My First (and Only) Bull

[Vees]

Thought I'd introduce myself on the Elk Hunting page with a picture and story of my first and only bull.
 
This bull was taken in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming.  I went to high school in Gillette, WY and managed to make it back to Wyoming for a couple elk hunts while in college.  This bull was taken in 2005, which was my last chance to elk hunt in Wyoming before I lost my residency.   

We didn't have much time on this trip to hunt, 3.5 days to fill my dad and I’s tag.  Luckily it dumped snow a week before the opener, so we knew the odds we better than usual!  As we hoped, the action started early.  We got on a herd right at day break, but weren’t able to connect with the nice 5x5 in the group.   After seeing so many elk the first morning, I decided to hold out for a decent bull for the first couple days of the trip (we had “any elk” tags).  I would usually NEVER pass up a legal elk, but I'd also never seen so many elk that early in the trip!  You know what they say; you can’t shoot the big ones if you're skinning the little ones…

Later opening day, we decided to hunt a thick stand of timber.  My dad worked the timber line, while I dogged down into the thick stuff.  Not far into the timber, I jumped a small group and pushed them right out to my old man.  He filled his tag with an old looking 4x4, the antlers were definitely starting to regress.  I’ve never seen my dad feel so guilty!  He always likes to see his sons fill a tag before he does (He never even carried a rifle hunting until I was in high school, what a dad!).

Second day of the trip we hadn’t seen an elk all day, as they were starting to hunker down pretty fast.  We decided to work some thick timber, not far from where my dad took his bull the day before.  We saw sign EVERYWHERE, and didn't take long to spot a cow staring at us through the timber.  With the prospect of a good bull still in my mind, I let her walk.  As she took off, we noticed that she wasn’t alone. My dad was PISSED, haha!  He thought I was going to take home a bowl of tag soup before I decided to shoot anything.  I figured he was right and did my best to catch up with the group, now willing to take a cow and fill my tag.  It wasn’t long before I caught some movement below me in the timber.  To my surprise, the only elk providing a shot was a nice looking bull!  After he dropped I could barely believe what happened! 

It was without a doubt the best hunting trip of my life.  My dad and I have hiked a LOT of miles in elk country, often not seeing a damn thing.  So to have a successful trip together, both taking bulls, was nice and felt well deserved.

Hope you all enjoyed my story.  I know I love to read all of yours!

[bowhunterforever]

Nice story and bull

[longrange7mm]

  welcome nice intro story great first bull.

[PacificNWhunter]

Nice bull! Welcome to the site 

[zackmioli]

great story and picture! welcome.

[carpsniperg2]

nice. congrats

[Pathfinder101]

 Nice bull!  Welcome to the site

[denali]

Welcome...great story  nice elk

[longrange7mm]

vees what area you hunt when your back there just curius because im from cody and used to work at N.A.R.M out by wright lived in gillette for a spell my self

[Caretaker]

Ditto others comments, your off to a great start.  Welcome to the boards.

[Austrian Hunter]

  Welcome to the site, and congrats, nice story and bull!!! 

[Vees]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the warm welcome. 

Longrange7mm, we've hunted the bighorns all along highway 16, from Buffalo to Ten Sleep.  Our favorite spots are on the west side of the mountains though.  Love hunting the bighorns, classic elk country.  So you used to work at North Antelope?  I spent a summer driving haul trucks at the Antelope Mine, a little further south.  It's something else driving those big trucks! 

[rb2506]

great story nice bull

[willapawapiti]

Welcome, great intro to the site!

[longrange7mm]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the warm welcome. 

Longrange7mm, we've hunted the bighorns all along highway 16, from Buffalo to Ten Sleep.  Our favorite spots are on the west side of the mountains though.  Love hunting the bighorns, classic elk country.  So you used to work at North Antelope?  I spent a summer driving haul trucks at the Antelope Mine, a little further south.  It's something else driving those big trucks! 

sure is started as a temp then they found out i ran scraper before so!! hello back pain  then they put me running the D11 when i was not laying scoria. i like the west side my self no grizzlies and wolves in the big horns lol well then know they are up there more and more sightings. u hunt the limited draw 45 or general. We used to outfit in 41  42 44 but know were over on carter were my pops focuses on 385"+ hunts but they only issue 25 bull tags over there and then the governor and commissioner tags usually hunt it

[Vees]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the warm welcome. 

