Late 8 Five by Freak Bull

[Critter]

I like to keep the story somewhat short. Hunted hard since opening day Friday putting on miles hiking and glassing with not much luck. Finally Sunday located a bull in a canyon early on but gave the slip and disappeared quickly. We decided to sit that canyon all day hoping he was just bedded up on the hill in the thick brush oak, however my buddy Jason and I were not sure if he bedded or left the area all together. We were glassing at 600 yards just waiting for him to show himself. The wind was howling good so I decided to cut the distance in half to get to the next little ridge where we'd be at 250yrds if he did pop up. We watched some cows feed into the canyon and bed up, feed more, on and off. Finally 4pm rolled around and we decided before sundown we should go look for him at the mouth of the canyon so we hiked up top and stared down off cliffs looking into the oak thickets to see if he was bedded. (We assumed he wasn't on that hillside considering he should've at least stood up to stretch, etc.. but nothing) Couldn't find him so we decided lets just get up on this high rocky bluff where we can see everything. We could see if he came through the canyon, over the ridge, etc.. so either way we had him pinned. Finally at sundown while watching the cows the bull comes over the ridge (Sure enough he had laid up in the cedar flat tops all day). We let him get down onto the hillside a bit before finally letting him have it. he was at just over 300 yrds but the wind was nuts. I hit him on the first shot but then fired off several more just to be safe. I hit him 3 times or so and also missed a few times. We did not want to have to track a bull in the dark. He piled up good and we knew he was down. After a quick high five, I hurried to locate him before we lost more light and found him right away. Huge props to my buddy Jason for all the help. He called his family and they were all literally there to help us quarter and pack out within an hour and half. We had that elk packed out in 1 trip with 5 people. Heck I think I was home by 9pm.

 

This was my first bull and 2nd elk (hunted ND all my life) so never had much opportunity to hunt elk. My dad had the same tag but was Dx with late stage brain cancer only few months ago so he couldn't be with me on this hunt. So this elk was for him and we'll be sharing the meat. I cherish all the good hunts we did have together and maybe we'll have a few more we'll see how it all turns out. He was excited when I told him I had success.

 

This bull is a 5 by freak - Not a huge bull but I'm so excited about being blessed with the chance to harvest him. Plus I have a thing about non-typs so I'm really happy with him. He'll make a good Euro mount.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Nate

 

 

[Zeke-BE]

Crazy rack! Plus you got meat

[Shedhunteraz]

That's freaking awesome! I'd take that over a big 6 any day of the week. Awesome story. Looks like fun in that canyon. We just pulled 2 out of very similar. Makes it all worth it. Huge congrats

[Critter]

Thanks - But just to be truthful the pic of that canyon is not where I killed my bull. It was just a scenic pic I thought I'd add - we did glass it up a bit but I think if I killed a bull down in there I'd have to just eat it there.. lol. We were in a mini-canyon where I got my elk.

[goinhuntn]

Congrats on your hunt!!

[Pine Donkey]

Congratulations on a unique trophy?

[papa]

Congrats on a nice Bull!

[cramerhunts]

Congratulations on your bull and awesome to share the meat with your dad. I hope you get to share a few more hunts with him as well!

[Mocha1545]

Love that rack! Sorry your Dad couldn't make it. Glad he got some meat. Hopefully next year it'll be both of you hunting!