Post by: workstohunt on December 10, 2009, 03:50:22 PM
I have been hunting with my Dad my whole life. I am now 47 and my Dad is 74
This Elk season was a little different than most as we had snow right off the bat. A LOT OF SNOW!
Post by: workstohunt on December 10, 2009, 04:07:53 PM
We checked out a few area's we have never been, but we were limited to where we could go with all the snow.
We decided to go by Winston Creek on the way home (are old huntin grounds for years)---what a ZOO :yike:
The next morning I had a hunt all planned for us. But on the way I spotted this. (of course I learned from so many of you guys that I can take a Pic through my spotting scope :tup:)
The first is just on 20 power
Post by: workstohunt on December 10, 2009, 04:13:15 PM
Post by: workstohunt on December 10, 2009, 04:20:48 PM
I am over a mile from the elk so that shot is out of the question.
We drive to different places trying to get a good vantage point to get a shot, but can't see him at any point but the first. He is just over 500 yds from a road but can not see him. The snow is a foot and a half deep and frozen, so every step is heard for 500 yds. The Elk stayed bedded for the next 4 1/2 hours while we pondered what to do.
Post by: Alan K on December 10, 2009, 06:33:11 PM
LOL Not really. . . It's hard to say. Bail off the road that's 500 yards away and try and put a sneak on him. If he jumps, track him in the snow until you get a shot, or until dark. Would be tough for the old man to keep up in those conditions though.
Post by: workstohunt on December 10, 2009, 07:48:46 PM
So I figured I better go light with just my bino's gun and 50 ft of parachute rope I carry.
It was about 120 yds up the hill to where the 2 tree's I had spotted. Well---that's when the plan changed! They were two big cedar tree's and the first limb's were 20 ft up :bash: I couldn't even bear hug them to climb up to the first limb.
So I looked around and up the hill another 20 yds was 2 hemlocks but the first limb was 15 feet up on the one. Well they were growing close enough that I figured I could shimmy up between them until I could grab the first limb. I took the shell out of the chamber and put it in my pocket, and tied the 50 ft of rope to my gun. I figured once I was up in the tree I could pull my gun up if I could see the elk.
The plan was working great! I reached the first limb and pulled myself up onto the limb (NOTE trees that have snow in winter--they grow down not out!!!!)
I climbed until I ran out of rope. (remember it is 50 ft)
The elk was still now where in sight. So I tied the rope off and continued up the tree
To be continued!
Post by: coop2424 on December 10, 2009, 07:54:27 PM
Post by: cle elum bowhunter on December 10, 2009, 08:01:52 PM
Post by: andrew_12gauge on December 10, 2009, 08:54:02 PM
Post by: remington300mag on December 10, 2009, 09:01:13 PM
Post by: Todd_ID on December 10, 2009, 09:52:09 PM
On a serious note...enjoy the time spent with your dad. I lost mine in 01, and hunting changed for me forever on that very day.
Post by: coriantonk on December 10, 2009, 11:53:46 PM
Post by: workstohunt on December 11, 2009, 06:00:37 AM
Anyways I got over it and focused my attention on where the bull was. I started glassing the spot where I thought he was, but could not see anything. I could see a small opening just up from where I thought he was and thought I will just keep an eye on it for a while---beings I'm a 100 ft up in a tree, what else do you have to do :chuckle: I hadn't been glassing but five minutes and what do I see----THE BULL :drool: He had just walked into the only spot I could have seen him. Thats when the part of the plan of leaving my gun on the ground till I could see something wasn't thought out :bash: :bash: :bdid: Sooo down the tree I go to where I had tied the rope off with my gun where I had run out of rope at 50 foot. I undo the rope and start pulling the gun up the side of the tree that had only a couple limbs. It was going great! UNTIL the gun hung up slightly in a limb. I nugged the gun through the branch and as I did---- I here the god awfull sound of metal tingging :bash: :bash: It couldn't be what I thought it was-- Well it was --the floor plate had come open and the 3 shells that I had left in the gun after removing the one from the chamber, where now ON THE GROUND--along with the inner floor plate. so now all thats left is the floorplate and spring. I close the floorplate and go to close the action and the spring won't let me close the bolt until I push it out of the way. Then it hits me :yike: I only have the one bullet---wait I didn't go as light as I thought, I have another one in my other pocket :tup: I will never get more than one shot anyway!!
Sooo I put the gun on my back and up the tree I go. I get to the spot where I had been hanging on and take a quick look to see if he was still in sight. YES but was moving behind one of the big old growth trees and out of sight. Get your gun loaded stupid, I thought. Thats when it hits me again-- you have two shells and your 100ft up in a tree-- DON"T DROP THE SHELL-- I open the bolt and the spring pops out the top, so I open the floorplate to get the spring out of the way, move the gun through the limbs so it is pointing down and drop the shell into the chamber. I get the bolt closed--what a relief.
