Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: fishermanjoe on November 08, 2009, 12:39:05 PM

Title: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: fishermanjoe on November 08, 2009, 12:39:05 PM: Here is the story. My father got an any bull tag, and planned to be out for every day of the season to ensure success. Well we set up camp, and the hunt was on. The first three days he was only seeing does and squirrels, not what you want to see with that kind of a tag. Then he started to see some cows but no bulls. It came to the opener of the general for spike only, because his season started a little earlier than the general. We saw some more cows but no bulls. At this point he was getting a little down on himself. I had to leave because i am in college, and he decided he was going home for two days for laundry and a shower. I figured i could branch out and look for some tips or advice for the area we were in. I posted a thread on Hunt WA, and the turnout for tips was massive. I have to thank all the members that were helping out with spots to go. The day my dad got back from home we decided to follow the tip from elkaholic123. We went out and followed the directions to a t. We came on a big canyon with a good vantage point and decided to sit for a little bit until we had a game plan. No longer than 45 min later three bulls came side hilling the canyon. I told him all bulls!! shoot! shoot! shoot! He found a stump to rest on and got on the first bull. took his breath, squeezed......nothing..... HIS SAFETY WAS ON :bash: The first bull walked off in to some trees. Then the second bull stopped and told him to take him. This time he took the safety off and BANG. Big bull down. My dad almost died from the excitement. This was his first elk. We went over the other side of the canyon and took pics and gut him, drug him down to the bottom of the canyon then packed him out. It was just like a story out of a magazine. This hunt was made possible by hunt wa and its members, so my biggest thank you goes out to all of you guys.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fc1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com%2Fimages02%2F38%2Fl_e6afaa936f7f430fa0c19e0a13ac0940.jpg&hash=3e4f9f29957fe58980605ae9db0a80533a243673)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fc3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com%2Fimages02%2F21%2Fl_2fc4fe55e2774e7986198d88ef6a3622.jpg&hash=57741963c0fe4ff4c480e8c7864d3b297d2f3612)
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: elkaholic123 on November 08, 2009, 12:46:18 PM: Great job,I saw lots of bulls but never got an opportunity! :)
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: elkaholic123 on November 08, 2009, 12:49:39 PM: I see an elk steak in my future ;)
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: Huntbear on November 08, 2009, 01:04:00 PM: Good job on the bull!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kudos for all those that helped ya out!

Tell your dad the safety thing, well we have all had that happen. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: Old Mule on November 08, 2009, 01:16:55 PM: Beautiful.
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: steeleywhopper on November 08, 2009, 01:43:02 PM: I know the feeling your dad had that first week. No elk and lots of others hanging in peoples camp. Gald you were able to share the hunt with him. Nice bull
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on November 08, 2009, 01:48:02 PM: Nice Bul! Congrats!
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: lazydrifter on November 08, 2009, 03:43:42 PM: I like these kind of stories. Tell your dad congratulations.
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: markts on November 08, 2009, 04:04:41 PM: Great bull and congrats to you and your dad. Mark
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: huntnphool on November 08, 2009, 04:10:18 PM: Outstanding!!!
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: gasman on November 08, 2009, 04:21:10 PM: This is what i like to read. The success of one hunter from the shared knowledge of another hunter.

a big :tup: to all involved.................
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: PacificNWhunter on November 08, 2009, 04:22:43 PM: nice job!
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: EastWaViking on November 08, 2009, 04:34:04 PM: sweet! :tup:
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: agchawk on November 08, 2009, 04:50:17 PM: Very cool! CONGRATS to your Father.
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: bowhunterforever on November 08, 2009, 05:15:00 PM: Nice bull,congrats to your dad! :tup:
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: brent123 on November 08, 2009, 05:49:20 PM: Nice Job Joe! way to go! I want to try and come up and stay the entire weekend next week.
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: eastside boy on November 08, 2009, 06:30:14 PM: Great bull and great story!!!
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: eastside boy on November 08, 2009, 06:31:47 PM: Nice Bull!!!! 8)
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: KillerMiller on November 08, 2009, 06:39:20 PM: :) Great job! and kudos to all that helped.
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: Todd on November 09, 2009, 09:39:06 AM: Good pics !!
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: bow4elk on November 09, 2009, 09:41:22 AM: :whoo:
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: whacker1 on November 09, 2009, 09:56:27 AM: well done - glad to hear the folks willing to help made it work for you guys
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: sandythebowtotenmama on November 10, 2009, 06:12:40 PM: Awesome story and a great bull, congrats! :drool:
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: HunterJim on November 19, 2009, 10:17:00 AM: HEY!!! That's me!!!

My first post here. Thank you to my son for all of his help. My hunting buddy for life! I couldn't have taken my first elk without him. And I may not have taken my first elk without the help of the members of this forum. THANK YOU ALL!

I drew the tag with 6 points. Not bad. I had mostly been putting in for ghost points and let the odds try to play out for my son and a hunting buddy. My hunting buddy Todd got a nice cow last year on his special permit. This was my year for actually trying for the tag. Lo and behold, I GOT THE TAG!

I planned to put the maximum effort into the hunt, I owed it to myself. Todd had planned to be there the whole hunt, but some unforseen issues at work came up before the hunt so he would have to miss the first week. And then, the worst news yet came up for both of us during the hunt, the murder of a colleague, Officer Tim Brenton of the Seattle PD (May God Rest His Soul, and may the puke who did it burn in $*^%). Todd would have to miss most of the second week too.

Camp was set up and the hunt was on. We usually camp off Hutchins Road in the LT Murray area. We also usually stay close to camp and hunt on foot right out of camp. I saw plenty of deer and more cows than I had in previous years in our immediate hunting area, but no bulls. Tracked a few bulls for sure in the snow (knew they were bulls from the tracks and pee patterns in the snow) but never caught up to them.

To tell you the truth, I would have taken any bull with that tag, you see in 7 different years of elk hunting I had never shot one. I would always see plenty of elk, but I either didn't have a cow permit or never saw a spike in this spike only area.

So my son gets on this forum and asks if anyone had been seeing bulls in the Manastash and LT Murray area and asked for help and suggestions on where to look. Many folks spoke up and gave some pointers (Again, thank you). We looked at maps and decided to try a spot that looked and sounded good. It just so happened that a guy I ran into at the gate off Watt Canyon had also suggested this area.

The rest of the story has already been told by my son's first post. 12th day of the hunt and an elk was down. Five hours of packing and an hour drive back to camp. The meat was hanging and we were admiring the rack. Oops! Forgot a backpack! :bash: Made the trip back to the area and recovered the pack and then back to camp for a great dinner (dinners are always better when you have an animal hanging in camp).

Todd made it up to help down some adult beverages around the campfire and then to help pack up camp. Brent made it up there just to look at the rack and to help pack up camp. Thanks to both of you for your help! (and Rick too!)

And now that I've got my first post here on this site, I think you'll be hearing more of my two cents about some of the issues. I also hope to repay the favors by giving others some advice about where to hunt in the future!
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: Buckmark on November 19, 2009, 10:31:52 AM: Very cool, :tup:
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: Wacenturion on November 19, 2009, 10:41:16 AM: That's what it's all about, helping out each other. Great thread, great story, great help, great bull....and last but not least....great son! Congratulations to you both!
Title: Re: Bull down thanks to Hunt WA and it's members!
Post by: ShirtGuy77 on November 19, 2009, 12:17:30 PM: Shared a similar story with my father this year. Was a memory I will never forget.

Congrats & I agree, dinner in camp with meat on the pole is definitely nice.