Vitalwave
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Hi Everyone! I have debated with myself whether or not I wanted to make a public MM journal post of my 2022 limited entry Fillmore Pahvant archery elk hunt. I usually don't love to blast stuff out on the internet but decided to go ahead and share my hunt with you all. I have gotten a lot of help and support from members on this forum over the years so I thought it was worth sharing my experience for those, like myself, who enjoy reading. I also figured this would be one more secure place I could store the memory of this hunt. Warning! This is going to be long post. Well, here it goes...
Preparation
The decision to hunt Fillmore Elk came after enjoying a short couple days on my dad's Muzzleloader hunt back in 2012. I regretfully wasn't able to spend much time helping him on his hunt but did get a sample of full-on elk rutting action as I arrived just in time to help him pack out his bull. Since that day I knew I wanted to come back to this unit and have an experience of my own.
Fast forward to the summer of 2021 nearly 10 years later. With 16 LE elk bonus points now in my pocket, I decided to get more serious about scouting the Pahvant. By that time, I knew that my best shot if I wanted to hunt soon was going to be with a bow. I also felt like there would be no better experience than to kill a mature bull elk with my bow and arrow. That summer I spent several weekends exploring the unit from every angle. Most of my scouting efforts were solo which got me prepared and comfortable being on the mountain. I would throw my four wheeler in the back of my truck and cruise down there for a couple days. Most of the time I would just sleep in my truck to save money. This time was really valuable in deciding what I wanted to do. That summer was very hot and I did not get into many elk but did find a few bulls. The elk I found were in the deep nasty canyons far from the roads.
I bought a general season archery tag that worked for spike elk that year and used it as an excuse to scout. I didn't have any archery-range elk encounters on the Fillmore unit for spikes but did manage to shoot this little five point later on in the Uintas. It was a great practice run to make sure my arrow and broad head setup performed well. I was super impressed with the performance as this bull died within sight. This taste of success really fueled my decision to apply for an LE archery tag in Fillmore. Shooting elk with bows is an incredible experience and very addicting.
Okay, back to the Pahvant... I knew that if I decided to hunt big bull elk there with a bow it was going to be no easy task to get one arrowed. That proved to be a very true statement. I knew I was going to have to dig deep and put in the work to get a chance and that it still guaranteed nothing. I have had some good tags before in the past that have taught me that the animals nor the mountain owe you anything. A great tag doesn't guarantee success.
February rolled around and It was time to apply. It was now time I had to look myself in the mirror and make a commitment. If I decided to apply, I had a gut feeling I would draw. I knew with how long it takes to draw, point creep, and the 5 year waiting period this could very well be a once in a lifetime hunt. I also knew I needed a certain level of obsession to get it done with archery tackle. I have bow hunted most my life and its just simply... TOUGH. After having a talk with my amazingly supportive wife, the decision was made and it was GAME ON!
With the commitment now made, it was time to get to work starting with my physical health. I signed up with my wife to run the Ogden half marathon. I have never really been a fitness person so training for this run would hopefully help me get mountain ready. I also started making regular visits to the trail heads by my house. I survived the race and enjoyed the hikes. The hike I enjoyed the most was with with my youngest strapped to me. She loved it!
The end of May - My gut feeling came to fruition when the draw results were posted. SUCCESSFUL!!!
With a tag now in hand my shooting regime intensified. I tried to shoot at least a couple times a week. I felt that shooting out to 100 yards made the 50 yard shots feel easy. I used field points up until about a couple weeks before the hunt.
My brother and I also participated in the Total Archery Challenge this summer and bumped into one of the most prolific bow hunters around, Chuck Adams! He was such a nice down to earth guy. His advice for me was to "never give up" when I asked him what advice he would give me for my upcoming hunt.
Without going into too much detail, I spent about every other weekend during the summer scouting and checking cams. This was so much fun and got me more physically/mentally prepared. I became really comfortable on the mountain and soaked up every min of it. I finally honed in on which part of the unit I wanted to hunt and before I knew it the summer was over and the hunt was right around the corner.
The Hunt
I took 10 days off work and planned to hunt every weekend. I came home once or twice for my daughters birthday and to regroup. I ended up hunting 22 long days. I pulled this off by being able to work remotely from my trailer and hotel rooms. I had narrowed down a handful of bulls I was after. One was knocking on the door of 370". Another one was a neat non-typical 355"-ish. Their were several other bulls I would have shot but most of the nicer bulls I turned up were around the 320" zone. At the beginning of the hunt I didn't have very much action. I had one shot opportunity at some small bulls right before dark and that was it.
Towards the middle of the hunt I had this bull below come into my tree stand that I could have kill 11 out of 10 times. He gave me 15 whole mins to watch him at 27 yards and had no idea I was there. I even drew back on him but decided to leave my finger behind my trigger on my release. I decided to pass because it was not one of the ones I was after and I wasn't 100% ready to be done.
