Well, this has been a very good year for my two boys. My youngest drew and harvest a bull moose and my oldest was able to fill his HD 410 Either Sex Elk Permit on Opening Day. We were give some very good intel on elk just prior to the season starting. The information was of an area I archery hunted two years ago (did not archery hunt it this year, because I did not draw my archery permit).
My son and I headed out from the pickup at O' dark thirty and were making our way to where we might consider slowing down so that we did not spook any animals with out head-lamps, so we sat for a while to let it get a little more light. I am of the opinion that I would rather be early than late. Once it got close to shooting light, we proceeded. We were on the edge of a burn and approaching where the "green" trees were when we bumped 4 bulls. One was a pretty good bull and the rest were raghorns. We wanted to try and get a better look at the bigger bull, but then were gone by the time we climbed a ridge to gain elevation. As we sat there my son spotted 3 cows, but we did not pay too much attention since we were focused on filling his bull permit. My son spotted two more elk quite a ways across the big bottom we had made our way up in the dark. He didn't get a good look at them and they just topped over a small ridge. We gathered our things and made our way across, so we could get a better look. When we reached the area my son spotted more bulls coming down a ridge into the same area. These bulls were made up of spikes and more raghorns. We were able to get within less than 100 yards and gathered that there were no big bulls, so we proceeded to climb to a high knob to gain elevation and be able to glass some of surrounding area. We ended up spooking a bunch of mule deer and the elk (bulls), but it didn't matter to us. As we were just sitting down to glass and grab something to eat and drink, my son says "that a big bull there". Across the drainage comes a big bull and about 10 cows. I range them at 400 yards. The big bull is bugling and trying to herd the cows. The cow are having none of it and head down to the bottom and are moving up the drainage with a purpose. I tell my son to leave his stuff, grab his rifle, and off we go trying to catch up and head off these elk as they have to climb up and out of the draw. We most have ran/walked a good mile and a half to no avail. As we top out we see one bull several hundred yards ahead of use and then he drops off into the next draw. Keep in mind the wind is blowing hard, like a good steady 20 to 25 miles per hour (it sucked). As we get to the spot where the bull had gone over, we see a bull drinking out of a water hole below us and I range him at 175 yards. My son shoots ... nothing ... no dirt flying up, etc. The bull runs to about 200 yards and my son shoots again ... nothing. This bull takes off and a second one appears (not a shooter) and they "get away". We decide to head back and get our things (mind you I left my rifle, pack and my son left his pack). As we get back and decide we both need to get something to eat and drink, we just sit down and we hear three gun shots across the big drainage where we were when we spooked the 4 bulls. I tell my son ... we'll we better go glass and see what is up. As I'm glassing I can see elk fleeing through the trees and I can tell they are raghorns. As I'm looking at the fleeing elk, my son says "look at the hillside over there ... it's moving". There must have been 100+ elk moving parallel to our position on the opposite side of the big drainage. We spend a little time looking them over and can see several bulls in the herd. Before we leave, I ask my son ... before we start chasing these elk are there any bull you would shoot? He says yes. I said grab your stuff and lets go. The elk herd is milling around directly across from us, but moving parallel up the draw/drainage. I can tell that they want to cross to our side, so we are trying to stay even with them or trying to get just in front of them (the wind is now dying down, a little). Sure enough they start across, but very cautiously and slowly (to our advantage). Still not sure what the "lead cow was doing, but she led the entire herd into a big wash and they start piling up (as if they cornered themselves). I range the closes elk at 325 and the furthest elk at 350. We decide there are two good bulls in the head and I tell my son ... if it were me I would shoot that one. As the elk are just starting to climb there way out of the wash (which gave us a little more time), I tell my son the other bull have deeper forks (good wale tail) ... so I would shoot him instead. But, because there are so many elk ... one time the bull would be in front of cow or a cow would be in front of the bull ... we had to pick a good opportunity when the bulls were alone. As the elk were piling and climbing there way up and out of the wash ... the bull we decided on was the last one. As he made his way up, my son take the shot ... good hit ... the bull takes two steps back and falls over out of site. We celebrate briefly and I tell my son to start down there and make sure he is down and I will grab our gear. As my son is approaching the bull (still 200 yards away), I see the bull standing there looking at us and I yell to my son that the bull is up and he had better shoot him, again. The bull starts walking away from us and back across the big draw/drainage. You can tell the bull is hurt pretty bad as he is just walking. My son take one shot and you can see the dirt fly just below his neck. The bull makes his way across and around a corner. My son follows and I head up a hill to gain elevation and to possible cut him off. As I am climbing the hill I hear a gun shot. I hike to the area I heard the shot and yell out for my son and he says he's down. As I approach I see the bull and look at this big beautiful bull my son just harvest.
The body on this bull was big, which made the antler's look not so big until you get right up on him. He carries the mass all the way up the main beam and his tines have good mass.
We quartered and left the head to haul out the following morning. We were blessed to have twodot, his wife and oldest son help haul the elk out. In the end the bull was a little over a mile from the end of a road. It was fairly level packing out the bull and with the much appreciated help .... we had it at the truck in less than an hour.
