Post by: RaffleMule on December 05, 2011, 10:36:31 AM
I spent the week with my cousin and met up with Bluebulls a couple days. He offered up his cabin so we had the chance to tell stories around a fire each night. Good times..........
Overall, it was a tough week with the wind and then fog and snow. Last Wednesday I didn't see one elk so when I spotted four elk on Thursday morning I almost pulled the trigger out of frustration on a 360' bull. It was odd, I had a lapse and just wanted it to be "over with" but after watching him for about an hour I decided to pass. He was a great 6x6 but his thirds were only about 6" so he looked like crap with a monster top and those tiny little things barely sticking out. I even had him in the crosshairs.......
I ended up seeing about 30 bulls that day so the spirits were a little better. Lots of broken antlers on some nice bulls.
Ran into Gov. Tag, SE raffle tag and mtncook over there. I think we all had the same idea when 20+ inches of snow came down the week prior.....Worked out for Kevin (congrats btw, I didn't get a chance to track you down after that hell of a pack)
Not sure when I can get back out but will make the time somehow. Gets a little tougher when you've already taken three weeks off of work and the Holiday stuff is going on. Better get my wife a nice Xmas present. :chuckle:
Sorry for the poor pics. Cell phone garbage but will get some better ones when my cousin takes them off of his camera.
Post by: Woodchuck on December 05, 2011, 10:59:00 AM
Post by: mtncook on December 05, 2011, 12:51:17 PM
Give me a heads up a few days before you hunt again. If you were to consider spending some time in this area I might have a lead or 2. We might get some snow before Jan. and that would help. It has cooled off here finally.
mtncook
Post by: ELKBURGER on December 05, 2011, 01:49:38 PM
Post by: RaffleMule on December 05, 2011, 02:08:29 PM
Imagine a monster bull with tiny, tiny thirds. I would have thought they were broken off if both sides weren't identical. He was cool.....I know where he's at though so maybe I will run into him again.
Still looking for the "wow" factor..........
Post by: Todd_ID on December 05, 2011, 04:24:03 PM
We're all rooting for you!
Post by: Cougeyes on December 05, 2011, 08:53:32 PM
Post by: ELKBURGER on December 06, 2011, 05:55:55 AM
Post by: Alan K on December 06, 2011, 06:22:42 AM
Post by: coachcw on December 06, 2011, 06:50:35 AM
Post by: boneaddict on December 06, 2011, 07:33:27 AM
Post by: heavy hauler on December 09, 2011, 02:18:59 PM
Post by: huntergreg on December 09, 2011, 03:55:10 PM
Post by: 400out on December 09, 2011, 10:20:54 PM
Post by: Craig on December 10, 2011, 06:52:18 AM
Post by: RaffleMule on December 12, 2011, 02:09:28 PM
Coach gave me a lead of a potential bull last week so I went out and saw several nice bulls but not the one I wanted to see. I saw 8-9 bulls and I think most of them were 6x6 or bigger but not the one I wanted but it was hard to tell because they were coming out of the timber at dark and I only got a really good look at six or seven of them.
I was determined to go back the next day but my wife and I had a Holiday party east of the mountains we had to attend. There was no way I was getting out of it so I told her she had to come with me for a couple hours before dark to see if I could find those elk again.
Keep in mind this is a gal raised in Bellevue who wouldn't eat meat if there was any sign of blood before we married. Now she only eats it if it's medium rare and prefers elk burger over beef. However, she has NEVER been hunting before and was extremely nervous to walk beside me with a rifle (that could have been for other reasons.... ;))
So, we get out of the car and start to walk through repod that had been thinned recently and with patches of snow frozen on the ground it wasn't real quiet, especially with her beside me. We only needed to walk about 500 yds before we got to the top of the ridge where we could glass into a little draw where I thought the elk would be. It was a little noisy so I kept looking back at her and giving her the marital frown to keep quiet......
