Post by: bonkellekter on September 15, 2013, 10:59:58 PM
For how early our season started and how warm it has been we have had a pretty active season, We bugled several bulls and were in and around elk nearly every day. 3 days prior to me taking my bull my dad and I had located a bull before daylight so we had moved in as close as possible before shooting light. As we sat there and waited another hunter started moving in on the action so we made a quick move right at light and called a decent 6 point in to about 30 yards. Dad had the only shot so he let it fly.... but in the low light of the morning there was one twig in his path that deflected his arrow for a miss.
The next day we hiked into an area 3 hours in the dark, at light we headed down the ridge we expected to find elk on, we located 3 bulls and went after the one that seem closer to the truck we left at the far end of that ridge. As we closed the distance we were trying to find an area that might offer a shooting lane (very thick and nasty where these bulls were living) we were about to hit some nice open dark timber when the bull decided o come charging in, needless to say I was not able to get into the dark timber so I set up in an area that I could have taken a couple 15 to 20 yard shots if the bull walked thru those lanes. A really nice 7x7 marched right in to 35 yards and hung up there and rubbed his antlers for nearly 40 minutes then headed out.
The next morning we were up early (about 2 AM) and headed out for another hunt, we stopped in a few places to bugle on our way and didn't hear anything. In the process I managed to kick my wallet out of the truck (which I did not realize until later that night). On this hunt we hit the top of the ridge well before daylight.. so we waited for a little while then decided to bugle the basin at the top (planning to head out down another ridge if nothing was heard)... this ended up being a mistake, 2 cows and a calf came charging in to about 12 yards in the dark. Aside from the cows we did not get a response from any other elk, after they left we headed down the ridge, we bumped elk several times that morning but none that wanted to bugle.
For the next hunt we had planned to go back in after the 7 point from earlier, but then I realized that I had lost my wallet so we decided to get up early and try to locate a bull for an easy hunt... we ran all over the country looking for a bull that would bugle at us. We finally found one an hour before light that screamed back at us so we made a plan and went after him, covering most of the distance in the dark.... right at daylight we located the bull again and started working in for a shot. The bull was extremely fired up and charged in to about 30 or 40 yards but again it was so thick I could only see maybe 20 or so yards, he hung up there and rubbed a tree for about ten minutes.... then I started to hear brush breaking across the draw from me, his cows started working in towards us. This got the bull fired up again and he charged across the draw to round up his cows and escort them out of there. But the cows were just a little too curious and started to cross the draw about 30 yards below me, I had one window and the bull was going to have to cross the draw a little higher than the cows for me to get a shot, but when he came thru he was on the same trail as the cows... when he got to my window he took one step above the trail and into my sights.......... and THWACK!!.... my arrow flew true and got a complete pass thru and the bull piled up in about 15 yards. We had him deboned and back to the truck by about 12:30. Hope you all enjoy!
P.S. The only camera I had at the kill site was a disposable which has not been developed yet so no kill site photos yet.... and later that evening I searched for my wallet to no avail.
Post by: cem3434 on September 15, 2013, 11:05:56 PM
Post by: Smossy on September 15, 2013, 11:06:30 PM
Post by: WenHunter on September 15, 2013, 11:07:08 PM
Post by: bowhunterwa87 on September 15, 2013, 11:07:36 PM
Post by: huntnnw on September 15, 2013, 11:07:54 PM
Post by: carpsniperg2 on September 15, 2013, 11:09:52 PM
Post by: 10thmountainarcher on September 15, 2013, 11:11:15 PM
Post by: Widgeondeke on September 15, 2013, 11:20:20 PM
Post by: bowhunterforever on September 15, 2013, 11:34:04 PM
Post by: Ranger91298 on September 16, 2013, 12:05:24 AM
Post by: Bulldozer77 on September 16, 2013, 12:11:20 AM
Nice job and congrats.
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on September 16, 2013, 01:24:19 AM
Post by: hunterrcc on September 16, 2013, 01:46:43 AM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on September 16, 2013, 06:11:48 AM
Post by: Taco280AI on September 16, 2013, 06:21:45 AM
Post by: RB on September 16, 2013, 06:42:50 AM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on September 16, 2013, 06:46:09 AM
Were you driving southbound on 395 near Deer Park on Friday ? I saw one in the back off a pickup that was a monster, couldn't hide the rack at all.................
