stuckinthecitylife
Member
Brotherly Double
Currently I live in Boise. However, up until the first of this year, I had been living in the Mountains here in southern Idaho. Unit 39. I've found my 'happy hunting grounds', and have had good success. My last 4 bulls have come from the same pin-point on the map. Our season is Nov. 1-9, it's an OTC public land hunt.This year was special. Opening day, I had the opportunity to take my mom along on her first hunt. She's in her mid fifties, and really just wanted to say that she had done it. We worked our way into my area, which starts around 3 miles (by foot) from the nearest road or trail. Needless to say, after crossing the main creek on 3 occasions, and with rain and snow falling, after about 9 hours afoot.. she was done! We had just finally cut a fresh, lone Elk track, that I suspected was a Bull. Heading uphill from watering that very morning. I thought if I could only follow that track, I was sure to find his bed. But it was not to be. It was still a great day, and now she can say she hunted Elk with her eldest son!
My next available day to hunt wasn't until the 3rd. I'd have to sit out the second day of the hunt.. Just itching to get back up there!
My brother was driving in over-night from North Idaho. The plan was, when he got in, to hit the local IHOP, get fed-up, then drive 2 hours up to trails end, and hit the mountain afoot around 4am. For no other reason than making some headway up the mountain. my honey hole is at about 8,000ft, and it just takes awhile to climb up there. There's no access other than by foot. And it's too difficult for horses or mules. I didn't have any hope of a day-break hunt. It was all about finding their bed by late morning. I wanted to drop in right above where I had seen those tracks headed on opening day.
We had just finished a coffee break. And started making our way down Elk Highway as I call it. A worn trail system from the Rut. In November it's pretty desolate. Never seen a cow there in November. But Bulls? Well, it's a refuge. A place far and away from any trail. Dark. A place where there's late season feed, and water close by. They have great advantage as the westerly winds coming up the mountains valley would easily alert them to any predators. And it's so dog gone far and nasty, to be honest, it's not usually hunted. This time of year, you wouldn't think anything lived there..there's so little activity. The Bulls will literally feed a little, hit water, and stay bedded all day.
I finally found a fresh track..first fresh Elk sign of the day. I told my brother "I want to see the Elk that left that track". It had to be a Bull.. I would have bet on it. A little farther along, and we found some good rubs. I was just about ready to whisper.. "Let's be as quiet as possible..we're going to find them"...
Just then the brush 10yds ahead of us cracked...and we heard something jump from it's bed, and stumble down below us. My brother quickly worked around me to a higher vantage, where he was faced head on by this Bull below, at about 40yds...
By brother has never had a close encounter with Elk in the Wild. And never taken an Elk. I watched him as he brought the rifle up, flipped the safety, and squeeze the trigger. *click* .. Nothing.. I thought to myself, knowing that my brother is a proficient marksman, "WHAT THE HECK!!". As he struggled with his weapon, he motioned to me with his arms that yes.. BIG Bull below!!
I worked around a tree, took rest, and looked down. He hadn't moved. Staring back up at us broadside, I knew he was legal, and pulled the trigger. It was a shot through the heart. Just about that time, my brother lit one off as well...
As luck would have it. There was two. It was a perfect double. This 6x6, and a Spike. My brother could say that he shot his first bull. And for me, well I could say it was my biggest. We were just hunting for meat. I had no idea mine was a big 6x6 until we went to take a look. I was guessing a rag-horn at best. And to be honest, looking through the scope at 9x from 40 yds, all I saw was his vitals. I conservatively rough scored him at 325 7/8" . Maybe I'll put an official tape to him after he dries out, just for giggles.
We had two Elk down, with clean kills. And they dropped 100yds apart. It was 10:15am, and we had all day to quarter and hang meat. It would take us two more grueling trips over the next two days to pack everything out afoot. The freezer is FULL. And so far it's been delicious.
Now I'm already planning next years hunt. And I can't wait. I'm sure my brother has learned some lessons.. What had happened? He didn't have a round in the chamber yet.. of course! I guess sometimes you react so fast, and based on emotion, and forget to process everything logically.
