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mpriest

7W Archery Bull

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Finally got around to posting pictures of the bull I was able to take. I hunted 11 days straight only taking off one morning due to the wind. I was able to be fortunate to put in 18 days of scouting preseason on my weekends and put in around 60 miles of hiking during the hunt.

 

I told myself I would dedicate the first week to a good bull as I had the entire hunt off and the second to filling the freezer. I passed several smaller bulls the first week and got into some bigger bulls but never was able to get a shot. Hunted up high the opening weekend had had the best elk show I have ever seen. Heard 400-500 bugles a night, probably underestimated as I tried to go 20 seconds without hearing a bugle for hours but it never happened. Bulls were rutting everywhere and literally running cows at a sprint all over. After that the wind storm set in I dropped down to the cedars to try and get out of it. I was seeing 20-30 MPH sustained winds which I felt was not ethical conditions to be shooting anything over 20 yards.

 

Down in the cedars I found a good bull that I was on for a day and a half. It was Spot and Stalk as I could not hear him bugling more that 300 Yards or so away. Had him twice at 60 yards but never was able to get a shot through the trees. Through this point in the hunt it was tough calling bulls in. If they had a cow they would not come in and would just bugle back at me. I was in the elk/bugles every day but couldn't make it happen.

 

I finally got sick of fighting with people down low for spots so I decided to brave the wind in the high country again on the second Friday of the hunt where I could find an area to myself. I went back to the place I had found previously and found almost nothing. The elk had been bugling throughout the day and someone must have heard them and walked right through their bedding area and chased them out of there. I went from hearing hundreds of bugled and seeing 60+ elk to hearing 30 bugles and seeing 15, very quiet elk. It amazes me how uneducated people are and tramp through bedding areas hoping to get a shot. Public land I guess.

 

Anyway it was time to regroup and find the elk again. Went to the other side of the mountain and head bugling mid day again. I had talked to another hunter who's wife had killed an old bull in this area opening weekend. I am not one to follow another's success and flock to an area but I ended up in it the second weekend.

 

On the second Sunday night we had a couple close encounters and ended up calling a 0X4 into 30 yards. I decided to pass as I at least wanted a bull with two antlers and bigger that a spike to improve on my last two rifle hunts. I also have quite a but of meat left from last year. Monday of the hunt I felt like I had the elk relativity patterned as to where they fed out of their bedding area. That night I set myself up in front of my dad 40 yards so he could call and decoy for me when I told him to. I was hearing bugles behind me but didn't thing much of it as mountain elk tend to go downhill in the evenings. I was set up on two bulls I could see that were hearding up their cows above me 200 yards away. The cows began to move down and the lead ones were at 80 yards from me. All of a sudden there was a bugle right behind me. I turned to see my bull walking straight at me 100 yards away. My day had moved out from the tree he was using for cover three feet to be able to see the elk coming down. He was sitting in open grass with no concealment. As I turned he looked right at me and the eye contact said everything; DON'T MOVE! My bull was oblivious to him being there and continued to bugle 20 yards behind him, My first instinct was to pull out my phone and take a picture of the awesome sight. The bull eventually moved where he was behind the tree that my dad was supposed to be behind so I made a 40 yard dash back to him and took cover. I peaked put from the tree I was behind and saw my bull staring right at me. I slowly moved back behind my tree hoping he didn't see me. I ranged a spot in the grass where I though he would come out and it was 36 yards. I dropped to a knee and waited. 20-30 seconds later I saw him walking out of the cover. I drew and he saw me move, quartering towards me. I placed my 40 yard pin on his shoulder blade and let my arrow fly. Punched through the shoulder blade and ribs with a double lung hit. He ran 30 yards and stopped. I ranged a second time at 71 yards. I began to adjust my sights for a follow up shot and his back legs began to buckle. He stumbled another 20 yards and fell over. After a few quick pictures we got to work quartering him up. 360 LBS of back pack weight, 2,5 mile hike with 1200 feet elevation loss and help from some friends we made it back to camp.

 

This was my best bull yet. He ended up having a broken right side making him a 5X6. He was an old bull with great mass, 18" thirds and flat teeth. He scored 330 5/8 broken with an estimated 348" unbroken. I was lucky to have drawn this hunt with only Hunter Ed and Loyalty points and made it a hunt to remember.

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Way to get it done even dealing with tough conditions! Great write up, and Awesome Bull!!

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Great Job Mike! I was getting ready to call you for the scoop! Awesome bull man! Thanks for sharing your story.

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Awesome story. Thanks for writing it up and congrats on an awesome bull. The fact your dad was there with you makes it perfect. Congratulations!!!

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