Lick Creek Bull down

[Caretaker]

First I apologize for the late post, I've literally been out of town since Oct 25th.  My hunt started the first two days of constant 60 mph winds with gusts up to 90, snowy so bad my skid plate was dragging on my Dodge 2500, no animals were seen up at this 6000+ elevation so we had to change our tactics and go lower, after that we seen animals every day.  The highlight of my hunt was a conservative 370 bull in our spotting scope, 50 inch mains, 44 inch inside spread, scared me so bad I couldn't breath.  Haven't had fever like that since I was 10 years old.  It was too dark to get a feel for what he was, had 100 + cows with him and he had only been seen 3 times this entire year.  By the time we could figure out he was a real shooter another vehicle drove up and spooked the whole damn herd and there he went, we chased him for 3 miles and could never catch up.  Was funny though, he screwed up and should have been mine.  When the lead cow barked off he was running straight at me breath fogging and he was a proud animal, cows went left and he went Ohhh *censored* my ass is grass then followed the cows.  Came within 20 yards of a few fork'n horns fighting the night before, heard this large bull bugling about 20 yards behind them but there was no way to get to him before getting busted by his cows.  Hooked up with some old timers who showed me the ways of 40+ years of hunting the same camp site.  I learned more in a few days with them then I had the entire summer scouting it.  This particular bull I took on the last Saturday morning at 9:45 am, he tried to work his way behind me through some trees and decided to come above me on a saddle, he came out of the trees, looked up and never looked down my way, I proned up, shot him at 202 yards quartering away from me looking right, he jerked, looked up the saddle and turned 180 and sat down, I hit him again then the sucker stood straight up and did a 180 looking right, so I hit him again then he fell and it was over.  I didn't want him running any more down hill.  We were already 1 mile from the truck with about a 500 ft vertical climb.  I took one backstrap and gave the rest of the meat to my hunting partner.  I really thank him for pushing me to limits beyond what I thought possible, continually pushing me on the edge to make this hunt a success.  I have memories for a lifetime and sad that is is over, some tears and experiences I will never forget.

Caretaker

[Wea300mag]

Nice bull caretaker, congrats on your success.

[GUscottie]

Congrats on the bull Caretaker!!! Way to go!

[bigpaw 77]

Congrats

[Widgeondeke]

Nice bull. Congrats 
That scope is huge, looks like a telescope mounted on your rifle. 

[7mag.]

Nice bull congrats. Sounds like you had a great time. That is one hell of a scope your rifle is packing.  

[C-Money]

Nice Bull! Congrats!

[washelkhntr]

 

[Caretaker]

It's just he sun shade on the scope, I've considered taking it off.

[7mag.]

It's just he sun shade on the scope, I've considered taking it off.

Hey, we're just giving you a hard time. If it works, and you like it, leave it. I bet you don't get any glare.

[steen]

Okay, I was a little concerned on the first picture.  I could see the elk head and not yours   Great pictures and hunt!

[carpsniperg2]

congrats on a fine bull and thanks for sharing with us! i have a huge shade on one of my guns. do they make a diffrence yes! i would not touch it! they are light weight and do help. looks like it worked great on the bull.

[Caretaker]

Yea, that bull has a huge head, I mean big.  We packed him out in two trips.  The old timers I mentioned shot a spike the same morning, it took 6 of them three trips to pack it out.  After their first trip they took a breakfast/coffee break, no rush but finished before dark.  After pictures and cutting, we had our last load out by 4:30.  Good times.

[MichaelD]

Hell yea Caretaker - Nice Job!!
Love that country you took your bull - great pictures congrats on a great hunt and great bull!
Michael

[Michelle_Nelson]

Good looking bull!  Congrats!