An Elk Hunt With Me

[Ourea]

I put a pretty decent elk down a number of years ago and I wish to share that hunt and story. It had some twists and turns and is worth sharing.

Myself and fellow elk nut, Elk-Aholic, decided to slip into a mid elevation hole that is a known rutting area to us. If elk haven’t been pressured the spot is money. Elk funnel into this area and yard up starting around the second week of October. It’s only a 2 hr hike so not very tough to access for a day hunt and be in tight for first light. The date was October 18th.

After a quick push in we were met with drifting fog and rain at first light. A soft bugle was met with an instant response. I am not much of a fan of bugling other than to locate a bull(s) then it’s ninja time. We are not looking for the first 3 or 4 yr old 6 point that comes running in.

The response was from some distance away and above. It was difficult to pinpoint with the wind and rain. Knowing the area well we picked are way along never sky lining and staying hidden in tight draws. As we climbed in elevation fog was becoming a factor. I knew we were pretty tight to roughly where we thought the bull had bugled from. We hunkered down and started working the glass when the fog would permit. The bull sounded off from what appeared to be only 200 to 300 meters above us. Elk-Aholic is a glassing machine and he started picking out elk thru the fog. Some were bedded and some were standing. 10 mins of forensic glassing later I found bone…..the fog lifted just enough to get a quick look at him……a very solid and mature 6 point that was bedded.

[Ourea]

The challenge we had is we were below and had no way to gain any more elevation without exposing ourselves. My partner asked what do you want to do? My response was, nothing, let’s just put them to bed and hunt them later in the day when they start getting up to go feed. Unless bounced they weren’t going anywhere. Once we were sure the elk were all bedded we headed down the hill to build a fire and dry off. I set up my 8’ x 10’ nylon fly and got a fire going, it was just what the doctor ordered.

Mid afternoon saw the rain finally stop, the fog was lightly swirling opening up visibility more and more. As I was packing up the tarp and getting ready to roll my partner grabbed my shoulder and says “elk, elk” pointing at the broken finger ridges above us 800 meters away. We picked out elk moving along heading down and across the hill. A few decent bulls were spotted when visibility was afforded ......seldom more than 30 seconds at a time. Nothing special however. Any backcountry guy knows first hand how frustrating trying to glass found animals in fog can be.

We started back up the hill towards the knob the better bull was bedded on with the 15 – 18 cows. He started to bugle so I assumed he was on the go. Sure enough his next bugle was lower down and to the left. We knew exactly where they were headed and the trail they were on. A quick sprint had us overlooking the draw the herd would come thru and then cut up the opposite bank directly in front of us. I told my partner that I was definitely in the mood to kill this bull so I would shoot given the right opportunity. He looked at me and gave the thumbs up. He knows most hunts with me are more elk viewing trips as I seldom pull the trigger so I knew he was happy that lead was going to fly.

[Ourea]

Sure enough the elk could now be seen traveling down the draw below us. No bull yet. The herd was only 100 meters away but in thick brush so not offering any quality shooting opportunities. The lead cow was getting nervous as I think she knew something was up. She headed up the opposite bank out of the draw, the other elk were picking up on her body language….not good. Some of the cows started running up the bank and then stopped. They were acting nervous but didn’t no where the danger was. Sure enough the bull was at the back of the bus and was following them up. The lead cow started to go again….the rest following her. I knew my only chance at a shot would be when the crested the far bank before slipping over the ridge.

I could now see the bull quite well and he was definitely a shooter. The cows stopped at the top of the far bank with the bull getting in with them. Fak, can’t shoot, some of the cows are directly behind him. Off they go again with a deliberate march. I am well braced, crosshairs on him, waiting for the cows to clear. Finally a shot was about to present itself. As he stepped into a window that my gun was focused on I gently squeezed. All hell breaks loose with elk going everywhere. The bull didn’t go down and trotted over the ridge. My partner walks over with a big smile and asked how was the shot? I answered, I couldn’t be more comfortable with it.

We gave it about 20 mins and sauntered over to the exact location the bull was standing when I shot. We quickly found blood, nut much though surprisingly. Blood here, blood there…… kept slowly working the sign. Knowing the area extremely well I was pretty sure where he would attempt to go. The blood was sporadic and I became growingly concerned despite being so confident in my shot. My concern took a turn for the worse as I tracked him across a draw and he appeared to be headed straight up hill….NOT GOOD.

