Good Bull (Now with story)

[birdsnest]

There have been several request for the story and the score. So here you go.

First of all lets start with the fact that I'm a horrible story teller and not a very good speller. So give me break and don’t bust my chops to bad for my bad grammer.

We drove to a spot about 6 miles as the crow flies from camp. We planned to hunt our way back to camp if the wind and the elk cooperated. Right off the bat we hear an elk bugle. Then another. Looks like it’s going to be a good day. But both bulls had a little bit of a high pitch to them so we decide to drop over the edge and look for something with some substance. As soon as we start dropping into the canyon we start with a little cow calling. We immediately hear what we’re looking for, a nice big bull bugle about 300-400 yards down and across from us. We decide to try to close the distance on this raspy sounding one. We make it about 75 yards and see him coming in. We freeze and are caught in the open. He has love in his eyes. Bugling big and and tearing everything up in his sight to impress. The wind is perfect for us at this point but our only cover is no where close. He closes the distance down to 50 yards, and finally goes behind a tree. Now we all kneel down. He comes out from behind the tree still working right to us. 35, 25, 20 yards finally he stops. He’s looking right at us. You could tell he was thinking what the ???? , who are they and where are the girls? He quickly whirls around and goes out to about 50 yards, stops turns and bugles right at us. What a sound this guy had, the bugle you hear in your dreams. To our surprise this guy decided to come back in again. Once again working straight to us. Finally at about 15 yards he turns and goes behind a tree. Time to pull the bow back. Nope! He was a 6x6 and went maybe 260-290. We wanted a monster. So we wait for this bull to figure things out and move along. Well he’s a slow learner. He just paced back and forth 15-20 yards in front of us looking right into our eyes. Finally my brother-in-law reached for a stick to throw and scare him. Nope. He’ll have nothing to do with that. He throws another, nope still not leaving. Finally on the third stick which hit his leg he slowly walks off to about 40 yards and stops again. We are laughing out loud now and this sucker will not leave us alone. Just about the time I started thinking about taking him home for a pet he decided it was time to leave.

To keep this from being a novel I’ll condense most of the rest of the day.

We had 5 more bull encounters. One which was a bruiser but we couldn’t get a good look at. He was 25 yards away in real thick stuff. We saw the body size and some mass but couldn’t make out anything more before he dicided to leave and oh what a bugle. We also get into a little herd with a spike in it. He’s being pushed around by the big boy (5x6). My Brother in law says there’s your spike. I have a general season tag good for a spike in this unit. I look at the bull and decide now is not the time to hunt the mighty spike. I told him we are into the bulls like crazy and this is going to be the day of the monster. Now let go get him.

We’ll a couple hours go by and we can’t locate a shooter. Time to head for camp. GPS says 1.2 miles. Lets make a bee line get some food have a beer and get out early for the evening hunt. We don’t make it 500 yards and we hear 2 bulls bugling not real far away. We look at each other. I pinch my fingers togther to tell him “small”. He nods agreement. The elk bugle again. This time we discuss it and decide we’ll take a quick peek since they are bugling so close. We walk about 100 yards towards the bugles and the brother in law does the stop sign with the hand. Up go the binos. He turns around to me and says that’s an 8x8 racking the tree right up there about 100 yards away. I see the tree aqnd the bull but couldn’t make the horns right away. The bull stops raking and starts the walk right at us. At the first tree we kneel down next to small trees for cover. He reappears and is still walking straight at us but in medium cover. The wind is swirling at this time of day 1:00. It hits the back of our heads and 5 seconds later the bull spins and is gone. We both cow call. He stops, looks, turns and decides what the heck lets go party with the girls over there. He walked straight to us stopping to bugle one last time. All I’m thinking is what a lame bugle. He keeps coming until 30 yards he veers to his left goes behind a tree. Bow is pulled back, he steps into a clearing and “wack”. Great shot and the bull spins. We call quickly he stops at 60 yards. Looks back at us and falls over on his side. Game over.

I was literally 3 feet behind him right over his shoulder as he took the shot. It was the most amazing experience of my life. If I never ever get a chance at big bull it will not matter. I have this memory. Sorry for carrying on with story.

Green gross score is 380+. What a pig. We measured late at night and had a few beers so we may lose or gain an inch or two.

Distance from camp .670 miles. Nice easy pack considering where we had been all day.
Here are a couple pictures of the bull my Brother-in-law shot this weekend in Wenaha.

I took last week off to assist him and learn the area better as I have 11 points and will be hunting this area myself in the next few years.

[Hanapa'a Time]

Now that's what I'm talkin' about

Congrats to him on a DANDY trophy bull

Green score????

[blackdog]

Looks to be well worth the wait. Congrats. Nice bull!

[in 'em]

ho my!

[puddles]

nicely done,guys that is a great bull!

[HuntNFishAddict]

That is a "TOAD" as Jim Horn would say. It is amazing the animals that come out of that part of the State.

