Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: wahoundsman on September 21, 2008, 08:36:12 PM

Title: Peaches Ridge season end report
Post by: wahoundsman on September 21, 2008, 08:36:12 PM: Well, 13 days of the hardest solo backcountry hunting I have ever had.I spent the whole season minus 1 day for resupply in the Norse Peak Wilderness.Saw elk everyday and passed up a dandy 5x5 20 minutes into opening day as I had set my goal for a minimum 320 class bull as it took me 9 years to draw the tag.Nothing really great happened until the last 5 days of the season when I made about a 20 mile shift in my game plan.Then it was insane!Had 5 different encounters with the same bull and passed up a couple of slam dunk shots on him,under 20 yards in the open.
Saw one of the largest bulls of my life in Washington state at 80 yards saturday morning and watched him roll in a wallow and toss grass and mud into the air for about 15 minutes.The full moon and 70+ degree weather was a huge factor in trying to get these bulls to even look my way let alone come check out what was making the cow calls,until yesterday morning when the temp dropped about 30 degrees and it started to rain cats and dogs.

The drop in the temp overnight was the magic button.I awoke to 4 different bulls in the meadow uphill from my bivy sack camp, bugling and tearing the meadow to shreds.I circled around the meadow about 3:45 in the morning and waited and waited and waited some more.Finally about 7:30 I couldn't take it anymore, and had to sneak in for a peak at the action..It was like something off a Primos video.Bulls paralleing each other,bugling,satelite bulls running around,cows mewing..it was incredible!Then the hurricane winds blew in and it was over.The elk cleared out of there and headed for the black timber and I felt about as helpless as a little kid!I was not prepared for the weather that was about to unfold.40-50 mph winds,monsoon rains and upper 30 degree temps.I hussled back to my bivy and made the 5 mile hike to my pick-up point and prayed for cell signal.

To make a long story short.My wife came and picked me up,I cranked the heater in the Dodge and slept until we got home.

I am not upset that I didn't get a big bull,I had my chances at some nice bulls for sure but not any that met my personal goals,learned a hell of a lot more about elk than I could have ever imagined,saw lots of elk,mtn. goats and 1 nice bear.If I ever draw that tag again, I know exactlly where I will be,how to hunt the area a little more effective and try to get at least one of my buddies there to film.Thank you to all the people who gave me a heads up to this very special area.
Title: Re: Peaches Ridge season end report
Post by: Jeremiah P on September 21, 2008, 08:43:57 PM: Awesome looking country too bad you couldn't connect but it sounds like it was still a fun hunt.
Title: Re: Peaches Ridge season end report
Post by: Craig on September 21, 2008, 09:02:51 PM: Good story. To bad you did not get one. So how big was the big one?
Title: Re: Peaches Ridge season end report
Post by: mwhite on September 21, 2008, 09:18:04 PM: Sounds like you had a great hunt and you held out for your goal. You never kill the big ones if you don't pass on the smaller bulls. Kudos to you for holding out and it sounds like you have some memories for a lifetime!
Title: Re: Peaches Ridge season end report
Post by: Tony 270WSM on September 21, 2008, 09:22:59 PM: Like Mark said, sounds like a great hunt!
Title: Re: Peaches Ridge season end report
Post by: Skinner on September 22, 2008, 07:33:48 AM: Glad to hear ya got into them! Sounds like you experienced some of the things I did. ;) Wish you could have connected. You hiked your @$$ off. Thanks for all your help if you need any in the future let me know! Give me a shout when you get back into a regular routine.
Matt
Title: Re: Peaches Ridge season end report
Post by: SCRUBS on September 22, 2008, 07:54:49 AM: Sounds like a excellent hunt to me. Thanks for sharing the hunt with us.