[bigredchev]

Great writing. Keep it coming...

[Ourea]

There were only two obvious scenarios that were going to play out. The hit was good and the elk would quickly bleed out with the added exertion of running uphill….or……he is not hit well and is going to f*ck off up and over the hill. Most guys know that when an animal heads uphill any distance at all it is not a good sign. We sat down and gave it another 30 mins and then started tracking him further. He kept going up and up. After another several hundred meters I told my partner I am pulling the plug and coming back for him tomorrow. There are some tight finger ridges up above that bulls like to bed on so I was assuming that’s where he was headed. Hopefully I would find him there in the morning, dead in his bed. We got back home well after dark and settled in for a restless night. I would be on him at first light…..

[twoSevenO]

Oh this is good ....

[TexasWalker]

More more more.......type faster!

[Ourea]

October 19th

With great anticipation I was on the hill the next morning with another friend of mine fully expecting to use his back retrieving this bull. It was damp and overcast so my concern was the rain and moisture was not going to make for easy tracking. As we neared the area a bull sounded off, several more responded. I could hear cows chirping. It was obvious that a herd was on the move and were headed our way. I moved us out of the draw and up on a rock bank that overlooked the draw. Our bull, if he wasn’t hit too bad, could be in with this group. How sweet would that be.
Within minutes things got real busy, multiple bulls started to scream aggressively and I could see elk coming our way. There was a zero chance I would shoot any other elk other than the one I wounded. I knew my friend would enjoy being close to the approaching madness and I had us set up no more than 50 feet off the trail and on a rock bank about 10 ft above.

Some cows started filtering by, they were constantly looking behind them, numerous bulls were losing their sh*t following this broken and annoyed group. The several cows turned into 8 then 12 then 15. Here comes the first bull trotting on the opposite bank bugling hard……small 5x6, not our guy. More cows, several bulls in chase, couple dinks and a 6x6. Still not our guy. A loud bugle comes from slightly above the cows to our left…..my buddy, who had a better sight line than me says, "big bull", his eyes were as big as pie plates. He's easily excitable so I wasn't getting worked up until I could put eyes on him. I smelled the bull but no visual. My partner asked if I could see him yet, I said no. Just then he lets out a monsterous bugle that caught me off guard....it couldn't have been 20 yards away. Heard some branches breaking then saw the tips of some awfully big bone appearing point blank. At 12 yards a tremendous 7x7 emerged, stopped right in front of us and let out a roar followed by a long series of grunts. Not our guy but what a bull!!!

[Ourea]

The cows were filtering by right in front of us, it was chaos with all the bugling action. The other bulls were having nothing to do with this seven by seven staying well back from the cows now. To add to my misery the bull walks to a 15ft pine that could be no more than 25 feet away and right below our rock perch. He starts to work the tree over. I marveled at the exceptional length of his royals and sur-royals as he ripped away on the tree, what a show and we had front row seats. He worked that pine over for 2 or 3 minutes then let a couple roars fly. The cows had passed by now, he slowly turned and followed them off. Wow, what a show. My friend was beside himself. We just stared at each other and started to quietly giggle like kids. As fun as that in your face experience was still no wounded bull. As gorgeous as that monster 7x7 was I had zero regret not shooting him. I am sure many are thinking why didn’t your friend kill him? Well, I got him an elk earlier that season so no tag!! By far the biggest bull he had ever seen and he was tagged out.

After the circus had moved on it was onward and upward to the finger ridges where I figured the wounded bull had gone to.

[358mag]

Fire up the pop corn machine I think I know were this tall tail going ...........

[Ourea]

I picked up from where I had riboned the last bit of blood from yesterday. We tracked him slowly, sign and blood were getting tougher to find. We were probably averaging a hundred yards an hour. As hope was getting thin I found a bed, a bed with some blood in it, very little however.Over the next several hours I had found where he rebedded three times. Each bed had less and less blood. I could see where he had bailed over the ridge and onto a main elk trail. This is where the blood stopped. We were a good couple kilometers away from the initial shot and a solid 800ft in elevation higher. I had to reluctantly accept this bull has been lost. I was sick to my stomach over the fact.

