Post by: mwhite on September 17, 2008, 09:14:02 AM
Last Sunday we headed over to set up camp and hopefully find a bull to go after. We saw one cow all day and very little rut activity. We got camp set up and found a likely canyon to call at in the morning. Opening morning we go to the canyon we had found the day before and begin calling. Immediately 3 bulls answer and one sounds really good. My partner's turn was first so I stayed back and called while we closed in on the bull. We got a glimpse of him in the clearcut and he was a really big 6 point. While I was back calling, a 5x5 came in on me and John and Andy (who was filming the hunt) moved forward. They had the big six point bull at 40 yards but John hadn't seen the bull in the clearcut so he wasn't sure how big it was. It was busy destroying a pine tree and he couldn't make out the whole rack. He ended up letting it walk and we reset up on it and called it back in to 18 yards. At this point he realizes he screwed up when he was at 40 and tries to draw his bow. The bull catches the movement and runs off. We got really good video of him raking the tree and when he walks across an opening at 80 yards. We guessed him in the 330 range. The next several days was more of the same. We had several other opportunities at bulls, some in the 350 range and up but just couldn't seal the deal. I passed on a very nice 6x6 bull after watching a 330 class six point and a 360 class six point bull fight for several minutes. After seeing those kind of bulls I couldn't bring myself to shoot unless it was one of the big bulls we had been seeing.
Last Friday night we had a big six point going and he ended up circling us and getting our wind. On the way out we had several bulls bugling in the canyon below us and John was able to get within 40 yards of a good herd bull but he ran out of light. We snuck out of there with the bulls still bugling as we left. We headed back in this morning. When we arrived it was dead quiet, the only thing calling was other hunters. The bulls were quiet and we decided to just back out and planned on coming back in the evening. After hiking out we were driving down the road when I looked over and saw a cow standing 100 yards off of the road. I dropped off John and Andy several hundred yards down the road and I drove a little further out of earshot of the elk. I gave them a few minutes to get close and then I moved in and started calling. The hillside came alive with elk. There were bulls bugling all over the place. At times John didn't know which bull to go after. I wasn't sure which way John and Andy had gone so I started working a bull that was out in front of me. I had a nice 5x6 come in silently and could never get a good look at the herd bull. Then I heard two good bulls calling pretty aggressively to my left and I backed off from the bull I was on because I figured John and Andy were on the other two bulls. Everytime I called they would scream back. I closed the distance on them and had another bull come in to me, a small 3x3 while John had this satellite bull come in to him...
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh291%2Fmtmkwhite%2F102_4131.jpg&hash=53e5327b0ede195f6a4019a519e817975815f1dc)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh291%2Fmtmkwhite%2F102_4134.jpg&hash=9c684fa6aaa581ee4c549a197b6d0e1df0b7a031)
This bull gross green scored 331 7/8.
We got him out and headed home for a quick refill of supplies and get the elk taken care of. We had planned on heading right back but by the time we got the elk taken care of and everyone came and saw it it was too late in the evening to plan on getting up at 2 am and head back over. We decided to leave at noon and drive over for an evening hunt. On the drive over I asked John what his gut was telling him as far as where we should go. I already knew what my gut was telling me but I wanted to see what he was thinking. Oddly enough he was thinking exactly the same thing that I was. We had a plan to check out an area that we had called some bulls in on Friday and we thought if we couldn't get anything going we would drop back down the hill to the area where John had killed his bull. We got to the area and parked the truck to walk in so we didn't spook anything. We got situated about 4 PM and waited until about 5:30 before we slowly started calling. We had a little bit of wind and it was hard to hear bulls calling and even harder for them to hear us calling. We got one faint response across the canyon but it didn't stay fired up. John has a real good call but it isn't very loud. I took the call and let out a couple of loud screaming bull bugles. A bull immediately responded and then another and then another. I just don't think that they could hear John. Once we had them going good and we knew their position with regards to the wind we moved closer and John started calling. Once we had moved in closer the elk could hear John and he really got them fired up. I had two bulls fairly close to me. One had a good growl and the other sounded like a younger bull. I focused my attention on getting the wind right on the bigger sounding bull. I dropped down below John and had to make a decision on whether to stay on the road or drop into the draw in the direction of the elk. I could tell the bigger sounding bull was about even with me and I thought he might just be lazy and walk down the road even though he would be coming in with the wind at his back. All of the other bulls we have called in this last week hooked around us to get the wind so they could smell us so we always had the shooter downwind of the caller. I struggled with whether or not to stay put so I let the bull decide for me. He bugled, or should I say SCREAMED back at John and I could tell he was coming in walking down the road. I stayed put and he called again about 50 yards away just out of sight on the road. The wind was perfect for me and I hid next to a small fir tree on the side of the road. The bull was fully focused on John and I had already pre-zapped the area around me with the range finder. I watched the bull come out and could see he had good fronts, width and mass but I couldn't tell if he had the sixth point until he turned his head. He was really trying to smell John and I let him keep coming until he was 37 yards away. I drew back and the bull never knew what hit him. He whirled and ran away down the road and I could see my arrow sticking out the other side about 18". I was totally pumped and started cow calling loudly to get John's attention. Within seconds I heard the bull thud but I didn't hear any branches break. John came down and we slowly moved forward to check the blood trail. I told him I wanted to look around the corner because I thought the bull might of fallen dead in the road. We quietly snuck up and this is what I saw...
