THANKS FOR THE HELP WITH MY HUNT. HUNT Wa. MEMBERS

[3dvapor]

  Once i got over the shock of drawing the dayton tag.  I started researching the unit which led me to a great bunch of guys I cant thank enough for the information and help they provided.  I only wish i lived closer.  Darren, Loren, Jacob, and Travis.  Several 1-2 day scouting trips just learning roads trails and access.  I left for my hunt 6 days early to establish my camp before the holiday and scout a different section of the unit every day.  This is tough country to glass bulls in especially in regards to how thick it is and limited time before the sun is blazing down on it.  Parts of it remind me of the wetside of our state.  Obviously  this allows some huge bulls to reside in the unit.
  Through the guys on this site i was able to establish a game plan of where to hunt.  Travis led me onto a bull he chased opening day the year before.  All he could tell me was that he was big and youll know him by his bugle.  Sure enough while scouting i heard him and knew he had made it through the winter.  He resided in a jungle of vine maple & Mt. laurel which you could hide an army in.  I chased that grizzly sounding bull all opening morning coming close two or three times until i finally caught a flash of horn and a swaying maple but i was pinned by the wind from moving forward and the thermals were changing.  Inevitably the cows winded me and blew out taking the bull with them.
  When i finally made it off the mountain and onto a road i noticed several other vehicles hunting around the same vicinity which shut the other bulls down.  onto plan b i went to drop into another canyon not far away but showed up to another rig parked at the pull out where i was going to drop in.  with the morning basically gone i whipped the truck around and flew down the road to a closed road where i heard a bull bugling two nights ago. I ran down the road and threw out a bugle and couldnt believe it when i heard a answer faintly on top of the hill in another brush hole of course, so faintly my partner and i argued about the exact location.  By the time i closed the distance he shut up (figures.)
  that evening cory and i headed to another area.  We started in about 4:30 or 5:00 real warm hardly any wind.  followed an old fire trail through the trees when i had a bull answer about 120yds away.  He was up on a hill in front of us.  The fire trail that we were on split one going up and one going down.  I told cory to start calling to try and bring him off the hill and ill drop down on the lower road to get the wind right.  I had only moved about 30yds when i looked up and saw the bull had already passed me going straight to the caller.  I could hear cory running through the brush with the bull hot on his trail. ( LOL )no shooter.  finally the bull busted out and cory caught up with me.  we both were in disbelief as to how fast he came in.  CRAZY STUFF.  just then i looked over to see the bull circle back onto the top road and ranged him at 54yds.  we looked him over and decided to pass and watched im walk away with a lone cow.  

  we both decided to circle back toward the road and call into a couple small ravines when we instantly had another answer.  COULD I REALLY BE HUNTING IN WASHINGTON STATE?  Cory and i both ran toward the bull and he began calling.  The bull cut him off in mid call.  I could also hear another guy calling to my left a 100yds or so.  I wasnt going to cut this guy off so we stayed put.  Cory called again and the bull ripped back a bellowed scream and i could hear him running through the brush to us.  I didnt know where to set up so i stood next to a 14ft doug fir overlooking a small grass opening when the bull came in from behind me pushing and twisting his head to manuever his antlers through the wall of fir broughs.  I came to full draw and watched him clear his enormous fronts into view when he caught me standing 5feet away.  The bull whirled and ran and stopped maybe 50 yds away.  I cant remember if he barked or not but i could see glimpses of him standing staring back toward us.  He finally bugled and walked away.  I ran back to cory and told him what had happened and that i thought we could call him in again.  I moved up to where i last saw the bull and waited for cory to call.  Now i was in a small meadow maybe 40yds long and 25yds wide but no calling from my partner so i proceeded to cow call a couple times and hear he came right to me.  I barely had time to draw.  this was going to be a another close shot but when the bull walked in he didnt have very long 5ths and sixes i wasnt sure if it was the same bull.  i decided to pass on him and he finally spooked at about 5yds before he walked over me.  i walked back to cory who was talking to the other guys who said the bull we had just called in was a huge 6x8.  i informed them i just let a 320 6x6 walk.  Now i was all confused i could hear three or four bulls bugling but didnt know if the bull that had originally spooked was the big one and the second bull a satellite, great problem to have i suppose.  they were sure however the first one was the 6x8. (so close)
  the rest of the evening we tried to call in a couple more bulls but it was just about dark.
the next morning we chased bulls all over again but i couldnt get the 6x8 out of my mind and how close if indeed that was him, i was to zippin a acc through him.  that night i decided to go after him again. as we walked through the woods back to where the canyon started, we jumped a bunch of elk not far from the night before.  I had it in my head it was the heard bull we were after but couldnt get him to come to the call because we jumped him out of his bed but i could see several cows and what looked like antlers crowning on one side of his head.  They finally spooked and ran toward the way we were going any way.  We took our time it was still a little early for the thermals to start to change.  After about another half hour of walking or so we approached an old burn. I looked over and not 60 yds away was a heard of elk feeding.  Cory slipped down the hill and called and i kneeled this time under a fir bough when hear he came.  All i could see was heavy main beams and part of what looked like a pitch fork coming through the brush as he came through the jack firs i came to full draw and released the arrow as he went passed me at about 4 or 5 yards.  i usually try and stop them before i shoot but this guy was so close.  The bull took off straight away from me when i could see that this bull wasnt the one i was intending on.   This was the bull i passed on the first night with the lone cow.  I couldnt believe it what a rookie.  He is still a great bull probably the biggest 290-300 inch bull ive ever seen( LOL)
  Next time jacobs holding my arrows.  He probably knows the unit better than some of the guides and can score great.