Soooo now I get the gun on a limb and my arm around the tree holding the gun. On que the bull steps out, but stops before I can get a good shot at the front sholder.
Now the delima -- do I wait and maybe never see it again or take the shot??? I can see through a little brush the front sholder and neck, his head is in the open. AT 350 yds a head shot is out of the question for me so I figure I can stick it in through the small brush into the front part of the shoulder and neck. :bdid:
BANG!!! I get focused on the spot-- he's still standin there :bash: I MISSED :'( He shook his head up and down and looked around to see where the noise was coming from. THEN it hits me--- you only have one shell left, RELOAD and don't drop it.
I carefully stick the last shell in, close the bolt and get into position. The bull had turned and had his head sticking out the other side of the large 8ft dia. tree, then takes a couple steps into the open, but I can tell he's not going to stick around. I get on the front shoulder and squeeze the trigger. As I squeezed the trigger the bull takes off. I see nothing :yike: Did I miss-- It didn't matter now, it was all over. Just get out of the tree and go check for blood.
Post by: oldschool on December 11, 2009, 06:11:25 AM
Post by: Skyvalhunter on December 11, 2009, 06:13:05 AM
Post by: 257 Wby Mag on December 11, 2009, 06:21:13 AM
Post by: remington300mag on December 11, 2009, 08:07:52 AM
Post by: workstohunt on December 11, 2009, 08:10:33 AM
I get down to where I had tied off the rope to pull the gun up, so this was a good place to let it down. I started letting the 300 wby go down and it gets held up on a branch, so I kind of pulled up and down to weave it through.
That's when the line goes limp :o not shortly after I here my gun hit the ground :bash: :'( WHAT THE HELL!! this is getting stupid. No big deal, I'll just go back down to the pickup get my spare gun, a radio, my daypack. Not so light this time :chuckle:
I get down to the rig and my Dad says Well? I tell him I don't know but I need a new gun. He looks at me puzzled and asks WHY? ---YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW! It is like the 3 stooges gone hunting. Dad offers his gun to me, but I tell him that if for some reason that bull comes down, I want him to be able to shoot it.
I get my 30-06 out and start looking for the ammo. This is the part in the story where my wife say's " I asked you if you needed that box of shells out of the excursion" (from our trip to E. wash hunting with our Daughter.) and I had told her No I didn't because I had plenty more---IN THE TRAILER :bash: I rounded up 2 shells. I told my Dad, that should be plenty because I would never get more than one shot anyway as brushy as it was, even if I did get the chance.
So I head up the hill. Its a lot steeper than it looked. It takes me about 20 mins to get up the hill to where I think he will be--- DEAD I hope. Well I find the bed where he had been. He had been there for what looked like a week. It stunk like a barnyard.
Post by: coop2424 on December 11, 2009, 08:18:22 AM
Post by: turkey slayer on December 11, 2009, 09:06:09 AM
Post by: boneaddict on December 11, 2009, 09:16:21 AM
Post by: workstohunt on December 11, 2009, 09:17:47 AM
I kept tracking and finding a bit more blood, I was feeling a little better than earlier, when all the sudden I can smell him, he is close, but I can't see him. He leads me back through my tracks and back and forth till I loose the track in the maze of tracks. I have to get the GPS out and go back to find where I had been as this had gone on for a couple hundred yds. He had ditched me by going between a brushy fir tree and stump, but now I was back on him and he was headed up the hill. He went right back to his original bed and bedded down. ????? I didn't know what to think. I found where he snuck out up the hill. I followed the tracks for another 50 yds when all the sudden the bull takes off right below me :yike: :mgun2: I needed to get a hole in him. BOOM--BOOM And that's when I remembered -- YOU ONLY HAD TWO SHELLS :bash: :bash: the bull stops and looks at me at 20 yds :hello:
I get on the radio and tell my Dad--You are not going to believe this--I'm standing here looking at this bull at 20 yds and I am out of ammo. :'( do I hit him over the head with my gun or get my knife out and stick him???I guess I will come down and get my other gun AND SOME MORE AMMO!!!! I marked the spot on the GPS headed up the hill over and back down to the rig to regroup. I told my Dad this has got to be the stupidest hunt ever. No one will ever believe it.
Post by: Ridgerunner on December 11, 2009, 09:18:18 AM
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on December 11, 2009, 09:21:29 AM
Post by: Dr. Death on December 11, 2009, 09:22:02 AM
Post by: HUNT on December 11, 2009, 09:24:03 AM
Post by: boneaddict on December 11, 2009, 09:24:21 AM
Post by: coop2424 on December 11, 2009, 09:25:49 AM
Post by: Dr. Death on December 11, 2009, 09:27:22 AM
Take this gun next time, it'll save you some time!
