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NE WA OTC Bull
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Topic: NE WA OTC Bull (Read 6406 times)
cougforester
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Longhunter
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 990
Location: Spokane
Groups: DU, RMEF
NE WA OTC Bull
«
on:
September 20, 2020, 01:03:27 PM »
My hunting partner and I got it done last Sunday on a nice 4x5 out of the NE. Knew we were in for a challenge with small herds, low elk density and high predator numbers and in country we'd never been in before.
This bull cracked off to us having a cow party and throwing out some advertising bugles, and came in on a rope. I dropped back, Josh got set up next to the decoy and waited. The bull saw our cow decoy, and heard me mewing and breaking sticks/brush and panting and trotted in drooling, bugling and all sorts of excited. Josh drew when he was at 25ish yards, and the bull kept coming until Josh finally released the arrow at 11 yards while he was slightly quartering to. Arrow hit high lung, and the bull ran about 25 yards and stopped when I barked at him. Another arrow got sent and dropped him in his tracks and he never moved again.
Total time elapsed from the first bugle to him dead was under 5 minutes. Crazy how fast things happen. So glad I could be caller and put together such a great opportunity for my buddy to take advantage of. Shout out to @Elknut1 for all the great calling techniques and knowledge.
Some more takeaways:
1) Wow there needs to be more elk up there. The amount of amazing habitat without elk in it, or habitat that they just move through and don't spend much time in blows my mind. I'm reading up on the Selkirk herd management strategies and will be asking some questions of WDFW and I'll start another thread with those questions.
2) I believe we just happened to be in the right place at the right time. We kept checking country that appeared to be right and happened to find this bull all lonely and wanting company. We ended up putting about 700 miles on my truck (and I live in Spokane) and 85 boot miles between Saturday and Thursday. We continuously found poop and tracks ranging from a day old to a couple weeks... just couldn't get anything else to crack off. For those who want to hunt up there, lace up the boots and get ready to cover miles.
3) Some of those areas are truly overrun with wolves. I knew it was bad, but the amount of wolf sign, especially east of the river, is pretty nuts.
4) We saw 5 moose through the week which was pretty cool. 2 bulls, one lone cow and cow/calf pair.
5) We built our arrow set up specifically for elk, and knew it was a thumper, but wow it's nice to see it perform. After a complete passthrough, we found the arrow about 55 yards behind where it went through the bull.
The arrow when farther after hitting the bull than the bull did after being hit
. The set up is a 528 grain Easton Axis 5mm going 275 FPS with a 100 grain QAD Exodus up front. I don't think we'll be changing anytime soon.
Anyways wanted to give those of you hunting up north a boost knowing it can be done, and we got it done in our first year of hunting up there. Lots of lessons learned that I'll be applying for the rest of my multi season tag!
@JBMAK
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cougforester
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Location: Spokane
Groups: DU, RMEF
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #1 on:
September 20, 2020, 01:05:49 PM »
Here's the bull
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
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Bango skank
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Old Salt
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 5880
Location: colville
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #2 on:
September 20, 2020, 01:19:28 PM »
Awesome, getting an elk in this part of the state is no cakewalk. Not near as many as there could / should be. Congrats.
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Tracker0721
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Longhunter
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 760
Location: Malo
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #3 on:
September 20, 2020, 02:01:36 PM »
That’s awesome! There’s tons of great country where you’d expect to find em but it seems the herds haven’t got the memo. One day hopefully! Until then that’s a great trophy!
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May my presence go unnoticed, may my shot be true, may the blood trail be short.
Amen
sjhgraysage
Political & Covid-19 Topics
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Scout
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 399
Location: Spokane
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #4 on:
September 20, 2020, 02:05:21 PM »
Congrats
Persistent hard work that paid off.
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bustedoldman
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Longhunter
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 661
Location: Moses Lake
TEAM Potbelly Stallions
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #5 on:
September 20, 2020, 02:17:26 PM »
Great Job....
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HUNTINCOUPLE
Lost Somewhere on the Praire of Klickitat Co. Chasing The Elusive BENCHLEG DEERS.
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Old Salt
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 8146
Location: Lyle WA, 98635
Yep, my avatar is from my front porch. #2835
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #6 on:
September 20, 2020, 02:30:11 PM »
Good team work guys!
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Slap some bacon on a biscut and lets go, were burrnin daylight!
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KFhunter
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Legend
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 34512
Location: NE Corner
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #7 on:
September 20, 2020, 02:41:37 PM »
Congrats!
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
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pianoman9701
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WWC, NRA Life, WFW, NAGR, RMEF, WSB, NMLS #2014743
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #8 on:
September 20, 2020, 02:52:08 PM »
Beautiful! Well done!
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"Restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens based on the actions of criminals and madmen will have no positive effect on the future acts of criminals and madmen. It will only serve to reduce individual rights and the very security of our republic." - Pianoman
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Brushcrawler
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Location: West side
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #9 on:
September 20, 2020, 05:31:33 PM »
Nice work! Love the color of that bull.
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There is not enough wilderness left in the world, or in the hearts of men.
cougforester
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Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #10 on:
September 20, 2020, 05:36:44 PM »
Quote from: Brushcrawler on September 20, 2020, 05:31:33 PM
Nice work! Love the color of that bull.
He seriously reminded me of a Rosie with the black belly!
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Birdguy
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Frontiersman
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Posts: 3865
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #11 on:
September 20, 2020, 06:02:33 PM »
Always like to hear of a guy or two pulling an elk out of the NE! Congrats to the both of you on a great animal!
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Taco280AI
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Frontiersman
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 2961
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Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #12 on:
September 20, 2020, 06:07:39 PM »
Nice work
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Rutnbuxnbulls
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Scout
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 315
Location: Spokane, WA
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #13 on:
September 20, 2020, 08:14:07 PM »
Great story and congratulations!
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hunterofelk
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Longhunter
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Posts: 853
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #14 on:
September 21, 2020, 05:52:41 AM »
Right place, right time. More than half of the elk hunting luck has to be that. Great bull!
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antlerman
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Tracker
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 71
Location: E. WA
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #15 on:
September 28, 2020, 08:24:48 PM »
Alot of Miles & very few elk! It used to be better. Seeing very few calves which is not a great indicator of how the hunting may be in the future..Hmmm! Wonder why so few calves!
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gee_unit360
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Location: Ridgefield, WA
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #16 on:
September 28, 2020, 10:08:53 PM »
Great job! Why marker out the face??
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huntnnw
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Old Salt
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 9635
Location: Spokane
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #17 on:
September 28, 2020, 10:55:20 PM »
congrats! not easy killing elk up there
If you think its hard to find elk today try 20 years ago up there. Elk herd really took off about 20 years ago in places and I can find elk in many places now that elk never or barely existed
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Wanttohuntmore
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Sourdough
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Posts: 1957
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #18 on:
October 09, 2020, 10:36:58 AM »
I'd like to know why the wdfw seems to want elk gone north of I90 in general. I agree the terrain up there is perfect.
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salt n sage90
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Hunter
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Location: Skagit Valley
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #19 on:
October 12, 2020, 02:56:11 PM »
Nice work hoss.
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"Nothing sinks faster than a downrigger ball"
Gonehuntin01
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Scout
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Location: Elma Washington
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Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #20 on:
October 14, 2020, 09:32:47 AM »
Great work and great write up. Gotta luv those lonely bulls. Good team work. I have always enjoyed calling bulls in for others.
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Sutherland
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Location: East Wenatchee
Re: NE WA OTC Bull
«
Reply #21 on:
October 14, 2020, 09:57:04 AM »
Great success story! Well done!
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