We have had a great hunting season, so far this years. Great memories that will last my life time and my son's life time too.
My son and I headed out from the pickup at O' dark thirty and were making our way to where we might consider slowing down so that we did not spook any animals with out head-lamps, so we sat for a while to let it get a little more light. I am of the opinion that I would rather be early than late. Once it got close to shooting light, we proceeded. We were on the edge of a burn and approaching where the "green" trees were when we bumped 4 bulls. One was a pretty good bull and the rest were raghorns. We wanted to try and get a better look at the bigger bull, but then were gone by the time we climbed a ridge to gain elevation. As we sat there my son spotted 3 cows, but we did not pay too much attention since we were focused on filling his bull permit. My son spotted two more elk quite a ways across the big bottom we had made our way up in the dark. He didn't get a good look at them and they just topped over a small ridge. We gathered our things and made our way across, so we could get a better look. When we reached the area my son spotted more bulls coming down a ridge into the same area. These bulls were made up of spikes and more raghorns. We were able to get within less than 100 yards and gathered that there were no big bulls, so we proceeded to climb to a high knob to gain elevation and be able to glass some of surrounding area. We ended up spooking a bunch of mule deer and the elk (bulls), but it didn't matter to us. As we were just sitting down to glass and grab something to eat and drink, my son says "that a big bull there". Across the drainage comes a big bull and about 10 cows. I range them at 400 yards. The big bull is bugling and trying to herd the cows. The cow are having none of it and head down to the bottom and are moving up the drainage with a purpose. I tell my son to leave his stuff, grab his rifle, and off we go trying to catch up and head off these elk as they have to climb up and out of the draw. We most have ran/walked a good mile and a half to no avail. As we top out we see one bull several hundred yards ahead of use and then he drops off into the next draw. Keep in mind the wind is blowing hard, like a good steady 20 to 25 miles per hour (it sucked). As we get to the spot where the bull had gone over, we see a bull drinking out of a water hole below us and I range him at 175 yards. My son shoots ... nothing ... no dirt flying up, etc. The bull runs to about 200 yards and my son shoots again ... nothing. This bull takes off and a second one appears (not a shooter) and they "get away". We decide to head back and get our things (mind you I left my rifle, pack and my son left his pack). As we get back and decide we both need to get something to eat and drink, we just sit down and we hear three gun shots across the big drainage where we were when we spooked the 4 bulls. I tell my son ... we'll we better go glass and see what is up. As I'm glassing I can see elk fleeing through the trees and I can tell they are raghorns. As I'm looking at the fleeing elk, my son says "look at the hillside over there ... it's moving". There must have been 100+ elk moving parallel to our position on the opposite side of the big drainage. We spend a little time looking them over and can see several bulls in the herd. Before we leave, I ask my son ... before we start chasing these elk are there any bull you would shoot? He says yes. I said grab your stuff and lets go. The elk herd is milling around directly across from us, but moving parallel up the draw/drainage. I can tell that they want to cross to our side, so we are trying to stay even with them or trying to get just in front of them (the wind is now dying down, a little). Sure enough they start across, but very cautiously and slowly (to our advantage). Still not sure what the "lead cow was doing, but she led the entire herd into a big wash and they start piling up (as if they cornered themselves). I range the closes elk at 325 and the furthest elk at 350. We decide there are two good bulls in the head and I tell my son ... if it were me I would shoot that one. As the elk are just starting to climb there way out of the wash (which gave us a little more time), I tell my son the other bull have deeper forks (good wale tail) ... so I would shoot him instead. But, because there are so many elk ... one time the bull would be in front of cow or a cow would be in front of the bull ... we had to pick a good opportunity when the bulls were alone. As the elk were piling and climbing there way up and out of the wash ... the bull we decided on was the last one. As he made his way up, my son take the shot ... good hit ... the bull takes two steps back and falls over out of site. We celebrate briefly and I tell my son to start down there and make sure he is down and I will grab our gear. As my son is approaching the bull (still 200 yards away), I see the bull standing there looking at us and I yell to my son that the bull is up and he had better shoot him, again. The bull starts walking away from us and back across the big draw/drainage. You can tell the bull is hurt pretty bad as he is just walking. My son take one shot and you can see the dirt fly just below his neck. The bull makes his way across and around a corner. My son follows and I head up a hill to gain elevation and to possible cut him off. As I am climbing the hill I hear a gun shot. I hike to the area I heard the shot and yell out for my son and he says he's down. As I approach I see the bull and look at this big beautiful bull my son just harvest.
The body on this bull was big, which made the antler's look not so big until you get right up on him. He carries the mass all the way up the main beam and his tines have good mass.
We quartered and left the head to haul out the following morning. We were blessed to have twodot, his wife and oldest son help haul the elk out. In the end the bull was a little over a mile from the end of a road. It was fairly level packing out the bull and with the much appreciated help .... we had it at the truck in less than an hour.
We have had a great hunting season, so far this years. Great memories that will last my life time and my son's life time too.
