elpepe25 Report post Posted September 19, 2013 It all started when credit cards began getting hit earlier this spring. I had drawn an elk tag last so I didn’t expect to have anything hit. However this time I was wrong and stoked to be wrong. I went up several days early to set up camp and get a reliable pattern on the elk, however, it has been an extremely wet monsoon and early fall so elk were evenly scattered and not talking real well. Also working against me: it was unusually warm. This would make for short talking/bugling spells only at first and last light. Working for me- a bow setup that I have extreme confidence in, good help from friends and family, and I had the whole hunt off. 1st day: Nothing real exciting, a few bugles in the morning and rained all afternoon. 2nd day: Got on a decent sounding bugle in the morning but couldn’t close in on him. The afternoon really sucked. A sad lack of bugling led to a sad lack of chasing elk. 3rd day: Just awful. I could not get the elk to bugle. During the afternoon we went to go watch a big meadow that often holds elk in the evening. We found some cows and a small raghorn and no apparent rutting activity. I went to sleep bummed. 4th day: Unoptimistic I parked the truck and got out to listen for bugles figuring I would walk and try to strike an inexistent bugle. I was wrong; I heard a bugle rip off about a half mile away. I grabbed my bow and started jogging on a course that would put me ahead of the elk. Almost as if scripted, every time I would stop to listen, the bull would rip off another bugle that let me know his location and direction of travel. He was bugling so much he started getting other bulls in the area fired up. They would in turn challenge back and get him to keep sounding off. Finally after covering a good chunk of country over a period of an hour I was getting close. The kind of close where it’s hard to breath but I still couldn’t see him. Finally I was able to hear him raking a tree and was able to spot him. He was only a hundred yards or so ahead of me. He was so occupied giving the tree a tune-up that I was able to put a tree between him and me. Every time he would go to work on the tree I would close in. If he stopped, I stopped. Finally I was 53 yards and waiting for a hole and the angle to seal the deal. It came shortly. As he swung to broadside I hit anchor and put the 50 yard pin high on his vitals. As I started to apply back-tension to set the arrow free he suddenly noticed that his cows had fed off without him and he turned and walked away. Deflated but invigorated I let down and quietly made chase. Finally after pretending to be his camo shadow for another couple hundred yards he walked off to my right just out of sight. His cows however fed off to my left. Seeing my opportunity to get between a bull and his cows, I pushed the envelope and snuck forward. I turned to face where the bull should be when he ripped off a bugle that would lay your hair back. He then started waking directly towards me. I furiously began ranging all shooting lanes. He slowly ambled behind cover. I hit full draw and took a deep breath for what I knew would come next. He hit the opening. I knew the range, 33 yards. To stop him I mouthed a grunt. I buried the pin on his shoulder crease and started squeezing. The Hoyt barked and sent the arrow home. He just trotted off like nothing had happened. I cow called to him and he stopped. Just as I was getting ready to draw again he humped up and stutter stepped. Then I knew he was mine. I’d like to thank my brother, my friends Mike and Stephanie, and my Mom for coming out to help and my wife for putting up with me and taking care of the home front. I'd also like to thank my Dad, he's no longer with us but before he left he instilled a love of the outdoors in me and so many others. Thanks for reading. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted September 19, 2013 Back to back yrs with nice bulls, congrats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rancilio Report post Posted September 19, 2013 Sweet! Congratulations! Tell the story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted September 19, 2013 Awesome! You are a killer! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ready2hunt Report post Posted September 19, 2013 dang that is a nice bull! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cvw789 Report post Posted September 19, 2013 Nice Bull Congrats Cole Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trphyhntr Report post Posted September 19, 2013 thick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mocha1545 Report post Posted September 19, 2013 Congrats. Nice Mass! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
doogan Report post Posted September 19, 2013 Congrats man! Great bull! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DUG Report post Posted September 19, 2013 Congrats to you!! note to self: quit putting cow elk for 2nd choice. I want one like that!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lucky2hunt Report post Posted September 19, 2013 Love the mass! Great bull, congratulations! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Justin Stahl Report post Posted September 19, 2013 Nice bull Robert, Way to get it done! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted September 19, 2013 Great bull. Can't wait for the story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azbiggamenv Report post Posted September 19, 2013 nice Bull and tasteful photos ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CJNAZ Report post Posted September 19, 2013 Congrats!!! Great bull. Look forward to the story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
