Still in disbelief

[MTLongdraw]

I’m still in disbelief this actually happened to me…
I really don’t even know where to start this story. I guess you can go back to September 2011 when I got to go hunting with my wife’s uncles Dean. Dean is a tremendous hunter who has killed just about every big game species MT has to offer except a wolf. I’m sure he will get one before its said and done. Anyways Dean has horses and in 2010 he killed a 354” bull about 12 miles back. Last year he offered to take me to the same spot. I obliged. It was pretty much my first time bow hunting elk so needless to say there was a learning curve. In the week we were gone we actually hunted about 2 days. We had horse rodeos, injuries, fires, and had to move our camp. Not to mention the day we were suppose to leave Deans best friend passed away so obviously that weighed very heavy on his mind. I guess you can sum it up by saying it was a miserable experience.
The bad (hunting) luck seemed to continue later on into the year. In November I had to apply for three weeks of vacation I had coming for the 2012 year. The vacation roster is based on seniority and I’m about 5th down the line. What happened? Of course a non hunter picks the week in September I wanted to take to go with Dean again. I guess that’s how it goes.
Fast forward to August 2012. I applied for a couple of days off to try to make a long weekend in the backcountry with Dean at his camp. Through a bunch of heart ache I was able to get a couple people to cover for me and I got the almighty word it would be ok to take three days off of work. The plan was I would hike in Saturday morning (9/15) and hike out the 18th to be with my wife on our anniversary which is the 18th. She told me I didn’t need to come home and I could stay and hunt but I know better  God I love that woman. Then on Wednesday September 12th I get a text from my friend (Mike)who was going to cover my shift for me. He told me his brother had been in a terrible car accident and was in the hospital in North Dakota. He felt bad but obviously I told him to go see his brother and I’d figure it out. So I start the process of trying to get someone to cover for me which is like pulling teeth. In all the commotion I thought Mike was originally going to cover for me Saturday but it was actually Sunday. So when I texted John, the other guy who was going to cover for me he reminded me I told him Saturday. After checking the email I was wrong. But with the help of another hunter at work who knows what it means to me and another good friend I was able to get things figured out at the last minute.
Finally it was Saturday September 15th and I was headed to camp. After a 9.5 mile walk in with a 47 pound pack I was with Dean and his friend Jeff. They had ridden in the night before so camp was all set up. That afternoon Jeff and I went up behind camp and poked around. Didn’t see or hear anything but I bet we found 20 fresh rubs. You could tell a nice bull had been working the ridge very recently.
I woke up the 16th exhausted from the 12 miles I had put on the day before. Knowing I only had a day and a half left to get it done, I went out for a late morning hunt before it got too hot. The morning hunt was no good. No sign, no bugles, and I had to crawl through some nasty thick stuff.
About three in the afternoon Dean and Jeff decided it was time to go. I thought it was too early but oh well. Deans killed way more than I have. The plan was they would go up a ride half way between where I had went the night before, and where I had went earlier that morning. I was going to go back up the ridge where I went Saturday night with Jeff. The plan was we would bugle back and forth to each other across the drainage and see if we could get something to talk.
After getting to the top of the mountain and not hearing any bugles other than Deans I decided I would cross country through a timbered saddle and come out where Dean shot his bull in 2010. This would put me about 3 miles from camp then I could hit the trail and head back to camp just before dark. So I set my GPS and started walking. After walking a ways through some nasty thick timber I decided I would try to hit the trail lower. It was really miserable mistake but one I will soon not forget  After continuously watching my GPS and telling it that it was wrong I kept going down thinking I would hit the trail sooner. I didn’t. In fact I just kept getting into more and more thick brush that was really starting to piss me off. Then at about 5:40 I came to a marshy meadow. It looked like something you see on an Alaskan moose hunt. As I traipsed my way through it I became more and more frustrated “M- Fing” myself the whole time. As I got to the south edge of the meadow I heard a bugle. Knowing I was only about 600 yards from a trail I told myself “Yeah right I’m sure it’s a damn hunter. All I knew was that bugle was loud and very close. I stopped behind a lone little tree (about 7 feet tall) out in the middle in the meadow. I calmly take out my mouth reed, got it wet , and let out a pathetic bugle. I immediately received a response. And the response I got was not one that a hunter can make. It was so loud and fierce I could feel it in my chest. …Or maybe that was my heart jumping in my throat. Still in a very calm state (which is very un-normal for me) I removed my sling, knocked and arrow and awaited his arrival. After this I’m not 100% sure what happened but I know it was something similar to this. After he responded back I bugled again adding a chuckle on the end. He quickly screamed back and when he did I cut him off. Then he started coming. I could see trees moving and hear timber crashing something fierce. Then he stopped. I immediately hit him with my best attempt at a nervous grunt. Old ElkNut doesn’t lie, it works . He immediately started coming again. As he came through the timber on the edge of the meadow I saw him. And needless to say I was very happy with what I saw. As he hit the edge of the meadow he rolled his head back and let out a huge bugle rolling his antlers back and forth. As he was doing this the sun was shining off his antlers. I ALMOST LOST IT.
