Post by: nw_bowhunter on September 29, 2015, 03:02:26 PM
This was my first bull tag ever so I wanted to take full advantage of it! My hunting partner also drew the tag-we both went into the draw as individuals. After finding out we both drew the permit booked multiple weekends on the calendar . Over the summer we scouted Little Naches 5 different weekends to learn the roads, checked for elk sign and poured over maps. Our plan was set, but the day before our hunt we did a 180 degree turn and tried an area where we scouted less, but had located multiple big bulls. Sept 12th-Day one was a bust as no elk were located, no bugels and it was hot! Sept 13th-day two I tried an area which looked interesting and found a group of elk hanging out in ugly drainage. We spent multiple days hunting the new found area and were getting into bulls. We believed the area would eventually pay off as there was significant elk rubs, plenty of tracks and we had watched 3 good bulls from running cows on the hillside. We bumped several small groups of cows and spikes over several days. For Multiple days we would locate the bulls, at put them to bed and in the morning we spend half the day trying to relocate. Typically when we got close we would run out of light and have to start the process again. Not getting responses really made it challenging to locate and meant we did a ton of hiking. We did find that 2pm afternoon time frame was pretty good time to be in the woods as typically elk activity started up and gave us a chance to locate bulls. The bulls would move to one drainage after another and eventually be back at the first placed we located them. Sept 17th we finally decided to move to another area, so we hunted lower areas for the rest of the week. We got into elk immediately and bulls actually responded. We were seeing more bulls and had some closer encounters but still no shots. Finally Friday afternoon my hunting partner went down into the river bottom and got busted by a cow who “barked”, he decided just to do a bugle and chuckle back which for whatever reason calmed the situation and ticked off the bull in the area. Because he got between the bull and his cows the bull bugled back, hammer some trees, thrashed his horns through mud and came looking for a fight. His mistake! With only a small window and around 12 yards the bull took a step right as the arrow was released. After waiting for 20 minutes or so blood trailing started. At first only few drops here and there but nothing big. After a few minutes located the arrow and right off the bat dark red blood, appeared to be liver shot. After trailing for some time blood trail was lost, light fading, decided not to push the elk and head back in the morning. Next morning we started back at the original point of the shot and re-followed the blood trail. Found one drop of new blood, again very little blood spot but enough to track for some time. When we lost blood we could usually find heavy prints and as we continue to follow the blood eventually we started seeing more sign. We were confident that we would locate the bull and about an hour after starting we finally located the bull piled up 10 feet from the creek bottom. Text book behavior for the elk IMO on a liver shot. He was originally bedded about 30 ft from where we found him, looks like he got up and move a bit and expired shortly after that. Shot ended up being a liver shot. Anyways after field dressing, and quartering the bull we were ready to get him out. Shameless plug….I got to use my new Mystery Ranch Longbow pack for the first time. Man the pack made quick work of the quarters! (great for packing quarters, maybe hiking in for a spike camp, but not great choice for day hunts as the pack is noisy- for another thread I suppose).
Pretty good 5pt shed I located. Wished I could have found the bull packing around the rack.
Hunting Partners bull- 5x6-his biggest
No regrets for myself as I gave it my all. Already looking forward to next year. Thinking Idaho, Westside, Eastisde...hmm choices. :chuckle:
Post by: quadrafire on September 29, 2015, 03:12:45 PM
Stud shed
Post by: coachcw on September 29, 2015, 03:25:34 PM
Post by: C-Money on September 29, 2015, 03:36:55 PM
Post by: Instinct on September 29, 2015, 06:05:19 PM
Post by: 4fletch on September 29, 2015, 06:39:07 PM
Post by: jstone on September 29, 2015, 08:10:20 PM
Post by: Mark251 on September 29, 2015, 08:28:53 PM
Post by: Labredog on September 29, 2015, 09:47:06 PM
Post by: Naches Sportsman on September 29, 2015, 09:58:58 PM
I know where that bull lived last year as I have pictures of him on trail cam as a beautiful 5. He was a shooter last year and I am sure he is even bigger with more mass this year.
Post by: Mossyoak on September 29, 2015, 11:30:16 PM
Post by: nw_bowhunter on September 30, 2015, 06:57:22 AM
I am pretty sure I dusted out your camp last week :chuckle:.
I know where that bull lived last year as I have pictures of him on trail cam as a beautiful 5. He was a shooter last year and I am sure he is even bigger with more mass this year.
To bad you didn't stop by. Also, found a big 6 -left side only but for a different bull.