2014 bull 5X5

[twinkieman]

The morning of the 19th, found me high up in a basin I had located elk in 2 days prior. I sat and listened in the dark and was greeted with3 different bulls bugling. I moved into position, even with a bull that was clearly warning other bulls to stay away. As the dark, gave way to light, I was able to see this bull with 9 cows on an open slope. Another bull began challenging this bull, and within 10 minutes I was also able to see him, and his herd of 10 cows. the two bulls approached each other, screaming, grunting, and several lipbawls, by bull #2. Bull #1 got between his cows and bull #2, who advanced on bull #1. Both were about the same size, antler wise, then CRASH, the fight was on. They really went at it for several minutes, when it ended with bull #1 chasing bull#2 several hundred yds. down into this drainage. Bull #1 came back up the slope puhing 10 more cows for his harem. Now there are 20 elk I could see slowly feeding uphill, and over into a small ravine. I immediately moved into about 60 yds, behind the crest of th rise, where bull #1 was chuckling now. I got 5 yds from the crest, downwind of the bull, setup, nocked an arrow, and gave a lipbawl bugle. I then quickly moved about 10 yds. to my left. He responded with a scream, followed by the sound of hoofs running up the hill to me. Antlers appeared, I drew my bow, and then the bull stopped, turned to his right, and screamed, and immediately began running uphill and away. I though WTH? I ran up to the crest and saw a 5 point bull pushing a cow away from the herd. Bull #1 screamed again, the 5 point stopped to look back, the cow looped away from him a began returning in the direction of the herd. Bull #1 began pushing all of the cows up and away up into heavy timber. This encounter with this herd bull was now over. I was pretty pissed off at the 5 point, and thought to myself, if I can call you in, you are going to die! I gave a couple of soft mews, and saw the 5 point cross through some trees in my direction. I repositioned down in a small draw, called softly a few times. This bull chuckled softly, I then called again and moved, and waited. A couple of minutes later, he appeared. I drew when he went behind a tree, he steeped out at 18 yds and stopped, giving me a frontal shot. As I shot he turned, and my arrow hit him quartering away, buried all the way to the fletching. He wheeled and ran downhill 30 yds., me cow calling the entire time. He stopped, stood there for a minute or so, no chance for a follow up shot. I sat back down as he moved off, and waited 2 hours. The time was 8:22 am. At 10:22 I moved down where I saw him last standing, and started looking for blood in the wet pine needles. I found blood, followed his tracks with my eyes up the opposite slope from me, and there he was 30 yds., away laying there watching me. He got up and began walking away, no shot . Now to shorten this up, I tracked this bull from about 10:35, until 2:10 pm, with little blood, more by his tracks. I tracked him finally onto a rock point to the end where it ended in a sheer cliff on 3 sides with a 200 ft drop. I was 20 yds above him, when once again we made eye contact. He got up walking to the end of the cliff, and stopped. I realized he had no where to go. I moved around and behind him, ranged him at 26 yds., and put a second arrow into his heart. At 2:15, he was Very fortunately for me he moved back into the cleft he was bedded in when he died. I boned him out, put the meat in a cool place, and returned with my mules and Heartwood the following day. It was by far the best tracking job I have ever done, I just would not quit, and this made it extremely satisfying for me.

[Fridaythe13th]

Great story, nice bull. You must be part blood hound

[ElkNut1]

Very good story Marc, glad it all worked out for the good, great job & congrats!

ElkNut1

[Rizzy]

What great hunt! That tracking job must be just as gratifying as harvesting a nice 5 point.

[twinkieman]

If it hadn't rained the previous day, I would have been screwed. It was an accumulation of knowledge I have gained from others over the years. Yes, the tracking was as exciting as the calling, and shooting.

[LckyTylr]

That's awesome! Sounds like you were pushing all of the right buttons when you first encountered those elk. Way to be persistent in tracking job.

[Indian Summer]

A really good job following up after that first shot. Congratulations on a nice bull!