A Visit With An Old Friend

[dana]

I saw an old friend today on my way to work. I've been looking for him all summer and fall and he finally made an appearance this morning. It has been 8 years that I have been watching and photographing this old bull. He must be at least 12 years of age now. Remarkable that he is still alive after all these years given the high wolf population in the area. Made my day when I saw him today.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2014/DSCN4127_zpseec1d2a0.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2014/DSCN4127_zpseec1d2a0.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2014/DSCN4128_zpsf9e0eaea.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2014/DSCN4128_zpsf9e0eaea.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2014/DSCN4132_zpsc562687b.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2014/DSCN4132_zpsc562687b.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2014/DSCN4144_zpsfec699a1.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2014/DSCN4144_zpsfec699a1.jpg.html)

[dana]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2014/DSCN4166_zps46bdb5e0.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2014/DSCN4166_zps46bdb5e0.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2014/DSCN4172_zps946662c9.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2014/DSCN4172_zps946662c9.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2014/DSCN4170_zpsbfd1a6c0.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2014/DSCN4170_zpsbfd1a6c0.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2014/DSCN4218_zps8d51ce9b.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2014/DSCN4218_zps8d51ce9b.jpg.html)

[deer nut]

Gorgeous bull! Excellent photos too! Thanks for posting.

[horshur]

steve he reminds me of an old horse..his back is sunken.. spine protrudes a bit.

[wrenchhead]

Wow what a treat be a shame to shoot him now after all these years! Real nice of him to pose for those pics.

[604redneck]

unreal pictures thanks for sharing!

[Elkchaser]

That is one incredible elk, just made my day too! Second photo showing the nose bridge tells his age. Your gift from him will be the many sons he's fathered - great genes. I hope that old boy makes her through this winter.

[lightmag]

one gorgeous bull!! beauty pics

[WKCotts]

Awesome Dana. Thanks for sharing

[Brew]

Thanks for sharing. What a magnificent animal

[lovemywinchester]

Great shots! Have you ever found his sheds?

[MB_Boy]

Great shots! Have you ever found his sheds?

Very nice Steve!! Having seen his pics over the past couple years is cool!

As for his sheds.... "Given the wolf population"...any of his sheds have wolf hide on them?? :tongue:

[Rackmastr]

Awesome pics and an amazing experience with the history you've got with that bull!

[BULLNUTTS]

How very wonderfull to find your ol'friend still alive and well!! Thx for sharing with us your times with this great bull and showing the awesome and fullfiling benifits of "letting some go." Great looking daggers on him for sure!!! Surely he has sired many a son yippppiiiiii Good Huntin BULLNUTTS P.S.- Looks good on ya braa!!!

[Dirty30-30]

Beautiful Pictures. What region is this in?

[kennyj]

Great photos Dana! He still has a beautiful rack.
kenny

[BRrooster]

Wow what a great Bull. Cool to have had the chance to see him for as long as yu have. What do you think he scores?

[Getbent]

Thanks again for showing us this beauty

[HuntNmemories]

love seeing these boys in the bush, thanks for the photos

[Husky7mm]

Beauty bull, nice to see. Nice photos.

[greybark]

Hey Dana , some of the best photos ever posted here . Well done ......
Cheers

[HarryToolips]

Awesome, awesome bull! Nice pics too..this bull obviously resides in region 3 with no 6 pt GOS???

[knightcc]

Fabulous Steve. I have really enjoyed your photos of this guy over the last few years. Magnificent bull.

[srupp]

Hmmm thanks forvtaking the time to share..appreciate that Steve..awesome photod..
Steven

[dana]

For those that haven't seen the history of this bull that I have documented in photos over the years, he resides in Region 3, which has no open season for elk. This bull lives in an area that has not seen an open elk season for over twenty years. It is a very large area with a very low population of dispersed elk. The RMEF planned a transplant in the early 2000s to help the struggling herd but it was scraped by government officials who thought it would just be a feeding program for the wolves. Back then they estimated the herd at approx. 40 animals. I have not heard of any recent numbers. It is very thick country and elk sightings are rare. This year, I have worked pretty much from June till now in the area and have only seen a herd of cows and calves 4 or 5 times and have seen a total of 3 other bulls, which bailed hard each time, so no photo opportunities. I talked to a logger in early Sept who told me he had seen a big bull the day before, so I had my hopes up that my old friend was still around. I have been packing the camera every day, all summer and fall, and finally he made an appearance and let me take a bunch of photos on Friday. It is a real blessing to be able to have such a history with an old warrior as this.

In 2007 I first saw this bull in early velvet that spring. I was fortunate to find him again hard horned in Nov. He was a nice young 6 point.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2007a307.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2007a307.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2007a317.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2007a317.jpg.html)

In 2008 I never got any photos of him.

In the winter of 2009/2010 I saw him several times and was able to capture numerous photos of him. This was the year he earned the nickname, "The Big 7"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/Feb7087.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/Feb7087.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/Feb7083.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/Feb7083.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/Feb7091.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/Feb7091.jpg.html)

[dana]

My son found a shed off of him during the spring of 2010. This is the only shed we have picked up off of him.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2012/April172010014a.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2012/April172010014a.jpg.html)

In 2010 I was able to take pictures of him both in early velvet and hard horned in the fall and winter.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/Wildlife%20Pics/May192010047.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/Wildlife%20Pics/May192010047.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC310052.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/PC310052.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC310062.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/PC310062.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/PC310086.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/PC310086.jpg.html)

[dana]

The winter of 2010/2011 was pretty harsh for predation on the elk, from both wolves and cougars. Several bulls became cat scat or wolf scat. This is a lion killed bull m hound and I found that winter. 6 wolves stole the kill from the big tom the night before. For the rest of the winter, every time I cut that tom's track, the wolves were right on them as well.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/P1070113.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/P1070113.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/P1070118.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/P1070118.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/P1070120.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/P1070120.jpg.html)

I hadn't seen the Big 7 all winter and feared that he may have been killed like his buddies, but while looking for his sheds in the spring, my son saw him in his new early velvet. Later that fall, I was told he was found dead, killed by wolves. Not working in the area that year, I never bothered to look for him. Obviously the story of him being dead was untrue.

[dana]

The winter of 2012/2013 had me working in the area again, and much to my delight, I saw the Big 7 again.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2013%20HAC/P1080129.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2013%20HAC/P1080129.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2013%20HAC/P1080130.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2013%20HAC/P1080130.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2013%20HAC/P1080152.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2013%20HAC/P1080152.jpg.html)

The winter of 2013/2014 I only saw him once, at low light. I snapped some pictures and this is the best one of the bunch.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v145/BCBOY/2013%20HAC/PB280008_zpsa86c1c8a.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BCBOY/media/2013%20HAC/PB280008_zpsa86c1c8a.jpg.html)

[coach]

Awesome stuff, Dana! Incredible history with this bull. Great pics as always. Hopefully he makes it through another winter and you'll capture his images again in 2015-16.

[hunter1993ap]

man that's a huge bull!!! great having history with him.

[fester]

Thans for the pics

[one-shot-wonder]

Awesome photo Montage of this bull thanks for take us thru the years!

[Tīɡ]

Those 4th's are unreal! Beauty bull, thanks for the pictures!