highmountian
New member
4th quarter time to hunt
Well, it is the fourth quarter and it is time to hunting. To my surprise that weekend the campers and hunters started to roll into the canyon I was in. So saterday there was a lot of pressure on all the easy spots. Elk were getting nervous and headed into the deep cover!
Opening morning found me up way before light and headed to a canyon I had not even scout!
After putting 500 miles on my truck, 100 on the 4 wheeler and around 50 on my legs, I had to go where my gutts told me. Way back away from the roads. It had been so hot from about thursday on that the bugling was tapering off. Plus the presssure from all the people hunting and or scouting!
I had walk in the dark for about an hour head to a spot I was pretty sure no one had been too. I had covered about 4 miles in when I came to a preety good looking canyon about light! It was to early to see my pins on my bow so I thought it was about time to bulge. I had one fire right back about 300 yards away!:hump: The game was on! after about an hours or so i got within 70 yards of a good 6x6. He had 4 coes and 2 calves with him. I tried to size him up and couldn't bring myself to shoot him. I guessed him to be 320. About the time I was going to let him walk I did not notice I had called in a cow to about 15 yards and she made there decision to get out of there!! It was fun to see them leave though. she barked for 30 minutes from across the canyon. What a great start to a week hunt.
As I walked farther in pushing a 5 mile mark, I started to remember that I was by myself and shouldn't be pushing my luck. What If I killed one back in there. I really would of had my work cut out. I bugled and to my luck had three sing back. Man I love that sound. As I worked my wy to the largest sound bull, I came face to face with another 6x6 bull. I had about 5 second to judge and pass! Again 290 to 300. With the big bull still screaming about 100 yards away in moved in! We were only about 25 yards apart before I pick his legs up in the thick cover! I got ready for him to try and get my wind. I saw something out of the corner of my eye so I looked over to see what it was and my mind must of played a trick on me. When I looked back where the bulls legs where I could see them moving towards me. I couldn't belive it when a cow stepped out at 10 yards and I was at full draw. I held it for as long is I could and had to let down. The cow just turned and walked away. I looked back and the legs of teh bull hadn't even moved. He was still right there about 25 yards away. I thought if I could move to my right I might have a shot that is herd bull. I was now starting to see bits and peices of his horns and he looked good! I was starting to say 320 plus when all hell broke loose and sh.t was running everywhere. I jumped to my right and cow called and stopped the bull at 30 yards. I had a shot but not great one, so I passed. I do think he was around 320. Up to this point It seened like I couldn't get over that 320 mark!
With elk running everwhere and the bull screaming trying to get his cow back, I just followed the herd. It was now about noon and they were headed to the higher ground. The temp was climbing too! I had found a pond on the map so I went to sit water for the afternoon. Man did that drive me crazy. I sat there all afternoon. I was board to tears. after 5 hours of nothing I heard a bull bulge in the distance. Then another, then another. About every 15 minutes 3 different bulls would sound off! I listened to this for a couple most hours thinking they would come to water. I couldn't take it any longer so off I went towards the bulges. I had an hour before dark and 5 mile hike out! I had to make something happen. They were bugling so some that I just walked in on them. one satelite was 6x6 at 300 and a little rag horn 5 point! As I tried to get closer to the herd bull, He got tired of all the bulls around him and as luck would have it he check out with his cows! They all took off running for lower ground. I do think it was the same bull from the close encounter 5 hours earlier! Day one was over!!! What a day!
Well, it is the fourth quarter and it is time to hunting. To my surprise that weekend the campers and hunters started to roll into the canyon I was in. So saterday there was a lot of pressure on all the easy spots. Elk were getting nervous and headed into the deep cover!
Opening morning found me up way before light and headed to a canyon I had not even scout!
After putting 500 miles on my truck, 100 on the 4 wheeler and around 50 on my legs, I had to go where my gutts told me. Way back away from the roads. It had been so hot from about thursday on that the bugling was tapering off. Plus the presssure from all the people hunting and or scouting! I had walk in the dark for about an hour head to a spot I was pretty sure no one had been too. I had covered about 4 miles in when I came to a preety good looking canyon about light! It was to early to see my pins on my bow so I thought it was about time to bulge. I had one fire right back about 300 yards away!:hump: The game was on! after about an hours or so i got within 70 yards of a good 6x6. He had 4 coes and 2 calves with him. I tried to size him up and couldn't bring myself to shoot him. I guessed him to be 320.
About the time I was going to let him walk I did not notice I had called in a cow to about 15 yards and she made there decision to get out of there!! It was fun to see them leave though. she barked for 30 minutes from across the canyon. What a great start to a week hunt.As I walked farther in pushing a 5 mile mark, I started to remember that I was by myself and shouldn't be pushing my luck. What If I killed one back in there. I really would of had my work cut out. I bugled and to my luck had three sing back.
Man I love that sound. As I worked my wy to the largest sound bull, I came face to face with another 6x6 bull. I had about 5 second to judge and pass! Again 290 to 300. With the big bull still screaming about 100 yards away in moved in! We were only about 25 yards apart before I pick his legs up in the thick cover! I got ready for him to try and get my wind. I saw something out of the corner of my eye so I looked over to see what it was and my mind must of played a trick on me. When I looked back where the bulls legs where I could see them moving towards me. I couldn't belive it when a cow stepped out at 10 yards and I was at full draw. I held it for as long is I could and had to let down. The cow just turned and walked away. I looked back and the legs of teh bull hadn't even moved. He was still right there about 25 yards away. I thought if I could move to my right I might have a shot that is herd bull. I was now starting to see bits and peices of his horns and he looked good! I was starting to say 320 plus when all hell broke loose and sh.t was running everywhere. I jumped to my right and cow called and stopped the bull at 30 yards. I had a shot but not great one, so I passed. I do think he was around 320. Up to this point It seened like I couldn't get over that 320 mark!With elk running everwhere and the bull screaming trying to get his cow back, I just followed the herd. It was now about noon and they were headed to the higher ground. The temp was climbing too! I had found a pond on the map so I went to sit water for the afternoon. Man did that drive me crazy. I sat there all afternoon. I was board to tears. after 5 hours of nothing I heard a bull bulge in the distance.
Then another, then another. About every 15 minutes 3 different bulls would sound off! I listened to this for a couple most hours thinking they would come to water. I couldn't take it any longer so off I went towards the bulges. I had an hour before dark and 5 mile hike out! I had to make something happen. They were bugling so some that I just walked in on them. one satelite was 6x6 at 300 and a little rag horn 5 point! As I tried to get closer to the herd bull, He got tired of all the bulls around him and as luck would have it he check out with his cows! They all took off running for lower ground. I do think it was the same bull from the close encounter 5 hours earlier! Day one was over!!! What a day!
