R
RockyMtnOyster
Guest
My brothers and I scouted the unit several times before the hunt and had seen some really good bulls. There was a particular area we had seen excellent sign and I decided to focus my efforts there. The hunt finally came and I left a couple days early just to get in that last bit of scouting before game time. The elk were rutting hard, the sound of horns clashing and bugles roaring was something I'll never forget. Opening day came with much anticipation. Upon waking at 4:00 AM, we could feel something wasn?t right. It was warm, and windy! We headed out and heard only a few bugles in an area that 24 hours previous sounded like Elk City. We did get on some smaller bulls but nothing like we'd hoped. Day two started much like day one, warm and windy. We were out in our spot 45 minutes before daylight, full moon shining like a spotlight on the forest. The bugles were still few and far between. We got into position to cut off some elk we thought might be headed to their beds. After some cat and mouse, we finally cut them off. There was a decent six point and couple of rag horns and the heard bull that was a 7X7 but with really short points, good mass, but not quite what I was looking for. It was good to get on a herd bull, but compared to what we had seen while scouting, we had to let him go. That afternoon we decided to check out another area with a fellow MM guy we had corresponded with. He took us out and showed us some nice country. We got on a decent 5-point right off the bat, he came into about 35 yards, but I passed on him. We got onto some smaller bulls later that evening but again, I had to pass. We decided to switch gears and head to another area in the morning. The temperature dropped that evening and all seemed right to get on some bulls. We were off and on the location we had designated about an hour before daylight. As soon as I turned off the truck I could hear bulls bugling all around us. My brother Joel and I were in the middle of a ton of elk! The elk were bugling and fighting all around us. We heard a good bugle and started to stalk in on him, checking the wind constantly. As we were stalking we could hear him fighting another bull. We got in on him and he was a solid 5 pointer, but not what I wanted. He didn't know we were there, but had us pinned down at about 20 yards. He seemed antsy and for good reason. We looked to our left just to see a good herd bull come over the hill with his cows and they were coming directly toward us. We were out in the open, but set up for a shot as they were feeding toward us. They got to within about 30 yards, I was just about ready to shoot and one of the cows winded me. They were off, and so were we. We stalked these elk for a good mile. I passed on a couple decent 6 pointers on the way. Finally, we could hear the elk up on a hill. I told my brother to wait and I started to creep slowly up on them. I stalked to within 40 yards of the bull, but could get no closer as his harem of cows were bedded all around him keeping watch. I spent 30 minutes waiting for him to present me a shot with my bow. I had a shooting lane to the left and one to the right. After raking the tree for 20 minutes he started to head to the lane to my left. I pulled my bow back, but he passed through the lane a little to far, about 50 yards, and he was moving, I decided not to shoot. He continued to harass his cows around, one of them got down wind of me and busted down hill, taking a couple other cows with her. The big old bull took off after them and I tried to head down hill to cut them off and get a shot. They were too fast though. Dang, I was so close. Two chances at a good bull and nothing to show for it. I got down hill and met up with my brother Joel who was waiting at the bottom. Joel?s eyes were bugging out of his head as he told me he had just seen the huge bull run right past him chasing some cows. I told Joel, yeah I know I just spent 30 minutes at 40 yards of him! Just then, we heard some braches breaking and the sound of heavy hoofs coming over the hill to our left. We looked and could see a big old rack topping over the hill and heading in our direction. It was the big bull coming back to check on his other cows! I set up for a shot not knowing which direction he would take. He got to within 40 yards and I pulled my bow back. The big bull stopped, and then closed to within about 30 yards. At this point he was broadside, I took a deep breath, focused my 30 yard pin behind his should and squeezed. The arrow was off and disappeared behind his shoulder passing right through. The old bull trotted off back up the hill like nothing had happened. He only went a hundred yards from where I zipped him and was done. He?s a 7X6 with a gross nontypical score of 360 P&Y points. This is my first bull with a bow. What a hunt! Here are some of the pics we took . . .
Trent Nichols
Trent Nichols
