Brambles and Rattler 2012 Elk Pursuit

[Brambles]

Well after our apline mule deer trip Rattler and I decide to go for ELK, we spent a couple days checking out different area's hoping to find some good sign and a bull who wanted to chat.

On day 3 we found him and boy did he want to chat. He had a nice growly tone and he wasn't afraid to talk from the comfort of his heavy timber stand.

We had this bull talking up a storm but there was NO way he would come out of the timber and as we had determined earlier that Rattler was gonna be the shooter on this bull he went into the timber to try and sneak in on him while I stayed out and kept him talking.

[Steeleco]

I so liked the other story better LOL Now where are those pics??? WELLLLLL

[harbinger]

ahhhhhh, so much for the honey-do list, hello coffee!

[Brambles]

As I kept the bull talking I could only imagine what was going on, how close was he? Was he a 6'er? He's gotta be getting close by now. Fully expecting to hear a gunshot at any moment, I waited......and waited...and kept the bull talking. Then the bull gets out of his bed and starts zig zagging across the hillside......Back and forth....back and forth. I'm thinking this bull's gotta give Rattler a shot sooner or later.

Getting desparate Rattler starts cow calling and the bull STILL won't come in. After 4.5 hours of dogging and talking to this bull the sun was starting to get too high in the sky and Rattler backs out before the changing rising wind currents could carry his scent to the bull and blow him out of the country.

We decide to leave the bull and not go back for an evening hunt, the inversion would occur too late in the evening to allow a hunt.

[Brambles]

I so liked the other story better LOL Now where are those pics??? WELLLLLL

sorry man, I gotta type all this crap out.....cut and paste from word no worky..

[coach]

Great start! Keep it coming..

[Ourea]

Right on Brams!

[Brambles]

Day 2

In the morning we get there and set up, we start sweet talking, and more sweet talking..................NOTHING. We notice some tracks into the area over ours and hope that someone didn't come in and try an evening hunt on this bull and blow him out of the country.

I go away to check some other area's for responsive bulls and Rattler does the same. A couple hours later I head back to where the bull was and start calling again.......................Wham he calls back...................then WHAM......another bull calls back........SWEET..two bulls calling.......Rock ON. I track down Rattler and we make a plan. This time we both go into the timber and make our way to where we figure we would be a couple hundred yards from him.

We set up and call.....wait about 15 minutes and ......NOTHING.

We advance a little further, set up and call..............NOTHING

On the third setup we reposition again. Rattler was downhill and ahead of me by 40-50 yards so when the bull circles below me to catch my wind he would expose himself to Rattler.

I let out a couple cow calls with the widowmaker and he responds but sounds quite far away, I wait a couple more minutes and let out a couple more cow calls. He responds again and is closer....great he's coming in and sounds like our growly bull.

A couple more minutes pass and I cow call again and this time I suffle my feet and kick the duff. WHAM......He bugles and he's RIGHT there....maybe 50-75 yards in front of Rattler.

I can hear him crashing and running in, he's starting to circle below me to catch my wind.....This is working out PERFECT.....waiting for a shot ANY moment.........

The bull stops....and runs straight up hill.. Crosses 15 yards in front of Rattler and he counts 6 but has NO shot.....Ohhhhhhh. He see's his eye and maybe his ear in the thick bush but decides not to risk it.

[coach]

Well after our apline mule deer trip..

What did I miss? Where's the story and pictures?

[lucky_magic_stick]

My hearts already pounding, definitely got me hook line and sinker on this thread! Thank God I got Friday's off of school, now I can spend it getting an awesome play by play!

[Brambles]

The bull is now circling above Rattler and headed straight for me.

I see the brush moving 40 yards ahead and slightly above me, then the rack appears straight on as he pushes through the alder. I see from this point that there is NO way that Rattler is gonna be able to get a shot, WAY too much cabbage between him and the bull now. Safety OFF..........I count 1, 2, 3, 4......and he walks in behind some bushes. He holds up for about 20 seconds but it seems like hours.

