Got er done!

[WOODSAZ]

Well, once it was known that Rob and I had bull tags the scouting process had begun. Basically every weekend since early june was spent scouting, setting trail cams and watching every elk hunting video we could get our hands on. We located a few new areas that were holding alot of elk and had our honey holes that we had used for a few years now. We got a ton of trail cam pics and some really good bulls as well. Well once that time of the year rolled around and the velvet dissapeared so did the elk. We crammed a bunch of scouting in the few weeks before the hunt started in our "back up" areas and relocated some good bulls.

 

Met up with with Rob and Ron on thursday night after an excrutiating few days of work and headed up the hill full of anticipation and Monster energy drinks. We headed out opening morning and got into a few elk right off the bat but with shifting winds and bulls coming in quiet behind us we never were able to get close enough.

 

That after noon we got out to one of our back up spots to do some early afternoon glassing and found a few bulls an one very good one. They were concentrated in an area a mile or so out so we took of in there direction. Got in close as they started to bugle and got to within 50 yards of a good sounding bull but he wouldnt leave his cows to check out our calls. Ron was behind both of us calling, taking pics and running the video camera and as we were trying to sneak in on this bull I turn around to signal Ron to call and he is facing the opposite direction filming. Im trying to figure out what the heck he is doing but later found out that as we were moving in on that bull a very nice 4X4 mule deer buck walked on by at 60 yards, and Im sure he was well aware that the season was over. Ron got a few seconds of video that Im sure they will post up.

 

The next few days were filled with close calls, long days, and very little sleep. The bulls were not rutting very hard and seemed to shut up by 8:00. The full moon had them up all night and bedding down early. Some days they were bedded down by 6:30.

 

Ron doing some glassing

 

 

Rob taking a beer bong

 

One evening Rob and I split up and I headed out with Ron to glass and area we had seen quite a few elk. We saw a few small bulls and some cows but Ron then blurted out a phrase that you do not here that often, " Ive got a Lion!" Sure enough he was bedded down under a pinion pine about 700 yards out. Well after watching the kitty lay there, roll over on its back a swing that long tail around I sat there cursing myself for not throwing the rifle in the truck ,"just in case!!!" I offered by bow to Ron to sneak in on the kitty but after a small discussion on what to do, we decided on moving in on him.

 

Heres a few pics of him bedded down

 

We determined the best plan of attack and picked out a few landmarks and a Juniper that looked like i could get a shot from. I dropped off the hill and worked my way over to the juniper with help from Ron on the hill. Like in many cases the terrain looks much different once your down there and I could not get a visual on the cat due to a small rise in the hill. I worked my way in a little closer picking apart the area with my binos. I finally saw the flicker of an ear and a outline of the cats head through the brush. I didnt have a clear shot due to the brush but ranged the tree he was laying under at 35 yards. I tryed to work my way around to my left hoping to find an opening to thread a shot through when the cat took off in the opposte direction. He must have seen or smelled me but slipped out with out a sound. He dropped down into a rocky ravine and i ran to the edge. I could see his figure going up the other side and he stopped in between to trees framing his vitals. I quickily ranged him at 50 yards and started to draw my bow. I started to dropped the pins onto his outline as he turned and dissappeared into the brush. I ran down to the bottom of the cut to see if I could get a another look but never saw him again. I have to say its amazing how your mind set changes when you have the cat in sight, focused on being the HUNTER, and when that cat vanishes into the shadows you start thinking about being the HUNTED. Ron saw the cat farther down the ravine heading away from me. Unfortunatly I didnt get a shot on him but I am so grateful to be able to experiance something like that. I enjoy every minute Im out there but when situations like this come across your plate it really makes you realize why we do what we do.

 

The red X is were I snuck in to before he took off.

 

Any way back to elk....

 

Saturday night we made our game plans for the next day and Rob and I went different directions. He headed out to an area we got into a good bull the night before and I headed out to one of the areas we had been hitting alot. Houston drove up that night and headed out with me in the morning and we got into bugles right off the bat. As we closed the distance and shooting light quickly approached we could here the rumble of a deisel truck heading right for the area we were in. The truck rolled through and the elk shut up and left.

