Toutle 5 point Unicorn

[RadSav]

Well, not the kind of bull we expected when the squaw was drawn for her Toutle bull tag.  However, after an absolutely awful early season the late season comes with a completely different set of priorities.  She is thrilled even though she thought there was more on that right side as did I.  Guess the mind plays tricks on you after 15 miles of hiking, nine creek crossings with no elk seen and then when you finally get back to the truck and start to relax "Wholly Crap!  There's a nice bull right there."

She kept it together very well.  The 48 yard shot was perfectly placed and he went down after a short dart uphill.  Just to be safe we went back to camp, Lorraine told the story to everyone at the Kidd Valley RV park who would listen, ate dinner, toasted a celebratory whiskey with our hunting partners and returned to blood trail a few hours later.  The wait was not necessary.  Blood trail was about 3' wide and even in the dark we did not hesitate a step when following it.  The bull went down less than forty yards from where we had last seen him - 70 maybe 80 yards from where the arrow had hit.

[biggamehunter]

congrats

[jager]

Awesome! Congrats 
Is that a little nub or did he break it off at the base?

[RadSav]

Broken off some time ago.  No ring like you would find if it had been done in velvet.  But long enough for it to be rubbed smooth.  This bull had awful hoof rot on the left hind leg.  30 to 40% smaller hind quarters and backstrap on that side.  I'm sure he would have died this winter if she had not tagged him so we didn't feel too bad about not waiting for him to regrow a perfect set of antlers.

[RadSav]

Meat was just fine.  Though we did take extra care removing most of the leg below the hams before getting too far in cutting him up.

[jager]

Uggghh!    Poor guy.....

[MADMAX]

Great job getting him, never seen that hoof rot like that yuck, glad the meats Ok.
congrats

[grundy53]

Nice bull! one of the bulls we got this year had hoof rot and the meat was fine. I just think it depends on if they are feverish or not.

[Shed Stud]

Great 5 x nub. Awesome color on that rack too

[elkcane]

Nice animal, have heard from friends that they are having a hard time of it down that direction with the hoof rot.

[400out]

Great 5 x nub. Awesome color on that rack too

 

[D-Rock425]

Nice bull.

[rsrobins]

Nice bull! Congratulations  Both bulls my brother and I got in the Margret had a little hoof rot.

[BULLBLASTER]

the bull i shot in the coweeman had a hoof that looked about like that. same thing with hind quarter and backstrap on that side. great job on the elk! that hoof rot is definitely a nasty thing to have out there.

[FSTaxidermy]

Congrats Lorraine, tough hunt and a great shot