I'm alot more comfortable on the back of a horse than trying to type...
This was a limted draw hunt,i killed him on 10/24, As you can see from the first pic ,I travel light and fast,Spike tent ,wood stove ,canned camp fare. I chased two different Bulls for 8 1/2 days.I moved my spike camp probably a total of 4 miles.
I was packed in about 12 miles, a buddy was with me for part of the hunt. Weather in Idaho in Oct was fantastic,early snow, then mild temps. I do a lot of riding in this area hauling in bear bait in the spring and pleasure ridin all summer. I had to really work hard thanks to the wolves and the elk being pushed around alot.
I really liked this Bull,I glassed him several times,But he hung with over 100 head in his herd,which made him tough to hunt.I blew him out of the area more than once. He hangs at the base of a really tough mtn,the wind is always in his favor and a ton of eyes watch everything.I found a way to ride my horse around the back side and came in at a angle, I hiked another mile andI beat the herd to their bedding area by about 200yrds. Cows everywhere, six different bulls bugling ,one big old five point was just throwin a fit, obviousluy my bull had kicked his heiny and he was a poutin!!
I tucked in under two eight foot pine trees and had elk feeding or bedded at 40 yrds.I figured the gig was up and they would wind me and blow out again,I never could see or hear the herd bull for over a hour.Then I heard a growl and knew it was him.I peaked between the branches of my hideout and there he was at 50 yrds.. Wow , I snaked my old 06 between the branches and let him have it.The whole place blew up.He stayed with the herd for about 200yrds then offered a second shot ,I punched him again on a dead run and dumped him by the big rock .A second shot wasn't needed he was dead on his feet. I have learned one thing, I am getting to dang old to handle these big old boys by myself. The butchering was tough ,I could not even roll him over with a rope and my horse.The packing out was real easy thanks to my excellent mtn horses. He was a pretty old bull and real heavy, goin on the wall of course..
