elk_hunter
Active member
NICE!! Outstanding bull!
1st Elk!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Thread starter Mudranger1
- Start date
Brandenbowhunter
Well-known member
THat is one great bull...congrats!
Great bull. Congrats to both of you.
Mudranger1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2010
- Messages
- 2,857
Well where to begin....After ending my archery season on a pretty up beat note (I actually saw some elk the final 3 days!!) my plan was to take a couple scouting trips over to our planned hunting spot to see what was going. Due to a death in the family all those plans were canceled so the hunt would have to start out blind. Saturday morning we were out early but was uneventful to say the least. So we started on a walk-a-thon to find us a place for the evening (at least in my mind). After about 3 miles in she grew tired and wanted to rest so I sat her up on a field edge with her hoochie mama call and she actually agreed to let me go do some "looking around" (a first coming from her as she normally wont let me get out of sight). Well as things go my looking around turned into about an 1 1/2 of being away and I came back to a hysterical young lady balling and sobbing. Although we have hunted together for a couple years now still trying to get used father son mentality I was brought on. So I get her to calm down after a little bit and she asks me if I had been bugling down the ridge. "Umm no I wasn't even over in that direction I say. Why?" Well I heard a bugle like three times after I called but I figured it was you she says. So I hit my bugle and sure enough we get a response just up the timber from where we were. We threw on our packs and off we went. Well after about 45 mins of back and forth with this bull I think I finally get him to commit to coming in. As Erin was ready and waiting a cow, calf and spike appear crossing her opening and feeding along but coming from the opposite direction the bull was last heard. So as they pass by the bugling turns to join the rest of them and was only 15 yards away but behind some brush so she couldn't get a shot off. She never knew he was there until he turned to leave. Finally the wind swirled and off they went. We had a few more encounters that evening where we could get the bulls talking but just couldn't get them to come into view. This is our first year hunting elk so I don't know if doing things right or not. I just try to take in all the advice I can and see if I can figure it out.
Sunday morning started out hot again with bulls bugling but once again I just couldn't seem to get them in sight. At lunch I made the executive decision (being the guide and all) that after we got one to talk we were going to in silent and see what happened. Around 4pm I hit the bugle and a response came from down in the valley a few minutes later. We gave him some time to see if we would voluntarily keep us clued in to his position but that didn't work. Around 430 I hit the bugle again and he answered again so headed down the mountain to see if we could find him. We walked a few hundred yards when Erin spotted the herd feeding in a field on the mountain directly across from us. I pulled up the binos and the first on I see is him. We were about 800 yards away at this point but I could tell he was a legal bull so off we went to try and cut the distance. We made our way down to about 175 directly across and tried to get her set up on the shooting stick. Somehow none of the elk spotted us moving as had got out in the open to try and get a shot. Well for about 15 he fed behind a tree while we adjusted our angle trying to get on him (prob not too smart I know). Eventually he came out and I thought we were ready. Turns out some one had gotten a case of the shakes so bad she couldn't even get the crosshairs on the bull much less make the shot. After a few unchoice words (from the guide) and almost some more tears from the I hunter I refocused myself into getting her to calm down and slowly squeeze the trigger. I'm not sure If the bull heard us making a scene over there or what but luckily for us he stood broadside with his head behind a tree and vitals exposed for about 15 mins. Mind you this was the last available shot we were going to get so if he had taken 1 or 2 more steps there would be nothing. So she gets calmed down and starts freaking out that her gun wont shoot well at some point her bolt had got knocked up a little bit and wasnt allowing her to shoot. I figure that out pretty quick and she is ready again. So in my new to the guide business mentality I think "hey I should watch thru my binos! Great Idea!" Needless to stay standing right next to a high powered rifle when it goes off is not too easy on the old ear drum. I get focused back on the bull and can see him hunched over. HIT! he takes a few steps forward behind some trees and I tell her to get ready to shoot again if he gives another chance. " I CAN'T I CAN'T!" is what I hear and my mind starts racing "what do you mean you can't" just about the time some more unchoice words were about to come out the bull takes a tumble and starts rolling down the mountain! And the celebration was on!! He broke off his back beam in the fall but we couldn't find it for the life of us. A little disappointing but an awesome bull none the less. We were a mile in from the truck and unfortunately the pack out was 90% uphill 9.5% flat and .5% downhill. And to that I say anyone who has ever packed out an elk on your back I shall give you much respect (almost to the point of being my hero) because that was probably the hardest thing I have ever done! It started snowing on our final trip out pretty hard which just made everything that much more beautiful! I hope I didn't ramble too much, just like always the excitement comes rushing back every time you tell the story! Thanks for listening!
