Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 03:59:41 PM
Some backstory is due, I suppose… In June, when the special hunt draw results were released, I checked my account and saw the familiar “Not Selected” for all categories. I then checked my dad’s results and discovered an anomaly. The webpage said he’d drawn a quality elk tag! WHAT?! That can’t be right… AND it was for our home unit of XXX! HOLY STUFF! I was so excited but didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag, so I casually called the old man to let him know to check his results. He told me to do it, but I played as if I couldn’t access his account. While there was no whooping and hollering when he saw the good news, I could tell he was happy, though he expressed some doubt to his ability to hunt as his left knee needs to be replaced. No cartilage left and a bone spur make walking up or down hills difficult for him. He turned 77 in 2020.
My dad has shot several elk in his long hunting career, but never killed a BIG bull. They’ve all been cows, spikes, or rag horns. This would be his year, and I was determined to make that happen! The prime piece of land to hunt belongs to a neighbor and my dad watches elk in her field virtually every day. But she also doesn’t allow much hunting beyond two gentlemen that I’ve run into before when I got permission to hunt a cow on her place. But the old man prevailed and secured access for her land, along with several other parcels from other neighbors. It’s good to have good neighbors in a unit with very little public land (even the hunting regs say to not apply for tags in the unit if you don’t have access to land!)
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 04:07:35 PM
200 yards before us, several bull elk trekked across the field. As 7:05 shooting light arrived, the parade continued. We watched and evaluated 13 6x6 and larger bulls looking for one of the two near 400” bulls or the 8x9 we had seen the previous evening. 10 minutes after legal light, the parade ended. The elk we saw clearly in legal shooting light were not the ones we were after. By 7:30 we headed home sure some of the elk that crossed in the dark were the “big boys.”
That first night we walked down to the upper field edge from XXX, hoping for a repeat performance from the evening before when the bulls emerged in the upper field. We sat and watched deer and 3 tom turkeys, but no elk showed. The walk up the hill was rough on the old man. His knee was starting to swell and get very uncomfortable.
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 04:10:01 PM
Tuesday night we sat in the truck at the field edge with the heater running. Once the sun went down and shooting light evaporated, we headed into town for family dinner night. Every Tuesday my family gets together, so we happily attended while sharing all about the hunt so far. With full bellies and high hopes, we went to bed knowing Wednesday would be our day!
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 04:10:22 PM
As we exited the field near the pickup, frustrated at the unfortunate timing of the car that spooked the elk and the janky scope, the inevitable happened. Dad’s knee buckled on the uneven ground and he fell… on the rifle. I was JUST out of reach with hands full of seat cushions and his glasses he’d dropped. Nothing was said as he regained his feet, but we knew there was now a heavy question about how that rifle would shoot.
After breakfast, we loaded the 4wheelers with a Lead Sled, shooting table, target, ear muffs, and Pepsi, we headed up the hill behind his house to shoot the rifle. 100 yards, I took the first shot. 4” high and 6” left. Second shot was 3” high, still left. We moved the scope. 3” high, 1” right. He shot the next 3 shots as we moved the scope back, the final 2 landing 3” high with perfect windage. And the crosshairs got adjusted to fit his “new” eyes. We skipped an evening hunt as they hadn’t proven productive and he didn’t want to be out in the field at midnight with a dead elk, but THURSDAY would be the day! It HAD to be! Splitting some wood with the neighbors and drinks and dinner around a campfire capped the day.
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 04:14:03 PM
Then another set of antlers appeared. As the bull crested the hill, dad whispered “That’s a shooter.”
Post by: scotsman on November 10, 2020, 04:34:35 PM
Post by: hunt6226 on November 10, 2020, 04:41:33 PM
Cmon Man....
Post by: Woodchuck on November 10, 2020, 04:42:30 PM
Ah, ‘cmon don't do this to us! The suspense!:yeah: I have banned people for less. :chuckle:
Post by: fishngamereaper on November 10, 2020, 04:48:03 PM
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 05:15:27 PM
where was I? Oh yeah...
“Yes. You can shoot that one. Two minutes to shooting time.” I whispered back.
I feel I should mention that “whispering” in my old man’s world would be normal speech to the rest of the world. If you want him to hear you, you usually need to speak LOUDLY. A lifetime of working around noisy air tools will do that to you, I guess. Thankfully these elk don’t seem to mind.