He walks and crosses a small shooting lane, as he turns broadside I see #5, and #6.....Its GO time. Shooting lane too small and have NO shot, I project his course and pick a different shooting lane. He walks out directly above me and at 16 yards looks straight at me...........I put the crosshairs on his throat........BANG.....he dropped like a bag of hammers. BULL DOWN.........but momma didn't raise no fool.....I walked up to him and put another in the neck to ensure he was gonna stay down. Had one get up on me after a neck shot and it aint gonna happen again.

Now the work starts......and for nearly 10 hours we dealt with the bull until we had him back to the truck, stiff, sore and the Feet "A" burning..........Good times good times!!! Probably one of the worst packs out expecially the last 150 yards.....A potpourri of Rhodo, devils club, alder and a million different forms of vegitation that make footing on steep terrain trecherous with heavy packs.

We were both saying if we get through this day without someone getting hurt it was a good day.

He appears to be an older bull, missing 3 front teeth, the remainder of the fronts looked decent, molar's were pretty much flat. We were plesantly suprised when we scored him, 49" outside spread, 45" inside spread, front end was 19+'s and 20's and 9's and 10's for his first mass measurment which all made up for his short back end. He ended up grossing 321 5/8


I can place my 300" bull from a few years ago inside this guys rack and have 6"-7" clearance on BOTH sides, it is VERY clear this is a MUCH more mature bull..


Thanks for the wait....

[Steeleco]

So far so good, but this is starting to look like the work of Bigbore LOL Still need a piccy or two!!!

[Brambles]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/Brambles77/P9190162_zps9792236b.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/Brambles77/P9190152_zps5e1e039d.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/Brambles77/P9190774_zpsd4d3de94.jpg

[Brambles]

The last picture I had to take the horns off and make a third trip......we were starting the last 150 yards ahead and NO way to get down with them slung like this. Hind quarter and head was HEAVY

[325]

Nice! Now that's a solid bull! Thanks for sharing your story and pics. You guys are elk killing machines!

[mark]

Nice work buddy, nice bull! Ive had some very similar stories myself in the last few days, but just couldnt get the shot. Ive had lots of action despite the heat wave....

[coach]

Great bull! Awesome story. Congratulations.

[The Dude]

Now tht's a piggy! Great bull and story! Thx *sigh*

[calvin L]

Good for you two . I hope to have the same porblem this year . :smile: . That looks like a wide set to pack out through the cabage .I always look forward to the hearing the results of your time in the bush . Now about this alpine hunt ?????


calvin L

[MB_Boy]

Awesome work guys.....and thanks Brambles for takin' us along!!

[J_T]

Yep good score Brambles. I like how you approach your elk. While we think we're in control its the elk who decide when. Just have to be there 'when'.


Based on the distance have you thought about hunting with a bow?

[d6dan]

Super bull Brambles!.:smile: Great story and pics. Man you and Rattler know how to get'er done. Congrats.

[Rackmastr]

Thats a great old heavy bull with some cool character....congrats! Thanks for letting us tag along with ya!

[35 Whelen]

Congratulations Jeff and Ken.......nothing more satisfying that boot leather and sweat to really make the memories. Way to go, fantastic bull.

[lovemywinchester]

Very nice! One day I will have to try for an elk. Sounds like a very exciting hunt..

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Congrats Gents!!!
After last year's gimme double, I'm glad you had to work for this big fella!!!

SSS

[Darksith]

thats awesome...congrats

[Elkaholic]

Congrats on the great bull. Nice old majestic looking elk. Thanks for sharing the story!

[1 shot 1 kill]

great read guys...way to have patience, and for that your rewarded with an incredible bull! congrats

[Whonnock Boy]

Way to get'r done guys. Nice looking bull. Gives us guys some more encouragement/incentive to get out there and get it done ourselves. Not like we need it.:-P

[pnbrock]

Wow I'm a little jeliuos. Great job you two.

