When it came time to put in for Elk this year a good friend of mine Bob gave me a call and asked where I was puttin in. I let him know that I wasn't able to put in for anything but my bonus point due to finances. He then told me that was BS and he would put me in with him. Instantly I was excited not only was I able to put in now but also for the gesture he had made. My anticipation for being drawn was next to zero due to him having a bull tag last year and me having one the year before and theres no way we could pull four bull tags in three years. To my surprise guess what it happened. Bob and I wasted no time. It couldn't have been but two weeks that we started buying up every map we could get our hands on and the scouting was on from there. We would rotate weekends to give the other a break up to the last couple of weekends where we started hitting it hard together. We had several cameras out for the last few months also. We had seen a few good bulls as well as had some on cameras so by no means were we weak on the homework. Come game day Bob and I had a few good plans in place for a couple bulls, a nice 6x6 and a nice 7x7 that we decided we wanted to go after. Unfortunately for us those plans were short lived by a few other hunters that had the same ideas that were able to harvest these fine animals. Bob had Friday thru Sunday to hunt where he had to return to town due to business with plans of returning Wednesday and hunt it out to the end. I was able to be up there for 12 days of the hunt. We hunted the first weekend a with no luck. Bob had to leave Sunday night and I just knew deep down inside if I was gonna get a bull on my luck it would be on one of those 3 days I was gonna be alone. Sure enough it happened Monday evening. While out checking a trail camera I hear a bull just screaming around 5pm. So for the next 30 minutes I just sat there on a rock debating should I should I not. With the thoughts going through my head this is not gonna be pretty. Over a mile away from the truck it's gonna be gettin dark soon, I'm all alone and how would I ever get this bull out if I did take him. Nevertheless after about 30 minutes of listening to this bull going off he got the best of me and the chase was on. I knew if I was gonna do it I would have to be fast. As I got down toward the bottom of the steep nasty draw which I would have swore to you was a canyon where I thought I would be able to set up on the bull, he would scream I would cow call him with no response a few minutes later he screamed again so I screamed right back which to my surprise just lit this bull right up we played this game which seemed to be an hour. Then he started headin north on the opposite side of the draw. I soon realized he did not want to cross that steep nasty thing so I just started up the draw on my side. With us both stopping about every 100 yards where he 'd scream , I'd scream , he'd rake , I'd rake which seemed to really upset him. as we continued on up the draw I see a place where I believe he would try to cross so I knew I had to get there and get there now. Once I got there sure enough the plan had worked and I only had seconds to set up. Before I knew it the bull is standing broadside at less than 30yards up hill from me where I had judged him at 40 yards and I shot right over his back to only have him take off. The only thing I could think of was to let him have it one more time with my bugle sure enough he stopped and turned broadside with me finding myself at full draw knowing this would be the last shot I would have at him. As I was looking at my pins I was counting land markers 20yards, 40yards, 60yards so I rested my 70 yd pin right where it needed to be and hit the trigger. The bull only went about 10 yards and hit the ground. At that moment it became real to me on not only what I had done but how in the heck was I gonna get him out. After a few phone calls Scott, my dad, a pack horse, my wife Jody and daughter Heidy were all on their way. This bull is my smallest to date but most deserving and memorable. I just want to thank Barron who came all the way from Florida to sit behind the camera, Scott,Rich,my dad Dennis, Jody and Heidy none of this could have ever happened without you guys. I want to give a huge Thank you to Bob you are the one and only person that gave me the opportunity to share these memories with close friends and family Thanks again Bob. I have a few photos to post ok maybe more than a few photos to post. Thanks for reading.
Bryan