My friend knew I was pissed so there was little conversation on our way off the ridge. On the hike out I went back to the location where the bull was standing when he got hit. I stood there and looked across the draw to the tree I braced on for the shot. I then threw the binos up to see the exact shooting lane. I was so confident in my shot I couldn’t understand how this bull survived. As I glassed the shooting tree that was aprox 150 yards away my heart sank. I could see tips of some dead trees that were in the shooting lane hallway between from where I shot to the elk. Looks like I probably clipped some wood.
As annoyed as I was I was starting to feel better knowing that the bull had a very good chance of survival. Despite being very discouraged I would come back with Elk-Aholic for the last and final day of elk season. All night I kept playing the shooting scenario over and over again. I had my fingers crossed we could get into elk tomorrow but realized we had stirred the area up pretty good so odds were way down.

[Rattler]

Awesome story so far...just what we need after the last couple of days. Thanks Ourea!

[Bugle M In]

Popcorn???
Heck, I just brought out the single malt!....
I don't care when the next read comes up...I have a lot of Scotch to tie me over til it does arrive!!

[jimmybc]

The anticipation is killing me!

[358mag]

The anticipation is killing me!

Just wait Jimmy U will like the outcome

[Ourea]

Oct 20th, Day 3


Elk-Aholic and I had an early start and were in for first light. Day 3 started uneventful, no elk seen, no elk heard. We kept working our way up the hill checking the draws, no new sign. We worked our way up to the last ridge, the same ridge I had shot from. It was now 10am, the weather is clearing and still no elk. What the heck, I broke out my bugle, took off my pack and gave a rip. Nothing, Couple more bugles and some cow calls, nothing.
A few minutes later we get a low moan from the draw below. More calling with no response. A few minutes later another groan. Quick chat with elk-aholic and a plan is hatched. I send him off the ridge and tell him to call every few minutes and I will try and locate the bull and sneak in on him for a shot.

We get another low soft groan and it is definitely closer. Sure enough the bull is going down the same draw as the herd did two days previously. He cut up the bank in front of me the same as before. Knowing the shooting obstacle that cost me a bull two days earlier, a quick relocation put me in the clear. He moved out of the timber on the far bank and stopped to look back at what bull was giving him grief. He looked exhausted, quite lethargic. Settled the cross hairs on him and squeezed.

He dropped instantly.
Bull down!

I kept the gun on him, saw a little life still so I squeezed again.

Dead bull, and a good one.

[358mag]

Crown + Coke time:smile:

[Ourea]

I grabbed my brass, got organised and waited for Elk-Aholic.
He asked, is he down?
Yes he is I said, dead on the bank.

We crossed the draw and approached the bull. He was weathered, run down with his ribs showing.
We have killed numerous big bulls over the years but the size of the body on this beast was huge. He had to have been a warrior gauging from scars on his face, split ear and some serious puncture wounds in his hinds.

He was a bit busted up and didn't have great beam length but had tremendous tine length plus some JUNK!
This was going to be one hell of a pack, biggest bodied bull I have been in on.

I am not too big on pictures but we snapped a few and got to work. It was going to be a very long day to get him packed out by dark.

[Ourea]

Here he is.
Bit short on the beams and his front end is missing several inches across the board being broken off.
Note the mass of the body, he was as big bodied as an elk gets.

Decent bull for sure.

https://i.imgur.com/1VtC57b.jpg

[Ourea]

Back from the taxidermist getting ready to put up at my office building.

https://i.imgur.com/KY49Lbh.jpg

[dmaxtech]

Wow. That’s a nice bull. 6x8?

[Red_Mist]

Wow monster bull !

[Rattler]

Stud bull! Has a lot of character. Thanks for sharing.

[ElliotMoose]

What a beauty and a pleasure to read. anybody would be proud to have him on the wall!

[Rattler]

Forgot to ask, was the bull that got away larger?

[nature girl]

Very nice elk and nothing better then getting to look at your elk every time you go to work.

[~T-BONE~]

Great write up! DYNAMITE BULL!! Thanks for the share

[ydouask]

Thanks for your uplifting story of a great hunt. Have to admit, I needed that rather than more dreadful discussion of B.C.'s lack of Wildlife Management......