When he hit the meadow he shut up. He started walking north and I was off to his north east. I think about the time he hit the meadow he was about 50 yards from me. As he walked behind a tree I drew. I thought he busted me but he kept walking. I looked ahead and found an opening where I figured he would come out. I guess I guessed right because within a few seconds there he was. I cow called him and he stopped dead in his tracks. I never ranged it but I’m guessing it was about 25 yards. I settled the first pin behind his shoulder and let it float. Let the arrow fly and I heard the hit. It sounded good. He ran about ten yards and I threw out another bugle. He stopped, looked at me, turned around and stopped again. I could see blood starting to come out and I knocked another arrow. As I started to draw back a second time he started coughing. He ran forward about ten yards and crashed. I couldn’t believe it. I had just killed an archery bull. Something I have thought about non stop (other than my wife and son) for the last two years.
I called my wife. For some reason I brought my phone. I never bring my phone. I played it cool and asked her what she was up to? We talked for a few minutes until I told her what had happened. I started shaking so bad I almost fell over in the bog. It just so happened that she was with my mom and dad when I called her and I heard a whole bunch of hooting and hollering in the back ground.
After an attempt to wait 30 minutes ( I made it about 5) I went over and found my prize. He was on his back and his head was buried in the mud and grass. I couldn’t get it out so all I know is his one side had 6. I got him gutted, cut him in half, and drug him to dry ground. While gutting him out I found out that the PSE Freak with a 33 inch draw shooting 508 grain Easton FMJ’s with 100 grain slick trick mags can do damage. I had a double lung total pass through. Never could find the arrow. When I finally flipped over his head I saw he was a great 6x6. I’m no field scorer but I guessed him at about 290. After snapping some glow sticks and throwing down some chili powder (thanks elknut forum) I started the walk back to camp.
That night when I made it back to camp Dean sarcastically asked me if I killed him. I let out a joyous yell and pumped my PSE Freak high in the air. I’ll never forget the look on his face. He looked terrified. I showed him picture and he said “Holy #%&*” I guess that means its good. He asked me how big it was and I said 290….Him and Jeff both laughed at me. I guess it was bigger. Dean then told me I know pictures do funny things but if I didn’t know any better I would say that’s a 340-350 bull. I was still sure it wasn’t that huge, but still happy none the less.
Sunday night was the longest night I’ve had in a while. I slept terrible worried about the meat and hoping no grizzlies would find it. I also worried if the horses would be able to get it out and all the other thoughts that come with the responsibility of killing an elk.
Finally at about 10 o’clock Monday I got to my elk. He hadn’t been touched. What a relief. When Dean and Jeff got there with the horses they were in disbelief. They assured me he was at least a 340 bull and made fun of me for saying 290. After getting it all quartered we headed back to camp. They brought the meat and I packed the head on my backpack. It was heavy but I enjoyed every step of the way.
After a quick stop at camp to grab lunch and pack my bags, I was headed for the truck with the rack on my back and my bow in my hand. While we were back in camp, Dean rough scored him by scoring his left side, doubling it, and adding the width. He used a dollar bill which is about 6 ¼ inches, for simplicity he rounded it down to six. When he got done he smiled and asked me how big I thought it was. I shook my head? He said he’s 360. That’s with rounding down. Who knows, I guess I’ll know in 58 more days  In total I walked 11.5 miles with the horns on my back and I loved every second of it. I can’t tell you how many times I looked at my shadow and saw those tips. I just smiled the whole way.
Once I got back to the truck I had a bunch of family waiting to meet me. That was awesome.
I know I may hunt my whole life and never do this again. But that’s not what matters to me, because I can assure you every bull you take has its own special story. I know so much of what happened Sunday was luck, but I also know I’ve learned so much useful information from reading this forum and studying hunting this last year.
Thanks for reading.
Just to give you some perspective. I’m 6’10” tall.