 

We heard another bugle off in the distance and headed that way. he would only sound off every 10 minutes but we finally saw him at about 100 yards feeding to our left. We snuck around the ridge to try and cut him off but as we did he changed directions and started to head up to his bedding area. We trailed that bull but never got closer that 200 yards or so. Frustrated, we headed up to a nearby ridge to glass the late morning. We sat ther for about 45 minutes and saw a few antelope and one mule deer. Getting ready to make the trek back to the truck and took one last look to see a figure behind a juniper. Realizing it was a cow elk and scanning the surrounding area, Houston spotted a good bull. Being late morning and they were still up in moving we decided to get off the hill and head in a direction to cut them off.

 

We got down to what we thought was within 300 yrds or so and started picking apart the country to relocate them. Heard a buge that sounded close and off to my left saw a good bull walking through a small opening in the trees. We cut back to our left in the direction they were going and noticed an elk moving behind a juniper. We knelt down and i loaded an arrow and Houston was ready with the range finder. A small bull stepped out from behind the tree, a small 4X4 and workd his way slightly toward our position. He walked in to about 15 yards and turned behind a few other trees. Just as he stepped behind the tree a spike came out to our right at about 20 yards and walked across in front of us at about 12 yards. We could here the big bull raking a tree off to the right and had to wait for another cow, then a calf to walk right in front of us. The big bull started working his way out into the clearing. Houston whispered he will step out at 56 yards and I just hoped that the other elk would not bust out as soon as I went to draw. That 4X4 had worked his way to my left and was literally get ready to bed down 5 yards to my left. The Big bull stepped out and i was already at full draw. Houston let out a small whistle to stop him and I let it fly. The shot felt great and I heard the thawack sound I was hoping for. He took off running and after 10 yards started to walk. Houston put up his glasses and confirmed that my arrow was hanging out the other side.

 

We waited about 30 minutes or so and headed over to were i had hit him and found no blood. Getting nervous we sat it out a a while longer. We slowly headed in the direction he went in search of any blood when Houston spotted him laying down about 60 yards. He was still alive so I got into 50 and put another in him and he was down.

 

 

We got Rob and Ron on the radios to bring in the ranger to help get him out to the truck. I cant say enough how much I appreciate Ron and Houston and Brett for coming up and helping us out. It says alot when people take there own vacation time to help. It also makes the experiance that much better with good company.

 

Loaded in the ranger

Everyone that helped

[Chef]

Awesome story, great pictures, fantastic bull!

 

I loved the cat!!

[AZP&Y]

Woods of Az,

 

Great hunt story and stellar pics for sure! Love the interim cat chase! That is a bonus on ANY hunt!

 

Thanks for sharing and congrats! Elk hunt is a complete hunt!

 

AzP&Y

[azcouesandelk]

Awesome job Jay! Sorry I couldn't make it up to help you guys out, but I owe you both a archery deer hunt!

[elkhunter]

Once again Congrats Jay

[hunterdude]

Great story. to bad you couldn't get the cat! Awsome elk!

[ndaniel]

Great job Jay! That's a fantastic looking elk.

[ZBAR]

Sweet story & pics. I like that last one of the truck going over the hill. And so close to getting a shot at a cat! Doesn't get much better than that. Congrats.

[parothead]

WOW! Thanks for sharing your pictures and story. Congratulations on a fine bull!

[Ron G.]

Congratulations on a great bull Jay! Thanks again for letting me come up with you guys. I had a blast! Just wish we could have sealed the deal for Rob.

 

Ron

 

[RAM]

Nice job on getting your bull, sounds like a great time.

[Red Rabbit]

Jay,

Good deal! Looks like from the pics you were as close to having a unit 9 tag as it gets

 

Doug~RR

[AllBoutHuntn]

Congrats on a job weel done!! Great story and Bull!!

[Basser15]

Doug, you're probably referring to my beer bong pic...we did spend a little time up there but not a whole lot. That morning we chased some 9 bulls that spent the night slumming it in our unit and then high tailed it home before the sun came up(almost 3 miles worth of chasing).

 

 

[SilentButDeadly]

frickin awesome!