Majja
Member
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2016
- Messages
- 121
Well another hunt is in the books. I had some serious highs and lows this year, and also answered the big question of can you pass on a small bull for a bigger one. My answer was Yes this year, but we will see what happens next year.
Now to the high. On the second day of the hunt out in the evening we were moving into an area that my cousin had 3 bulls talking the week before when (he up in that area for a youth hunt). As we broke the tree line he saw some cows down below us, 267yds away according to my range finder so the 3 of us went prone on this little rise. We watched 7 Cow's and a couple of calves’ mill around, completely unaware of our presence. I think it also helped that we had a very nice bull moose on over watch about 30 yds. behind an off to the side of us. After about 10-12 minutes a small spike came be-bopping out. I watched him for a couple of more minutes with several great shot opportunities. I decided I would take him. I took a deep breath, got nice and solid on my gun, clicked it off safety and took up the trigger take up. Right at that second I quickly scanned my scope to make sure it was a good shot and I saw horns walking in. I immediately came off the trigger and started tracking this bigger bull, as he was rounding up one of the cows in particular. I followed him for a couple of minutes never getting a good look to shoot. He then moved out of sight for a brief second and back in crossed my shooting lane and stopped so all I could see was his hind quarter. After he stopped for just a second I heard a boom, and saw him drop in his tracks. One of my hunting partners had the shot and took it and got his first Bull. My cousin stands up and say Matt shoot the spike. The spike was still standing there and did not scatter like the cows did. All I had was a neck shot form my position so I stand up and the shot is no better. I go back to prone and think about it and then just pull up and said I am going to wait for a bigger one.
I loved just lying there watching them do their thing and not knowing we were there. That moose never left not when we shot not when we got up to walk down to the Elk it was kind of cool.
Now the low a few days later I missed a nice rag horn 5 broad side on my first shot and then took a follow up has it turned and hit him very poorly. we spent the entire day tracking and could not find him we walked well over 4 miles according to a rough estimate of my GPS I had forgot to clear the odometer that morning when I started my track. We managed to jump him in the thick timber twice but could not get another shot. Like a good hunter I punched my tag put my gun up and spent the rest of the hunt as the brush boy. We had a few other encounters but nothing that put meat on the table.
All in all, it was a fantastic hunt, I learned a lesson that I will never forget. But then any time I can spend in the mountains I am thankful for. Already looking to next year, I know I need to practice my off hand shooting and ranging over the next year as you do not always have time to go to the technology.
Now to the high. On the second day of the hunt out in the evening we were moving into an area that my cousin had 3 bulls talking the week before when (he up in that area for a youth hunt). As we broke the tree line he saw some cows down below us, 267yds away according to my range finder so the 3 of us went prone on this little rise. We watched 7 Cow's and a couple of calves’ mill around, completely unaware of our presence. I think it also helped that we had a very nice bull moose on over watch about 30 yds. behind an off to the side of us. After about 10-12 minutes a small spike came be-bopping out. I watched him for a couple of more minutes with several great shot opportunities. I decided I would take him. I took a deep breath, got nice and solid on my gun, clicked it off safety and took up the trigger take up. Right at that second I quickly scanned my scope to make sure it was a good shot and I saw horns walking in. I immediately came off the trigger and started tracking this bigger bull, as he was rounding up one of the cows in particular. I followed him for a couple of minutes never getting a good look to shoot. He then moved out of sight for a brief second and back in crossed my shooting lane and stopped so all I could see was his hind quarter. After he stopped for just a second I heard a boom, and saw him drop in his tracks. One of my hunting partners had the shot and took it and got his first Bull. My cousin stands up and say Matt shoot the spike. The spike was still standing there and did not scatter like the cows did. All I had was a neck shot form my position so I stand up and the shot is no better. I go back to prone and think about it and then just pull up and said I am going to wait for a bigger one.
I loved just lying there watching them do their thing and not knowing we were there. That moose never left not when we shot not when we got up to walk down to the Elk it was kind of cool.
Now the low a few days later I missed a nice rag horn 5 broad side on my first shot and then took a follow up has it turned and hit him very poorly. we spent the entire day tracking and could not find him we walked well over 4 miles according to a rough estimate of my GPS I had forgot to clear the odometer that morning when I started my track. We managed to jump him in the thick timber twice but could not get another shot. Like a good hunter I punched my tag put my gun up and spent the rest of the hunt as the brush boy. We had a few other encounters but nothing that put meat on the table.
All in all, it was a fantastic hunt, I learned a lesson that I will never forget. But then any time I can spend in the mountains I am thankful for. Already looking to next year, I know I need to practice my off hand shooting and ranging over the next year as you do not always have time to go to the technology.