Special thanks to eric for all the overnight scouting trips and mad 6 hour drives back and forth and cory for calling all those bulls into me.  the guys that helped me have access to any of the areas that i currently hunt.  Oregon idaho etc.
let me know if anyone draws this tag i can help out without compromising the areas that the other guys told me about.  I spent quite a bit of time videoing and scouting bulls last year

[3dvapor]

[3dvapor]

[bowhunterforever]

Sounds like it was an awsome hunt and nice bull

[denali]

Great story, that's a nice bull !

[zackmioli]

awesome story and a great bull!

[buckhorn2]

Great story and great bull. Nice to know there are hunters out there that are willing to help hope you can pay them back when they draw there hunt.

[bearpaw]

very nice

[rasbo]

awesome bull and a good story,pay it foward

[jackelope]

That is a really cool bull with a lot of character. Congrats on a great bull and a great hunt.

[MLBowhunting]

good story and a great bull.  advice of any kind sometimes produces the greatest results

[buckreaper]

Awesome story.  I like the mass on that bull.

[carpsniperg2]

congrats what a fine bull you got there great write up

[PacificNWhunter]

Great bull!

[piled-up]

that thing is massive!!!!!!!!!

[ponyboy156]

That is some awesome mass! Great bull, congrats!

[boonerboy]

awesome bull and great read!

[flyguide]

Right on man, the appearance of that bull is much bigger than 290-300, mount it high on the wall so you can look up at those massive fronts!

[Wea300mag]

Thanks for a great story, that thing has some serious mass.

[SkookumHntr]

-Heavy Bull!!!

[coldsteel3d]

Helluva bull, believe me. That unit is a lot of fun, hopefully this year produces what your after!   

[Squatch]

Great Bull,  It sounds like you definitely put in your time. I'm in the same boat you were last year.  I drew Dayton Rifle this year, and just like you I live a long way's away.  Still can't believe I actually drew.  I've started researching the area, but if you have any suggestions I'm all ears.  Not looking for any honey holes, just some general starting points. 

Thanks

Squatch

[bucklucky]

Nice job man, you got a bull with some sweet charecter. Awesome job!

[Austrian Hunter]

Great story, great write up!  Awesome Bull..... congrats 

[let.it.fly]

great bull. i wouldnt have passed on that bad boy.

[MtnMuley]

Very nice bull!  Mass is number one in my book.   Thanks for the story.

[dreamingbig]

I don't blame for you for shooting!  He has great character and mass.

[1morebuck]

Nice bull! If I ever draw the tag, I'll definitely give you a call!

[JBar]

Great bull and great story! Way to go!!

[3dvapor]

Great Bull,  It sounds like you definitely put in your time. I'm in the same boat you were last year.  I drew Dayton Rifle this year, and just like you I live a long way's away.  Still can't believe I actually drew.  I've started researching the area, but if you have any suggestions I'm all ears.  Not looking for any honey holes, just some general starting points. 

Thanks

Squatch

I would be happy to help.  pm me ill send you my number.  You can also get a request for information from the wdfw for all the guys that have drawn it in the past for rifle, that will really help you as well.