Got a great bull!

[saudog]

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]

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

[Elkslayer]

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

[saudog]

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]

congrats

[go4itlab]

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

[strutnrut1984]

outstanding looked like a fun  hunt u had

[washelkhntr]

Congrats!

[WAcoueshunter]

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

[saylean]

Looks colder than a well diggers post over there.

Grats on the big ole bull!

[rosscrazyelk]

Congrats, Where were you?

[saudog]

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]

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

Nice job and congratulations!

[Broken Arrow]

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

[bow4elk]

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!