*Westside 9x6 Big Bull Down-Story with pics and video*

[backwoods_boy]

“Just show me tines…..”
October 8th 2010
Western Washington Muzzleloader Elk hunt

It was an unusually sunny early October Washington morning and due to a recent layoff I had the day off.  What better to do then to go hunting for the last day of Muzzleloader season?   Earlier in the year I learned that I had drawn a Multi-season hunting permit which allows me to hunt all of Washington’s three seasons.  Archery, Muzzleloader and General Firearm season.   I had been scouting this particular area since July and basically knew most of the area and where the elk liked to hide.  I had a stand set up for archery season and just never could close the door on a bull.  The unit is a 3 point and better unit so I was looking for something with some good points.   I had trail camera pictures of lots of elk over the course of a few months.  Spikes, Cows, calves and two or three shooter bulls.    Archery season ended with a few close calls, but it was time to switch over to muzzleloader.  I was only able to get into my area two times with the ol smoke pole and the second time was the charm.  I typically don’t like to hunt by myself for obvious reason and today I was to call a good friend of mine to see if he would like to come hunt side by side with me.  After a few calls back and forth we agreed to meet up and hunt the afternoon together.  My buddy Shane, who also had a muzzleloader tag met up with me and we headed into my little honey hole to see what was around.  I knew there were big bulls in the area as it usually produced good bulls, but I had no idea the way the day would end.   We did a little looking around and some hiking as it began to seem that it just wasn’t our day.  Then as we crested a small hill in the very thick underbrush we heard some noise and just as I stopped to look I was tapped on the shoulder.    Shane pointed about 50 yards away and said, “here he comes”.  He took a knee beside me and I stood as I pulled back the hammer and watched this massive dark horned bull barrel down the hill towards us.  As soon as he was broadside at around 35-40 yards Shane whispered, “take him Mike, take him”.   So, like a well trained machine, I settled behind his front shoulder and took a deep breath.   “CLICK” What happened next will probably haunt me for the rest of my life.  My cap had failed to go off which left me stunned for a brief second.  I then saw this huge bull look at me as if to say “what was that”? He then started to walk/trot off and I instantly looked at a kneeling Shane and said, “Shoot him Shane!”  Just as I got those words out of my mouth there was a huge cloud of smoke and an echoing boom that rattled my ear drums.  This all happened within a matter of seconds and then it was silent.  The rush of emotions I felt next was overpowering so I sat down and listened.  I didn’t know what to say.
All the hard work and all the hours spent for that one moment had just been spoiled by a 2 cent percussion cap.    As we sat there for the next 45 min listening to the woods for confirmation we talked about what had just happened and it was simple. My cap just didn’t go off.  I had shot my muzzleloader earlier in the week about 7 times and had no problems at all.  Why now? Why me? No one will ever know why that stupid cap didn’t go off, but that was already in the past and we had an animal to track.
We sat and heard two crashes and then nothing.  After a while I said “did you hit him?”  Shane replied “I think so.”  At this point I didn’t know whether to hope that he missed or hope that we both could experience this moment together.  After I calmed down from the initial shock that my cap didn’t go off I quickly decided that it would be just as great if we could share this memory together and that I didn’t want to dwell on the fact that I had some equipment problems.     After a while we decided to get up and track this huge beast.  Very slowly and quietly we crept through the woods and tried to retrace his steps.  Over every log and under every limb we still couldn’t find any blood.  20 minutes went by and finally we stumbled on some blood.    From there, we tracked him about 80 yards from where we shot and the blood disappeared.    We both looked at each other each and our facial expressions said the same thing; we had to find this bull.  After seeing blood and knowing that it looked like good lung blood we wouldn’t stop until we recovered this bull.  The next 30 minutes went by very slow and we came to a ridge that we hoped he had stayed downhill of.  I stayed on the game trail we assumed he was following and Shane hiked up to see if he could get back on to a blood trail.  The minutes passed by like hours.  Then about as fast as the bull ran towards me Shane was running down the ridge and pumping his fist.  I knew that was a good sign.  When we made eye contact I knew he had spotted the bull.   I gave him the thumbs up and asked, “was he down”?  He said “He’s down”.  He had gotten high up on the ridge and spotted a gold body and black antlers under a tree just 30 yards from us.  As we cautiously hiked our way to where he saw him I said, “Just show me tines.”  We came around the corner and lying still and peaceful in all his beauty was the biggest bull elk I had ever seen in person.  I then tackled Shane and said “We got him!”    At that moment I had already forgotten about the faulty cap and the misfire.   The memory alone for me was worth more to me than I will ever be able to explain.    We spent the next 2 hours taking photos and just reliving the hunt and the tracking to this massive elk that rested at our feet.
After phone calls, texts and picture messages we both had our phones ringing off the hook.  We had just harvested one of the biggest bulls we had ever seen.  I was able to get a hold of my brother who wasn’t working far away and I was very excited that he was on his way to us to help with the field dressing and pack out.  The next few hours were filled with laughs, hugs, high fives and smiles.  Like a true friend Shane let me pack out the head.  We got back to the trucks around 8pm and after a quick measurement this bull ended up being a thick 9x6 with a score of 364 and weighed about 900lbs on the hoof.
What an amazing day with amazing priceless memories that I will never forget as long as I live.  Thank you to Shane for everything you taught me from start to finish of this hunt.  Thank you to my brother Travis, my buddy Birdie and new friend Tommy that so willingly helped us skin and pack this huge bull out.    Thank you to my mom and my girlfriend Laura who had pizza and beer waiting for this tired bunch of elk hunters.  Most of all I’d like to thank my dad for teaching me that hunting is about so much more than just harvesting an animal.
-Mike Smith
Duvall Washington

Washington Bull Elk 2010 9x6

[zackmioli]

pictures ASAP!!!!

[BLKBEARKLR]

Sweet bull congrats to you. Funny how you hunt so long and it ony takes one to two minutes for everything to fall in place.

[denali]

WOW   congrats , nice bull in the 11th hour  

[backwoods_boy]

it took about 20 seconds.

[scout88]

congrats to you! aweseome bull!!

[bobcat]

Wow! Nice bull!    
  
Are you sure you didn't photoshop these pics?  

Did you get him from your tree stand?

[Forrestrover]

Right on! That is a cool looking bull!

[FC]

Very very nice!

[backwoods_boy]

Its a long story, but in short i will say that i still have my tag left for late season.  The bullet that killed this bull didn't come from my muzzyloader.

 "CLICK" no boom for me.  
So i told my buddy to take him and tag him. He owes me.
Half meat to me and we trade off head hanging.

This is definately a 50/50 bull.
time for bed. more pics tomorrow.

[Caliber]

What a dandy, way to stay persistent!!  Congrats to both of you!!

[Wacenturion]

Wow...now that's a real trophy in more ways than one.  Hope you buddy appreciates what a friend he has.  Congratulations to the both of you.  Thanks for sharing.  Beautiful bull.

[backwoods_boy]

He is a great guy and i know he will return the favor.

[BENCHLEG]

congrats to your buddy.  i wish it was you. u need blood that is yours, keep at it . thanks for the update.

[shedcrazy]

What a smoker, great bull congrats!!