:mgun:
Post by: CoryTDF on December 11, 2009, 09:30:01 AM
Post by: GoldTip on December 11, 2009, 09:33:39 AM
Post by: Dr. Death on December 11, 2009, 09:35:11 AM
Post by: Cougeyes on December 11, 2009, 09:36:24 AM
Post by: Shootmoore on December 11, 2009, 09:37:06 AM
Shootmoore
Post by: workstohunt on December 11, 2009, 09:52:09 AM
We get up to where I had marked it on my GPS and started to follow the tracks again. Thank God for snow!!
Well we didn't go very far and -----------------
You can tell I have read alot of your guys stories on here!! :chuckle:
Post by: coop2424 on December 11, 2009, 09:54:33 AM
Post by: workstohunt on December 11, 2009, 10:00:16 AM
Post by: dontgetcrabs on December 11, 2009, 10:01:36 AM
Post by: coop2424 on December 11, 2009, 10:02:12 AM
Post by: Shootmoore on December 11, 2009, 10:02:47 AM
Shootmoore
Post by: Dr. Death on December 11, 2009, 10:02:52 AM
Great story and bull! Congrats to you and your dad! :brew:
Post by: HUNT-HARD on December 11, 2009, 10:04:40 AM
Post by: olsy on December 11, 2009, 10:06:55 AM
Post by: turkey slayer on December 11, 2009, 10:08:07 AM
Post by: SkookumHntr on December 11, 2009, 10:09:31 AM
Post by: Timber_Hunter on December 11, 2009, 10:11:15 AM
Post by: Schmalzfam on December 11, 2009, 10:12:30 AM
Post by: HUNT on December 11, 2009, 10:12:50 AM
Post by: Cougeyes on December 11, 2009, 10:16:35 AM
Post by: CoryTDF on December 11, 2009, 10:21:44 AM
So did your first shot connect? Sometimes those big bulls when hit dont even act like they are, just curious?:yeah:
Post by: Ridgerunner on December 11, 2009, 10:24:20 AM
Post by: workstohunt on December 11, 2009, 10:24:40 AM
The second shot went through the upper hind quarter through the small intestine part where all the arteries are and he was going to bleed out if I would have just waited. If there hadn't been snow it would have been real tuff.
I hit the tree's both shots when he last took off and I ran out of ammo.
ALSO-- this bull had a green left lung, he had been double lunged last year with a 30 cal boattail that was healed up in the ribs. What amazing animals they are.
I didn't get it out till the next morning as I was exhausted when it turned dark. I told my Dad I couldn't do anymore even though we had drug it to within 200 yds of the road.
It is now out at Charlies getting ready for its place in my house where he can laugh at me for ever. :tup:
Thanks for letting me tell the story. I hope you all enjoy the story as much as I did the hunt.
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on December 11, 2009, 10:27:23 AM
Post by: halflife65 on December 11, 2009, 10:35:35 AM
I'll be laughing about this all day.
Post by: andrew_12gauge on December 11, 2009, 10:55:28 AM
Post by: C-Money on December 11, 2009, 11:05:51 AM
Post by: USAFpj on December 11, 2009, 11:09:29 AM
Post by: NWBrute on December 11, 2009, 11:59:12 AM
Post by: GoldTip on December 11, 2009, 12:02:04 PM
Post by: Skyvalhunter on December 11, 2009, 12:06:03 PM
Post by: lewy on December 11, 2009, 12:44:34 PM
Post by: Sneekee23 on December 11, 2009, 12:53:44 PM
Post by: Wacenturion on December 11, 2009, 01:23:41 PM
Post by: Alan K on December 11, 2009, 01:32:03 PM
Post by: Martinhunter on December 11, 2009, 07:15:00 PM
Post by: willapawapiti on December 11, 2009, 07:29:21 PM
Post by: kennedy244 on December 11, 2009, 08:50:56 PM
Post by: blacktail luv on December 11, 2009, 09:24:43 PM
Post by: workstohunt on December 12, 2009, 05:40:06 AM
Its all true. I just hit the highlights. There was more to the story as this took all day, but I think you got the picture.
After all the highs and lows, I got to admit it was one of my funnest hunts.
Can't wait to get it back from Charlie
Post by: shoot-em-dead on December 12, 2009, 07:29:36 AM
Post by: 1bowhunter1 on December 12, 2009, 07:33:11 AM
Post by: Broken Arrow on December 12, 2009, 08:06:25 AM
Post by: mtndew on December 12, 2009, 10:28:36 AM
Post by: SGM R on December 12, 2009, 09:30:33 PM
Post by: ponyboy156 on December 15, 2009, 07:05:18 PM
Post by: cohoho on December 15, 2009, 07:36:41 PM
Post by: strutnrut1984 on December 15, 2009, 08:50:10 PM
Post by: fc2038 on December 16, 2009, 02:55:05 AM