So we continue the chase for the bigger bull. He had moved his herd further down the mountain and we gave chase and literally dogged a dink bull and cows within 40-80 yards. Amazing how you can get away with movement, etc. once inside the inner "zone" of a herd. Whole different ball game for some reason in my opinion. we spent over an hour today within 40 yards of a lot of elk during this stalk into their bedding area.
We got spotted and hung up in the open with a nice 6 point that pegged us at 80 yards with 4 cows and had to wait that out. thiscisxwhere taking copius photos can pay off. My brother pondered whether this nice but not big 6 bull was in fact the same bull I had chased a day earlier and was my focus for today. In otherveords had zi misjudged him. out comes the camera andcwe compare to see thos bull is different and smaller. Anyhow, the herd slipped away and we stopped hearing bugles to point us to them.
We chilled, ate a snack and then decided to push into the next aspen pocket where we thought the herd bull and cows went.
Darned if we do not drop right onto the big guy with no cows we can see in the way...my brother spotted him him raking a tree at 75 yards. we were 60-80 higher elevation than hm and I needed to close the distance. I slip down there while my brother keeps him occupied. After some maneuvering and dodging several cows milling through feeding at CLOSE range and not accidentally shooting a dinker bull that stepped out at 32 yards, there he finally is for the taking at 43 yards broadside looking toward my brother off to the side. To me he is a great bull for the area and looks terrific with horns in full view. All I need is one more step for him to follow a cow and expose his vitals as I stand at full draw.....you know how this ends...more tomorrow f I can.