couesbuck22 Report post Posted December 1, 2014 Before the hunt we had seen 5 bulls that I would shoot opening day and six spikes that I wouldn't be willing to shoot no matter what day of the hunt it was. Just not how me or my sisters were raised. Two points are fair game but we don't have it in us to shoot a spike. All these bulls were watering between 3:45 and 4:30 then heading into a burn to feed. Friday finally rolled around and I decided to walk the ridges the elk had been coming off in the evenings and the only thing I found was people. Everywhere. We hadn't seen any other people even close to this area while we were scouting. So we walked down to the truck and ate lunch and waited and one guy drove up and talked to us and I let him know I was going to be sitting the tank that evening and he was nice about it and said he'd go to the burn where the elk were feeding after they watered and he left, so around two I put my camo back on and walked into the tank and checked the wind, it was blowing the opposite way it had been every night for the last week so I couldn't sit in the blind I built so I had to sit in some oaks on the opposite side of the tank and I told my mom, who could only be there Friday and Saturday morning, that I'd shoot any of the bulls that we had seen scouting except one of the spikes. 3:45 nothing 4:00 nothing 4:15 rolls around and I'm starting to wonder if it's going to happen or if the pressure that morning had them holed up til dark 4:30 rolls around and I turned to my mom who was sitting behind me and shrugged my shoulders and when I turned back towards the trail I caught legs coming down the trail. Then it turned off the trail away from the tank and headed straight towards us then I could see his left horn and said nobody move I'll take this one if I get the chance. As I found him in the scope of my grandfather's 300 win. Mag I followed him and said I'm going to take him when he gets to that opening which would only show about half his body and he must have heard me he stopped and threw his nose up and checked the wind then kept walking and I shot as he walked through the only opening and he ran about ten yards and I had about a four inch opening and I could see him bleeding right behind the shoulder but I wasn't going to chance it so I shot twice more and he went down and was dead within 30 seconds and I went absolutely nuts running around WHOOOOOOO!!!! YESSS!!! I JUST GOT MY BULL!!!! Then we started walking down to him and before we got there I stopped and called my grandfather who couldn't make it because he is currently in the hospital to let him know it was over and I think he was shocked that I used his gun but that was my plan since the day he gave it to me almost 5 years ago and I dont plan on ever using any other gun for my rifle elk hunts. He ended up dying where we could get to him with the truck so while my mom got the truck and met my older sister who was on her way with her kids to help load him I started in on gutting him out then we rolled him over and took pictures and loaded him up and that was that. Not the biggest bull that was watering at that tank but he was plenty big enough for me to take as my first elk. Meant alot to take him with my grandfather's gun that has been in the family for years. Two of my shots hit him in the lungs and one blew out the top of his heart. 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZHog Report post Posted December 1, 2014 Congratulations on a nice bull and successful hunt! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AverageJoe Report post Posted December 1, 2014 Congratulations! You should put up a pic of Grandfathers gun too! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rossislider Report post Posted December 1, 2014 Congrats on a fantastic hunt! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mocha1545 Report post Posted December 1, 2014 Congrats on a nice Bull. Even better that you took him with your Grandfathers rifle! Post up a pick of his rifle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesbuck22 Report post Posted December 1, 2014 Had a few days off from class so im staying with my mom ill post pics of the gun when I get back to the house in williams Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
218buck Report post Posted December 2, 2014 Congratulations that's very cool that you could shoot that with your grandfathers gun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5guyshunting Report post Posted December 2, 2014 Great job! I am sure there will be more to come. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
out2hunt Report post Posted December 2, 2014 woohoo, love when a plan comes together! Kudos on your first bull! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted December 2, 2014 Congratulations on your first bull! Awesome that it was a family affair and you got the opportunity to use your grandfather's rifle! I hope the excitement never dulls for you whether it's your fist or twentieth bull! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shedhunteraz Report post Posted December 2, 2014 Congrats to you on your first bull. Its always the best until you get your first with a bow. LOL. Awesome story. Even better you did it with gramps gun. Priceless. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted December 2, 2014 Congrats on a nice bull. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SwampMafia Report post Posted December 2, 2014 Wow nice! Never even heard of a bull being shot over water on late rifle, I always thought that they water at night Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted December 3, 2014 Congratulations on a nice bull! Post up a pick of that gun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kidso Report post Posted December 3, 2014 Great job! Love the bloody arms in the pickup truck picture! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites