"Selected" Success

[milldozer]

As someone who had never drawn a special permit after a decade-plus of diligent applying (preaching to the choir, I know), imagine my surprise when I logged in to see “Selected” next to Quality Bull back in June.  I was excited to get to hunt a unit I had previously spent some time in, but this time chasing bulls with a rifle.  Between having two young kids, switching jobs, staying married, and other life commitments, I knew dedicating enough time to that tag would be a challenge.  Still, I was able to get in three scouting trips, and had blocked off 10 days to hunt come November.  I’ve never considered myself a serious elk hunter but had stumbled into a few bulls over the years.  My goals for this hunt, in order, were to: 1) bring home meat, 2) enjoy the experience, 3) learn some new country.  My dad, brother, and uncle had graciously agreed to join for the duration of the hunt, which made goal 2 an instant success.  We loaded up the trucks the day before season and headed out to set up camp.

Day 1 I was in my target area at first light.  I spent the day covering about 10 miles through some great looking country, but didn’t turn up any elk or even much fresh sign.

Days 2-3 were all pretty much the same.  Lots of hiking, glassing, looking for sign and covering about 10 miles each day.  All with about the same result: seeing a lot of older sign, some fresh-ish sign, no elk spotted, and no bulls.  The weather these first few days were also a challenge with heavy rain and high winds. 

Day 4 was supposed to bring a break in the weather and I was going to use it as an opportunity to check out a well-known-to-me spot from my previous experience in the unit.  Getting to this spot is quite the process, so my brother and I were up at 4am and headed out in order to be hunting my target area at first light.  Morning came and went without seeing an elk and very little fresh sign in an area that frequently has lots of both.  Doubt and disappointment were starting to creep in as my expectations vs reality of this “quality” tag were drifting further apart.  I feared what my wife would do to me after leaving her alone with two toddlers for 10 days and not bringing home any meat.  I kept reminding myself that elk or no elk there was still no place I’d rather be for these 10 days, and fought to keep a positive outlook.

It was now late morning and we were hunting back towards where we had started that day.  I look ahead and see a mis-placed color up ahead through some small trees.  I pull up my binos to see a cow bedded 200 yards ahead.  We both stop, drop to a knee, and scoot behind a little fir tree to get out of sight.  I pull up again to get a better look and, FRAME!  There is a solid bull bedded in amongst more cows.  The landscape was flat with scattered boulders so I didn’t have a good shot at the bull from this position.  Luckily the wind is in our favor and they hadn’t seen us.  To my left was a small creek bed, with a 3’ high bank on either side.  I scoot into the creek bed and down stream to a spot with a clear view.  I poke my head up again and get a better look at the bull.  I didn’t count specific number of points, but saw enough to know he is a for-sure shooter in my book, and currently 120 yards from me.  I lift my pack to the top of the bank to use as a rest.  This catches the attention of some cows and before I know it, all the elk are on their feet and looking in my direction.  I get down in my scope and locate the bull.  He’s looking right at me now and I see his snow-white antler tips pointed straight to the sky like candles on a menorah.  I’m holding right behind his front shoulder, but need to wait for some cows to clear out behind him for a clear shot.  A few seconds seemed like ages and finally I had my window.  I squeeze off a round and the PRC barks.  The bull drops and the rest of the herd takes off.  A minute or so passes while I stay on him in the scope.  He is down, but still holding up his head, looking away from me towards his vacated herd.  I take aim at the back of his head (all I could see) and squeeze off a final kill shot.  My brother runs up to me from behind and we high-five, both in amazement how fast everything happened.  We walk up to the bull and I am thrilled to get my hands on him.  A heavy 5x5 with great mass throughout - a true trophy to me.  We get to work quartering him out and get the packs loaded.  After few hours of packing we finally get everything to the truck.  For a wanna-be elk hunter, this was the best possible outcome I could dream up.

As I look back on the hunt I am thankful for the opportunity, thrilled with the outcome, and amazed at how fast your luck can change.  I will always remember the time spent with my family and the harvest of a great animal.  Special thanks to a handful of huntwa members who shared advice and past experience to an internet stranger.  I couldn’t ask for a better way to pop my special draw cherry, and hope this is the first of more “Selected”s down the line.

[carpsniperg2]

Man that fog in the background looks thick must have been hard to see him! lol

Congrats on a great looking bull. It’s a pretty amazing feeling to get a chance at a quality tag.

[Dan-o]

Great looking bull. 

I appreciate the write up. 

[b0bbyg]

Well done! Thanks for sharing

[elkoholic1]

congrats!!     

[Nate p]

Great bull! Congratulations. That unit is getting to be less and less a quality hunt in my opinion. Glad you were able to come out with such a fantastic animal!

[Ridgerunner]

I think I recognize some of those rocks, lol. Congrats on a great bull and sticking with it.  A hunt you will always remember.   

A quality tag in WA does not equal inches of bone on an animals head.   It's an easy mindset to get into and one that almost always leads to disappointment. 

[Pathfinder101]

Great write up!  Congrats on your bull 

[ljsommer]

Great writeup, thanks for sharing!

[blackveltbowhunter]

Great bull and nice write up!! Congrats!

[cody21]

Congrats on a great bull!


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[pd]

Man that fog in the background looks thick must have been hard to see him! lol

Congrats on a great looking bull. It’s a pretty amazing feeling to get a chance at a quality tag.

I am not sure if this is a moonscape or a Mars-scape.  What a place to hunt!

Congratulations, OP.

(When you came home early to your wife, was she surprised, happy, or suspicious. 

[cjensen]

Congrats.  Beautiful bull!

[milldozer]

Man that fog in the background looks thick must have been hard to see him! lol

Congrats on a great looking bull. It’s a pretty amazing feeling to get a chance at a quality tag.

Damndest thing, it blew in right before the pictures.  Though didn't seem enough to throw off the huntwa amateur detectives.

[milldozer]

Man that fog in the background looks thick must have been hard to see him! lol

Congrats on a great looking bull. It’s a pretty amazing feeling to get a chance at a quality tag.

I am not sure if this is a moonscape or a Mars-scape.  What a place to hunt!

Congratulations, OP.

(When you came home early to your wife, was she surprised, happy, or suspicious. 

All of the above.  Under promise and over deliver.  Now I regret not tacking on a couple camp days before packing up.