TWO SW WASHINGTON BULLS

[JPhelps]

Well the season is over . Tyson (PrimeTime) and myself are tagged out.

The season started off with us riding our bikes into our area the night before the opener. We were sitting there in the 85 degree heat and there were no elk to be seen. Finally, at 6:20 we heard a bugle rip from across the draw. Ten minutes later we spotted the bull making all the noise. He was a great looking bull. After watching him until near dark we could tell that he was tall, wide, heavy and great mass. He would be our target for the morning. We ended the night seeing 7 legal bulls, but we would be focusing on the big boy.

Opening morning he was right where we left him but with no easy way to get to him we ended up spooking one of his cows and they tore off down the hill. They went into an impossible place to hunt them. 20 minutes into opening morning and we didn't know what to do. We walked back to our bikes and I was able to locate another bull from right there. Off we go. To sum this hunt up this bull decided to drag us through the most nasty noble patch there is. Tired and beat down we climbed out of there. We were able to get on some other bulls but couldn't make anything work. We ended up hearing 7 different bulls bugle opening day.

The next four days were spent chasing the big bull. It was hotter than hell and with the increasing moon the elk were only staying out for at most 10 minutes until they went to bed.

Saturday night we worked into a new area and I was able to locate a bull around 6:00. The only problem is we didn't have enough time to make a move on this bull. So we continued on. I got to a spot I like to locate from and let out a few locator bugles. Nothing answered. I decided to let out a series of chuckles, with nothing to lose and instantly got a response from a bull in the bottom. He had one of the baddest, deepest, growly bugles that I have heard. We sat and listened to him for the rest of the night. We nicknamed this bull "Dragon Breath" because of his bugle. We spent the next morning back at the big bull from opening day but once again we were only chasing bugles and couldn't get in front of him. He uses the nasty creek bottoms, RMZ's and 15 year old jack-firs to keep himself concealed.

That night we were going back after "Dragon Breath". We started riding bikes around 5:30 and got off and started walking around 6:00. When we got into where we heard the bugles it was evident from the tore up trees in the area. We then spotted a cow feeding in the road 100 yards ahead of us. We eased off the road and got setup. I started with the two estrus whines followed by a challenge bugle sequence. Nothing. Repeated the sequence a couple minutes later. Nothing. The cow is just feeding up the road after the third sequence we could hear some stick breaking up and to our left. After some more calling we could hear the elk getting closer. Not knowing if this would be the big bull or not I was pretty excited. We could hear footsteps in the grass and then a bull showed up and I could see it wasn't the big bull but it was legal none the less. He stopped behind a tree for me. I sat at full draw, kinda (My arrow fell of the rest and I cut my finger getting it back on the rest). The bull then turned to walk away. I hit him with a cow call and he came back this time he was far enough from the tree. I drew back, settled the pin and released. The bull was quartering towards/frontal. The arrow entered just inside the front right shoulder, angling towards the opposite hind. I knew I got one lung for sure but didn't know about the back of the second lung or liver. We were able to watch the bull walk up the same road the cow was feeding on. The arrow had buried about 25" into the chest. The bull was hurting. Knowing the direction he was heading (noble patch) I made the decision to follow him so I could at least hear what was going on. When I made my way up to where he was, I could hear him down below the road and he was heading for the Christmas trees. I once again made a decision that goes against what everyone tells you. I slowly trailed him to the edge of the nobles. I could hear him below me struggling to breath. I climbed up on an old growth stump. I could see him moving brush not 10 yards away but I couldn't see him. Sitting there I heard him expire and called Tyson down to me. I made my way towards the bull (I had 1 ft. visibility), but the bull was right where I thought he was. He expired within 15 minutes of the shot. We then spent the next 3 hours skinning, quartering, packing, bike carting the bull out. When we were doing this we heard ol' Dragon Breath a ridge over. Finally, we got the first bull in the cooler.



Knowing that we didn't kill the big bull, we made plans to head back into the same area where I killed my bull to try and get on "Dragon Breath". We made our way about 1/4 mile past where I killed my bull. I let out a locator bugle and instantly got a response up on the hill. We went right at the bugle. Tyson spotted a cow and calf out in the 10 year old clear cut. Then we spotted the bull. We kept the wind in our face as we made our way towards the elk. We finally got to within about 120 yards when we met a cow on the ridge about 80 yards away. We were going to have to setup right here and try and call the bull in. I liked our chances though because we were in tight to one of his cows. Started with the estrus/challenge sequence and instantly he responded. I repeated the sequence a couple times and then we could see the bull rounding up the cow that was closest to us. I then sent another challenge bugle his way and this was enough to push him over the edge and he started on his way. I chuckled and the bull started running our way. 120....100....80.....40..... The bull just needed to take a few steps to the left and it would be perfect. Nope, instead the bull goes upwind of us and circles in a direction the camera couldn't get. I could see Tyson turning and then draw. The bull popped out at 15 yards and was staring a hole right through me. Tyson finally had to let down. The bull then took two steps and was broad side at about 15 yards. I will let Tyson tell you what happened here. Anyways, the bull spooked but only went 10 yards and stood broadside. Tyson was at full draw now and let one fly. I heard the arrow thud the cavity of the bull and it took off. We went to the edge to watch the bull. We didn't see the bull but we could see that the dust trail the bull was leaving didn't make it very far. I was standing on a stump for close to 3 minutes before I spotted the bull off to our right. We could tell he was hurt and he slowly walked down and over the ridge. We sat there and could here the bull rustling in the alders next to the road then we once again were able to hear the bull expire. We made our way down to him and we were able to find him after about 10 minutes. Once again we spent the next 4 hours, halving, packing, bike quartering, carrying and skinning the bull we finally got home around 1:00 this morning. Bull number 2 in the cooler.


It has been a great season/two days. Primetime Outdoors got 1-1/2 hunts on film. Both bulls met their demise from the sound of one of my calls. The bulls died within 200 yards of each other. The game carts got tested and worked good on the unmaintained roads.

[JPhelps]

[ShirtGuy77]

Very nice!

[BOWHUNTER45]

Good job ... Backstraps tonight !!!

[dawei]

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR TWO BULLS!!!!!

I see you are from Pe Ell. I deer hunt  near there (Doty) in GMU 501 Lincoln. May I please ask what GMU you were hunting? I certainly don't want any markers or road numbers, or especially your honey hole. I will be hunting the modern firearm season in GMU 672 Fall River for the first time.

[wapiti hunter2]

 

[runamuk]

Nice...congrats

[chester]

Very nice 

[Wanttohuntmore]

Way to get it done!  And please, don't tell us where you got them.  Let's keep those areas sacred!

[funkster]

Way to get it done   
 
How did your custom bike trailers work?

[Alan K]

Right on guys! I was in there with Joe this past weekend and he mentioned you were up there.  I knew you'd be into them, they seem to be VERY workable right now despite the hot weather.  Congrats!!!

[SniperDanWA]

Jason, I liked the story-felt like I was right there with you and Tyson.  Congrats to you two.  I guess I need a Phelps call now

[buck man]

Beautiful bulls and great story.

[Bigfoot_44]

Very nice bulls! Sounded fun!

[kglacken]