[kennyj]

Nice heavy old bull! Thanks for sharing your story.
kenny

[Rattler]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. It was an exciting hunt - too much fun listening to those buggers bugle at close range. It was a good reminder at just how large these bulls are and how much work is involved packing them out. We had to piggy back the meat three times before we got it back to the truck:shock:.

[wsm]

grats on the bull . very nice . your story format is awful. how dare you keep me sitting on the edge of my seat . darn computer doesn't load pages fast enough . .:razz:

[mcrae]

Good job guys thats a nice bull for sure!

[Brambles]

Good for you two . I hope to have the same porblem this year . :smile: . That looks like a wide set to pack out through the cabage .I always look forward to the hearing the results of your time in the bush . Now about this alpine hunt ?????


calvin L




What did I miss? Where's the story and pictures?



Not much of a thriller, 5 nights on the mountain, it was a good trip, seen lots of deer, lots of grizz. Never seen any real big bucks so we came out light.

[yota]

thats one girthy looking bull congrats guys.

[tomahawk]

Nice bull!!

[Brambles]

Yep good score Brambles. I like how you approach your elk. While we think we're in control its the elk who decide when. Just have to be there 'when'.


Based on the distance have you thought about hunting with a bow?


I take my bow during archery season but i'm more about the animal itself than how its taken. I also have to think of kids and a wife to feed, not to mention Rattlers families share. Rifle is just a more sure thing! One day I'll have the opportunity to take one with a bow, but I can't purposly handicap myself.

[Darksith]

so just a question for ya about your hunt.

What is your technique to locating a bull? Are you walking or sitting? how often do you bugle? I am trying to learn how to hunt elk with no "mentor" to learn from and Im just curious on peoples techniques. Granted it is hot as a .... up here right now, and not being able to get out in the am is defanetley hurting my chances. But I have also heard that bulls are more vocal before dark than in the am. Any truth to that? My technique right now is to go into an area, walk a short distance (I have about 1h of daylight to hunt a night only) sit down and be quiet for a bit then let out a bugle. Haven't seen or heard an elk yet.

[bucket]

Look at that rack!!!

[Kitimat Killer]

What a great story and awesome bull congrats



KK

[Brambles]

so just a question for ya about your hunt.

What is your technique to locating a bull? Are you walking or sitting? how often do you bugle? I am trying to learn how to hunt elk with no "mentor" to learn from and Im just curious on peoples techniques. Granted it is hot as a .... up here right now, and not being able to get out in the am is defanetley hurting my chances. But I have also heard that bulls are more vocal before dark than in the am. Any truth to that? My technique right now is to go into an area, walk a short distance (I have about 1h of daylight to hunt a night only) sit down and be quiet for a bit then let out a bugle. Haven't seen or heard an elk yet.



Finding the proper habitat is the most important, Rattler and I are constantly going through area's taking note of which ones look "Elky". Once you find a few area's that look elky you just need to keep checking them until you find one that has activity and/or a responsive bull.

[ufishifish2]

Good job again this year guys. Nice to keep the rest of us dreaming.....................
I'll meet you at your dads place for an elk roast dinner this winter Ken. ;)

[Hillbros_96]

Good job guys.

[ELK Seeker]

My hearts a racing nice bull!

[Pioneerman]

Excellent story and bull, thanks for sharing. I was expecting to see some G bear action in there too :-)

[Spy]

Now tht's a piggy! Great bull and story! Thx *sigh*
X2 that's exactly how I feal ! LOL
Well done again,awesome bull !

[Bc Deer Hunter]

Great bull!! Job welll done fellas. Hope i can connect with a beast like that next week!! :)

[HuntNmemories]

way to go guys, beautiful bull and an awesome rack

[WKCotts]

nice work boys. good to see locals taking the bulls.

[kootenayelkslayer]

Must have missed this thread the first time around. Great bull guys, you two make a pretty successful duo! Sounds like you had to work for that one. Wish I could be down there hunting elk right now!

[yama49]

Awesome elk, great story.. thx for taking us along..

[Elkhound]

holy crap what a bull......congrats guys you deserve it

[moose2]

Great looking elk guys congratulations.
Mike