Nuther Shiras eats dirt...

[Horn Seeker]

Errr...actually, the thing ate water as he fell in pretty much a bog... But hey, you wont here me complaining.

I spent about 11 total on this hunt. I'd like to have scouted more this summer, but it was not to be. Turned out, it worked out OK...

I had my dad and some good friends along for the hunt and its a memorable one. Several bulls, including a near keeper or two were from 7-30 yards with my longbow in hand... passed up 24 bulls total before shooting this guy...but it was not a tough decision to pull the trigger on him. I actually did have my longbow in hand and gun over my back, but when 3 cows and another bull ended up between us, I couldn't take the pressure anymore and hucked the longbow into the bushes and put him down with my 06.

Actually, it felt good to use the rifle, as I've killed a bunch of stuff with it. I think if I ever draw a sheep tag, I'll just take the rifle and get it done.... THEN... I'll start trying to kill chit with the bow! ;0)

Anyhow, this was the first "respectable" bull I got a chance at. I stalked up to him with my camera to about 30 yards...

And me at 30 yards from him...

This was another bull that I actually was going to shoot... with my longbow, but at the last second he winded me and bailed. Lucky for me... It would have been cool to put an arrow through one with a bow I built, but hey... it wasn't meant to be!!

So, on Monday morning I let these guys walk too. They were not big bulls, but still... they caught my eye...

This one is so far off you really cant see anything, but with the spotter, he was about 40 wide and maybe a 7 point with narrow paddles and single eyeguards...

This was the first bull I saw on the trip...actually Tuesday before opener... (just to post another pic)

 

[Horn Seeker]

So, Monday night, after 5 days of hunting and about 5 days of scouting, I located the one I knew fit the bill. He was about 700 yards off and a quick look through the spotter pretty much told me what i needed to know. I slung my rifle over my back and grabbed my longbow and took off through the willows.
He was on the other side of them and was working east up the canyon, with the wind. I was going to get in front of him, on the edge of the willows, and maybe get a shot with the longbow. I could tell he was over 45 inches and had lots of points... and had lots of paddle and nice split brows!

Well, I was about 200 yards from him when I stepped into an opening in the willows and was on top of 3 cows and a small bull. One cow jumped up and stared at me for a bit, then I backed off. They were between the big guy and me..and there was no way I was going to miss a chance at him trying to force the longbow issue. If these guys spooked and he ran off with them he could enter a sea of willows where I may never see him again.

So, I moved around this little opening in the brush, mostly in plain sight of these other mooses... and they started to work away from me, but sorta towards the big bull too. I couldn't see him yet, there was a pretty good willow line that he was on the other side of.

Eventually, I caught a flash of white and located him. The cows had joined him and he was basically performing some seriously carnal activities right in front of me... a lesser man may have blushed! Hell, maybe I was blushing. While he was distracted, I closed the gap to about 90 yards and got a good rest while holding onto a handfull of willows. It took a little maneuvering... as it seemed there was always a willow branch line up with my barrel/scope.

In the end, he got clear of a cow and I whapped him in the lungs. He stood there, stock still... so I whapped him again and he still didn't move. I pulled over to his shoulder and whapped him and this time he hit the ground.

It was fun approaching him. He actually grew, like my elk last year, the closer I got...and he still seems to grow a tiny bit each time I go look at him or pick another piece of boiled meat off his skull...

First Pic I took...

Closer...

And a little closer...

Got him...

Me and Dad..

Comin out...

Back at Camp...

 

[Horn Seeker]

Oops, back at camp...

 

[Horn Seeker]

And Another that shows his mass up front...

Dad with him...

 

[Big Fin]

Great bull. Congrats on a great trophy. Appears you put a lot of time into this hunt.

 

[Mato]

Now this is some cool stuff!

 

[TheTone]

Very cool and really good shiras, congrats!

 

[----]

Wow, great bull. Congrats Ernie.
It blows my mind that that unit has as many tags as it does, and still puts out bulls like these.

 

[Horn Seeker]

It just has a lot of good moose habitat... period... although, I dont think I said anything about which unit it was???

Anyhow, I would have love to put more time into the hunt, but the time came! Now I'm cursing him cause I hate picking at the back of the skull where all that connective tissue hangs on... and...I could NOT get the top of his skull in the boiler... not without submersing 40 inches of fricken rack...so I am scraping that chit off with a chisel?? What else can I do???

 

[hardscrabble]

What a great bull, Congrats!

 

[Oak]

That's a good looking bull. Congrats! You might try the car wash for the back of the skull. Will take some time since you haven't boiled it, but it might loosen things up.

 

[thecrittergitter]

Nice bull Ernie!! It is a dandy!!

Anyway, don't tell everybody about those moose in the north east corner of the state, want to keep draw odds up

 

[MHMT]

I dont think I said anything about which unit it was???

You gotta watch the background in your photos.

 

[----]

It just has a lot of good moose habitat... period... although, I dont think I said anything about which unit it was???

Don't know if you did or not, but I've spent a lot of time in an area with tons of open sage and willow covered creeks that are in front a of a small mountain range awful similar to the one in the background of your pictures...

No worries. Anyone that doesn't know about the unit hasn't done much for moose research in Montana.

 

[MHMT]

But, awesome bull and congrats!

 

[Gerald Martin]

Ernie,

A big congrats are in order! That's a great bull! I'm glad you had a good hunt and connected with the bull you wanted. Now I'm really kicking myself for not stopping in and at least checking to see if you were in camp when I went past. Maybe on another hunt!
The bulls I told you about were of the caliber of the one's you passed up. Glad to see you found a good one.

 

[kansasdad]

cause I hate picking at the back of the skull where all that connective tissue hangs on... and...I could NOT get the top of his skull in the boiler... not without submersing 40 inches of fricken rack...so I am scraping that chit off with a chisel?? What else can I do???

Beetles 'R Us!!

 

[The Hedgehog]

Congrats Ernie! Awesome bullwinkle.

 

[sweetnectar]

I'm impressed too. That is a dandy.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Awesome bull, that caped out skull looks mean and massive, congrats.