Chef checks one off his bucket list!!

[Chef]

Wow! Where do I start?

 

This hunt was a culmination of camaraderie, hard work, fun times, and the type of Father & Son story I have learnt to appreciate.

First off all, I absolutely can’t thank Phil (cramerhunts), Jimmy (rut), and Keith enough for their assistance on this hunt. Their graciousness and passion put forth in making this an unforgettable adventure for both myself and my Dad, will forever be engrained in my memory. I am so lucky to call you friends and I look forward to every time we hit the field. You guys made our dreams come true!

From Orlin (azbowhntr) lending us his camp trailer, to Tom (tjhunt2) offering everything he owns, and Amanda helping out so much with tons of stuff I bought from her store and making sure I had everything in time. Thank You!

 

 

We just finished a difficult and rewarding hunt. Preparations started months prior with rifles getting ready, loads being tested, meals being prepared, camp set up a month and a half before the opener, trail cams hung in every corner of our hunt area, and numerous scouting trips. We saw and filmed numerous antelope during their rut, and we shot everything imaginable with our trail cameras.

 

The day before the opener had us glassing a ridge that overlooked a huge valley back dropped by rolling ridge lines. I glassed up some mule deer while Phil was able to find some elk about 1.5 miles out. We strained our eyes on the group with light fading fast and saw a nice mature bull with great backs, whale tails and all. This was our topic of conversation as we headed back to camp.

 

Opening morning came in a blur. Phil, Jimmy and I got into a bull but things didn’t work out and we never could lay our eyes on him to see if he was the bull we saw before the opener. Jimmy was able to glass a bull leaving our area, but it wasn't what we were after. Dad and Keith had good luck that evening as they heard about six different bulls bugling right at dark. Needless to say, that’s where we headed the following morning to get Dad on a bull.

 

The next morning, we had bulls responding to Keith and his bugles as we drove to the hunt area. We knew they were there and smiled as we wearily drove toward our destination. You can only imagine our surprise as we stopped to get ready, only to find out we were right smack in the middle of seven bulls! Daylight was still a good half hour away and we anxiously anticipated our morning hunt. We had a bull raking a tree a mere 50 yards down a draw from us. While other bulls bugled and closed in on us as they made their way to their bedding areas.

 

Keith and Dad started their way to cut the bulls off. Phil, Jimmy, and I stayed back and watched as Keith successfully cow called in a nice 6x6 to within 30 yards. As we watched through our binoculars, you could hear us gasping as we saw Dad pass on this bull. The birth of a trophy hunter! We chuckled in disbelief. Seems Keith kept his cool and told my Dad that he had weak tops.

 

Now, Keith calls in a second bull. At this moment, Dad whispers to Keith, “I like him” to which Keith responds, “Then shoot him!” As they say…the rest is history! Perfect shot and the bull dies right where it’s easy to drive up to him.

......................................................................................

 

Fast forward a couple days and several close calls.

 

That morning, I witness something I probably never will again. Late in the morning, we hear a distant bugle. A couple cow calls and bugles back and forth between Phil and I and we spot a mature bull on a distant ridge line 700 yards away. After a detailed look over, I decide to pass him. That’s when Phil did the impossible…he calls in this bull from two ridges and 700 yards away, to 30 yards! THAT was FUN! I’ll be talking about this for the rest of my hunting days and I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t witness it myself.

 

That evening, we decide to go after a sneaky bull we affectionately nicknamed “Growler” because of his distinct bugle. Kind of a lazy bugle of sorts, with a deep throaty growl thrown in for good measure. The evening before, we actually had him in the dark timber at a mere 75 yards, with no visual. We snuck out of the area all the while wondering what he must look like. Little did we know what lay ahead.

 

Again, that evening, we decided to climb a knob from where we could glass from and possibly locate him as he made his way to feeding areas and water. No sooner did we get up the mountain, when Phil hits his cow call, only to get a response from, yup…Growler! We quickly get our glass up and we spot a cow, then a spike, then another cow. Phil whispers, “I’ve got a bull!” We set up our tripods to set up the big glass.

 

The next few minutes were orchestrated chaos. I take great pleasure in saying that Phil and I have hunted together many times. With this time in the field comes the ability to work well as a team, to complement each others strengths, and make it count when we need it to. There is no better example of this as the time it took us to find the bull, decide to take him, Phil ranged him and set up his camera as I found a place to lay prone and set up the rifle. Phil cleared the tall grass in front of me and we set up for the 600 yard shot. There was never a doubt in my mind that this bull would be ours. After so many years of applying for tags, of dreaming of taking a big bull, I finally had him in my cross-hairs. I breathed in deep and softly then slowly exhaled as I gently squeezed the trigger. The shot rang true, and the bull went down in impressive fashion. The celebrations commenced! Dad comes up to us as he saw everything unfold through his binoculars. Fun times!!!

 

I can't add much more than what Phil has included in this next video clip. Please take the time to enjoy his hard work. I really love it and am so happy I have it to watch over and over and...!

 

Phil captures the kill shot with the bull bugling while the vapor trail follows the bullet. (5 minute mark)

 

[DesertBull]

Nice!!

[muledeer#1]

Nice

[Couestracker]

Very cool, congratulations to you and your Dad! Can't wait to see the video and hear the story.

[Snapshot]

Whoa.....Whopper of an Elk. Looking forward to the story.

 

Looks like Beer & Backstrap at Hector's place.

[kidso]

Beautiful rack!

[6ANut]

Stud rack can't wait to see the video.

[Apache7mm]

Whoa!

 

DAN

[mattys281]

Congrats! That looks like one helluva bull!

[naturegirl]

NICE! Can't wait for the story

[DUG]

The picture Phil sent me doesn't do it justice...Nice bull! Congrats!!!!

[4Falls]

holy smokes.

[AverageJoe]

Holy crap! I thought that was a kid packing out a normal to good rack til i looked closer. What a stud bull!!

[Flatlander]

Been thinking about this all week. Congrats Hector! There isn't a better guy out there for this to happen for.

[DBArcher]

Holy crap, great bull