Post by: boneaddict on September 16, 2013, 07:14:17 AM
Post by: ShaneTyTrey on September 16, 2013, 07:26:38 AM
Post by: nw_bowhunter on September 16, 2013, 07:33:22 AM
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on September 16, 2013, 07:46:13 AM
Post by: SemperFidelis97 on September 16, 2013, 07:53:23 AM
Post by: USAFpj on September 16, 2013, 08:09:53 AM
Post by: doyourtime89 on September 16, 2013, 09:02:57 AM
Post by: smartazz171 on September 16, 2013, 09:33:00 AM
Post by: rosscrazyelk on September 16, 2013, 10:21:33 AM
Post by: gunnarnewt on September 16, 2013, 10:26:23 AM
Post by: PolarBear on September 16, 2013, 10:29:27 AM
Post by: bonkellekter on September 16, 2013, 10:35:40 AM
Post by: coachcw on September 16, 2013, 10:47:05 AM
Post by: ouchfoss on September 16, 2013, 11:41:17 AM
Post by: bonkellekter on September 16, 2013, 11:49:39 AM
Extra nice......
Were you driving southbound on 395 near Deer Park on Friday ? I saw one in the back off a pickup that was a monster, couldn't hide the rack at all.................
Nope... must have been another lucky hunter!
Post by: Natures Way on September 16, 2013, 11:50:53 AM
Post by: zackmioli on September 16, 2013, 01:02:39 PM
Post by: bonkellekter on September 16, 2013, 01:22:21 PM
Wow! That is a whopper for sure. Looks like he MIGHT break 300 but not much more! ;) Congrats
Yeah... Maybe... I am no expert but I taped him out at a gross green score of about 338 with about 15 inches of deductions
Post by: wackum on September 17, 2013, 12:06:04 PM
Post by: wlandrum on September 17, 2013, 12:30:16 PM
Post by: elkoholic1 on September 17, 2013, 01:16:35 PM
Post by: C-Money on September 17, 2013, 01:35:20 PM
Post by: turbo on September 17, 2013, 02:11:02 PM
Post by: smartazz171 on September 17, 2013, 03:52:31 PM
Congrats!! Gonna do a shoulder mount? He is worth it!:tup:
Post by: blindpig on September 17, 2013, 06:40:29 PM
Post by: bonkellekter on September 17, 2013, 07:35:50 PM
Congrats!! Gonna do a shoulder mount? He is worth it!
Yep.... I will be getting a shoulder mount, He is a pretty unique bull.... may never have a chance at a bull quite like him again - But ya never know!!
Post by: bonkellekter on September 17, 2013, 08:44:10 PM
Post by: mdbuck5x5 on September 18, 2013, 02:35:51 AM
Post by: Jburke on September 18, 2013, 09:50:06 AM
Anybody have good recommendations for a taxi near spokane? Thanks!I second Fusons out in nine mile. Although it is technically farther out past suncrest a little ways. He's done a bear shoulder and my euro deer last year. He gets my nod
Post by: mdbuck5x5 on September 18, 2013, 10:17:22 AM
Although it is technically farther out past suncrest a little ways.
:chuckle: True that!
Post by: Muleyslyr on September 18, 2013, 02:37:01 PM
Post by: bonkellekter on September 18, 2013, 09:35:14 PM
Post by: Emptyhandedtradarcher on September 19, 2013, 04:28:07 AM
Forgive me Father I have sinned.....I am coveting this man's elk!
Post by: smartazz171 on September 19, 2013, 10:14:22 PM
Post by: cryder on September 21, 2013, 08:43:21 AM
Post by: Buzz2401 on September 21, 2013, 10:17:19 AM
Post by: Vandal44 on September 26, 2013, 06:19:57 PM
Post by: bonkellekter on September 26, 2013, 11:57:23 PM
Post by: 10thmountainarcher on September 27, 2013, 12:11:40 AM
Post by: bonkellekter on September 27, 2013, 12:11:50 AM
Post by: 10thmountainarcher on September 27, 2013, 12:15:13 AM
Post by: bonkellekter on September 27, 2013, 12:52:46 AM
Post by: Vandal44 on September 27, 2013, 04:00:22 AM
Post by: HuntingNut86 on September 30, 2013, 06:32:09 PM
Post by: bearhunter99 on September 30, 2013, 07:00:06 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on September 30, 2013, 08:12:48 PM
Post by: tgray on September 30, 2013, 09:24:09 PM
Post by: JJB11B on September 30, 2013, 09:32:10 PM
Post by: Olis13 on October 03, 2013, 03:35:06 PM
Post by: 400out on October 04, 2013, 03:43:42 PM
Post by: Alpinegus on October 05, 2013, 06:32:48 AM
Post by: buck man on October 05, 2013, 02:22:24 PM
Good job... :yike: very nice bull.
:yeah: :yeah: