The Mike Elk!!!

William Christy

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 19, 2000
Messages
11,544
Location
Montana
So.. I have this buddy who has missed more really big bulls in the last five years than most guys will ever see in a lifetime of hunting. He's thinking he is cursed ... that was until earlier this week.

Anyhow, here is the result of a deadly combination of persistence, wanting to hunt the ugliest places on earth in November, a pair of lucky underwear, and a girlfriend that insisted that his efforts would soon result in an elk so giant that it would be known by many as the MIKE ELK.

This bull was taken under seriously challenging hunting conditions... a light snow year, bulls hiding at higher elevations than normal, while protected by the noisy, crusted snow. We started on foot at around 3AM looking for elk tracks in what we thought would be a nice snowy day. At daylight, the nice snow turned into freezing rain. We covered numerous drainages, with no sign of elk until late in the afternoon when we spotted tracks in the distance. We stopped for a while to make a game plan and build a fire to dry off. We decided to circle downwind of the tracks and find where they headed, and possibly wait for the elk to return into this opening to feed at dark. Hours later, when we reached the ridgetop, we found the the tracks led higher up the mountain. Being that we had the wind in our favor (and we are two impatient SOBs) we decided to follow them into the timber. While breaking into a small clearing, I noticed Mike (ahead of me) looking through his rifle scope. I knew something was up. We both agreed that in a place like this, an elk would have to be seriously huge to even consider shooting one. I heard him shoot and the sound of a solid hit. He quickly shot several more times, each followed up with a solid thud. I walked up behind him as he was reloading and asked, "Is it a big one?" He said, "Yeah, he's huge, 350+." I could see the elk's body through the trees, but not its antlers. The bull walked into the tress and crumpled. We were shocked when we walked up on this guy, probably one of the very largest bulls ever taken from this part of Montana.

It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Well, that's only sorta true. ;)

That was 4PM, we made it out to the truck at around 2:30AM with the first load. Four days later, all the meat was out of the hills. I do know one thing.. Carrying big loads of elk out of hell is a whole lot more enjoyable when you killed it yourself.

The Weekend Warrior really earned this one!

CONGRATS MAN!!

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<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 11-30-2002 23:32: Message edited by: Greenhorn ]</font>
 
Wow!!! Awesome!!

Congrats on a huge bull, WW! So who's going to start the "How much does WW's bull score" post?

Oak
 
Wow, great bull !
Man you guys got the stink !
Tell me something, if one of you saw a really big bull standing beside a road, would you still shoot it ?
W.W. their going to be telling stories about that one for many years...congratulations
( is that the one that was running with Moosie bull ?)
 
Awesome trophy....cant really find the right adjectives to describe it.Congrats to you both on the bull of a lifetime.Looks to me like the work began after the smoke cleared for sure. ;) Greenhorn,do ya have any lucky longjohns for sale? :D
 
Tell me something...outta all the members that hunted elk in MT this year, were there any small critters to be killed? You boys are studs!!! Congrats to all you guys...Jim
 
That is truly an awesome bull!

Man you guys are so fortunate to live where you do and have the opportunity to kill such awesome animals.

CONGRATS WW ;)
 
Jminy Crickets!!! Congrats to a beauty!! This was definitely a year to remember for the MT bunch and guests. I suggest a compilation of stories and pictures be sent to some mags soon. Show those high and mighty writers how its REALLY done. Again congrats to all involved.

Sure looks like fun packing out of that place!!! ;)
 
HOOOLY chit... Thats the first I've heard of this bull !!!!!


Congrats Mike !!! That's what it's ALL about right there, Nothing like having a bull that scores a little over 300 *SMILE*!! Or is that... a little under 400 :D :D

Schmalts, Thats not my gay bulls partner, Do you think I'd pass up a bull like that to shoot the one I did ?!?!? :cool:

KUDOS to THE MIKE ELK !!!!

HEY MIKE, is that the Blood trail in the 4th picture with you and Kurt holding hands, that you had to follow, I'm guessing it was a tough one to follow by the looks of it !!! ;)

I'm guessing it was the BROWN hat with resivoir tip !!! It has to be lucky !!! HELL, I'll start the bidding at $40. A combination of that lucky condom hat and Greenhorns undies ... A guy wouldn't even have to leave the house to shoot a big one .. Hehehehe
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Schmalts, Thats not my gay bulls partner, Do you think I'd pass up a bull like that to shoot the one I did ?!?!? :cool:

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, but with those pants you wear you may have been looking at their asses and never got to compare the racks!
Just kidding, Actually, just wondered because sometimes the big one never presents the shot. It would have been cool to know that it was the same elk, and he found it and all...but its cool he got that one anyway!
:D :D
 
Jesus that is serious serious timber right there, a friggin monster,I can see why Oscars drives thousands of miles to hunt with you guys
 
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