Next thing you know I look up and there are four bulls skylined 100 yds staring right at us. Busted........ :bash:
We are 20 yds from the nearest cover, tree, stump you name it. I tell her to sit down and don't move. We watch them for about 15 minutes (three rag horns and a nice 6x6) hoping they start to feed or other elk show themselves but they wouldn't take their eyes off us. Finally they slowly walk over the hill so I tell the wife to hurry up we can side hill this nob and come around the backside and get a good look at them and probably see the other elk I assumed were with them.
We pick up the pace a little bit and start to circle around the ridge and don't go 100 yds and 8-10 bulls are standing bunched up looking at us broadside. They aren't 40 yds from us and I immediately realized they did a 180 on me. Busted again......This time they see us and immediately jump into some crap so thick you can't see 5 yds. It looks like Santas Reindeer jumping over the edge and all I can see are horns. We continue to listen to them bust up trees, limbs and create a new Interstate Hwy down the ridge.
My wife is like, "let's go get 'em" while I throw out every f-bomb known to mankind. It's only about 20 minutes before dark and I knew they were in the next county so I start walking back to the truck so pissed off she could see the steam boiling off my head.
I'm still pissed but my wife thought it was pretty cool and now understands what it's like to have the heart pounding a 100 miles an hour. Hopefully it gets me a few more days to get out before the end of the year.
Post by: Woodchuck on December 12, 2011, 02:15:27 PM
Post by: Wapiti7 on December 12, 2011, 02:23:14 PM
Post by: Shed Stud on December 12, 2011, 02:34:24 PM
Post by: jackelope on December 20, 2011, 10:07:57 PM
Post by: huntergreg on December 20, 2011, 10:23:18 PM
Post by: woodywsu on December 21, 2011, 12:40:23 PM
Post by: gunnarnewt on December 21, 2011, 01:05:32 PM
Post by: coachcw on December 21, 2011, 01:58:17 PM
Post by: trophyhunt on December 21, 2011, 02:02:27 PM
Post by: Woodchuck on December 21, 2011, 02:34:26 PM
Post by: huntnphool on December 21, 2011, 03:28:29 PM
Post by: Holg3107 on December 21, 2011, 03:33:27 PM
Post by: bucklucky on December 21, 2011, 03:44:16 PM
Post by: mtndew on December 21, 2011, 03:59:38 PM
Post by: LittleJohn on December 21, 2011, 04:01:26 PM
Post by: 400out on December 21, 2011, 05:27:00 PM
Post by: jager on December 21, 2011, 05:33:03 PM
Waiting....anxiously!
Post by: PA BEN on December 21, 2011, 05:34:36 PM
Post by: Woodchuck on December 21, 2011, 05:36:04 PM
Post by: 400out on December 21, 2011, 05:40:01 PM
:yeah: :yeah: Shoot Jager's bull was on here before it was any where near the truck. Your killin the masses guys. :chuckle:normally when they are really screwing with us (like now!) they post up a tip or eye guard :bash:
Post by: jager on December 21, 2011, 05:42:57 PM
:yeah: :yeah: Shoot Jager's bull was on here before it was any where near the truck. Your killin the masses guys. :chuckle:
I hadn't even broken out the knife yet :chuckle: :chuckle:
Post by: 400out on December 21, 2011, 05:45:26 PM
:tup: and we appriciate it! I don;t have internet so I had to wait! I did send a photo via text and asked another member to post it but :dunno: I tried :chuckle::yeah: :yeah: Shoot Jager's bull was on here before it was any where near the truck. Your killin the masses guys. :chuckle:
I hadn't even broken out the knife yet :chuckle: :chuckle:
Post by: C-Money on December 21, 2011, 05:46:35 PM
Post by: rosscrazyelk on December 21, 2011, 06:12:43 PM
Post by: benhuntin on December 21, 2011, 06:20:42 PM
Post by: 400out on December 21, 2011, 06:41:23 PM
:peep:I have a feeling someone is a step ahead of us :rolleyes:
Post by: igotbigbulls on December 21, 2011, 06:44:19 PM
but its non typical
Post by: RaffleMule on December 21, 2011, 07:03:42 PM
Phool is sending me pics so I should be able to post them tomorrow.
