treedagain
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2011
- Messages
- 536
Nice bull bluff,
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Best write up I have read! Your patience and persistence along with strategy are what make the difference between a hunter versus a true Elk hunter. Thanks for bringing us a long!Persistence Rewarded
That night, I formulate a plan, Plan G. Maybe H. I don't even know. I've been hunting a week this trip. I'm exhausted already, but I have 5 more days on the schedule.
I'm going to wake up and glass from the tent for the bull from last week. If he shows, I'm going after him. If he doesn't, I'm going after the herd from the evening before, which would require an hour's drive to even start the hike.
Sunrise is very nice, again.
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I glass for an hour.
I'm getting discouraged.
"This bull isn't even in sight from here," I think out loud, as I chug my 15x56s through the lowest of junipers.
It's after sunrise.
It's 5 minutes until I pull the plug and go after that far herd from yesterday.
I glimpse a tiny bit of yellow and almost spit my coffee.
It's him.
Not 500 yards from where I saw him first 6 mornings ago, he's easing through the junipers.
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Sneaky bastard.
I get the spotter on him, and follow him with my eyes like a hawk watching a rabbit.
He disappears, and I burn that spot into my retina.
I'm pretty sure I see him "kaplunk" into his bed, but I take no chances. The sun is on that area for a good half hour, and he hasn't budged from this block of junipers.
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It's time to move.
I pack my bag and shoulder my rifle and start the 2-3 mile stalk. I carry well around to the east to get the best wind, and remind myself over and over to take my time, that a few minutes to avoid a rolling rock, or, a loud snow footfall, or a juniper sweeping over my pack, is worth it. As I close down from 600 yards to 400, I'm trying to find the dead tree and the tall yellow grass. Peaking over the ridge, I find the spot, but I can't see the bull.
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He's here, somewhere.
I get to 250 yards and stop to eat my lunch, ready to shoot with my rifle over my pack. He doesn't show, so I decide to slowly ooze forward, ready to cover all escape routes. My pack is heavy, or I'm exhausted, or nervous, and I stop to rest, and I see white branches moving. I know what it is. It's antlers. I drop to the ground and chamber a round, resting on my pack. For several minutes, the antlers move back and forth, but don't get any closer to an opening.
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When the antlers drop out of sight, I move a few more yards to get a juniper behind me, nothing in the way, and get comfy. He's there, I'm here, and he's not leaving. Noooo sir. 210 yards.
I am texting back and forth with a friend this whole time. He sent me an updated drop chart based on conditions, some calming and leveling advice. I'm freehanding my binos between texts a few minutes later, and antlers start working left into a small gap, then a head, and a neck...
WHAT ARE YOU DOING GET ON THE RIFLE!
The bull pulls into the opening, front half of his body showing from behind the junipers, and he swings his nose to me. I squeeze the trigger, and squeeze. Is the safety on? Nope. I have no idea wtf. Back with the crosshairs on him, things are moving more than I'd like, but he's close, I squeeze again, and his back end drops as I lose him momentarily in the recoil.
Deer explode from the junipers between 25 and 50 yards in front of me. Not quite as surprising as the grouse, but I realize I just put one hell of a sneak on one bull elk and about 25 mulies.
I rechamber and cover the area for 3 or 4 minutes. Nothing moves after the deer clear out. I cross the canyon I didn't realize was in front of me, then move up the other side. It's just after 1pm, and day 9 of hunting, day 12 if you count scouting days.
I got "him."
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An old bull. A smart bull. A pretty big bull. I'm damn proud of this one.
Without grizzlies or brown bears to worry about, I take my sweet time cutting this one up. I take everything but the flanks. I'm going to pull those off the next critter I kill, though. I end up putting it all in this tree to keep the coyotes off it.
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It's late when I get done. After sunset, though I stop to take a picture before it passes.
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I wind things up around 630pm, out of water, somehow. A good friend offers to meet me to pack out in the morning, and I gladly accept. This is going to be 5 trips of 5-6 miles.
The next day, I drag myself out, but not early, I get back to the kill site just before 10, pull the meat from the tree and put it in the shade on the ground. Load one is a ham and some rib meat.
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My friend makes it early, despite waking up with a fever, and is sitting in my folding chair watching me as I crest the ridge on the way back to camp.
We power down some amazing green chili covered burritos, fill up the water, and get moving. Packing an elk is way better with company.
We haul ass over to get the next load, a ham in one pack and 2 shoulders in the other.
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At camp, a gatorade and more water and we go again. I'm feeling a touch guilty, pushing my buddy with him feeling poorly, but he doesn't hesitate when I asked him if he has another trip in him.
We get loaded up again and start going at sunset.
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Headlamps on, this really is the last sunset.
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My buddy heads home, and I head to this beer.
Somewhere between 15 and 18 miles today, 10-12 for my friend...
... I feel like we earned it.
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Camp gets packed up the next day and I head home. Dry aging temps are perfect for the next week. I give away one whole ham, and butcher the rest at a leisurely pace. It's tip top quality elk meat, and the kind of adventure I would like to repeat.
Cheers, Kyle!
Thought I hit yes? Apparently, not?! What an amazing story! Nicely done @BluffgruffTo the people that voted no: why exactly are you on HT? I can only assume to argue about politics or complain about the rising cost of reloading components / ammo.