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Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: niceshot on September 27, 2016, 11:50:36 AM


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Title: East Wenaha Success
Post by: niceshot on September 27, 2016, 11:50:36 AM
I can remember sitting in my boat with the kids when I got a text saying results are out.  I was praying for a  NOT Selected as my back was in the worst shape it has been and I was scheduled to go see the doc about surgery.  Well the man upstairs had other plans and next to East Wenaha was selected.  It only took 14 years so I figured right then and there to pull on the big boy pants and get my ass in shape. 
From everything that I heard, this was going to be the most strenuous hunt I can do in this state so I thought it wise to hire a guide.  Boy was that the smart thing to do.  Beau Olson of Wilderness Expeditions LLC was the one selected after making a couple calls.  He was a wealth of knowledge and I could not have been happier with my decision. 
We hiked to camp and if anyone tells you that this country is not for the weak you better listen.  I THOUGHT I was in shape but I was no where near Wenaha shape.  There is no setting on a treadmill, stair climber, or any machine that I have found that will get you in the kind of shape you need to be in.  It is doable but man it is some STEEP country.  Once we arrived at camp it was time to chill and relax.  Camp was a huge wall tent with all the creature comforts that one could want.  Later that evening the BULLS started off and it was incredible to hear that many bulls that close.  I can remember waking up to one bugle around 5 in the morning and looking over at Beau and having him say "how about that alarm clock". 
Day two was spent getting gear ready for the hunt and just hydrating for the work that lie ahead.  It was a very long day I can say and that night was even crazier with bugles.  It made for a long sleepless night. 
Day three was the opener and we were eating oatmeal and drinking coffee in the AM planning on what bull to go after.  I was anxious to get after it but Beau was the wise man saying we are not walking out of camp in the dark.  We had Bulls within 100's of yards and he did not want to spook them.  We were on bulls extremely quick.  One that we keep pushing sounded like a beast but he did not want to play.  He would answer a bugle but he just keep creeping away.  Probably on our 3rd bugle we got a different response from a bull that was very close in the next drainage.  We elected to jump over there and pursue this one.  Same thing happened when we got there so we elected to go silent until we thought we were in his back yard.  When we decided to rip of a bugle we were immediately cut off by the bull that was maybe 80-100 yards away.  He was not a happy camper at this point.  He came down the hill and once I found my lane and figured out my draw points it was game on.  He did just as I wanted and when he came behind a thicket I drew.  Unfortunately he stopped directly behind the thicket and decided to bugle and demolish a tree.  After what seemed like hours and me trying to do anything from letting down I had to let down.  This is after me trying everything humanly possible to not do this as it 9/10 leads to animals running into the other country.  This bull had no idea as he was so content on delimbing this tree and bugling that I realized I was in the clear.  He then did an 180 and side hilled in front of me and I found my new draw point and then stopped him directly behind a tree at 40 yards.  In my mind I'm thinking strike three and he is gone.  He was so pinned on the caller that he still had no idea that I was there.  I still was not at full draw and I told myself to not look at the rack and just concentrate on his feet.  When he moved one, draw.  Well he did just that and I came to full draw and he stopped at 40 yards with his leg back.  Killable shot but then by the grace of god he put that front leg forward opening up the perfect shot and the arrow hit its mark.  He crashed for what seemed like a couple seconds and then nothing.  We were giving thumbs up and still being quite when we heard him tip over.  That sound will resonate in my mind for eternity.  We did the right thing and gave him an hour eating everything in our packs to consume the time.  The bull died within seconds of the shot and maybe went 50 yards.  The Rage Hypodermic is one of the most deadly broad heads I have seen and I'm sold on them now.   
Beau asked me how big and I told him an OK 6.  I was so focused on making the shot I did not want to look at his rack.  When we walked up on him boy was I surprised.  He is much nicer than an OK 6 by this guys standards.  It was high-fives, hugs, lots of thanks given to the man up stairs and to my guides.   I would be lying if I said a tear was not shed.  I have been debating on posting this for weeks as some people really come across as boisterous and I am not that type.  By no means is this to brag as I wish each and every one of you the success that I had this year.  We have all heard the phrase "trip of a lifetime", well I'm not sure that even remotely come close to this trip.  I harvested an animal that is truly remarkable and along this journey I gained a wonderful friend, Beau Olson.  I can say if I was eating tag soup right now the last part about gaining a great friend would still be true and the time spent in that county would still be with me until I'm 6 feet under.  Typing this I still have a grin from ear to ear and if it keeps up I'm afraid I will take on the resemblance of the Joker :)  If you think this trip ends there it does not.  More to come:)
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: elkaholic123 on September 27, 2016, 11:56:09 AM
Congrats.....Stud bull for sure  :tup:
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: ElkBOW79 on September 27, 2016, 11:58:54 AM
Awesome Bull!  Great Job!!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: ryanj on September 27, 2016, 11:59:05 AM
 :tup: nice bull !
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: yakimarcher on September 27, 2016, 12:05:10 PM
What a STUD!!! Congratulations.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: frazierw on September 27, 2016, 12:12:19 PM
hunted that unit last year, and you are right about the county, it is TOUGH.  Awesome bull, something you should be proud of!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: mfswallace on September 27, 2016, 12:14:30 PM
Thanks for sharing!!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: SeatoSummit88 on September 27, 2016, 12:14:56 PM
HOLY ELK!  8) Stud.  Look at his neck!  Healthy animal!  nice job!!!!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: rosscrazyelk on September 27, 2016, 12:16:21 PM
Congrats nice bull
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: floatinghat on September 27, 2016, 12:16:48 PM
Congrats, great bull and thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: jmscon on September 27, 2016, 12:18:11 PM
Awesome bull!!! Congrats! Thanks for sharing the story and the pics!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: jackelope on September 27, 2016, 12:44:35 PM
Congrats on a great bull and thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: Gringo31 on September 27, 2016, 12:46:50 PM
Very cool...

