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Author Topic: First Bull  (Read 2581 times)

Offline Justin C.

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First Bull
« on: November 02, 2008, 10:23:42 AM »
I went elk hunting this year for the first time in a long time, I don't like hunting with crowds. I drew an anybull tag for western WA and after allot of scouting in the area and talking to the game wardens in the area I decided I would shoot any bull. The area seems to be over hunted so the age class is not all that good from what I learned.

I had my brother and buddy with me. We loaded up the trailer and headed out the morning before the hunt started so we could hopefully find a bull the night before. We saw a herd with some small bulls on private property  that we could not hunt on the way to the spot we wanted to hunt the first morning. The road was closed for construction 7 miles from where we wanted to go so we had to come up with a new plan. :bash: We headed to the other side of the unit and rode bikes for about an hour and didn't see a thing. As we were loading the bikes up we heard a bugle through the timber. We watched a little clearcut near there till dark thinking they would come out but no luck.

Opening morning we headed out only to have very heavy fog. After waiting for the fog to clear we glassed for most the morning in different spots till lunch. We headed back to camp for some food and then headed out to where we heard the bull the night before. We got there mid afternoon and after waiting for about an hour we hear a bugle then nothing for a long time. We sit tight and maybe an hour before dark a couple bulls start bugling back and forth. We head to where we think they might be headed and come to a creek about 15 minutes before dark. We decide to go ahead and cross it and try to get on one of the bulls before dark. The creek wasn't to bad but the brush on the other side was very nasty. After crawling though we come out on a small flat above the creek that was clear cut. On the skyline above the flat I see movement and about 75 yards away I think I see a cow behind some brush. The sun was going down behind the animal and all we could see was a black outline in the brush. We decide to try to angle past so we could get to the top of the little bluff and hopefully get a shot at the bull. As soon as I take a step my brother says "cougar" as the animal turns and runs he could see the tail.  :bash: :bash: We run the 75 yards to the top and look towards the timber 150 yards to our left but we could not see the cat. We look back out across the clear cut and spot the elk about 400 yards away and they aren't hanging around. We only saw the one bull and with light going fast I get ready for the shot. The cows keep getting in the way and I'm thinking I won't get a shot but the cows clear for a minute and I take the shot. The bull was quartering away hard and I try to pick the spot where the bullet will angle into the vitals. I hit the bull good and the cows run with the bull trying to follow but he only makes it about five steps before he stopped and started to wobble. He goes down and doesn't move.  The 30-378 wby mag did just what its supposed to, the bullet went through the hind quarter and into the lungs. Well now the freezer is full of very tasty young elk meat and we had a blast putting it there.






Offline bowsandhose

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Re: First Bull
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2008, 10:26:18 AM »
congrats. should be some good eating  :cue:
Any animal with a bow is a trophy.               IAFF
Save a 1000 elk kill a wolf.

Offline jamesjet

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Re: First Bull
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2008, 10:35:29 AM »
Congrats!

Offline MIKEXRAY

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Re: First Bull
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2008, 11:26:38 AM »
Great bull & story. Congrats. Sounds like you had a blast. Mike

Offline 270Shooter

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Re: First Bull
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2008, 11:58:57 AM »
Great job :tup:

Offline huntnphool

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Re: First Bull
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2008, 12:02:00 PM »
Nice bull Justin, nothing wrong with that one :drool:
The things that come to those who wait, may be the things left by those who got there first!

Offline wf70gonehunting

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Re: First Bull
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2008, 12:52:19 PM »
Great story nice bull, :chuckle:

Offline MuleySniper

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Re: First Bull
« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2008, 12:54:06 PM »
Great job! That westside elk hunting can be tough!
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Offline markts

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Re: First Bull
« Reply #8 on: November 02, 2008, 02:39:17 PM »
Awesome story and bull. Got my first yesterday and I am still flying high. Cant wait to sink my teeth into it. :IBCOOL:

Offline Slider

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Re: First Bull
« Reply #9 on: November 02, 2008, 05:16:10 PM »
Congrats!!! Any Elk is a Good Elk!!!

 


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