Successful Bull Hunt (long w/ pics!)

[AZcoues_addict]

My little brother Josh drew his first bull hunt this spring and we were all excited for him, so we took turns scouting his unit throughout the year. Scouting showed us a particular area that had a high number of bulls. In fact quite a few exceptional bulls were spotted, but we anticipated most to be taken in the earlier seasons, or else to be hiding in the thickest, darkest canyons and out of sight by the time the late hunt rolled around.

 

Josh is in college in his senior year, so we knew that he only had 3 days to hunt, and had to back at ASU by Monday. We arrived at our campsite late after a Thanksgiving feast, and got to bed a little after midnight. We awoke early and drove to our parking spot, and hiked out to our vantage points. Opening morning was exceptional! The weather really got the elk moving, and the other hunters in the area pushed game exactly the way we anticipated and to our spotting hillsides. Within 2 minutes of daylight I had spotted a heard of cows, and a few smaller bulls. Josh and my father wanted to head out to a better vantage point to see some new ground where we anticipated a larger bull might be hiding. Gunshots rang out in the distance, and a I split up to get closer to the bulls for a better look. After crossing a couple small draws, I jumped up a bedded whitetail at only 50 yards that I guess to be around 100 inches! I became very distracted and follow him, jumping him about 30 minutes later again! Man was I excited! Then, I heard more shots, and then movement down in the draw behind me. As I pulled up the binoculars, I spotted 8 bulls were heading through, 4 of which were 6 point bulls! (some with broken off tines from fighting). They were going directly out on the finger toward my brother, so I called him to warn him to keep an eye out for the bulls. After a short time some of the heard was spotted, but no clear shots due to trees.

 

I moved out to another point and quickly spotted around 15 cows, with 2 or 3 spikes. We were looking for a larger bull, so we passed. Then about 30 minutes later, two average 5 point bulls were spotted. They were feeding quickly through, so Dad and Josh headed my way so I could point out the hillside they were on. By the time they arrived, the bulls were bedded or gone, so they slowly stalked through the area for the next hour, but with no luck.

 

The rest of the morning and afternoon was uneventful, as we ate, spotted, slept. . . spotted, ate snacks. . . spotted, slept, and then spotted some more. In the late afternoon we were trying to make a plan, when after not too long, I spotted this great bull and his friend quite a distance away and the long stalk was on.

 

 

 

Here's my favorite pic

 

 

In this picture you can see his small devil points

 

 

Josh got over to where the bull was, but by that time the bulls had fed over into a thick canyon out of sight. He tracked the bulls for a ways and finally lost their tracks. Daylight was running out, so he moved quickly through the canyon, and the bulls busted out and up the other side. He didn't have much time, so he guess the distance and shot a few quick shots. Well, without a rangefinder he guessed it around 300 yards, but he was way off! He's not a very experienced hunter, and finally his last shot was seen hitting way low, but too little too late. The bulls didn't even flinch, but Dad and Josh went to check for blood anyway, and of course not a drop was seen. The bulls were out of sight, and gone forever. Big brother gave quite a lecture and hounding that night, but I didn't want to be too hard since it was his first hunt, so it was hopefully a hard lesson learned for him.

 

The 2nd morning Dad and Josh went out by themselves, as I had to head to town for parts since my tensioner pulley froze and serpentine belt broke. I had an extra belt, but not the pulley In the morning, they ran into a 5 point bull at 50 yards in a juniper thicket as he was heading to bed, and Josh shot just as the bull passed through the only opening he had. He thought he could squeeze a shot through a small bush. Well it turned out the small bush had a small tree directly behind it and his bullet shot right into the 2 inch trunk of a small pine! Bull #2 missed, and Hard lesson # learned! Later that evening they spotted a spike across a small hillside, but Josh decided to pass. Then at dark a nice 5 point bull headed out across a meadow, but as he set up for the shot, the bull was headed into the tress and too far away, so no shot presented itself!

 

Meanwhile I fixed my truck and headed to a quick vantage point in the late afternoon, and ran into a couple who had a nice bull down! Linda had downed her first bull elk! It was a nice 5 point and I helped them carry the skinned and bagged quarters to their ranger, which they were greatly pleased! The rest of the evening I spotted 3 sets of different cows, each with no more than 5, but no bulls. Oh, and a few whitetail too!

 

The final and last morning, we all hiked down a canyon to where we thought the big bull from the first day, and some others we'd seen during scouting might be hiding. We really thought this was his best chance for a last day bull. I crossed the canyon and got up to a high spot to glass. Meanwhile, Dad and Josh jumped a mountain lion up the other side of the canyon, but couldn't get a shot off, and it disappeared. I then headed down the finger across from them to a heavily used elk trail crossing. Along the way, I saw fresh BIG bear tracks, and now a chill was running up my spine as I didn't have a gun and I was on a hillside of a lion and huge bear possibly! OK, it was only a quick chill, been there - done that, back to hunting. Suddenly, we heard an elk kicking rocks down in the canyon, and Josh spotted a bull heading up his side of the draw. His first shot rang true, right through the heart, and the next broke his front shoulder and put his first bull down for good! He wasn't the biggest bull, but a nice first bull, and a great last day bull! The packout wasn't too bad, and we only needed a small 2nd trip between the three of us!

 

Dad and Josh with his first bull!

 

 

[AZcoues_addict]

Oh, I wanted to hear from some of you what you think the big bull will score (especially COOSEFAN, Lance, etc). We had a discussion over him in camp, and I just wanted some other's input. Thanks.

[Tines]

Great job on the pics and hunt. Those late hunts can be a bear! Congratulations.

 

Lance may be a while getting back to you. He's in the process of packing out a STUD of a bull as we speak!! I'll wait for him to share the pictures and stories. May be a few days though

[Ernesto C]

Yes excelllent Job guys congratulations! I tell you.....my name is not Jim or Lance but I personally think that bull scores on the 360's. But if it were my choice................I'll shoot first and ask questions later. Again congratulations and my hat off for you guys.

 

Ernesto C

[Hunterdan]

Great story and Pics. Congrats to the hunter on a Nice Bull!!

[azcouesandelk]

Great story and great first bull! You all had what seems like a hunt of a lifetime seeing alot of animals of many different species and spending time with family.

 

As for the big bull he is a dandy for sure and I think he would go right in the 345 to 350 range!

[cramerhunts]

Nice bull and good story with good pictures. Thanks for sharing.

 

Phil

[Elkaddict]

Very nice....Congrats!! Enjoyed the pictures of the live ones also!

[AZ390]

Congrats! great looking bull!

[Lance]

Thats a great story! He Got to hunt the whole time he had with lots of action and still kill a bull in the end! Good Job guys Thanks for the score guessing confidence! I think that bull is a 330 class bull. He has nice bottoms or else he would be 310-320. He is very pritty and that can be deciving making one think he is bigger. But stand him next to a 360 bull and you would see a big difference!

 

Lance

[Tines]

Thats a great story! He Got to hunt the whole time he had with lots of action and still kill a bull in the end! Good Job guys Thanks for the score guessing confidence! I think that bull is a 330 class bull. He has nice bottoms or else he would be 310-320. He is very pritty and that can be deciving making one think he is bigger. But stand him next to a 360 bull and you would see a big difference!

 

Lance

 

And how would you know what a 360 bull looks like, Lance?