Longrange7mm, we've hunted the bighorns all along highway 16, from Buffalo to Ten Sleep.  Our favorite spots are on the west side of the mountains though.  Love hunting the bighorns, classic elk country.  So you used to work at North Antelope?  I spent a summer driving haul trucks at the Antelope Mine, a little further south.  It's something else driving those big trucks! 

sure is started as a temp then they found out i ran scraper before so!! hello back pain  then they put me running the D11 when i was not laying scoria. i like the west side my self no grizzlies and wolves in the big horns lol well then know they are up there more and more sightings. u hunt the limited draw 45 or general. We used to outfit in 41  42 44 but know were over on carter were my pops focuses on 385"+ hunts but they only issue 25 bull tags over there and then the governor and commissioner tags usually hunt it

Nice to hear there is someone else on here from familiar territory!  We hunt unit 45 whenever we can draw a tag.  Otherwise, we hunt units 35 & 36, although our success has been limited in those units.  Sounds like you know the area like the back of your hand, outfitting and all.  You still head back to Wyoming to elk hunt?  We applied this year, but didn't draw.

[SI Eagle]

Nice

[longrange7mm]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the warm welcome. 

Longrange7mm, we've hunted the bighorns all along highway 16, from Buffalo to Ten Sleep.  Our favorite spots are on the west side of the mountains though.  Love hunting the bighorns, classic elk country.  So you used to work at North Antelope?  I spent a summer driving haul trucks at the Antelope Mine, a little further south.  It's something else driving those big trucks! 

sure is started as a temp then they found out i ran scraper before so!! hello back pain  then they put me running the D11 when i was not laying scoria. i like the west side my self no grizzlies and wolves in the big horns lol well then know they are up there more and more sightings. u hunt the limited draw 45 or general. We used to outfit in 41  42 44 but know were over on carter were my pops focuses on 385"+ hunts but they only issue 25 bull tags over there and then the governor and commissioner tags usually hunt it

Nice to hear there is someone else on here from familiar territory!  We hunt unit 45 whenever we can draw a tag.  Otherwise, we hunt units 35 & 36, although our success has been limited in those units.  Sounds like you know the area like the back of your hand, outfitting and all.  You still head back to Wyoming to elk hunt?  We applied this year, but didn't draw.

Welcome to the club of not getting drawn it seems to be the story of my life. i go back every year if i dont draw still go as a spotter and extra back  i usually get doe fawn and cow calf tags every year, i hope i drew my deer tag this year i have a good feeling about it do to the economy and all seems last years odds were better for this area, i drew my reduced cow calf tag but thats not a big deal in the area we hunt. i need about 10 more points to even be considered for a bull   

[Vees]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the warm welcome. 

Longrange7mm, we've hunted the bighorns all along highway 16, from Buffalo to Ten Sleep.  Our favorite spots are on the west side of the mountains though.  Love hunting the bighorns, classic elk country.  So you used to work at North Antelope?  I spent a summer driving haul trucks at the Antelope Mine, a little further south.  It's something else driving those big trucks! 

sure is started as a temp then they found out i ran scraper before so!! hello back pain  then they put me running the D11 when i was not laying scoria. i like the west side my self no grizzlies and wolves in the big horns lol well then know they are up there more and more sightings. u hunt the limited draw 45 or general. We used to outfit in 41  42 44 but know were over on carter were my pops focuses on 385"+ hunts but they only issue 25 bull tags over there and then the governor and commissioner tags usually hunt it

Nice to hear there is someone else on here from familiar territory!  We hunt unit 45 whenever we can draw a tag.  Otherwise, we hunt units 35 & 36, although our success has been limited in those units.  Sounds like you know the area like the back of your hand, outfitting and all.  You still head back to Wyoming to elk hunt?  We applied this year, but didn't draw.

Welcome to the club of not getting drawn it seems to be the story of my life. i go back every year if i dont draw still go as a spotter and extra back  i usually get doe fawn and cow calf tags every year, i hope i drew my deer tag this year i have a good feeling about it do to the economy and all seems last years odds were better for this area, i drew my reduced cow calf tag but thats not a big deal in the area we hunt. i need about 10 more points to even be considered for a bull   

I hear you, we didn't draw in Wyoming...or Montana (my whole family is from Montana, so we've got some old areas we wanted to check out)....and didn't get a good spot on the Montana alternates list.  Also, not expecting much in Washington since I've only been here a couple years.  I think our plan is to head to Idaho this year.  Time to explore some new country I guess!  Well good luck heading back to Wyoming, it'll be a great time regardless.

[Whitenuckles]

Welcome!