Congrats!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: coachcw on September 27, 2016, 12:47:34 PM
congrats on a great bull .
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: carpsniperg2 on September 27, 2016, 12:52:40 PM
Congrats dandy bull :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: Rainier10 on September 27, 2016, 12:56:54 PM
Wow, what a bull.  Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: Matth on September 27, 2016, 01:02:01 PM
That's just awesome
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: trophyhunt on September 27, 2016, 01:35:24 PM
Love it, nice job! Congrats
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: pd on September 27, 2016, 01:37:04 PM
That is wonderful, and I am happy that you hired a guide, it sounds like you made all the right decisions.

Merry Christmas!  For a couple of years, anyway.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: pianoman9701 on September 27, 2016, 01:38:53 PM
Cool story. I'm glad it came together for you, and with such a masher bull besides!  :tup:
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: tlbradford on September 27, 2016, 01:40:23 PM
Great bull and an awesome lesson for everyone on picking your spots and concentrating on making the best possible shot.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: bugs n bones on September 27, 2016, 01:40:39 PM
Nice job!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: 180-GRAIN on September 27, 2016, 01:41:48 PM
Congrats thats a good bull! Headed over there Thursday to help my brother in law fill his muzzy tag.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: bowhunterforever on September 27, 2016, 01:42:11 PM
Awesome bull :drool: Congrats
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: Rainier10 on September 27, 2016, 02:43:54 PM
The second half of the story can be found here.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,202054.msg2681990/topicseen.html#new
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: cbond3318 on September 27, 2016, 03:06:40 PM
Stomp the cat that is a dandy bull! Congrats on a hunt of a lifetime and thanks for letting us in on it!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: Fish4Fun on September 27, 2016, 03:14:00 PM
Nice bull and thanks for the story, I posted my story too. These are as you already know the hunt of a lifetime with our draw chances.  :tup:
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: Branden on September 27, 2016, 03:42:10 PM
Great story congrats. How I would love to hunt the East one day for elk.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: BENCHLEG on September 27, 2016, 04:27:23 PM
Congrats man beau is a good guy to hang with you got a great bull.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: elkinrutdrivemenuts on September 27, 2016, 04:39:08 PM
Awesome work man!  Congrats!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: C-Money on September 27, 2016, 04:39:38 PM
Oh man!! That is an excellent bull!! Congrats!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: jackmaster on September 27, 2016, 04:53:55 PM
Those whale tails are amazing!! Stud bull man!! How was the back after that hunt.. :chuckle: well worth the pain from the looks of that bull :tup:
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: Branden on September 27, 2016, 05:24:55 PM
One question. Why did you hike to camp? Seems weird if it's a guided hunt and its in an area you can get a wall tent into? Congrats again on a nice bull.

Regards, Branden
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: westernarcher on September 27, 2016, 06:13:18 PM
Congrats on a great bull!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: Muleyslyr on September 27, 2016, 08:22:23 PM
What a stud Bull! Congrats to you and your crew, that's awesome!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: fishngamereaper on September 27, 2016, 08:27:24 PM
 :tup: awesome bull man..congrats.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: Pinetar on September 27, 2016, 08:48:28 PM
Great Bull Congrats!!!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: SniperDanWA on September 27, 2016, 09:03:52 PM
Stud bull, congratulations.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: DaleVR on September 27, 2016, 09:07:21 PM
Awesome bull!! And Beau is an awesome guy as well. That country is so much fun to hunt!!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: teanawayslayer on September 27, 2016, 09:24:29 PM
Fantastic bull!! Thanks for sharing pics and a great write up!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: bowhunter74 on September 28, 2016, 11:05:29 AM
Congrats!  Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: de0827 on September 28, 2016, 11:37:44 AM
congrats on the awesome bull! :tup:  Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on September 28, 2016, 11:46:52 AM
Great Hunt and Story!! Stud bull and bear :drool:
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: Elkrunner on September 28, 2016, 12:35:57 PM
That thing is a stud..congrats!!
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: Limhangerslayer on September 29, 2016, 08:34:40 PM
Congrats again on a great bull!  Does Jess know you're putting it in the front room yet!?
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: niceshot on October 06, 2016, 12:45:22 PM
Thanks guys!  The Back is good for now.  To the person that asked about hiking to camp, the reason being is that I did not want to ride a horse.  I rather walk than ride as I'm not comfortable on one of those things. 
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on October 06, 2016, 01:03:35 PM
Real.nice Bull Elk!!!! :tup:
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: 4fletch on October 06, 2016, 01:14:48 PM
Great bull congrats to all Good hunting well done
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: niceshot on June 15, 2017, 12:16:29 PM
I cannot wait to relive this through one of you this season.  If you read this and you have the east Wenaha tag please email me.  I would love to give you any helpful tips that I have. 
Title: Re: East Wenaha Success
Post by: trophyhunt on June 15, 2017, 12:45:50 PM
Met Beau this spring bear season, great guy,  and again great bull!
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