[JimKirk]

my friend that is one incredible story and one humongous bull! congrats!!

[Swede]

Great story and awesome bull. Congratulations. Sometimes this forum beats the magazines. Of coarse you have a story that would be perfect for a magazine too.

[gagodfrey]

You are 6'10"?? The story should have been titled "When Giants kill Giants" Congrats!

[ElkNut1]

Way to go & great story!!!!

ElkNut1

[LckyTylr]

That's AWESOME.

Congrats.

Really well-written story. Nicely done.

[cnelk]

Too cool!!!
Nicely done!

[Sucobowhunter]

Hoot hoot.. Hollar Hollar.. Awesome bull and great story!!

[pointysticks]

33" DL? holy..

must be nice to take full advantage of bow speed!! that is a GREAT story and GREAT Bull. thanks for telling it to us.

[hornart]

Congrats on a great bull

[Gevärssmed]

Wow!! Absoultely amazing.... Great story too, thank you for sharing.

Gevärssmed

[POk3s]

Awesome job and a great story. Your first archery bull is supposed to be a spike (like mine ) not a 360 bull! I will say however that I didn't believe you when you said 360 and I scrolled down. Went "no way that's a 360 bull" until you told me you were 6'10".....makes sense now!

[MTLongdraw]

Thanks so much everyone for the great comments. Its good to know that people are happy for you when something like this happens. I wish you all the best of the luck in the rest of the season(s).

[loopmtz]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. Cute little guy! I mean your son! lol

[eriks.]

Wowzer!! What a memory for you! It's too cool that your family was there to greet you at the truck...family is where it's at, man!! Congrats and happy Anniversary too!

[Magic]

That is a bruiser of a bull for sure. Congrats.

[one_elk]

Great Story and congrats on the great bull, its always good to have friends who have your back....

[elkoholic]

Great story and awesome bull!! Congrads on your kill....

[MTlongdraWIFE]

Congrats!! I hope you never come off of the high you're on. You deserve every second of this. Keep basking in it. Love your Wife!

[pointysticks]

Congrats!! I hope you never come off of the high you're on. You deserve every second of this. Keep basking in it. Love your Wife!

now go mow the lawn, MR..!

hahahha..nice of you to chime in for the hubby. great thread.

[Miller1]

that is very cool, now you need to get a different job so you can take 2 weeks off every year.

[bearman da man]

As Chumley of Pawn Stars would say "AWSOME"!

[dreamhunter]

I haven't been on here since before i left to go on my hunt. This is the first post and WOW ! what a story,what a hunt. Definitely something that you will be reflecting back on for years to come. It sounded so picture / storybook perfect. I'm very proud of you and I am already starting to hit the forum again to learn more and do more so that next year I will will be able to tell about my hunt that ends with a kill. Again that is Quite a BULL !

[CrazyElkHunter]

Great story and Congrats on your 1st bull. Could not help but notice the "chili powder" being used . Guess a few out there are trying it this year since I posted it. It was very warm and dry in Colorado this year and the chili powder kept the pesky meat bees and flies off of us while boneing and packing out my bull on the 25th of Aug. With the dry weather they were thick this year. Had to use 3 bottles instead of my usual 2. Hope your wife is as understanding on your future elk hunts. Your hooked for life now and the elk fever only gets worse'

[lovestobowhunt]

This is one of the best stories I have read in quite awhile. Great job on that awesome bull!

I'm changing my tactics and not going to pay attention to the GPS anymore...could get me on some elk!
Colette

[T/H]

very cool. big thumbs up!

[WapitiTalk1]

Yes! Nicely done.