PEAX Equipment

Utah, Beaver East early rifle elk.

Trying to post some videos. We will see if my technically challenged self can pull it off. This was a scouting day with a satellite bull I just couldn't resist.
 
I'll try to start the story in bits.
A little back story on this hunt.
Earlier this spring, my brother (The tagholder) who is 54 and in excellent shape was fishing in Florida when he started noticing his vision was blurred. Blaming it on the bright sunlight he continued the trip. Upon returning home with no improvement he went to see the doc.
To the shorten the story. A few weeks later the doctors were able to open his carotid artery which was blocked due to an injury early in life. The doc told him it was a miracle that it was noticed and that a major stroke would been likely.
Fast forward to Sept.
We arrived in Camp on Monday evening with 4 scouting days before the opener. Bulls were bugling as we set up camp.
Tuesday morning, was for me, the first step into solitude away from a summer of emails, phone, stress, It did not disappoint.
The next 4 days were an elk hunters paradise. While trying to leave the big boys alone. I got pretty close to few satellite bulls. I'll try to upload a few videos.
By Thursday it became pretty clear that a bull we called Mac was our target.
 
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Back at it.
Thursday and Friday we pretty much camped out on Mac. With no real assessment all we knew was that he was in the very big category. He loved dark timber and normally was away from the herd. But his growling was hard to mistake.
On to Friday evening The guys found a (400"r or by bedtime he was at least 380") in the burn 2 miles in with 20 cows and a dozen Bulls. Mac was on back burner for the opener.
 
Opening morning Big brother and I left the truck with 2 hrs of dark to maneuver in. We found a ridge with a rock pile 200yd from last location.
Ever notice how stuff looks easier on ONX. We left the trail and our good sense to begin the climb. The alder thicket should have turned us around but no we were determined.
Anyway after rock climbing in the dark awhile we got to the top to discover the wrong rock pile. The right one was a mere 200yds away across bad things. All this time it was very obvious that the herd had stayed put over night. This added to the adrenaline and sweat. Backtracking we were finally able to climb our rock pile.
The first bull we laid eyes on was a beautiful 340" 7pt. We are neither one great trophy hunters so there was this tense conversation that went something like.
Wait," let me get the spotter on him,
I hear round chambered,
I don't think you want him" He's 340 maybe 350.
I'm on him I can kill him easy"
I don't think you want him.
"Silence".
You sure.
It's your tag.
Finally bull walked away.
 
To continue.
A bit later in the morning we found the Bull from the night before. He wasn't quite the 400" bull but still an incredible bull for us. He was a straight clean 7pt. Our opportunity was 540 yds steep up hill. That's a bit of a stretch for us even on level. Big brother opted not to shoot.
We stayed in all day. Bulls bugled all day pretty much non stop. Walked out in the dark tag intact.
We hung in camp on Sunday told old stories played corn hole and ate good. Went driving Sunday evening and found Mac with cows. Gun was in camp, kinda glad it was. Bulls like that don't need to die without a chase.
Monday morning we went after Mac.
Hiking in the dark trying to find him proved to be a challenge. Apparently a cow or cows were in heat which made it sound like Jurassic park.
We chased the herd trying to get eyes on him. There were at least 3 big sounding bulls. About the 3rd ridge over My gasping brother yelled hey. I looked back and he held a perfect arrow head. He grinned and said. "We're gonna kill this bull".
 
Just as we caught up with the herd in the dark timber a couple satellite bulls came around and decided to camp on us. We finally got clear of them with minimal spookage.
As we caught the herd again one of the big bulls swung around in the dark timber and we had a tense "shoot no don't now can't" moment at 50 yds. He was a wide 6pt but not Mac. The obvious boss was 100 yds below us in the dark timber. The herd kinda spooked at that point and went up over a high ridge.
We stood there a bit dejected as the bugles got further away.
As we stood there the Third big bull that had been above the herd and us started down the ridge to follow. The problem for him was us between him and the herd.
We went from Ho Hum to red line in about 2 seconds. As I caught a glimpse of his tails at 100 yds The conversation was. "I think you want to shoot this bull Yes kill him when you can". So at 70 yds the hunt was over. The culmination of all those long range shots on the farm paid off.
He isn't Mac but that's ok.
As we met at the truck a few hours later our soft spoken mentor of many years met us there. Was it Mac? he asked. No.
He was quiet for a moment then said. "I'm kinda glad Mac's still going". I thought about the trails he's quietly walked, the many chess matches he's played to checkmate with smart old bulls. I think I agree.
 
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