[guest]

Oh my!!!!
Finally getting the story on this magnificent Bull.
Great Share Ourea!
Wow what an experience.
Congrats.

This site has been short of good stories like this...... Lately

Although this is a tough one to match....... Lol

Thanks again Ourea for posting.

We need a fix of pure hunting!

[Wrayzer]

Love it. Great bull.

[Ourea]

Thanks for your uplifting story of a great hunt. Have to admit, I needed that rather than more dreadful discussion of B.C.'s lack of Wildlife Management......

We all have a choice on HBC.
Endlessly debate issues with the same repetitive groups or take the time to share some field experiences.
HBC has slipped into a debating sight more than a hunting site.

I try and drop the odd story to keep some hunting content going.
More should do the same.
Just sayin

[Bugle M In]

Been waiting for that story for awhile...thanks for finally taking the time....
definitely a great bull....great story and memory.

[eagle eye]

Thanks Ourea,members like you are the backbone of Hbc.thanks for sharing and you
absalutely deserve that that great bull

[blackbart]

Thanks Bud - wicked good thread. All the best to all over the festive season and lets try to follow Ourea's example.

BB

[HarryToolips]

Awesome bull Ourea, magnificent rack, and awesome writeup....what did he score??

[Ferenc]

Very ... very nice ... one day when you get a chance sure would like to see what he looks like up on the wall.

[twoSevenO]

We all have a choice on HBC.
Endlessly debate issues with the same repetitive groups or take the time to share some field experiences.
HBC has slipped into a debating sight more than a hunting site.

I try and drop the odd story to keep some hunting content going.
More should do the same.
Just sayin

Great story behind that elk. Thanks for sharing!

But don't be afraid to share the ones you've killed that aren't your biggest and baddest elk and MD .... we like those too ;)

[Whonnock Boy]

Nice share.... No doubt a great bull.

[silvertipp]

Wow great bull. Another great story thanks for posting it

[Liveforthehunt]

We all have a choice on HBC.
Endlessly debate issues with the same repetitive groups or take the time to share some field experiences.
HBC has slipped into a debating sight more than a hunting site.

I try and drop the odd story to keep some hunting content going.
More should do the same.
Just sayin

Thank you for this ... it's refreshing to see and very true ... far too political unfortunately and less in field experience ! For this I have a couple excellent story's and pics from the year I shall get on sooner than later cheers !

[LuckyIfYouGetOne]

Great write up and awesome elk!

[srupp]

Tremendous elk..and exellent write up....the mass and tops are impressive indeed but so is the chunky monkey body..
Well done and told..thank you.
Steven

[The Hermit]

Excellent. Thanks. I agree more stories from the field might revive HBC.

[Piperdown]

Great bull thanks for the story. It is stories like this that make one come back to this site, not all the bitching and whining that seems to have taken over this site, oh and your Chasing Whities thread is one of the best, keep up the good work. Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS you deserve it

[835]

At Up hill he was a gone'er .. Especially 2+km away... Dad shot a moose once, they tracked it hard. They found it the next year over the top. He went up, they searched up but not enough. Didn't have blood.
You put in a great effort. Im sure that bull is still moving today.... I have lost one animal myself, it has made me very nervous every time I go look for what I shot... Still today. And that was maybe close to 10 years ago.

Beauty Bull....

[IronNoggin]

Many Thanks Ourea!
Tremendous Bull, and a fine story that goes with. :-D
Made my morning.

Many Thanks for the share. Certainly a breath of fresh air amongst the political stank these days!
Guess I should get on with penning one soon myself...

Cheers & Congrats!
Nog

[charlie_horse]

Awesome read for the drive into work today!

[Bugle M In]

At Up hill he was a gone'er .. Especially 2+km away... Dad shot a moose once, they tracked it hard. They found it the next year over the top. He went up, they searched up but not enough. Didn't have blood.
You put in a great effort. Im sure that bull is still moving today.... I have lost one animal myself, it has made me very nervous every time I go look for what I shot... Still today. And that was maybe close to 10 years ago.

Beauty Bull....

I know that most people say that once you hit an animal, it goes "downhill"...
which is very true and sound advice...but....I have seen animal, that was hit, that did expire,
but had gone uphill!
It can happen, and only pass it along as a thought when the blood trail runs out, or is non existent, that people
don't just assume to give up when all the "downhill" options have run out.

