My dad's bull

[Woodchuck]

 

[TheHunt]

LOL....    That is a fantastic bull.   Definitely a wall hanger or full body mount

[Curly]

I bet the shooter still has that smile on his face..........I know I would.  That bull is fantastic.

[Alan K]

Wow! Just. . . WOW! 

[Charlie]

One in a lifetime bull, congrats to your Dad! And where is that story?

[WALLEYERICK]

MTCOOK, your Wenaha group here from 2008. How goes the scouting for your daughter?
My partner who has the Tucannon tag too, told me that your daughter has one also! Nice job, hope you find a big-un. I can't wait to go down again and bump some Wapati!

[lukuss]

Heres the story.

After months of anticipation and lots of hours and miles scouting and researching for my dad, brother, and I, opening day had come for my dad’s muzzleloader season.   My dad was able to go in a couple days before the season and narrowed down some specific areas where he wanted to start.  Opening morning we hit the trail early and walked out to a ridge where dad had heard a bull bugling before the season.  We got setup and let out a call and Bang!!! the bull bugled within 150 yards right under us.  It was a shock we were not expecting a reply that close, we scrambled to try and call the bull closer but he winded us and was gone.  We decided to move out of that area and give this bull a break.  

After this encounter he received the name, “Old Big”.  We never saw him but his bugle was so intense we knew he was a nice bull.Over the next couple of days “Old Big” made his presence well known.  It didn’t matter where we were at; if there were bulls bugling  “Old Big” was involved, usually louder and more intense than any others.  We got to know quite a few of the bulls by their bugles but always without a doubt “Old Big” made it known he was the “Big Man” on campus.

We were able to work in a couple other bulls over the next couple of days, but always in the back of our minds was “Old Big”.  Finally we made a plan to work in on him, the wind was working to our advantage, and so we seized the opportunity.  With my dad in the lead we took off, calling a little we tried to keep “Old Big” talking, every time he bugled we moved towards him.   He seemed to be always moving away from us and before we knew it we had crossed a few ridges and my brother was not around, but was bugling behind us, which really fired up “Old Big” (We passed some of his rubs, which were just amazing). Finally “Old Big” decided to stop.  He had positioned himself on a higher ridge and was just screaming.   He would let out these huge bugles then turn around and chuckle down to Dad and I. IT WAS AWSOME!!!!

He had kind of pinned us in the bottom, so we worked the calls hoping he would come to us, but “Old Big” was not budging.  Soon my brother came in quickly from behind with aggressive bugles and everything fell into place.  He was working the bugle behind us and I was cow calling from the middle and the bull was going nuts.  My dad was able to work up towards him and his cow using trees to hide behind.  We still had not seen him yet but knew he had to be a dandy.  Dad was able to work up to about 100 yards from him and saw “Old Big” (and his rack) for the first time running back and forth on the ridge bugling and grunting, but still had brush in the way.  All the sudden “Old Big” stepped into the only shooting lane dad had, which was about the size of a basketball and dad took the shot.  There was less than a second delay between the shot and the “YES!!!!!!” my dad yelled when “Old Big” fell.  As my brother and myself ran up to dad, we were ecstatic.  Dad waited for both of us to make it up to him before we walked up to “Old Big”.  There he was, the biggest elk we had ever seen. When we started counting points we got more and more excited an 8x9, HOLY CRAP!!!!. It was an amazing experience, something none of us will forget.  We have been on a lot of hunts but nothing like this, what an experience.
The next couple of days consisted of packing this huge animal out of a hole and a lot of celebration.  My dad, brother and I are still floating on cloud nine with huge grins on our faces, but no grin larger than my dad’s.
It was the hunt of a lifetime.

[Timber_Hunter]

Thanks for the great story, that is awesome.

[bucklucky]

Nice job guys! Awesome bull, love all the points!!

[nwhunter]

Great bull and well earned, good job putting in the time and effort to put it all togethor. Mtcook weren't you over in the clockum this week? No more clues!! nwhunter

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Very nice bull. Looks like you were around mt. adams....

[blackveltbowhunter]

Great bull!!!!

[mtncook]

PEACHES ---- I told you where I was going Scott



mtncook

[400out]

What a trophy

[Quackwhacker]

Awesome Bull! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!