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What hooked you…….

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What hooked you…….

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 01 22, 2022 •  [Post 1]

on elk hunting? That simple, give us an event, point in time, or bit of personal history or “ah hah” moment that confirmed your life long elk addiction had began :D
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Re: What hooked you…….

Postby Lefty » 01 22, 2022 •  [Post 2]

I was hunting about anything with a season. I hunted elk, Killed a couple bulls and a cow but never considered myself an elk hunter.
My back was giving me some painful problems and and side hills were a no-no
On my daughters antelope hunt I spotted two easy bulls.
We ran to town to buy bow and arrows and an elk tag.

" OH the archery seasons over!" :oops:

My buddy Dave had archery hunted a few times and brought his bow over. I drew , and fired a few times , Dave complimented me on my shooting abilities.

Next thing I see my wife handing Dave $500 for Daves bow for me.

Cool! I guess Im archery hunting,, in September ,, My shoulder was messed up too so I limited my target shooting

I sat on the side lines of Archery talk. Fall was coming. I set up a box blind over a water tank.
The second morning I see 50 elk pile ove a lava riff, that night I hear a bull bugling.. My first bugles. I see two bulls in the distance Not knowing any better just like in the morning I stayed in the blind :lol: I waited, It got dark the elk never showed.

I race out to the blind, park down wind 600 yard behind a lava riff.

Sitting in the blind the elk are running towards me4 cows 4 calves, and a 6x6. I reach for my bow,,, the bull hits his brakes, gravel and dirt pile up hitting my blind. The bull runs wide. Th ecows and calves are drinking, bouncing around, They seemed to all take turns scratching an itch on my box blind, real close to my face. Kicking up duct, slurping up water, the air is filled with bugs and dust
Then it happened, Just as I had seen in my mind maybe thousands of times. The bull , a 6x6, is glunking ( I didnt know what it was doing) walks slowly, Tips his head way back,, smacking his lips, flicking his tongue.

"This is bigger than any bull my FIL has shot "

I draw
Im steady
I put my 22 yard pin just below where the G-4 is covering the top of the bulls heart
This very loud "wack" I saw the green and black zebra stripped arrow,,,, or did I ?
the bull elk spins a wild circle, Runs to the side of the blind 30 yards and stands, and stands

In my mind I m saying,,, tip over,,, ,then come on, tip over," Then questioning why arent you tipping over? 8 minutes that bull stared at the blind. I glassed and ranged the bull through my peep hole The cows and calves still kicking up dust and dancing around.

The bull walks behind the blind( down wind) and stands and stares for 10 more minutes and eventfully wanders off. Shortly the cows follow the bull.

Im all shook up,, I did see that arrow, The arrow had hit the crotch of the main beam and G-4. I had used my 22 yard pin on a bull on the wrong trail at just over 11 yards

I stayed in the blind Its dark . I hear elk running back. And some bugling and mewing It is so dark I cant see the elk . I could see darker spots just feet away. Im enjoying their presents.
Leaning back an elk was sniffing the blind. A nose comes through the peep hole.

Sniffles and a snort!
And elk snot on the side of my face!

Wham the bull smacks the blind box. An incredible encounter.

Two weeks later: I make it back to camp, No moon. Well camp was my wifes car and a small tent. Its warm, Im hot I peel off my clothes and I hear mewing,, and more mewing.
I sit in my chair,.. Then there are bugles, and more bugles , more mews
Sitting in my underwear, a gentle breeze, stars twinkling. almost a cooling breeze, listening to elk talk,, I guess in some ways a spiritual moment too
I fell asleep.

That evening , in the heat and dark,,,listening that was it

This is the place,,, the following day
2011-09-01 04.JPG
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Re: What hooked you…….

Postby saddlesore » 01 22, 2022 •  [Post 3]

I shot my first bull in1965.We killed three bulls in 15 minutes right at day break.We got back to camp at 10:30 that night.I have been going at it since. Last year might have been my last at 78. I will have to see how I come out of this winter. If not it was a heck of 56 year ride.
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Re: What hooked you…….

Postby Swede » 01 22, 2022 •  [Post 4]

I don't know. It seems I have just liked big game hunting, including elk hunting, since I was a kid. I have never been a bird hunter or small game hunter. Dad got me started big game hunting and I just kept going even after I left home at age 17.
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Re: What hooked you…….

Postby Jhg » 01 22, 2022 •  [Post 5]

I had jacked around hunting elk a little bit and at least had learned to read about hunting them.
While in camp one night, a 3/4 ton pickup with a topper for shelter, I heard a bull bugle nearby several times. I now know it was a round up bugle and the elk where headed past camp for a bottom nearby to feed.

Anyway, I hunted them the next morning but with no plan or any idea what to do. I ended up on a long narrow bench meadow next to a creek more by chance and by taking the easy path of giving up elevation, than by any elk hunting prowess.
Gosh,I thought to myself, this place looks like in those films on TV where a big bull elk steps out. I was leaning back against a huge old ponderosa pine eating a sandwich. It was a beautiful day.

I took another bite and was chewing away when a bull bugled up creek from me. I jumped up, stuffed my pack and stalked along the creek toward where the bugle came from. And there he was all blonde and majestic! I watched him rake a tree to death, chased him and his gals across the creek, getting my boots overtopped and real wet in the process.
Then He caught me in the open and we had a 5 minute standoff my legs killing me as I stood at a weird position motionless while watching him destroy another tree.
I then found out how fast elk can walk and how fast they climb hillsides. I had read somewhere a bull elk will stand up from bedding and bugle mid afternoon. Sure enough, right at 2:30, he bugled and I was able to re-locate the group.
Later, I sat on a sunny slope and dried out my boots and socks.
All I could think was how great it was, how much enjoyment the day had brought already, being out in the elk woods, and getting bested by some elk.

I was hooked for life.

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