Hunter Ed Incentive Bull

[Elkstuffer]

This year I was lucky enough to pull the #5 pick for the Hunter Education Incentive permits. My choice was for Region 3 Elk. This tag allowed me to hunt in all units 336-368 during all permit and general seasons with all three weapons.
They didn't do me any favors by giving me 10 units to hunt in. Where do I start? The summer began eliminating places for various reasons and we narrowed it down to the Bumping unit for the archery portion of my hunt. This started out as a backpack hunt and the week before the season started a friend volanteered to pack in some heavier supplies on his horses. NICE! Cotes instead of pads and a tent that you can stand up in. As most of you know it was hotter than heck most of those 2 weeks and then when it finally cooled the wind came in and we couldn't hear a bugle to save our lives. We packed out on Sat. the 17th to get ready for the 5 day rifle hunt on Mon. the 19th.
The next day found us in the Cowiche unit setting up camp and checking trail cams. Opening day found me trying to decided whether or not to shoot a 310 class bull 30 minutes into the hunt. I decided to pass and continued to do so throughout most of the week. Wed. and Thurs. afternoons we located 2 shooter bulls. One was 350+ and the other was a solid 370. We had them patterned and made the move on Fri. the last day of the hunt. We left at 3am and had a 2 hour drive and a long hike to get into position. After setting in the 90 degree sun for approx 9 hours they were a no show. Hiking back to the truck that night was the longest 2 hours and feeling pretty deflated. I had a week to rest and heal before the Oct 1st hunt opened up.
Thursday the 29th my 5 yr old son and I headed up to the Little Naches area to set up my camp. My friend Beau (who had been helping me this whole time) went up the day before to do some scouting. He found a great spot for our camp which ended up being instrumental in our success. The next day Beau and I were back at camp relaxing and heard a bugle on the ridge above camp. Little did I know it was going to be a long night. At 12:30 in the morning all hell broke loose within 40 yrds of our tent. This bull was ripping stumps out of the ground and cows were going crazy. This lasted for about an hour and then all was quiet.....until 4:30 when it all started again. Beau and I were trying to get ready in the dark and waiting for Gary to show up. Finally he started bugling further and further from the tent. He was just way to close. After Gary showed and it got light we headed out in the bulls direction. We were able to locate him by his bugle and I got to within 50 yrds but he didn't offer a good enough shot. He had 3 cows with him that had him covered up at all times. I back out so as not to blow him out of the country and we went off to chase some more bugles. Nothing really panned out so we found ourselves back in the clear cut later that evening. We were discussing the plan for the next days hunt and literally taking 2 steps back toward camp when Gary let out a cow call and instantly got a response. HEY, I know that bugle. He kept me up all night. With only about 25 minutes of daylight left Gary let out another cow call and again had an instant response. Gary then bugled and the bull cut him off in mid sentence. "I think he's coming" said Beau. They got back behind me about 50 yrds and started cow calling. I found a little cover and found some shooting lanes. It took the bull about 60 seconds to cover the approximately 300 yrds. He came in bugling, popping and glunking the whole way. As he got close I could see the tops of his antlers above the christmas trees. All of the sudden he stopped behind a tree tall fir tree at 12 yrds. I could see his nose, brow tines and mane thru the scope. When I got to where I thought his shoulder was I squeezed the trigger to the 7mm. He whirled at the shot and headed back the direction he came from. It took me about 3 steps to cover the 12 yards and the bowhunter in me started looking for blood and hair. Nothing. How in the heck did I miss him at 12 yrds? Just then Beau and Gary come running down the trail high fiveing each other and then they see me with my jaw dragging on the ground. "No way could you have missed him" they said, after they saw where both of us had been standing. Gary and I started following the way the bull ran and Beau went up into the clear cut and paralleled us. After about about 20 yrds Beau says "Ric, get up here". Just as I rounded the corner of the tree I saw my bull take his final breath and tip over in his bed. He had gone about 50 yrds. Just then the last 19 days had all of the sudden caught up to me. I was mentally and emotionally spent. Gary and Beau were awesome and let me take a little walk to get myself together and then the 3 of us walked down to see our bull up close for the first time. I can't express enough thanks to everyone that helped me on the fantastic hunt especially my friend Beau Olson who only missed 1 day of my hunt and sacrificed his own elk season. As far as I'm concerned my bull scores a "perfect 10", but for those of you that are going to ask he green grossed 335 and netted 328 1/8. He will be a great addition to my new showroom.

[blackveltbowhunter]

Thats a gorgeous bull. Congrats!

[Guy]

Outstanding! 

[SniperDanWA]

Nice bull.  Great story.  Nice to read the little one was there partially.  Congrats.

[WapitiChaser]

   Nice Story, Nice Bull, great job!  Beautiful color on that rack.

[adamR]

Great bull!! how long did it take to get drawn for the incentive permit? I plan on becoming an instructor next year and I'm just curious

[buglebuster]

Beautiful, sounds like an awesome season

[rosscrazyelk]

I think I need to start teaching hunter ed..

[carpsniperg2]

A great bull! Congrats

[beagledog]

Congrats and thanks for teaching the young ones

[Bob33]

Great bull!! how long did it take to get drawn for the incentive permit? I plan on becoming an instructor next year and I'm just curious

You must be an instructor for three years to be eligible for the drawings.

[adamR]

Great bull!! how long did it take to get drawn for the incentive permit? I plan on becoming an instructor next year and I'm just curious

You must be an instructor for three years to be eligible for the drawings.

ya I knew that but I was curious after that three years how long it took for him to be drawn

[big bucks]

Beautiful animal,good job.Thanks for your time spent with our kids

[Elkstuffer]

 
[/quote]
ya I knew that but I was curious after that three years how long it took for him to be drawn
[/quote]

I've been an instructor for 5 years now. I just got real lucky and drew a low number. I was #5 of 25 other instructors picked. Most of the people that drew high numbers opt out for a chance at drawing a lower number next year. The best tags go pretty early all though a couple great mule deer tags didn't go until 17th or 18th pick. I'm not eligible to draw again for 10 years and even then not guaranteed to pull a low number.

[jmx369]

Way to keep after it. Congrats on a great bull.