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 05:16:31 PM
Confident the elk was down for good, dad and I gathered our things and made our way to the pickup to drive farther up the road to put us even with the elk before heading into the field. The small bull stood with his downed friend until the engine started. Still unhurried, he and the goofy 6x6 gained the shelter of the brush. I knew the bull was down for good, but had seen him toss his head as we headed into the seeded wheat field. Dad left the rifle in the truck and as we approached the bull, took my 1911 .45 and ended the discomfort of the magnificent animal before us. Bittersweet. Success but sadness.
“Poor old guy.” I heard the old man say.
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 05:17:31 PM
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 05:19:37 PM
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 05:20:59 PM
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 05:22:48 PM
After the winch failed to no oil in the fuel, the 4wheeler was used to drag the bull to the road, down the embankment and we used a come along to get him loaded on the 4wheeler trailer. It wasn’t a 20 mile backcountry hunt, with every piece of meat carried on our backs, but it WAS the perfect old man hunt! Dad doesn’t figure he’ll get out elk hunting anymore, and even deer hunting has gotten difficult with his body not cooperating. I intend to be with him every time he goes out from now until he hangs it up. He has given me so much knowledge and ignited my fire for hunting, I will do anything to keep him out there as long as he wants to be there.
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 05:23:55 PM
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 05:25:40 PM
Post by: TVHunts on November 10, 2020, 05:26:36 PM
Post by: fishngamereaper on November 10, 2020, 05:27:24 PM
Stud bull
Great memories.
Post by: Woodchuck on November 10, 2020, 05:27:44 PM
Now, NO ONE TELL HIM I POSTED THIS STORY AND PICS! :chuckle: He doesn't like to share...I'll never tell ;)
Awesome write up man, congrats to you both.
Post by: RB on November 10, 2020, 05:32:17 PM
Post by: mburrows on November 10, 2020, 05:41:50 PM
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 05:43:19 PM
Post by: Igottanewknee on November 10, 2020, 05:51:10 PM
Post by: jstone on November 10, 2020, 05:53:19 PM
Post by: jstone on November 10, 2020, 05:55:07 PM
Post by: Mfowl on November 10, 2020, 06:30:32 PM
Post by: cbond3318 on November 10, 2020, 07:30:20 PM
Post by: Bango skank on November 10, 2020, 07:32:17 PM
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 07:35:43 PM
Needs another year :rolleyes:
he'll get it... in the freezer :chuckle:
Post by: timberfaller on November 10, 2020, 07:39:14 PM
Post by: nwwanderer on November 10, 2020, 07:48:56 PM
Post by: 724wd on November 10, 2020, 07:56:12 PM
Sure looks like garb stubble, good eats makes for good recovery. Great bull, thanks for sharing!!
was garbs last year. :tup: these bulls sure did seem to like them!
Post by: X-Force on November 10, 2020, 08:17:23 PM
Post by: csaaphill on November 10, 2020, 08:22:46 PM
Post by: Dan-o on November 10, 2020, 09:20:23 PM
Super bull.
Really happy for you and your dad.
Post by: huntnnw on November 10, 2020, 11:16:53 PM
"no fat", most likely wouldn't have made it through the winter. Congrats!! You'll have some good eaten! :tup:
normal with every single buck and bull out there post rut. I have yet to kill a bull or buck after the rut with any fat on them
Post by: dvolmer on November 10, 2020, 11:24:35 PM
On a side note, A good taxidermist can fix that lost front for you with no problem. If you need a good taxidermist, just PM me. I have a great guy here in the Tri-Cities that does fantastic work and is much faster than most. A true artist and I have over 10 mounts that he has done for me if you want to see his work.
Post by: 724wd on November 11, 2020, 06:14:12 AM
Post by: chad s. on November 11, 2020, 08:13:14 AM
Post by: OutHouse on November 11, 2020, 11:31:20 AM
"no fat", most likely wouldn't have made it through the winter. Congrats!! You'll have some good eaten! :tup:
normal with every single buck and bull out there post rut. I have yet to kill a bull or buck after the rut with any fat on them
Great hunt congratulations! And I agree with the comment about the fat. I don't think bulls and bucks eat much when they go through the rut. I remember reading somewhere that they lose a ton of weight in their frenzy to breed.
Post by: HikerHunter on November 11, 2020, 01:48:21 PM
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on November 11, 2020, 05:04:17 PM
Post by: Moose Master on November 11, 2020, 06:38:15 PM
Post by: 724wd on November 11, 2020, 09:03:46 PM
Post by: Birdguy on November 11, 2020, 09:12:46 PM
Post by: Gonehuntin01 on November 13, 2020, 10:24:00 AM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 13, 2020, 10:54:44 AM
Post by: wheels on November 14, 2020, 01:10:17 PM