A quick story on how I killed my bull…
It was Thursday, September 27th. Mike and I left Boise around 2pm and arrived at our destination around 5:30pm. We unhooked the trailer, leveled it, changed into our hunting gear and hit the road. The radio was on 670am and Paul J. was broadcasting the BSU vs. So Miss game. We were heading up to a basin where Mike had been into several bulls in the past. The area we were heading into had been closed due to fires since early September and just barely re-opened this week.
Roughly 30 minutes later, Mike was telling me about a 4x4 bull he saw in the road several years ago. As if on queue, I looked to my left and saw a spike and a cow. We kept driving until we were out of site and around the corner. I had already passed up 3 spikes earlier in the year but since this was the last weekend, anything with horns was in trouble. I dropped down below Mike as he began cow calling. It didn't take long before I saw the two elk. They were interested in what Mike was saying but had no intentions to come up and check us out. I kept sneaking towards them until I got busted at 62 yards. The bull was broadside but I didn't want to risk the far shot so I spike squealed with my reed to confuse the young bull. It worked! He stood there while I closed the distance to 51 yards. He was now in range but facing towards me. I was ready to shoot when he turned but he spooked. I cow called and he stopped. This sequence went on and on several times until I was about 300 yards from truck.
I decided that I didn't really want to shoot the spike so I turned around and headed back to the road. When I arrived, I cow called twice to Mike indicating that the gig was up. Mike answered with two cow calls and so did a bull down below! Mike bulged back at him, the bull responded. Another bugle from Mike and the bull responded immediately, this time closer. I dropped off the road and wanted to discuss a game plan with Mike but the bull didn't give us time. I looked down the ridge and saw this 5x5 coming on a dead run right towards us. I motioned to Mike to run up above me. He understood by my excitement that the bull was coming fast!
Panic started to hit me. The bull was running right at me. Should I range him? When should I draw? Is he going to go left? Right? Then Mike cow called. The bull stopped straight away at 18 yards. His biggest mistake was looking back at how far he had come as I drew my bow. He turned back towards me, saw my movement and I let my Easton Axis, Shuttle-T fly. My arrow had perfect placement penetrating up to the fletchings, through the base of his neck and into the spine. It immediately paralyzed the bull as he fell over backwards. Actually, he rolled a few times but didn't go much farther than 20-30 yards. I looked over at Mike and we were both in disbelief. Not only had we killed the "perfect bull" but he died 80 yards from the road! I know it's not sportsman like but we parked the truck on the road above where the bull died and cranked the BSU game up on the radio. How can you beat listening to an ass kicking game while quartering an archery killed bull elk? He died around 6:30 and we had him in the truck by 8:12.
I can't say enough about how awesome it is hunting with a good partner. Mike took the time off work to help me fill my tag. He called the bull into 18 yards, caused the bull to stop for a perfect spot, helped me pack it out and then helped me butcher it at his parents house the following day. I couldn't ask for a better elk hunting partner!
Not very often do the stars align and an opportunity like this presents itself where you can kill a bull elk with a bow next to the road. This is the first time I've ever seen an elk from the truck, stopped and hunted it with success. I guess this is my reward for the miles I spent on the treadmill this summer and 18 days in the field chasing my obsession. Either way, my freezer is full and my experience was priceless!
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