a center line that holds the tarps over our cooking shack and standing around area. This is the only picture I have of the rest of camp. We invite the women up for the last night each year, which is a lot of fun.

eastside boy · « **Reply #20 on:** November 21, 2009, 06:26:34 PM »

Right on!!! sounds like a great time had and a great hunt.......good bull too!!!

WDFW Hates ME!!! · « **Reply #21 on:** November 22, 2009, 05:18:30 PM »

Congrats on getting a bull, that is a nice 5. Now this is only my opinion, so take it for what it is worth. I think it is chicken *censored* to run past someone to get to elk. If you are on elk i will let you hunt them as i don't want to ruin your hunt. If i am on elk i would expect the same. Maybe i look at things different as i want to enjoy my days in the field.

Wenatcheejay · « **Reply #22 on:** November 22, 2009, 05:39:45 PM »

Great Job

beave · « **Reply #23 on:** November 22, 2009, 07:40:23 PM »

good bull, love the snow

saudog · « **Reply #24 on:** November 23, 2009, 01:59:08 PM »

Quote from: WDFW Hates ME!!! on November 22, 2009, 05:18:30 PM

Congrats on getting a bull, that is a nice 5. Now this is only my opinion, so take it for what it is worth. I think it is chicken *censored* to run past someone to get to elk. If you are on elk i will let you hunt them as i don't want to ruin your hunt. If i am on elk i would expect the same. Maybe i look at things different as i want to enjoy my days in the field.

Well, they were two miles from where I shot the elk. I didn't run past them, I out worked them. They weren't on the elk, they were looking at them from a very far distance drooling, instead of closing the distance. It was most likely different elk that they were looking at anyways because I doubt the elk I got on were standing in the middle of this opening for the hour it took me to get up the mountain. I hear what you are saying, but in this case it doesn't apply.

WDFW Hates ME!!! · « **Reply #25 on:** November 23, 2009, 07:03:54 PM »

Right on then... It sounded like you just jumped around them the way you wrote it the first time... Good on ya for working hard.

Machias · « **Reply #26 on:** November 23, 2009, 09:39:44 PM »

Great story, great photos and congrats on the bull.

steen · « **Reply #27 on:** November 28, 2009, 12:44:07 PM »

We have the same tent and love it. Easy to set up, just need to push the snow off when there is several inches. The girls can put it up in a half hour. We've slept 8 in it with all our hunting gear. It is pretty cramped, buying cots made for more room. We're sleeping off the floor which makes room for stuff underneath. A pole horizonal between the verticle poles make a great clothesline. Need to dry clothes when hunting in fowl weather.

fishcrazy · « **Reply #28 on:** November 28, 2009, 01:30:22 PM »

Inviting the girls to camp the last night sounds like a well laid plan. Then they can help with all the packing and clean up the next morning.Oh and they can cook breakfast as well. Allot of work for 2.

Congrats on the hunt. I love hunting in the snow!!

Kris

elkhuntindad · « **Reply #29 on:** October 12, 2010, 04:19:56 PM »

way to go, hard work always pays off, and great pics

h2ofowlr · « **Reply #30 on:** October 12, 2010, 07:48:12 PM »

Someone was digging in the archives.

PacificNWhunter · « **Reply #31 on:** October 12, 2010, 08:41:45 PM »

Looks like an awesome hunt, congrats on the fine bull.

Charlie · « **Reply #32 on:** October 12, 2010, 09:17:47 PM »

OK saudog our memory has been refreshed but that was last year. We are almost there again so lets have another great story and more pics!

Lightning_Rider · « **Reply #33 on:** October 13, 2010, 11:29:42 AM »

great story, nice bull

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Author Topic: Got a great bull! (Read 11935 times)

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