That bull Coach posted is a pig.....picture does not do it justice.
I'm pretty happy with mine though!
Post by: igotbigbulls on December 21, 2011, 07:13:33 PM
Post by: Wea300mag on December 21, 2011, 07:13:48 PM
Post by: Scott on December 21, 2011, 07:16:46 PM
Post by: Widgeondeke on December 21, 2011, 07:20:25 PM
Post by: dupedc on December 21, 2011, 07:48:43 PM
Post by: JPhelps on December 21, 2011, 07:56:50 PM
Post by: BENCHLEG on December 21, 2011, 08:34:22 PM
Post by: mulehunter on December 21, 2011, 08:39:54 PM
Post by: Kowsrule30 on December 21, 2011, 09:33:50 PM
Post by: coachcw on December 22, 2011, 09:19:23 AM
Post by: Rainier10 on December 22, 2011, 09:28:34 AM
Post by: RaffleMule on December 22, 2011, 09:32:39 AM
Post by: RaffleMule on December 22, 2011, 09:36:09 AM
I'll throw in a bad cell phone pic as well just to show another angle. Great pics and story will follow but I need to get a few things checked off the list. #1 is getting the wife a xmas present and then getting the cape to Charlie!
Post by: 400out on December 22, 2011, 09:42:05 AM
Post by: Kowsrule30 on December 22, 2011, 09:44:08 AM
Post by: wamuledeer on December 22, 2011, 09:49:31 AM
Post by: 724wd on December 22, 2011, 09:52:18 AM
Post by: Widgeondeke on December 22, 2011, 09:53:42 AM
Thanks for posting.
Post by: Fish4Fun on December 22, 2011, 09:54:30 AM
Post by: huntnphool on December 22, 2011, 10:02:41 AM
Post by: Woodchuck on December 22, 2011, 10:06:48 AM
Post by: MtnMuley on December 22, 2011, 10:10:42 AM
Post by: mulehunter on December 22, 2011, 10:13:39 AM
Post by: dscubame on December 22, 2011, 10:14:47 AM
Post by: gunnarnewt on December 22, 2011, 10:17:33 AM
Post by: HUNT on December 22, 2011, 10:29:36 AM
Post by: bucklucky on December 22, 2011, 10:33:21 AM
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on December 22, 2011, 10:34:38 AM
Post by: woodywsu on December 22, 2011, 11:00:15 AM
Post by: Rainstorm Hunter on December 22, 2011, 11:06:03 AM
Post by: Huntboy on December 22, 2011, 11:10:14 AM
Post by: coachcw on December 22, 2011, 11:11:46 AM
Post by: Skyvalhunter on December 22, 2011, 11:12:29 AM
Post by: PlateauNDN on December 22, 2011, 11:16:34 AM
Post by: adamR on December 22, 2011, 11:19:30 AM
Post by: trophyhunt on December 22, 2011, 11:22:51 AM
Post by: jager on December 22, 2011, 11:35:42 AM
How many bulls did you pass on?
Post by: WenHunter on December 22, 2011, 11:43:30 AM
Post by: PlateauNDN on December 22, 2011, 11:47:36 AM
Congrats! Very bad a ss bull. Hurry with the story, and great job holding out. When you get a chance please give us the score. my guess...365 to 370ish??? Please just tell everyone you got it in the clockum.
:yeah: :lol4: :lol4: :lol4:
Post by: pianoman9701 on December 22, 2011, 11:50:36 AM
Post by: losdaddy7 on December 22, 2011, 11:53:34 AM
Post by: SniperDanWA on December 22, 2011, 11:58:51 AM
Post by: Craig on December 22, 2011, 12:17:24 PM
Post by: rosscrazyelk on December 22, 2011, 12:18:42 PM
Post by: steeleywhopper on December 22, 2011, 01:21:51 PM
Post by: GoldTip on December 22, 2011, 01:38:18 PM
Post by: huntnphool on December 22, 2011, 01:39:39 PM
Post by: archery288 on December 22, 2011, 02:32:46 PM
Post by: buglebuster on December 22, 2011, 02:37:46 PM
Post by: RaffleMule on December 22, 2011, 02:51:23 PM
Post by: The100Road on December 22, 2011, 03:15:45 PM
Post by: huntnphool on December 22, 2011, 03:41:15 PM
WOW! any idea of what he score yet?