[Ourea]

I know that most people say that once you hit an animal, it goes "downhill"...
which is very true and sound advice...but....I have seen animal, that was hit, that did expire,
but had gone uphill!
It can happen, and only pass it along as a thought when the blood trail runs out, or is non existent, that people
don't just assume to give up when all the "downhill" options have run out.

It is any and all hunters obligation to make all reasonable efforts to find their wounded animal.
I get annoyed when I hear stories of a hunter taking a shot, pretty sure they hit it, take a peak and abandon their search in minutes.

I spent the better part of two full days looking for that elk.
I am reasonably sure that this bull survived seeing the distance, elevation and time he carried on after being shot.

Message being, search to the best of your ability once you have hit an animal.

[Bugle M In]

It is any and all hunters obligation to make all reasonable efforts to find their wounded animal.
I get annoyed when I hear stories of a hunter taking a shot, pretty sure they hit it, take a peak and abandon their search in minutes.

I spent the better part of two full days looking for that elk.
I am reasonably sure that this bull survived seeing the distance, elevation and time he carried on after being shot.

Message being, search to the best of your ability once you have hit an animal.

Yup, been there, done that...it happens, no matter how long we have been at it.
And yes, everyone needs to do everything they can to find it, or exhaust all possibilities.
I know one time I lost an elk, blood trail ran out...spent 2 days looking, but never got closer to figuring it out.
Then, while leaving on the last night, just before dark, after a week long hunt to go home, I saw some ravens.
Made me sick....but I knew I tried....
All I could do at that point was to "report it".
But then there have been times where I thought maybe the animal was missed, and got away, only to find out that
it was down.....you have to try, we owe it to that animal we have tried to harvest.

[Seeker]

We all have a choice on HBC.
Endlessly debate issues with the same repetitive groups or take the time to share some field experiences.
HBC has slipped into a debating sight more than a hunting site.

I try and drop the odd story to keep some hunting content going.


More should do the same.
Just sayin

Couldn't agree more.

Gawd I love elk hunting!

These stories are the common ground to which we can all relate. We all have them and the incredible experiences are so enjoyable that they keep us going in pursuit of the next great hunt. The possibility of such hunts is the very reason we ALL want to continue to hunt and to preserve our lifestyle. Thanks for the distraction.

Do you have a picture of the final mount on a wall? I would love to see it. I am debating how to go about mounting mine and when I saw yours, it is what I was looking at, but a right hand turn versus a left.

[twoSevenO]

Couldn't agree more.


Then why not post your own story?

I've been pretty active on the site this season and the number of people posting their success stories is dismal. Yet, there's no shortage of comments agreeing with Ourea when he encourages others to "do the same".

Fricken post stuff up, people, if you want the place to get better :)

[Wrj]

VERY well written, and magnificent elk! I hope to find a legal 6 in the OK Valley let alone a big old bruiser like that!

[rocksteady]

We all have a choice on HBC.
Endlessly debate issues with the same repetitive groups or take the time to share some field experiences.
HBC has slipped into a debating sight more than a hunting site.

I try and drop the odd story to keep some hunting content going.
More should do the same.
Just sayin

Hence the reason I post my hunting adventure thread every year.. Not about getting boone and Crockett. About sharing hunting stories with other passionate woodsmen (or wannabees)...

I may not take the biggest or best of any species but like sharing my passion..

[kennyj]

Great story and awesome elk!!! Thanks again for sharing your adventures.
kenny

[Ourea]

Hence the reason I post my hunting adventure thread every year.. Not about getting boone and Crockett. About sharing hunting stories with other passionate woodsmen (or wannabees)...

I may not take the biggest or best of any species but like sharing my passion..

Your many hunt shares are always appreciated and duly noted by most.

[Husky7mm]

Thanks for sharing the awesome adventure Ourea, that must have been an amazingly satisfying way to finish that hunt after the events that transpired... a real roller coaster. Thanks again for your important contributions to HBC and more so to the maintainable future of hunting in BC. We are a minority and we need people to be passionate able hunting today more than ever.

[Ourea]

VERY well written, and magnificent elk! I hope to find a legal 6 in the OK Valley let alone a big old bruiser like that!

