'10 muzzleloader elk, opening morning

[JPhelps]

Well I scored on a bull opening morning.

I called this bull and a BIGGER bull into about 60 yards with one of my elk calls.  When it comes to west side elk I am not picky and shoot the first legal bull that I have a chance at.  It is not the biggest bull in the woods but it will work.  Besides, where I killed it I wouldn't have wanted to pack out a bigger bull.

I pulled the trigger on this bull about an hour before I finally killed him but the cap never went off.  The elk trotted off but we could tell that they weren't spooked bad and that they just rolled around the ridge and stopped.
 
We backed off and ate lunch and gave them a chance to settle down.  After about an hour we rolled two ridges ahead and got the wind in our favor.  We thought that the elk should be somewhere below us.  

The hill was steep and littlered with viny maple and willow brush and making a stalk was out of the question.  Being frustrated I let out a cow call and BrushChimp called back to me with one of my calls.  Brushchimp then heard some brush break and took a few steps ahead to get a better look.  He indicated that he could see two bulls below us.  I now switched to more of an excited estrus sound.  BrushChimp told me that they were coming.

At this point I still could not see an elk.  I continued to call and I could hear them getting closer.  I got my first glimpse of the bulls and they were at about 90 yards.  They continued up the ridge and stopped at about 50 yards.  The bull in the lead (smaller of the two) stepped out from behind a stump and I fired (not knowing if my gun would go off this time).  I hit him in the neck and the bull took a few steps down the hill.  I reloaded quickly and Brushchimp had to get me back on the bull (he was not going anywhere as he was hit hard).  I took a few steps down the hill and shot him in the back of the neck.  This shot anchored the bull and the fun was all over and the work started.  We were a LONG WAYS from the truck and had a lot of work to do.  We were able to get ahold of some of the hunting crew and with all their help the day was easier than anticipated.

If killing an elk wasn't sweet enough, the entire hunt was captured on HD video!  BrushChimp used his Sony FX1000.  That is how I know that the other bull with the bull I shot was bigger.  Oh well he will be even bigger next year.

[archery288]

Nice work Jason! Congrats man!

[Bean Counter]

Congrats! Good write up and a respectable west side elk  

[Michelle_Nelson]

Congrats, thats a good looking Elk.  A full freezer is all that maters you can't eat antlers.

[bearhunter99]

Congratulations on a full freezer!  Nice bull!

[ELKBURGER]

Great job on a westside bull!

[runningboard]

good story and nice bull, thanks for sharing.

[JBar]

Nice muzzy bull!

[bowtech721]

way to go man nice bull 

[carpsniperg2]

congrats

[chevysquid]

Will be be able to see the video?  Nice job, congrats!

[scoyoc5]

nice bull jason..seeing video would be cool!

[BLKBEARKLR]

Jason nice bull, those calls are the bomb, cant believe you only called in two at one setting.   


Joe

[400out]

Nice job! Great bull and way to stick with it, staying calm and keeping a cool head is hard to do in the heat of the moment 

[h2ofowlr]

Nice elk.  Great write up.