Is there a story behind it. Please Please!!!

[Limbhanger]

WOW !! That is awesome......congratulations on a great bull.

[fishinpox]

Woah baby, looks like that hunt was worth the wait

[cwh]

Yikes, that's a monster. Nice work!

[cutt plug]

That's in the category of "Big un"!

What a trophy! Like to hear the story and what it scores.

Thanks for sharing.

[saman]

Good bull??? That is Great bull, that forked sword tine is killer.

[osulogger]

Nice.....

Please do share a story and a green score when you get the time. Congrats to your Brother-in-law and best of luck in the unit in the future.

From the land of Big Sticks,

Osulogger

[RODACTION]

Nice.....

Please do share a story and a green score when you get the time.

[RidgeRunner]

Awesome BULL, congratulations on a great hunt. That thing is HUGE. Good luck in the next few years drawing that coveted tag.

[fishboys]

Thats what dreams are made of baby. Man I would give my left,uh, ear for a chance at one of those.

[Blue Tip Spinner]

OMG!!!! (i just passed out and woke up again to hit send...)

[PullShootExplode]

Nice bull... maybe when I'm 80 I will draw that tag.

[jokester]

Holy Moley! That's a biggun' fo sho!!

-jokester

[elkaholic]

Very, very nice. Thanks for sharing.

[JIMBOUY]

EXCELLENT

[Abalone]

Now somebody top that ! WOW....

I'd be high for about three weeks after that !

What a monster.......

[Hookset]

What an awesome trophy!!

Congratulations to you and your brother in-law on a job well done. Even in Wenaha, bulls like that are not a common occurence. That is really an outstanding bull elk. Very nicely done to both of you.

I really love the Wenaha unit and miss the good old days. I have 10 points so hopefully I'll get the tag in a few more years too.

Thanks for sharing the pictures, now I'm dying to read the story....

Gregg

[onstep]

If you were going to wait 12 years that would be the bull to shoot. What a great bull.

[oregonmuley]

Now thats a bull elk - thanks for the pic's.

[Killertraylor]

Wow! I'm guessing 380 minimum and it might go 400!!!

[huntercgr]

Yowzers. Very, very nice. I'll also say that's a minimum 380 bull. There'll be a few jealous guides now.

[in 'em]

did he enter the big bull contest???
if so... :grin:
if not...

[pythonwill]

Very impressive bull & great story too. Thanks for sharing

[Radke]

That's probably the nicest bull I've ever seen come out of Orygun, a true beauty!!

Can I ask how many preference points it took to draw that tag?

with my puny 8, I may never live long enough to draw that unit. But I did hunt it in 1980 and 1983 with over the counter tags, but I don't think there were too many bulls like that back then.

[RODACTION]

2nd reply, thanks for the story.....WOW, I cannot imagin what it would have been like to see all of that go down !! Thanks for the story. I am sure it will be talked about for many, many years to come.

[BrianMaguire]

Smokes!

[Swamp Puppy]

and THAT is why i keep saving my points....

nice..very nice indeed.

[bugleboy]

WOW!!!

[Ryan Pultz]

Holy cow what a monster! I might have to start to save my points up for that hunt rp

[redfish89]

Great Bull!! Great story!!! Thanks for sharing..

[RAGHORN!]

GEEEEEZZZUS

[younggun20]

OH........MY.......GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Super Fluke]

WOW

[Ras]

They didn't grow 'em like that when I was cutting my elk-hunting teeth in the Wenaha in the early '80's

Ras

[elk-slayr]

EXCELLENT WORK!!! I bet packin out was fun! I love readin intense stories about the kill of an elk! Congrats to your brother-in-law!

[lentz]

My oh my . I had to pick my chin up off the floor . Very nice bull.

[leadlobber]

all i can say is WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW! i hope i could even just see one like that in my binocs. congrats

[dixiefisher]

WOWWWW!!!!!!!

[Fish Slayer]

HOLY $@*#!!! THAT THING IS HUGE!!! Way to go on an awesome bull! Wow!

[Bull7x6]

Can you say TOAD!

[Fishstix]

That is a BIG Bull. I bet your brother-in-law is gleaming. :grin:

[beardbuster]

NIce!!! I was glassing a canyon in the Wenaha last week and heard at least 10 bulls in one area. One was a toad but I guess you never can tell form the bugles.

Excellent bull! Good Job.

[litch dog]

Great story thanks for shairing nice pics

[OuterLimits]

Nice bull!!!

[StevenB]

I wonder how old that bull is. Lame bugle... I think that is a valuable asset for a bull these days.

Great photo and story too.

I think most hunters would need to buy a bigger home to hang that bull on the wall. It seems so abstract to see such a mature elk.

[motcha]

.......... just a bump for a good bull.

[Super Fluke]

I want to shoot one like that

[Grantspastor]

Wow! One of the best I've ever seen

[BrotherWolf]

holy C _ _ P!
thats is sweet!