Reg 8 still holds moderate numbers but has taken a sh*t kicking in age though.
I haven't hunted the Okanagan in Reg 8 myself, for elk, for 3 yrs now.
Pretty tough to find many bulls that make it past 3 or 4 years.

Pressure, access, and a heavy yr round FN presence is pretty hard on the elk here.
Not discouraging anyone but do understand it is tough to find elk that are not being bounced every other day.

[Seeker]

Then why not post your own story?

I've been pretty active on the site this season and the number of people posting their success stories is dismal. Yet, there's no shortage of comments agreeing with Ourea when he encourages others to "do the same".

Fricken post stuff up, people, if you want the place to get better :)

Not my thread, but already done.....

[northof49]

What a beauty elk Ourea. Thanks for sharing and getting the site back on track.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Finally got a chance to finish this story.

Great share and beauty bull, O!

Thanks for taking the time to put it all in writing!

SSS

[Brambles]

Nice work Dave, impressive bull...one day when Im sick of eating them and the kids are moved out.. Ill pass up a few to get to a big one.

[steepNdeep]

Beauty bull! Cool top & thick as! Way to persevere searching. Tough to beat the excitement of hunting bugling bulls. (howling wolves is close... ; )

Great to have some real hunting content on this site again...

[Ourea]

Wow. That’s a nice bull. 6x8?

Yes.
Nice 6 x 6 frame with two lengthy stickers off his right beam.

[Sitkaspruce]

Finally!!! LOL!!!

Great Bull Dave!!

Thanks for posting it up, telling us the story and sharing the pictures!!

Cheers

SS

[bang flop]

Beauty, thanks for the share.

[Ourea]

Wait, story is not done yet, still had to pack him out!

After a couple quick photos the knives and saw came out and we got to work.
This is where having a partner that knows what he is doing is indispansible, and this guy can pack.
Despite the bull being quite run down from the rigors of the rut, I still marveled at his overall size.
Wasn't going to make the pack out any easier.

Gear, shoulders, straps and tenderloins was the first load.
Hinds where next. About 3/4's of the way out I dropped my hind and headed back for the the head and cape.
The plan was for Elk-aholic to come back for my hind while I did the last load and it was getting late.

I could have done a better job on loading my pack as it was a bit sloppy with the overcut cape and bone.
It was a bit top heavy as well, guessing 115-120lbs.

I was entering the bottom area of the initial draw. Had some rock to negotiate and then I was trail bound for the duration. My legs were pretty bagged from three successive days and then two trips with weight. The day was late and was hoping to meet my partner by dark at the vehicle.

As I was coming off the rocky bank my pack started shifting and I couldn't hold it back. Down goes Frazer!
That was the last thing I remembered. I was out cold.

I remember coming to, face down, reaching for a rock.
I thought I had slept in and was turning the rock off thinking it was the alarm. As my head cleared I fumbled to get my pack off. I struggled to find my legs. After some water and slowly walking around my head was getting clearer.
It was actually pretty cool how your body and brain reboot after being knocked out.

Anyway, it took everything I had to get the pack on and get rolling. The pack felt twice as heavy and I was seriously struggling. I got to an area where there was enough reception to get a call out to my buddy. Apparently i didn't make a lot of sense so he knew something was up. An hr later he found me sitting on a log in a bit of a stooper. He grabbed the pack and kept an eye on me. In retrospect I should have left the pack after I fell. Oh well, live and learn.

I was still a bit scrambled until the next day. Granted, it wasn't the smoothest extraction but still worth it.
Surprisingly the old warrior was pretty darn good eating.

Every time I look at him I think of that big 7x7 and that nasty pack out.

[Bugle M In]

The "Pack Out"...
Boy, I have a couple of stories...not long ones...but where I damn near lost my life trying to cross rivers where I had no business being, with heavy packs full of game meat, and damn near drowning or breaking legs in between the boulders in over waist deep water.
Forget about worrying bout Gbears showing up!...theres a lot to stories after the animal drops for sure.

[Seeker]

Jeezuz! Ya gotta love the "pack so heavy no one should be carrying it" stories. Hard as hell doing it, but the best stories to tell once your done! Great story.

[Ourea]

Jeezuz! Ya gotta love the "pack so heavy no one should be carrying it" stories. Hard as hell doing it, but the best stories to tell once your done! Great story.