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh291%2Fmtmkwhite%2F102_4140.jpg&hash=f4de6c1c6e4083d0edac9536b8cefaee4b4bef10)
The bull only went about 80 yards before expiring. Here are some other pictures of the bull.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh291%2Fmtmkwhite%2F102_4144.jpg&hash=81f4c4a39c8ed325fcc335107165eff3032d7c70)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh291%2Fmtmkwhite%2F102_4147.jpg&hash=1975171010a6dccb1c28a22fed46b30adf25d926)
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh291%2Fmtmkwhite%2F102_4154.jpg&hash=7941217f4fd06da710b6a221a56f3b4643557553)
My bull gross green scored 319 4/8.
Later,
Mark
Post by: huntnphool on September 17, 2008, 09:20:37 AM
Post by: bucklucky on September 17, 2008, 09:23:05 AM
Post by: callthewild on September 17, 2008, 09:23:35 AM
Post by: Bearhunter on September 17, 2008, 09:36:46 AM
Bearhunter
Post by: GoldTip on September 17, 2008, 09:46:27 AM
Post by: Craig on September 17, 2008, 10:48:24 AM
Post by: Todd_ID on September 17, 2008, 11:13:59 AM
Great bulls. How did you trick him to die on the road. Can't beat that.
I was thinking the same dang thing! Congrats on a great hunt. Thanks for the good story and pictures.
Post by: 10Key on September 17, 2008, 11:15:32 AM
Post by: FANATIC on September 17, 2008, 11:52:42 AM
Post by: Ridgerunner on September 17, 2008, 11:57:09 AM
Post by: mwhite on September 17, 2008, 12:10:18 PM
Here's my bull. There was only two of us so we had to cut him in half. Still a damn chore getting him in the truck!
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh291%2Fmtmkwhite%2F102_4156.jpg&hash=176b3f3f9acd3ff0b9a71224dfc17d0c927a20b8)
Here's my buddies bull. Andy, our cameraman, said he thought we could drag it whole to the truck. I went down and checked it out and he was right. It was a pain, but we got to load him whole!
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh291%2Fmtmkwhite%2F102_4138.jpg&hash=5d25f395192803b70a4382b7383e04488a2ce225)
It was amazing getting these bulls so close to the truck! It's been a long time since I took the butcher elk with bone in it!
Post by: MuleySniper on September 17, 2008, 12:23:08 PM
MS
Post by: X-Force on September 17, 2008, 02:31:21 PM
Post by: andrew_12gauge on September 17, 2008, 05:07:08 PM
Post by: buckmaster_wa on September 17, 2008, 05:42:51 PM
Post by: mwhite on September 17, 2008, 06:41:30 PM
Bucklucky-I would say being off 9 inches from a picture is pretty darn accurate. Congrats on your hog of a bull by the way! I have a buddy with the East tag still hunting. He's passed up quite a few bulls looking for that monster! It sounds like he's getting antsy though since it is getting close to the end.
buckmaster-Calling made all of the difference on this hunt. And paying attention to the wind! We had two tags and filled them both, doesn't get any better than that!
I don't know how we ended up getting both of these bulls out whole, :dunno: but I was very appreciative! Most of the stuff we hunted was steep and in the bottom of canyons with lots of hiking. We just were fortunate to find a couple of bulls that were ready to die near roads! I've got one more good elk tag this year for Eastern Oregon rifle and it is very unlikely I will be lucky enough to kill one within driving distance on that hunt. That's okay though, I don't mind! :)
Post by: MichaelJ on September 17, 2008, 06:44:16 PM
Michael
Post by: andrew_12gauge on September 20, 2008, 01:22:59 AM
Post by: Opportunist on September 20, 2008, 05:03:26 AM
Post by: PA BEN on September 20, 2008, 06:49:55 AM
Post by: hard hunter on September 20, 2008, 03:31:37 PM
Post by: mwhite on September 20, 2008, 08:11:03 PM
opportunist-Stop by the store after next week and I should be in. Any luck yet for you? I went and called for Billy and Trisha yesterday and Trisha killed a dandy bull. I'll have another post going with that story here shortly.