The last week or so I started having a lot of really close calls on some stud bulls but just couldn't connect. It was so frustrating being within 30 yards of a bugling bull and his cows but getting busted. I had a couple rushed shots and misses. It was such a blast chasing huge bulls during the rut! I began to wonder if I missed my shot passing on the tree stand bull.
I had so much fun chasing elk around that I was a bit startled when I found myself on the last day with no elk down. As reality sang in I knew that this was the risk you have with any hunt. Success is not guaranteed with any tag. I was a little disappointed but quickly became at peace with myself as I reflected on my efforts.
Last Minute Success
On the last evening on the last day of my long awaited Fillmore Pahvant Archery Elk hunt, I sat looking at the beautiful sunset with a surprising sense of gratitude in my heart. I put a lot into this hunt and my family sacrificed a lot to allow me to do it. The warm sun felt good and it felt like my maker was shining down on me with peace which soothed away any disappointment of not getting a bull.
My last hurrah plan was to sit ambush style for a bull that had been frequenting the area the nights before. With 20 mins or so left of the hunt, my friend called me up on the phone. He was my "eyes and ears" on the hill side behind me with a spotting scope and had just spotted a bull chasing some cows. He said that he was a long ways away from me and that if I hurried I might be able to cut him off. I could hear a faint bugle in the distance and took off in its direction. Moments later my friend called me and said I need to pick up the pace or its going to be dark. I hung up and ran as fast as I could towards the bugling bull.
Things happen fast but I knew I was close as I came around a tree and two cows cruised passed me. I drew my bow back fully expecting the bull to follow. He didn't follow so I took two or three steps around the tree to find him staring at me broadside at what looked to be 30-40 yards. I was already clipped onto my bow string so without ranging him I guessed and put my 30 yard pin on his vitals and let one fly all within 3-5 seconds. I knew right away that I smoked him! For those that hunt with a bow the sound of impact was undeniable. I looked at my phone to double check the time and It was 6 mins before legal shooting light ended! This buzzer beater bull just blew my mind! I sat stunned at what just took place. I sat down in my place and enjoyed the remaining light of the day. I call my brother, dad, and friend and shared the news.
The bull was one I had never seen in my scouting efforts. Go figure. He was on the smaller side of the bulls I was after but I couldn't be happier as he is my biggest bull to date. Official score from B&C scorer came in at 316 3/8 as is. His G2 was broken along with a couple inches on some of the tips. 10-12" inches or so total we figured. It was a hunt of a lifetime!
Special Thanks to Those Involved
My Wife
My Two brothers
My Dad
My Friends new and old.
A Loving God and Savior Jesus Christ
Fellow MM members that cheered me along the way!
Preparation
The decision to hunt Fillmore Elk came after enjoying a short couple days on my dad's Muzzleloader hunt back in 2012. I regretfully wasn't able to spend much time helping him on his hunt but did get a sample of full-on elk rutting action as I arrived just in time to help him pack out his bull. Since that day I knew I wanted to come back to this unit and have an experience of my own.
Fast forward to the summer of 2021 nearly 10 years later. With 16 LE elk bonus points now in my pocket, I decided to get more serious about scouting the Pahvant. By that time, I knew that my best shot if I wanted to hunt soon was going to be with a bow. I also felt like there would be no better experience than to kill a mature bull elk with my bow and arrow. That summer I spent several weekends exploring the unit from every angle. Most of my scouting efforts were solo which got me prepared and comfortable being on the mountain. I would throw my four wheeler in the back of my truck and cruise down there for a couple days. Most of the time I would just sleep in my truck to save money. This time was really valuable in deciding what I wanted to do. That summer was very hot and I did not get into many elk but did find a few bulls. The elk I found were in the deep nasty canyons far from the roads.
I bought a general season archery tag that worked for spike elk that year and used it as an excuse to scout. I didn't have any archery-range elk encounters on the Fillmore unit for spikes but did manage to shoot this little five point later on in the Uintas. It was a great practice run to make sure my arrow and broad head setup performed well. I was super impressed with the performance as this bull died within sight. This taste of success really fueled my decision to apply for an LE archery tag in Fillmore. Shooting elk with bows is an incredible experience and very addicting.
Okay, back to the Pahvant... I knew that if I decided to hunt big bull elk there with a bow it was going to be no easy task to get one arrowed. That proved to be a very true statement. I knew I was going to have to dig deep and put in the work to get a chance and that it still guaranteed nothing. I have had some good tags before in the past that have taught me that the animals nor the mountain owe you anything. A great tag doesn't guarantee success.
February rolled around and It was time to apply. It was now time I had to look myself in the mirror and make a commitment. If I decided to apply, I had a gut feeling I would draw. I knew with how long it takes to draw, point creep, and the 5 year waiting period this could very well be a once in a lifetime hunt. I also knew I needed a certain level of obsession to get it done with archery tackle. I have bow hunted most my life and its just simply... TOUGH. After having a talk with my amazingly supportive wife, the decision was made and it was GAME ON!