He's not putting a tape on it. We all looked over a lot of big bulls in the 3+ months of his hunt and not once was he concerned with a score. There were several high scoring bulls that could have been tagged but in every case they just didn't have that "Wow" factor he was looking for.
Sunday morning we had that bull, that Coach posted a pic of, in the spotter at about 500 yards but Brad said that a large typical just isn't what he wanted. When we spotted this bull there was no hesitation on his part, he said "this is the one"
If Brad is not concerned about the score then we shouldn't be either, its exactly what he wanted and he couldn't be happier, I can assure all of you that it tops the 300" mark. ;)
And this is not addressed at you 100road, you were just the last person on the list to quote.
Post by: The100Road on December 22, 2011, 03:44:01 PM
WOW! any idea of what he score yet?
He's not putting a tape on it. We all looked over a lot of big bulls in the 3+ months of his hunt and not once was he concerned with a score. There were several high scoring bulls that could have been tagged but in every case they just didn't have that "Wow" factor he was looking for.
Sunday morning we had that bull, that Coach posted a pic of, in the spotter at about 500 yards but Brad said that a large typical just isn't what he wanted. When we spotted this bull there was no hesitation on his part, he said "this is the one"
If Brad is not concerned about the score then we shouldn't be either, its exactly what he wanted and he couldn't be happier, I can assure all of you that it tops the 300" mark. ;)
And this is not addressed at you 100road, you were just the last person on the list to quote.
No hard feelings. That is awesome. congrates to him. It for sure has the wow factor.
Post by: Rainier10 on December 22, 2011, 03:55:36 PM
Post by: fishunt247 on December 22, 2011, 04:32:10 PM
Post by: RaffleMule on December 22, 2011, 04:52:45 PM
We continue to get a good look at him and I hear Phool say "holy sh*t, he's a nice bull." After sitting there for awhile, I decide I can't shoot a 400' bull if I shoot a 370' and I had a hunch he would be there on the way home if we couldn't find one. After arrival we head straight to the mountains and see two small bulls all afternoon and evening. Realizing there is zero snow it wasn't going to be easy to spot a ton of bulls.
The next morning we headed out in the same area looking for a specific bull only to track him into three different canyons. Fog sucked and by 3pm we hadn't seen an elk all day. I keep telling Phool if we don't see anything today then let's head back tomorrow and go find that bull we had seen on Sunday. I was starting to kick myself for not taking the other bull......
We hit a different area that evening and finally see a tiny bull all by himself. I think we slapped high fives because we hadn't gotten skunked for the day and finally had seen an elk. About ten minutes later we spot six more bulls and there is a nice framed 6x6 that probably was pushing 350-355. I was tempted but knew I had a backup so we headed down the hill to glass one more spot. Just before dark, Phool spots seven bulls coming out of the timber about 7-8 miles away. Way too far to tell if they are shooters or not but at least they were showing themselves.
Our plan was to go after them the next morning but we had no clue how to get to them so Josh Teal told us he could take us right to them (hold the comments to you guys who aren't fans of Josh. We wouldn't have found them without his knowledge of the area). We ended up meeting Josh the next morning and he told us we needed to walk in about 2-2.5 miles and we could get to a ridge and get a good look at them. We headed out and sure enough we spot them in the same place feeding in and out of the timber. We get a good look at the bull and Phool asks what I think and I knew right then I wanted this bull. He kept asking if I liked it better than the other one but with his character it was a no brainer to me.