Thanks everyone!
Post by: yelp on September 20, 2008, 08:35:51 PM
Post by: Opportunist on September 21, 2008, 12:07:01 AM
Post by: mwhite on September 21, 2008, 07:50:44 AM
Post by: Ironhead on September 21, 2008, 11:29:19 AM
Post by: 257 Wby Mag on September 21, 2008, 05:25:30 PM
Post by: wackmaster on September 22, 2008, 01:11:05 PM
Post by: mwhite on September 23, 2008, 07:27:37 PM
Post by: Dick Cress on September 23, 2008, 09:42:17 PM
My bull didn't come close to yours in score or weight but he is all mine. I took him early AM Friday with a heart shot at 35 yards and he only went about 35 yards. Shane called him in.
The next day when we did the cutting and wrapping I found a two blade broadhead (only) buried in one of his rear top rounds (but I don't remember which one) . . . I was surprised at the find.
I saved this BH and will include it in the antler, mount when it is done. I didn't notice that it caused him any problem at all . . .but I don't think it had been there long.
Still, in all, he is very tasty.
Post by: mwhite on September 24, 2008, 01:56:14 AM
Mark
Post by: PA BEN on September 24, 2008, 05:45:17 AM
Post by: Dick Cress on September 24, 2008, 05:13:26 PM
I haven't decided whether to try to score on a deer or not . . . but I might since the trimmings for ground did not survive the heat.
Post by: JBar on September 24, 2008, 05:52:16 PM
Post by: Dick Cress on September 24, 2008, 05:56:36 PM
I took a nice raghorn 5X5 elk; I guessed the range at around 35 yards (I think) I was a bit off but my Sonic 100 sliced through the bulls heart so fast he had no idea what happened and just leisurely walked another 40 yards give or take a bit and went down . . . within site. Luckily, he went down in site, because there was no blood trail at all to follow . . . he bled out inside the body cavity.
By Noon we had broken my camp, loaded everything and the elk in my truck and I was on my way. By the time we had my truck loaded and ready to leave camp, the temperature was in excess of 82° to 84° and from that point on it was a vicious race against time and heat. Of course to give Murphy his due, I-405 all the way to I-5 then I-5 all the way to Marysville was a rolling parking lot and it exacerbated the heat-time equation.
By 6:00 PM I had the four quarters hung to cool in Oso along with three game bags full of fillets, backstraps and meat for ground and breakfast sausage. The following day we cut and wrapped all the meat but the trimmings were beyond saving. So I may have to take on a deer to get some ground venison and breakfast sausage.
When cutting one of the hind quarters (I can't remember which one) I found a two blade broadhead. It was a relatively fresh wound but apparently had no effect on his activity level but certainly did not help the meat.
Yesterday, I boiled, bleached and brushed the skull plate and have the antlers nearly ready for mounting.
I just pray that the next elk I take will be in MUCH cooler weather.
Post by: Hunting Cowboy on September 24, 2008, 06:28:11 PM
Post by: mwhite on September 24, 2008, 08:49:35 PM
Post by: Dick Cress on September 24, 2008, 09:25:52 PM
Sadly though, I lost the trimmings for my ground. I may have to go out and shoot a deer to get my breakfast sausage. :>))
Post by: fishseeker on September 25, 2008, 06:21:24 AM
Congrats, great bull.
Post by: Dick Cress on September 25, 2008, 08:26:34 AM
This is the first time in 43 years of bowhunting that I have lost any meat; and though most conditions were beyond my control, some were not, and that does not please me.
Post by: saylean on September 25, 2008, 08:36:30 AM
Post by: 257 Wby Mag on September 25, 2008, 08:40:33 AM
Post by: Dick Cress on September 25, 2008, 08:44:28 AM
Post by: Shawn Ryan on September 25, 2008, 05:35:39 PM
Nice story and nice bull. That is great that you pulled an east-side tag. How long have you been hunting the east-side? We used to see you up in the old Marble unit on the 99 road. Hadn't seen you there since we drew Toutle tags in 2004.
Post by: X-Force on September 25, 2008, 05:53:42 PM
Post by: flyguide on September 27, 2008, 07:54:10 PM
Post by: mwhite on September 30, 2008, 10:57:32 PM
Post by: aspshannon on October 05, 2008, 08:40:11 AM
Post by: mwhite on October 05, 2008, 11:00:50 AM
Post by: Dick Cress on October 05, 2008, 12:26:18 PM
Post by: Ridinshotgun on October 05, 2008, 01:26:16 PM