Tuffbucker
New member
Hey guys, its been a while since I've posted over here, even though I come by daily to read the daily battles in Sportsmans Issues.
Anyhoo....i figured that while I was here I'd share pics of my Limited Entry Bull I shot here in Utah back on the 23rd of September.
This was definitely the hunt of a lifetime. I got up to the area I was going to hunt 2 days early to do some scouting, but since the archery hunt was still going on, I didn't see much (too many people riding around on their ATV's), and didnt hear much either. It was so warm the bulls were quiet.
Opening day I spotted a bull about mile out and headed his way. He was working down one side of a canyon and I was working down the other...needless to say he beat me to the bottom and dispappeared.
On Sunday the weather cooled off and the bulls got real vocal. I spotted a 370 class bull about 3/4 mile away and tried to put a stalk on him. Unfortunately I ran out of light and never saw him again.
MOnday brought snow and the bulls weren't moving and weren't bugling. I had to head back to SLC for a family emergency, so I only got to hunt the morning on Monday.
I returned early Wed. morning and the bulls were going crazy. I counted at least 8 or 9 different bulls bugling in our canyon. I would cow call and could hear them getting closer, but they would never show themselves. THat afternoon i headed into the timber to look for them, but they quieted down and I had trouble locating them. It was starting to get dark so I headed back to the truck. As I was walking along, I spotted to spikes on top of a ridge about 300-350 yrds. away. I said to myself, "Now why cant that be a mature bull." Just then I heard the weirdest bugle coming from the ridge where the spikes were. Just then 12 cows came feeding over the ridge with a bull behind him. I couldnt get a good look at him cause he was standing in some trees, so I had to wait until he fed off into a clearing about 75 yards from where I first spotted him.
Once he entered the clearing I knew he was a bull I'd be happy with. I threw my pack on a rock and steadied myself for the 400-425 yard shot. My first shot hit im threw both lungs, but he didnt drop. He instead turned and ran downhill towards me. I put two more into him and he tumbled down the hill almost another 100 yards. I thought he was going to break his horns, but luckily they all were in tact when I got to him.
BY the time I hiked up to him it was dark, so I had to clean him by flashligh light and leave him on the mountain for the night. THe next morning my father-in-law and I returned and dragged him the rest of the way off the hill, and down to a flat area where we quartered him, caped him, etc. and packed him out. 7 hours later he was packed in the truck and I was on my way home.
Although he wasnt the biggest bull on the mountain, he's a trophy in my book. He has weak thirds, but some AWESOME mass, allowing him to gross in the mid 330's. Needless to say I am HAPPY!! Just cant wait to draw this tag again!!
Hope you enjoy.
TUFFBUCKER
Anyhoo....i figured that while I was here I'd share pics of my Limited Entry Bull I shot here in Utah back on the 23rd of September.
This was definitely the hunt of a lifetime. I got up to the area I was going to hunt 2 days early to do some scouting, but since the archery hunt was still going on, I didn't see much (too many people riding around on their ATV's), and didnt hear much either. It was so warm the bulls were quiet.
Opening day I spotted a bull about mile out and headed his way. He was working down one side of a canyon and I was working down the other...needless to say he beat me to the bottom and dispappeared.
On Sunday the weather cooled off and the bulls got real vocal. I spotted a 370 class bull about 3/4 mile away and tried to put a stalk on him. Unfortunately I ran out of light and never saw him again.
MOnday brought snow and the bulls weren't moving and weren't bugling. I had to head back to SLC for a family emergency, so I only got to hunt the morning on Monday.
I returned early Wed. morning and the bulls were going crazy. I counted at least 8 or 9 different bulls bugling in our canyon. I would cow call and could hear them getting closer, but they would never show themselves. THat afternoon i headed into the timber to look for them, but they quieted down and I had trouble locating them. It was starting to get dark so I headed back to the truck. As I was walking along, I spotted to spikes on top of a ridge about 300-350 yrds. away. I said to myself, "Now why cant that be a mature bull." Just then I heard the weirdest bugle coming from the ridge where the spikes were. Just then 12 cows came feeding over the ridge with a bull behind him. I couldnt get a good look at him cause he was standing in some trees, so I had to wait until he fed off into a clearing about 75 yards from where I first spotted him.
Once he entered the clearing I knew he was a bull I'd be happy with. I threw my pack on a rock and steadied myself for the 400-425 yard shot. My first shot hit im threw both lungs, but he didnt drop. He instead turned and ran downhill towards me. I put two more into him and he tumbled down the hill almost another 100 yards. I thought he was going to break his horns, but luckily they all were in tact when I got to him.
BY the time I hiked up to him it was dark, so I had to clean him by flashligh light and leave him on the mountain for the night. THe next morning my father-in-law and I returned and dragged him the rest of the way off the hill, and down to a flat area where we quartered him, caped him, etc. and packed him out. 7 hours later he was packed in the truck and I was on my way home.
Although he wasnt the biggest bull on the mountain, he's a trophy in my book. He has weak thirds, but some AWESOME mass, allowing him to gross in the mid 330's. Needless to say I am HAPPY!! Just cant wait to draw this tag again!!
Hope you enjoy.
TUFFBUCKER
