My First Elk

NW_Hunter

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Joined
Sep 2, 2014
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51
Location
Lebanon, Oregon
This past weekend my dad and I went elk hunting in Eastern Oregon. I had a youth cow tag for the unit and my dad had a general season bow tag. We left Wednesday around 3 pm and got to elk camp around 8:30 pm. We setup camp in the dark and then got our packs ready and went to bed dreaming of elk.

We woke up the next day and ate some breakfast then headed out from camp to the closest butte. We got to the top of the butte and started glassing the basin below. We didn't spot any elk so we did some calling and didn't get one response. So we decided to move and do some more calling off of the back side of this butte into this little canyon. We got a response from a big bull right away just a few hundred yards away. So we decided to get closer and try to draw the bull out. We kept bugling and cow calling and he kept responding with a deep raspy bugle but wouldn't budge and come to us. So we kept getting closer and closer to him. We were about a hundred yards away and saw a few cows and a couple other smaller bulls. My dad (being the great father he is) told me to shoot the cow to get my first elk kill because he would rather see me get my first elk kill than for him to go after a trophy bull. I thought he was crazy when he told me to setup and shoot the cow. I wanted him to go in after the bull. But he wanted me to get my first elk rather then him to kill a trophy bull. So I got setup and chose the biggest cow and shot her and she only went about five yards and fell over and died. As soon as i saw her drop i was overfilled with joy and excitement. We waited a few minutes to go look at her. While we were waiting the scenario kept playing over and over in my head of what i just did. I was so happy i couldn't sit still. About 15 minutes later of just staring at her dead from a distance we went to go check her out. We took some pictures, thanked God for the opportunity he gave us that day and then started cutting her up. We started skinning and cutting here right at 10am and had her packed out and back to camp by 3pm. My brother, sister and brother-in-law came up and hunted with us the last couple days. We ended up only seeing a few more bulls and couldn't get any shots off. It was definitely the coolest experience I have ever had. I would like to thank my dad for taking me hunting and raising me to love and respect the outdoors. I would like to thank him for letting me shoot when he could of shot a trophy bull. I would like to thank him for getting me hooked on elk hunting for the rest of my life. Hope you all have great success this year and stay safe. God Bless!

-Adam
 

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That is a cool story. Congrats to you and to your father for providing such a great example.
 
Sounds like you have a great example in a dad. Cool pics, someday I'd love to bring my boys hunting out in the west. Looks like you made a good shot congrats on the elk.
 
Great story and photos! You dad just showed you that sometimes there are more important things than killing a big bull! No doubt he is an outstanding father and putting his son first is important to him!
Keep listening to him, and keep giving God thanks, and you'll do just fine! Congratulations on a fine cow! Nice shot!
 
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Congratulations on the first of many many more. Sometimes great hunting adventures include taking home food, sometimes they don't. I hope for all your hunting life you enjoy all the varied moments of the hunt.
 
Great story and beautiful pictures. Sounds like your hooked and that you have a great Dad.
 
A great example of what hunting should really be about!!! Cool pics too; thanks for sharing and congrats!!! Kevin.
 
That's a great gift your dad gave you. Congrats on a fine cow. These things go full circle in life. May you someday be able to do the same for him.
 
Great story and photos! You dad just showed you that sometimes there are more important things than killing a big bull! No doubt he is an outstanding father and putting his son first is important to him!
Keep listening to him, and keep giving God thanks, and you'll do just fine! Congratulations on a fine cow! Nice shot!

Yes, this ^^^^
 
Thanks for sharing, cool story for sure. Good work young man and great job Dad for not letting the lure of a big bull cloud your judgment.
 
Congratulations!

I gotta ask, what is up with that cow's lips/snout? Is that some sort of albino thing or is that just frothy blood?
 

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