justinspe25 Report post Posted December 5, 2012 I just got home lastnight from my first elk hunt. It was a fun time hunting these great animals. My brother inlaw, his friend, and I all drew our first elk tag this year. I can't help but think how crazy this whole thing turned out. First of all we drew the tags. Then I find out in August that I lost my job which could have jeopardized the hunt if i didn't have a job by Nov 30th. Well, I found a job and started two weeks before the hunt and they are going to give me the time off to hunt unpaid of course. So everything is set to go and I get all my stuff ready and leave as soon as I can Thursday before the hunt. Opening day saw some mule deer that was it. Second day we all start walking in to this area before sunrise where we saw a spike during scouting. I got real impatient has it was getting lighter and lighter and decided I would walk over here alittle bit or over there. I ended up making a big circle without kicking up a thing. So now I separated from the others and I decide to walk down this thick, steep ravine and out the bottom of it to this bigger ravine. So I finally hit a road and decide to turn east and just keep walking. I figured the further i got from the main road the better chance i had to jump something in the thick forest. I am walking along and bam another road dang it. So I walk that road for awhile till i came to a junction, i turned and followed that road for about half mile. I am thinking man I am really far from the Jeep and i have no idea where the others are. I see to my right and grassy clearing so i beeline torward that. I find a nice little meadow. By this time i am thinking i could use a break and snack. I walk to the edge of this drop off and take my backpack off and sit and glass this hill far off. I don't see anything over there and don't really like this spot for a lunch break so i stand up and get my gear and head up to the top of this ridge to chill out a bit. As soon as i start walking and turn around this tree this bull just comes trotting out of no where. I kneel down and get my rifle. I already chambered a round earlier and set my scope to 3 in case i jumped something. This elk stops right behind a small pine tree as if he knew i was standing there. There is another small tree right in front of him so i had a perfect gap to take a shot. He slowly made his way to the tree and I settled the crosshair on the shoulder and squeezed...BOOM. He dropped right behind that next tree. He struggled for a minute and I took my time getting over to him and he was dead. Man I had some much adrenalin pumping and I trying to think what do I do now. I am at least a mile and half from the jeep and the others. So, I marked my GPS, put my tag on him and started calling and texting my bro inlaw and can't get through. I figured the best thing to do it to let somebody know where I was. I picked up my stuff and started walking to get cell service. I called my wife told her the news she was excited sent some message to friends. I ended up walking all the way to the Jeep in hope to find my team. Nobody was there. I started thinking i should have dressed him out before i left dang it! So i start heading back to the bull after leaving a note. I was worried we were all going to be separated without cell service all afternoon. I really started freaking out about the idea and luckily i ran to one of my team Rick. So I decided to get the hidda key and take the Jeep to the bull and he would come back and wait for the others. We take off and get to the bottom of the canyon and who do we see walking back up the road Ron and Mike. It was so great to see them. I tell Ron the news and he couldn't believe it at first then we loaded up and headed back to get my bull. It was just amazing how it all worked out. We got to him and quartered him up and hualed him out of there. It turned out to be about an 80 yard shot and 10:20am. In all this excitment I realized I somehow lost my sunglasses. I went back to the shot location and there they were. It was just an unbelievable lucky day. Also, i found my first shed 10 ft from where my bull dropped 2 days later. We hunted hard the next 3 days to get my brother inlaw a bull but just could not catch a break. We saw a ton of sign but just was not locating any bulls. My guess is because of the pressure all weekend, full moon, and christmas tree cutting folks the elk were just hiding most of the day. The frustrating thing was we were hearing shots close, so someone was seeing something. One last thing. Were walking this little canyon area on a windy morning and I caught the smell of elk. I didn't know if it was my mind playing games with me or what but later we see these guys roll in on a quad and drive straight up the hill. We head their direction and find them cutting up a bull one of them killed the night before. It was a nice bull too, perfect 6x6. I guess my nose wasn't lying. Here he is. My bull is a 5x4. He probably would have split next year to make him a 5x5. I would just like to Thank Ron, Mike and Rick for all their help. Good luck to those still out hunting! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AverageJoe Report post Posted December 5, 2012 Great job and congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted December 5, 2012 Congrats again Justin and good write up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shedhunteraz Report post Posted December 5, 2012 Great story, and congrats on a great hunt and good bull. It seems to be that way all over the state on these late hunts. Congrats on getting yours. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trophyhnter Report post Posted December 5, 2012 Congrats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AxisWorks LLC Report post Posted December 5, 2012 Congrats! Ive done two Late rifle bull hunts in 4A. Its a tough hunt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted December 6, 2012 Nice bull, congratulations! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
randyolson Report post Posted December 10, 2012 Congradulations on the success of your hunt!! A nice trophy!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chef Report post Posted December 11, 2012 Congrats. you will learn to trust your nose. It has helped me out on more than one occasion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willhunt4coues Report post Posted December 11, 2012 That is a GREAT first bull buddy. I am glad to see you are still out there pounding the hills. CONGRATS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
savagman Report post Posted December 11, 2012 Nice bull. This late hunt was certainly tough. Only saw elk at or before first light and late dusk. I believe they were active all night due to pressure, warm weather, and full moon. Glad you were able to walk one up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xr440dude Report post Posted December 24, 2012 As always, loved hunting with you, Bro! Thanks so much for hanging around and helping put in the work to get one for me, even though we were unsuccessful. Let's do it again next year! Ron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tanclan4 Report post Posted December 24, 2012 Hey! You shot the body off! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoshi Report post Posted January 2, 2013 Great first bull!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
