Big Bull Down!

[WapitiTalk1]

The response came quick, and it came LOUD! We had closed the gap on the obvious herd bull by skirting the dense alder field, dropping on the north side of the finger ridge into a gully, which my partner and I borderline ran down to get within what I thought would be 60 to 70 yards from the beast. I set my partner up next to a couple of small sub-alpine firs and I quickly got into position on the other side of the small draw at a 45 degree angle behind and to the right of him. What happened next could have been right out of Elknut’s playbook. Oh yeah, I took the “threat” to the bull as loud and as aggressive as I could muster. The poor cow I impersonated was really in a bad state of affairs, obviously, being hooked hard away from her group…I immediately followed the distressed cow rant with an aggressive scream and short series of beckoning chuckles. I hadn’t finished crashing the dead pine limb against the alder I was set up by before something very large and very pissed off over that small ridge came completely unglued……. The response came quick, and it came LOUD! To this point we hadn’t seen the bull we were pursuing although by the thumping grunts we heard from up on the pack trail, he was a horse. He bugled and grunted as he came over the ridge at an angle from Larry and straight at me! The rack was all we both saw for what seemed like several seconds as the 7X7 strode over the small finger ridge. I drew back as soon as the rack started to appear, ready to throw out a popping grunt with my voice to stop Bullwinkle for a shot.. As I kept my 30, then 20 yard pin on the bull's chest I realized I probably didn’t have a shot I was comfortable with as the bull was moving somewhat side to side as he came towards me.. No worries… In an instant, the bull stopped and bugled pretty much in my face… as he dipped his enormous rack over his back. A milli-second later, my buddy launched a perfect strike that buried the broad head to the fletches into the bull’s side. As my partner and I settled down and started the marking/tracking process, neither of us could believe the whole scenario happened in less than 5 minutes from the time we were up on the pack trail……. Dang it! The alarm’s going off… its 0530, time to get up for work, and I’m still a handful of months away from elk season.

We're officially closer to the elk season in front of us than the one behind. Just wanted to keep you thinking “elk”

[Mike_Parson]

thank you for getting the blood pumping today. i could almost believe myself in that exact situation and it game me a rapid pulse and sweaty hands.

[CurlyTail]

Got me fired up!

[lamrith]

GREEEAAT job.. Now I am gonna have that on my mind the next 6.5 months, I don't need any of your help being wound up about the hunt!!

[2MANY]

Change the sheets.

[Swede]

You are right RJ. We are nearer the start of elk season than we are away from the last. I better get going and plan on some scouting trips. I just wish this winter would leave.

[Dr. Rx]

That was Awesome!!!