elkhutnaz Report post Posted September 28, 2011 Sleepy V sent me a pic of his bull, waiting on a story now Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arizonaelitefreak Report post Posted September 28, 2011 looky there its my cousin tony got off the fone with him earlier this week, his bull scores about 364 i believe! cant wait for him to post the whole story for every one to read! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted September 28, 2011 Now, were all waiting Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.270 Report post Posted September 28, 2011 is that tony ville-GAS in that photo? my eyes are gettin' sorta bad so i just reco'nize hime by the smell. that's a nice bull. even for a stud like tony. Lark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues Sniper Report post Posted September 28, 2011 Look at those fronts!!! More pics please!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkhutnaz Report post Posted September 28, 2011 couple more Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apache7mm Report post Posted September 28, 2011 check out them fronts! DAN Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azcouesfanatic Report post Posted September 28, 2011 Awesome bull. Brian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted September 28, 2011 Wow, that's a phenomenal bull! Great job! Can't wait to read the story. Don't forget to enter it in the bull elk contest.... http://www.coueswhitetail.com/Elk_Contest_2011/Elk_contest_2011.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chef Report post Posted September 28, 2011 Nice! Can't wait for the rest of the pics and story! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted September 28, 2011 just noticed the sticker...nice! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues Sniper Report post Posted September 29, 2011 What a great bull. That right side is awesome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tanclan4 Report post Posted September 29, 2011 Thanks everyone, it sure is a nice bull. Now with the story, while walking through the forest i caught the scent of the most God awful smell anyone could ever imagine. Walking further in and after vomitting several times, i caught a glimpse of a terrible site. Something horrifying and unimaginable, it was Lark in his torn soiled underwear trying to wash what could only be bear scat off of him in a wallow. Oh wait. wrong story,I'll get back to that one later. Well, it began with me hearing the magical sound "you were drawn for elk". I was jumping up and down beacause it was the muzzleloader tag for 22. My brother Danny had drawn and scored just one year earlier and i knew it would be one heck of a hunt. I called Danny then two good friends of mine,Mike Vaccaro of "Ahead of the Game Taxidermy" and Pat Stone. Pat was excited and happily volunteered to scout as much as he could as he lives in the unit. Well after many weekends and calls between Pat and Mike with different spots and bulls the last few days were finally upon us. My brother and I headed up Tuesday before the hunt and found a small bull before sunset then headed to our camp spot, Pat's 3 acre property. I can't say we had rough conditions what with the perfect host in Pat and Jackie Stone and the awesome accommidations. Scouting Wednesday produced a few bulls but nothing of the caliber of what was harvested but a little rut activity none the less. Driving back to camp we popped a tire on the ranger and thought the day was over. We couldn't get it set back on and didn't take the spare,luckily we were only a couple miles from camp the whole time. Well after my brother tried to tear an eye out trying to wave down a fellow hunter ,with no sucsess, we were able to contact an old friend to bring some tools. Craig Solomon retired some years back but thank god my brother still kept in touch. I walked out to meet Craig and we get back to the ranger and the tools didn't work. I called Pat and under his "suggestion" we get the tire fixed and off we go,thanks again Pat. Thursday came and we saw more bulls and the rutting seemed to subside but Pat assured me in the spot and told me to have patience. I trusted him and boy am i glad i did. I couldn't sleep all night, normal for those with any hunting tag, and the after checking the clock some thirty times it was finally time to "get it on"! The plan was to attack the spots from where we spoted bulls the days preceeding the hunt,Pat and Mike on one hill and my brother and I on another hill. It was just getting light enough to see when my brother spotted the first elk of the morning,a cow. We kept our eye on her and prayed for a bull to appear. My phone started to vibrate, it was Pat who spotted the first bull. "I have a bull with a large bottom end going over the ridge", Pat said. We told him we'll get raedy to move then a second call came in,"we have one bedded that you might want to take a look at" Pat again. We packed up and headed toward Mike and Pat. I could see the bull with my naked eye and Pat told me he thought he was hurt because he was limping badly and breathing pretty hard. Seems the previous bull was run off by the bedded bull and this tired him enough to lay down. I looked at him in the spotting scope and quickly knew he was a shooter. We made a plan and my brother and i went to work. Pat and Mike would give hand signals from where they were and we would climb the hill behind the bull and hopefully come out in line and in view of the bull. After a few minutes we spotted the guys and figured we were close when we heard him bugle and knew we were where we needed to be. My brother cow called lightly and i heard the crashing of the brush, i asked him what the range was to where i thought he would retreat to as the area was pretty thick. Before he could tell me i told him "too late" as i saw antlers coming right towards us. I set up and he came into view and turned to my left then"BOOM" all i saw was smoke. Pat and Mike knew he was hit they watched him buckle and fall. I heard the crash then silence, was it over already? Opening morning and it was only 7:00 am but yes it was. Danny and i gathered our stuff and i reloaded and made our way towards the silence. "There he is", "where" i said, "right there he's down". it was too thick so after a few more steps i see him down. Whoo hoo! I walked up behind and checked him with the muzzle and sure enough we had my bull. Wow, he was prettier than in the spotting scope and definately no ground shrinkage. A big big thanks to all who made this hunt a success. Pat and Jackie Stone for all Pats scouting and knowledge of the area and Mike Vaccaro for the awesome work cutting him up and getting him prepared to mount. It sure is nice to have your own personal taxidermist along with you. Kandis Vaccaro for the picture taking and adding style to every hunt i'm on with them. A special thanks to my brother Danny, i owe my love for hunting to him from all the fishing trips when i was a squirt to my first deer harvest fresh out of the sevice in 17b. I can't thank him enough and know that when i get out he's right there with me and vice versa. I look forward to many more years of hunting with you and when you can't make it up the hill i'll be there to carry you for the shot,I love you bro. In the pic from left to right, Mike Vaccaro, Pat Stone, My brother Danny and yours truly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tanclan4 Report post Posted September 29, 2011 Oh we taped him at 364 2/8 gross green score. Some field picsand our luxury camp. Last but not least Kandis Vaccaro and I Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arizonaelitefreak Report post Posted September 29, 2011 good story cuz man that would of been awesome to have been there! great bull cant wait to see the mount! mike sure does a great job Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