Cliff
Sunday morning started out hot again with bulls bugling but once again I just couldn't seem to get them in sight. At lunch I made the executive decision (being the guide and all) that after we got one to talk we were going to in silent and see what happened. Around 4pm I hit the bugle and a response came from down in the valley a few minutes later. We gave him some time to see if we would voluntarily keep us clued in to his position but that didn't work. Around 430 I hit the bugle again and he answered again so headed down the mountain to see if we could find him. We walked a few hundred yards when Erin spotted the herd feeding in a field on the mountain directly across from us. I pulled up the binos and the first on I see is him. We were about 800 yards away at this point but I could tell he was a legal bull so off we went to try and cut the distance. We made our way down to about 175 directly across and tried to get her set up on the shooting stick. Somehow none of the elk spotted us moving as had got out in the open to try and get a shot. Well for about 15 he fed behind a tree while we adjusted our angle trying to get on him (prob not too smart I know). Eventually he came out and I thought we were ready. Turns out some one had gotten a case of the shakes so bad she couldn't even get the crosshairs on the bull much less make the shot. After a few unchoice words (from the guide) and almost some more tears from the I hunter I refocused myself into getting her to calm down and slowly squeeze the trigger. I'm not sure If the bull heard us making a scene over there or what but luckily for us he stood broadside with his head behind a tree and vitals exposed for about 15 mins. Mind you this was the last available shot we were going to get so if he had taken 1 or 2 more steps there would be nothing. So she gets calmed down and starts freaking out that her gun wont shoot well at some point her bolt had got knocked up a little bit and wasnt allowing her to shoot. I figure that out pretty quick and she is ready again. So in my new to the guide business mentality I think "hey I should watch thru my binos! Great Idea!" Needless to stay standing right next to a high powered rifle when it goes off is not too easy on the old ear drum. I get focused back on the bull and can see him hunched over. HIT! he takes a few steps forward behind some trees and I tell her to get ready to shoot again if he gives another chance. " I CAN'T I CAN'T!" is what I hear and my mind starts racing "what do you mean you can't" just about the time some more unchoice words were about to come out the bull takes a tumble and starts rolling down the mountain! And the celebration was on!! He broke off his back beam in the fall but we couldn't find it for the life of us. A little disappointing but an awesome bull none the less. We were a mile in from the truck and unfortunately the pack out was 90% uphill 9.5% flat and .5% downhill. And to that I say anyone who has ever packed out an elk on your back I shall give you much respect (almost to the point of being my hero) because that was probably the hardest thing I have ever done! It started snowing on our final trip out pretty hard which just made everything that much more beautiful! I hope I didn't ramble too much, just like always the excitement comes rushing back every time you tell the story! Thanks for listening!
Cliff
mdunc8
Well-known member
You're screwed. You just set the bar way too high. Good luck topping that next year. Congrats to the both of you.
JohnCushman
Well-known member
awesome story and awesome bull!!
BRNG 525
New member
Wow that a great bull! I have been fortunate enough to have ten bulls under my belt and none of them are as nice as that! Finding a wonman that loves to hunt and is actually willing to pull the trigger is awesome. She's a keeper!
Big luke1981
Member
Congrats to both, Beautiful bull. Thanks for the great pics and story..
zadvorney
Member
She shot a real nice one indeed. Good story.
Muley1
Member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2009
- Messages
- 128
What a great bull. Congrats to both of you!!
warmer
Well-known member
Excellent bull and great story! Time to promote her to asssistant guide.
Tanglefoot
New member
I'm surprised you could get a woman out hunting.... with un-matching camo. Congrats by the way. LOL
noharleyyet
Well-known member
A beautiful Colorado bull.
Mudranger1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2010
- Messages
- 2,857
Well Tangle she has been bugging me for 3 years to get her some womens pants, it might be time to get her some new stuff...I bought her that stuff off the clearance rack when we first started dating =)
Thanks everyone for the comments
Thanks everyone for the comments
Khunter
Well-known member
My wife has been wearing my microtex pants on her several hunts. Time for her to get some properly sized pants as well. Check out Prois clothes made for women? Thousand watt smile on your girlfriends face. Looks like she might be hooked. Better buy her what she wants.
http://www.proishunting.com/
Congrats to both of you on a great hunt. I had similar experiences with my wife when she was trying to shoot her first antelope and elk. There is nothing easy about pulling that trigger for the first time, or seeing the result. emotional, and unforgettable. She has yet to allow me take a grip and grin photo, but that is fine as long as we still get out together...
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Mudranger1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2010
- Messages
- 2,857
Khunter have you invested in the Prois clothing yet? just curious how it does in the field
drthornton
Member
Nice job Erin!
Khunter
Well-known member
Not yet. Gotta get the wife in to try it on at the local cabelas. She is not especailly enthused about wearing camo. I am just trying to make sure she has quality outdoor clothes for hunting and whatnot. And happy to get her the best we can find. Seems that sort of thing is often in camo--at least for the shirts and pants part of the get-up.
Besides, I sometimes get her out as a tag-a-long on my bowhunts for a few days so need her camo'd up for that.