They were about 600 yds across the draw and it was a little out of my comfort range so I wanted to try and get a little closer. Phool and I crawled down the hill as close as we could get and final yardage was 484. I felt pretty good about the shot but the wind was definitely a factor because it was gusting pretty good. I got set up and Rob kept saying, "wait too much wind." Then, "shoot" I finally fired off a shot and he didn't move/flinch or anything. Crap, I missed. All nine bulls bunched up and I didn't have a clean shot without knowing where my first bullet ended up. He finally came clean and I fired again......Phool yelled, "you nailed him." He took off but blood was pouring down his side already. He went about 50-60 yds and got weak legged and laid down (then slid 100 more yards down the drainage). Bull Down!
Awesome feeling to shoot such an amazing animal. I was stoked to say the least.
We had about a 45 minute walk to get to him but worth every step. Even the pack out....It took us five hours to get him quartered up and to pack the head out. Also, saw I had gut shot him with the other shot and he hadn't even flinched or moved. One tough animal...... We ended up going back in the next morning to bring out all the meat. Great hunt, great company and definitely something I will never forget.
During the four months I hunted, I probably saw three bulls I could have shot that would score higher than this one but I don't think I would trade any of them for him. Something about a little junk up top.........
Here are a few more pics........
The descent....he was across this canyon so we went down and back up to him. And the last pic is of Rob (huntnphool) and Josh. My so called posse or crew.......
Post by: WenHunter on December 22, 2011, 05:00:12 PM
Post by: Woodchuck on December 22, 2011, 05:06:37 PM
Post by: trophyhunt on December 22, 2011, 05:33:03 PM
Post by: chad s. on December 22, 2011, 06:00:18 PM
Post by: coachcw on December 22, 2011, 06:00:51 PM
Post by: teanawayslayer on December 22, 2011, 06:07:30 PM
Post by: coachcw on December 22, 2011, 06:10:04 PM
Post by: njc89 on December 22, 2011, 07:33:51 PM
Post by: bigpaw 77 on December 22, 2011, 08:07:16 PM
Post by: Todd_ID on December 22, 2011, 08:19:23 PM
Post by: rosscrazyelk on December 22, 2011, 08:29:10 PM
He might have some real explaining to do if he draws next year . Could you imagine " but honey it's a once in a lifetime tag" :) :)
LOL...
Post by: benhuntin on December 22, 2011, 08:31:21 PM
Post by: mulehunter on December 22, 2011, 08:40:08 PM
Post by: 400out on December 22, 2011, 09:28:32 PM
Post by: buck man on December 22, 2011, 09:29:52 PM
Post by: carpsniperg2 on December 22, 2011, 09:34:23 PM
Post by: Whitpirate on December 23, 2011, 12:35:51 AM
Savor the moment!
Post by: Caseyd on December 23, 2011, 01:28:10 AM
Great write up
Post by: idahoelkhunter300wby on December 23, 2011, 05:27:49 AM
Post by: BLUEBULLS on December 23, 2011, 06:42:12 AM
once again, great bull and I'm happy for ya :tup:
Post by: PA BEN on December 23, 2011, 08:06:00 AM
Post by: C-Money on December 23, 2011, 11:13:00 AM
Post by: wsucowboy on December 23, 2011, 11:23:22 AM
Post by: heavy hauler on December 23, 2011, 11:25:25 AM
Post by: pianoman9701 on December 23, 2011, 11:29:28 AM
Post by: stickbuck on December 24, 2011, 04:46:12 AM
Post by: gonehuntin68 on December 24, 2011, 10:16:10 AM
Post by: bone head on December 24, 2011, 02:54:14 PM
Post by: 50CalJim on December 24, 2011, 03:33:32 PM
Post by: SuperDave on December 26, 2011, 07:54:31 PM
Post by: buckhorn2 on December 26, 2011, 10:56:22 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on December 27, 2011, 03:48:56 PM
Post by: Mr Mykiss on December 29, 2011, 02:30:38 PM
A couple trail cam images
Hmmmm..... That first pic was always my favorite. He looked crazy big with his rack sideways like that!!