Sunday's Elk Hunt

[flystrait]

The first elk hunt of the year took place on Sunday in NW MT for me and my son Flystrait Jr. Hopefully he will register to the forum some day and pick his own name We started off early before light to an area I have never been, so we proceeded to put a plan of attack together which was to drive around to high points and locate bugle to see what would respond in the area. As we pull up to the first stop we get out and just as I am putting the tube up to my mouth, Jr. says what are you doing, I have been practicing for the last few months on calling. I told him to go ahead and locate BUT keep it simple and don't loose control of your reed and make a quality sound. He just looked at me like I'm crazy and proceeded to but his tube up and he blew a solid locate bugle a father would be proud of. Instantly 2 bulls fire back at his sound, and he looked at me with the biggest grin and wide eyes I have not seen for years. He whispers to me I want to do that again, I said only one more time and again they fire right back at us. I said mark the spot so we know the general area they were in which was across this big, deep, steep, brushy canyon that NW MT are known for. Up this canyon we go, we get to another high spot as we climb and I leave my tube in the truck, Jr. gets out and fires off another bugle and another response breaks the cool dark morning air. Wow he said I can't believe I'm a better caller than you! I said mark the spot and get back in the truck.. I have to remember he’s 16 and Full of Bull As we continued up the rest off the canyon climbing higher and higher he locates another 3 bulls. All the bulls were on the opposite side of the canyon. We continued on the rest of the morning looking for more elk and as everything was lighting up with the morning sunshine things were getting quite. We only located 1 more bull.

We sat down and had some lunch in the later afternoon and Jr. says I accomplished what I wanted to today and I am happy the way things are. I said what was that, he replied I bugled my first elk, and we know where they are at now we have just need to figure out how to get to them. So we left for the 2 hour drive home and put a plan of attack together for next weekend where we will spend 3-4 days trying to down his first bull.. Lessons learned, is Jr. probably is a better caller than me. And he can call for me anyday.

I will update the thread after next weekend.

Craig

[BRazz]

That's great that your son had the experience of getting his first elk to respone. What a rush!

Now go get 'em and keep us posted...

[ElkNut1]

Craig, good stuff, he's a chip off the ole block! (grin) Good luck to you on your hunt later in the week. I'll look forward to hearing what happens. Thanks & keep up the good calling there Jr.!

ElkNut1

[easeup]

great weekend!.

A son saw his dad in the great outdoors and came to the realization that he too is young man with honor and that his dad respects and loves him.
He also came to the knowledge that dad is an OK guy too.

[elkmtngear]

Another elknut is born!

That's what it's all about right there!

[Trophyhill]

Another elknut is born!

That's what it's all about right there!

Yeah what's the world coming to? keep it up Craig. Looking forward to the rest of the elk story

[flystrait]

Thanks all!

We are heading out this afternoon after Jr gets out of school. The heat has turned up literally, it was 94 degrees here yesterday and calling for 90 degrees through the weekend. We will try to get on them as early as possible before they start shutting down for the day.

The bright side is after this Sunday the weather takes a big turn for the better with 20-25 degree drops in the high temps. Perfect for the hunt Me and c2 have scheduled from the 19th to the 30th.

I will keep it going with updates as I can.

[flystrait]

Back from this weekends hunt with my son. To say it was hot in tempatures is a understatement. We still had some action mainly early mornings with some bulls talking. Sunday morning left my son shaking nervously which I will post later when I have some time to tell the rest of the story!

[flystrait]

Sorry about the delay. Work has been super busy to say the least since I leave Friday morning for another 10 days of elk hunting!

So Sunday morning started off like every other hot day, cooler morning but heating up fast. We have been hunting for two days and have heard some bugles here and there for a total of 7 different bulls. Some of them were one hit wonders we like to call them. They bugle once and there done. We hit the top of the ridge Sunday morning and the sun has been up for around 45 minutes or so, I throw out a location bugle and a bull gives me a low moan back down this steep replanted section that is impassable by humans. I figured he was down in there about 300 yards or so. Our plan is always to try to close the distance to within 100 yards before calling a bull in, but in this situation it was impossible. So we continue to move down the ridge right on the re-growth break the loggers left and called with some soft mews and a couple little bull wines. We are getting no response from the bull arggg! I told Jr lets just keep it going and move back and forth on the ridge when we are another 150-200 and the bull moans back. Crap we got a lazy bull on our hands Jr. He says what’s that mean well when you are in bed and you won’t get up for anything, he just looked and smiles at me and says yeah I know what it means!

So based on this response from “Lazy Bull” we proceeded back up the ridge from the starting point and figured two can play this game I moaned back a couple times real lightly and Lazy Bull answers back with a little more volume, a couple more moans by me and Lazy Bull chuckles and seems to be a little closer and on his feet. Immediately I start with a moan and turn it into a bugle, Lazy Bull fires back with a stronger bugle and I hear him coming up the hill. I looked at Jr and said he’s coming stay right here in the shadows and I will pull him right to you. Jr looks at me and says I can’t see anything below me I said that’s ok as soon as he pops out of the re-growth shoot him. He looks at me and says that it’s going to be real close like five yards Dad. By this time I see he is starting to shake from nervousness and excitement. I said just focus soon as he is right there and about to pop out draw your bow focus and make the shot. The wind is coming strait up with a good east wind that’s blowing the tops of the small pines so I feel we are good to go. The bull is moving steadily up the hill making all kinds of racket stepping on logs sticks and going through the choked up brush. I move to the top of the ridge strait up hill about 30 yards to the bull could not see me when he clears the brush. Lazy Bull is within 100 yards then 50 yards I can even hear him panting as he walks up the hill. He is so close I waiting to hear Jr’s bow go off with a lethal shot, as I am playing everything through my mind! It seemed like forever and then everything stopped what the heck! I waited in my position for several minutes thinking there is a stand off going on below me with Lazy Bull and Jr. and nothing so I challenge the bull and he responds back where he started from CRAP! I head back down to Jr and by this time his eyes are big and he is shaking from adrenaline. I said what happened Jr tells me the bull was within 10 yards and he drew back 4 times and then he said everything went silent right then I felt the wind swirl CRAP he winded us. So a great encounter with a bull that committed to coming in and the timing of o wind swirl took him back where he came from.

What a great experience for a young hunter that is even more hooked now than ever before. Now c2 and I will be heading out for our long trip of the season and I will post our hunt when we return.

Good luck to everyone else!