HUNT JR's Peaches Ridge Bull Hunt

[MHWASH]

Not the same unit, but when I had my "OIL" bull tag for the Blues, I passed on several OK bulls the first few days. I was also worried about hunting with all the general tag hunters. When a decent bull showed up  that presented a real easy pack job, I pulled the trigger. I've been bothered by this for the last 4 years since I drew. Personally I'd rather go home empty handed, or with a scrub bull the last day than shoot one too early in the season and regret it.

[Karl Blanchard]

Been chatting with JR off and on for a while now. He has a solid plan of attack and very honest with himself about what he wants out of this hunt. Wish I could go help him glass. He'll find what he's after.

[HUNT]

Passing bull after bull - its almost like he has a spike only tag!   JR will get it done.

[D-Rock425]

 

Passing bull after bull - its almost like he has a spike only tag!   JR will get it done.

[HUNT JR]

Well, bull down! It was fun trophy hunting for a couple days but ultimately I wanted to kill a 6 point on this hunt. I’m getting some things taken care of then I will get on and post up the story and pics!

[bear]

Congrats

[jstone]

Very cool
Congratulations

[Sutherland]

Super! That's great to hear! Congratulations

[D-Rock425]

 

[HUNT JR]

Ill start off with my scouting. It was highly uneventful, if I hunted based off my scouting I would have been sitting at Whistling Jacks all week watching the parking lot

Luckily I had some great information from a few people that had me narrowed down to the areas I wanted to hunt. I hadn't found an elk in there in the weeks leading up to the season, but from all my previous elk hunting experience, I knew there were elk in there.

As the final week to season came up, I was watching the weather and started to get concerned when there were forecasts calling for a foot or more of snow in the high country. I was not even sure I would be able to get to the trailhead I was wanting to hunt out of. Saturday morning my good friend Tanner and my Dad (HUNT) and I headed up and were pleased to see that the road only had 4 or so inches on it and minimal drifting. The drive up was uneventful. Once camp was set up, we headed out for a nice hike and glassing session that did not produce much for elk sightings. The key for us though, was the sign in the snow. We could clearly see that there were saddles, and areas on the ridges that the elk were hammering. Being that we showed up 6 or so hours after the snow quit, we knew there were elk there and using certain areas as crossing zones. Sunday morning however, we found the elk and the herd had a couple of nice bulls with them. Unfortunately as we were still learning the area, we managed to bump them down into the timber. Lesson learned.

When you see selected next to a draw tag, it gets really hard from the pressures of you have to shoot a certain size bull, or if you dont shoot a big one, you didn't do the tag justice. I hate this kind of thinking, and set myself a realistic, achievable goal of shooting a 6 point or better bull on this hunt. I was going to try to find one of the big boys for a few days, but passing on many 6 points did not seem to be in my agenda.

Opening morning was dynamite, we saw quite a few elk and a handful of bulls. One 5 point way off in the distance with cows was likely a 300+ inch bull as a 5. I was within 400 yards of 4-5 other smaller bulls and a 5x6 that just wasn't going to fit the bill for day 1. That evening was much of the same and still no 6 point bull found.

[HUNT JR]

Day 2 came along and we decided that we were going to play it more aggressive and see if there were more elk on the backside of the ridge they had been using. As we started down the ridge we glassed a 6 point bull working towards one of the saddles that we had found scouting. We made our way down there off the top but got sidetracked when the backside that we couldnt see was littered with elk. There were 50+ elk and about 8 bulls in this herd but still no 6 point with them. We continued down the ridge to get to the saddle. As we came around the corner bringing the saddle into view, there he was standing in the wide open, staring our direction. (I hate crunchy snow) My buddy said, "It's him! He has a kicker off the one side!" I quickly threw up my binoculars and just did not get that feeling that this was the bull I wanted at this point. It was going to have to be a quick decision, and I did not want to have any bad feelings after I pulled the trigger. The bull got a pass. Tanner looked at me after the bull ran off, and was shocked. He was used to the HUNT JR that runs and guns and gets excited about anything legal

That night we sat on the saddle again as it was obvious that it was basically as well traveled as I-90. We had a couple groups of cows and spikes come through, but no branched bulls.

By this time I had started to regret not shooting that 6 point. He was everything I had set out for from the time I drew the tag. Sure, he wasn't one of those giants that we all know roam those mountains, but he was a 6 point, who could be upset shooting a 6 point bull? Not me!

I decided that I wouldn't be passing up any more bulls that fit my goals for this hunt. The third morning we started off the same as the previous two. Glass from the top and then work our way out the ridge. This was all curtailed when we heard a bugle down in the bottom in the general area of the saddle. We bailed off the ridge with Tanner staying above the saddle at a better vantage point and I would sneak on into range of the saddle. As I neared the saddle, I could hear a lot of cow calling, and grunting and bugling going on. I knew the loudest bugle was already through the saddle, but I had a feeling based off some grunts below me that hadn't hit the saddle yet, that there was still another bull coming. Once I got settled in, about 130 yards away, I saw a handful of cows, calves, and a couple raghorn 5 points in the saddle. The elk kept moving through but one 5 point was hanging around and looking back at the bull that was grunting his way up to the saddle. Then I see another bull move up into the saddle and immediately go lock antlers with the 5 point. It was hard to tell exactly what he was until they separated. It was the same bull I had passed on the morning before! I knew then, that he had made a mistake, he shouldn't have given me a second chance. Tanner had given my rifle the nickname freedom, and freedom rang! The bull immediately dropped and started rolling down the hill amidst the elk scattering every direction. When I got down to him I was very pleased with the way this hunt had gone. I had set a goal, passed on multiple bulls that would have fallen short of it, and managed to achieve it. Not only that, the bull managed to find one of the flattest spots to finish rolling. My hunt was a quality experience largely due to the people who took part in it from the beginning until the end (Thanks Tanner for Packing). All those who helped me, thank you, you know who you are!

[HikerHunter]

Great story, thanks for sharing! Congrats!

[jstone]

Fantastic

[HUNT JR]

Pics

[HntnFsh]

Very cool story.  Congrats on your quality hunt!