Healthy Roosevelt Bull

[Coastal_native]

I finally got a chance to take some time off work last week to get out and do some real hunting.  For the last seven years I've been hunting this particular area during the rut with no success.  I always find elk there, but usually its during the period of the rut where the bulls are more likely to bugle and run away with the cows.  This year I finally put my hard learned lessons from past years to use and I was fortunate enough to harvest a very healthy and beautiful coastal roosie. 

I caught up with the herd during the first afternoon of my hunt Tuesday.  I'd hiked about 3/4 of mile cross country through a stand of mature second growth timber, putting me right on top of a large river terrace/flood plain at the confluence of two forks of one of our larger coastal streams...ground zero for rut activity for the elk that use the area.  I knew there'd be elk down there judging by the amount of sign I'd seen in the surrounding upland areas.  I sat down at one of the major elk trails leading off the hill and did a series of calls.  I got an immediate response from what sounded like a dandy of a bull...and after I heard the cows light up in the background I knew it was on.  After about 15 minutes of bugling back in forth with the bull, I came to the sad realization that this bull had no intentions of leaving his cows...and eventually his bugles became more and more faint.  I knew he would either head downstream and cross the river or climb up over a ridge and drop down into to another small drainage.  I made up my mind that I was gonna have to go get him, so I bailed off the hill down in to the bottom. 

When I made it to where the elk had been, two things became apparent.  First, the amount of tracks in there made it almost impossible for me to tell which way they were headed...and second, even more concerning, I hadn't heard a bugle, mew, or branch break in about 20 minutes.  After about 30 minutes of detective work I finally found where they went up over the ridge and dropped down into the other drainage.  Eventually I caught up to them and I could hear a few branches breaking and faint bugles, so I picked up my pace and tried to get ahead of them on the downhill side.  I got to a point where I couldn't hear anything anymore so I turned and started booking it straight up hill.  In the process of trying to be fast and quiet I ended up walking right in to the middle of the herd without even knowing it.  I had two cows looking right at me.  They started doing the slow nervous walk back down the hill and I could hear the rest of them starting slowly follow.  After a few more cows trotted through, I finally caught a glimpse of the bull working his way toward my shooting lane at about 40 yds.  I gave a little mouth chirp and stopped him perfectly for a lung shot (obviously I've been watching to much TV).  I made a good shot on him and he stumbled about ten yards forward and stood there for about a minute before he finally fell over and expired.  It was about 5 pm at that point so I had a lot of work to do and a good 45 minute hike out.  Fortunately I ended up killing the bull a little closer to an open road, but it wasn't anywhere near where my truck was parked.  I got the bull dressed out and made it back to my truck right at dark.  I was able to recruit some help to go back out that night with headlights and lanterns to quarter and skin, but I had no such luck the next day when it came time to pack out. 

It was about a half mile pack to the closest place I could get my truck. Most of it was an old road overgrown with salmon berry and cluttered with windthrow.  I started at about 8am (after about 4 hrs of sleep) and had it all packed out by about 2pm.  7 trips total...two hind quarters, two front shoulders, 2 game bags full of boned out meat, and one head and cape.  When I made it back to the truck on my last trip, I ripped off my shirt like the Hulk and let out a war whoop.  This will be one of those packs I'll look back on when I'm 50 and think "man that was stupid". 

Here's a few pics of the bull, the country, and a few for you antler lovers...enjoy.  Thanks for letting me share...

[Green Lantern]

Nice Bull!!

[carpsniperg2]

That's a nice bull costal.

[Sugwat]

Raft River?

[Coastal_native]

Raft River?

It's a secret...who wants to know?   I noticed we're from the same place..."the beach"

[christopheri]

Nice bull Coastal

[Sugwat]

Raft River?

It's a secret...who wants to know?   I noticed we're from the same place..."the beach"

   Just a joking guess!!  And yeah.. should probly change that.. was born and raised on the beach.. live in acorn country by the wifes fam now.. hearts still at the beach.. headin back out Oct. 1 for some meat though...

[Sugwat]

Nice bull by the way.... how were the straps?

[Coastal_native]

Good Guess

I'll keep an eye out for you.  It was hard, but I managed to save the straps for the rightful owner.  Most of the meat is for the 'ol man at the mouth of the River, although I'm sure he'll share.  I just finnished cutting and wrapping it for him today.

[Sugwat]

Thats good to hear.. most of mine goes to parents and grandparents too.. its good work though...

[Lunchbox1981]

Congrats on a nice bull.

[Brushbuster]

Congrats on a great Roosie Bull!! Great write up. I also usually make 7 trips & I'm over 50! 

[BLKBEARKLR]

very nice bull congrats on him, also real nice write up.

Joe

[PA BEN]

Nice bull Looks like the  Sol Duc out in the Dickey.

[cjensen]

Good work man...sounds like your experience paid off!  I would have been sucking wind too hard too make a good shot if I had run uphill like that.

[SniperDanWA]

He's real nice and your hunt was pretty cool.  Congrats.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Coastal ...thats awesome ..good story and nice bull ...Thanks    ( quote) obvisiously I watched to much T.V.... HAHAHA That kills me !!!

[bucklucky]

Great Bull Coastal, way to get it done!!! Looks like some killer country!!!

[Machias]

Nice bull, congrats!!!

[bearhunter99]

Nice bull Coastal!  Congratulations!

[PlateauNDN]

Great bull Coastal!  

[gunnarnewt]

     Nice Bull! Congrats!

[deerhunter_98520]

congrats on that bull..hes a beauty

[buckhorn2]

Nice bull and story looks like lots of dinners right there thanks for sharing.

[C-Money]

That is a great bull! Congrats!

[sirmissalot]

I am jealous to say the least. Great work Coastal

[Big P]

awesome bull great story!

[bowsandhose]

sweet rosie grats

[jager]

Oh yea! 
What kind of rifle /caliber are you shooting?

[blackveltbowhunter]

Beautiful bull and country! Sweet hunt! Congrats

[Michelle_Nelson]

Good Looking Bull!  Congrats!

[colockumelk]

Hey Coastal that is an awsome write up and a great bull congrats brother.  So when you called the recruits....  Remember when you said you were gonna shoot a bull and tell the wifey where it was and to go bring it back to the house just like your ancestors used to do it?  How did that one work out for you 

Again congrats bro. 

[nwhunter]

Nice bull! Is this the same bull you got when you shot that cougar on your previous post or is this a second bull? Freezer must be getting full either way. nwhunter

[billythekidrock]

Congrats!
 
Thanks for sharing.

[dreamunelk]

Nice bull CW.  Area looks familiar.  When are you going to start going after the big ones   If that is where I think it is there is some much bigger bulls just a little to the west and in a little steeper country.   I promise to show your the area after I put a big one on the wall

No that I think about it.  Your bull kind of makes someones moose look small  

[dogtuk]

Your really making me miss home I need to get down there soon Nice bull and great story congrats

[madmack76]

nice bull good job

[ouchfoss]

Nice rosie for sure!

[singleshot12]

Healthy bull alright!  Always nice to hear of a native brother harvesting an elk the hard way or the traditional way.