With the commitment now made, it was time to get to work starting with my physical health. I signed up with my wife to run the Ogden half marathon. I have never really been a fitness person so training for this run would hopefully help me get mountain ready. I also started making regular visits to the trail heads by my house. I survived the race and enjoyed the hikes. The hike I enjoyed the most was with with my youngest strapped to me. She loved it!
The end of May - My gut feeling came to fruition when the draw results were posted. SUCCESSFUL!!!
With a tag now in hand my shooting regime intensified. I tried to shoot at least a couple times a week. I felt that shooting out to 100 yards made the 50 yard shots feel easy. I used field points up until about a couple weeks before the hunt.
My brother and I also participated in the Total Archery Challenge this summer and bumped into one of the most prolific bow hunters around, Chuck Adams! He was such a nice down to earth guy. His advice for me was to "never give up" when I asked him what advice he would give me for my upcoming hunt.
Without going into too much detail, I spent about every other weekend during the summer scouting and checking cams. This was so much fun and got me more physically/mentally prepared. I became really comfortable on the mountain and soaked up every min of it. I finally honed in on which part of the unit I wanted to hunt and before I knew it the summer was over and the hunt was right around the corner.
The Hunt
I took 10 days off work and planned to hunt every weekend. I came home once or twice for my daughters birthday and to regroup. I ended up hunting 22 long days. I pulled this off by being able to work remotely from my trailer and hotel rooms. I had narrowed down a handful of bulls I was after. One was knocking on the door of 370". Another one was a neat non-typical 355"-ish. Their were several other bulls I would have shot but most of the nicer bulls I turned up were around the 320" zone. At the beginning of the hunt I didn't have very much action. I had one shot opportunity at some small bulls right before dark and that was it.
Towards the middle of the hunt I had this bull below come into my tree stand that I could have kill 11 out of 10 times. He gave me 15 whole mins to watch him at 27 yards and had no idea I was there. I even drew back on him but decided to leave my finger behind my trigger on my release. I decided to pass because it was not one of the ones I was after and I wasn't 100% ready to be done.
The last week or so I started having a lot of really close calls on some stud bulls but just couldn't connect. It was so frustrating being within 30 yards of a bugling bull and his cows but getting busted. I had a couple rushed shots and misses. It was such a blast chasing huge bulls during the rut! I began to wonder if I missed my shot passing on the tree stand bull.
I had so much fun chasing elk around that I was a bit startled when I found myself on the last day with no elk down. As reality sang in I knew that this was the risk you have with any hunt. Success is not guaranteed with any tag. I was a little disappointed but quickly became at peace with myself as I reflected on my efforts.
Last Minute Success
On the last evening on the last day of my long awaited Fillmore Pahvant Archery Elk hunt, I sat looking at the beautiful sunset with a surprising sense of gratitude in my heart. I put a lot into this hunt and my family sacrificed a lot to allow me to do it. The warm sun felt good and it felt like my maker was shining down on me with peace which soothed away any disappointment of not getting a bull.
My last hurrah plan was to sit ambush style for a bull that had been frequenting the area the nights before. With 20 mins or so left of the hunt, my friend called me up on the phone. He was my "eyes and ears" on the hill side behind me with a spotting scope and had just spotted a bull chasing some cows. He said that he was a long ways away from me and that if I hurried I might be able to cut him off. I could hear a faint bugle in the distance and took off in its direction. Moments later my friend called me and said I need to pick up the pace or its going to be dark. I hung up and ran as fast as I could towards the bugling bull.
Things happen fast but I knew I was close as I came around a tree and two cows cruised passed me. I drew my bow back fully expecting the bull to follow. He didn't follow so I took two or three steps around the tree to find him staring at me broadside at what looked to be 30-40 yards. I was already clipped onto my bow string so without ranging him I guessed and put my 30 yard pin on his vitals and let one fly all within 3-5 seconds. I knew right away that I smoked him! For those that hunt with a bow the sound of impact was undeniable. I looked at my phone to double check the time and It was 6 mins before legal shooting light ended! This buzzer beater bull just blew my mind! I sat stunned at what just took place. I sat down in my place and enjoyed the remaining light of the day. I call my brother, dad, and friend and shared the news.
The bull was one I had never seen in my scouting efforts. Go figure. He was on the smaller side of the bulls I was after but I couldn't be happier as he is my biggest bull to date. Official score from B&C scorer came in at 316 3/8 as is. His G2 was broken along with a couple inches on some of the tips. 10-12" inches or so total we figured. It was a hunt of a lifetime!
Special Thanks to Those Involved
My Wife
My Two brothers
My Dad
My Friends new and old.
A Loving God and Savior Jesus Christ
Fellow MM members that cheered me along the way!