It's a love hate experience for sure.
But Nothing feels better than getting that weight off your back at the end of the day.
Never more than that particular trip.

[Fisher-Dude]

Reminds me of the time my brother and I got a beauty 310 class bull on a steep sidehill. We had to tie it to a tree to gut it, and the guts rolled about 50 yards down the hill after we cut them loose and hung up on a small alder.

I put a 3rd rib hind on my pack, and my brother helped me to my feet on this small ribbon of game trail that ran across the steep hillside.

"You okay?" he asks. "Yup" says I.

I took two steps then slipped on a wet rock and rolled end over end down the hill with that pack on, finally stopping when I crashed into the gut bag in the alders.

Remind me again why I have aches and pains in my old age?

[Bear Chaser]

Heck of a good bull.
Thanks for the story. Sounds like you were a wee bit concussed after the wipeout. We are all tough guys here but I’d be the first to insist my partner gets checked out by a doctor after being out cold. Glad you were okay.

[OceanMon]

Awesome story! Thanks for sharing!

[Ourea]

Loading up the elk and taking him out to my partners barn as he doesnt fit into the plans downstairs anymore.
Sure there will be a few looks while driving down the hiway with him in the back.

https://i.imgur.com/OL1Zfb3.jpg

[Kootenaykid85]

Do u mind sharing the numbers on this great bull?? Sorry if you allready have

[IronNoggin]

That read was just as exciting as it was the first time around! :D
You are one FINE tale teller Buddy!!
Hell of a hunt, and one hell of a Fine Bull!! https://www.tnof.ca/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/Pozitive.gif

And, some of the names that popped up in this thread had me wondering just where a few have wandered off to...


... Sure there will be a few looks while driving down the hiway with him in the back.

LOL! I can actually see that in my mind's eye! https://www.tnof.ca/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/ROFLMAO.gif
Hilarious!

Cheers,
Nog

[Bugle M In]

Yup, there will be lots of folks looking, nice bull!

Had a friend (passed away now) who helped me how to hunt elk.
He had a bull 9x8, and scored in the 400's (and no, it wasn't in any bc trophy book)
Anyways, when he built a new house, he had a trophy room made up downstairs.
He had to have the Mount placed into the house, before the windows and doors went in:shock:.
Wouldn't be able to get it in otherwise.

Sadly, after he passed, his wife just "gave it away" (supposedly??) to some local foreigner?

[Ourea]

Do u mind sharing the numbers on this great bull?? Sorry if you allready have

The bull is north of 350"
Missing a bit of his front end to boot.

We have killed bigger but I love this one's character.
I am not fixated on numbers

[walks with deer]

great story, great bull, great adventure.

lets the rest of us dream of such a hot pocket.

thank you for sharing.

[Jagermeister]

Nice read, cannot remember reading it before. Lot of times I can't remember if I was coming or going.
That is a very nice spread. Must be a disappointment to pay for the taxidermy and unable to display it. But with the size of the mount it is understandable that it doesn't fit the plan. What you need is a house that has a vaulted ceiling vista living room. There must be a home with that feature in the area north of Carmi/Beaverdell Road.

[Ourea]

Nice read, cannot remember reading it before. Lot of times I can't remember if I was coming or going.
That is a very nice spread. Must be a disappointment to pay for the taxidermy and unable to display it. But with the size of the mount it is understandable that it doesn't fit the plan. What you need is a house that has a vaulted ceiling vista living room. There must be a home with that feature in the area north of Carmi/Beaverdell Road.

He fit in nicely at my office building/warehouse.
Sold the building so it doesn't work at the house.
He will fit in nicely at the barn with his friends.

Will post pics once he is up.

[Ferenc]

Very nice elk .... can hardly wait to see it up on the barn also, it’s a gooder !!

[Jagermeister]

Very nice elk .... can hardly wait to see it up on the barn also, it’s a gooder !!Looking forward to that as well.

[Arctic Lake]

WoW ! Nice elk for sure !
Arctic Lake

[HarryToolips]

Incredible bull, that's a story I had no problem reading again..

[backcountry99]

Great story and Bull, congrats!

[joshbazz]

Thanks for sharing, great writing, felt like I was right there with ya! Cannot imagine the experience, but what an inspiring read!

Cheers!