The Graduation Bull

[bowhnt]

This all started one afternoon after I returned home from my first successful archery elk hunt. While taking pictures of my harvest, I asked my oldest daughter if she wanted to take a picture with dad and his elk? When we were finished with pictures and I was allowing her some time satisfying her curiosity with this animal that daddy had brought home from the woods, she looked at me and said... "daddy...someday I want to go elk hunting too!" I told her that when she was old enough I would take her elk hunting.

Little did I know how long this promise would take. With her not wanting to cow hunt because as she would say..."daddy I don't want to shoot a girl...I want to shoot a boy!" This put me in a position to fight the odds of getting her a bull tag. As time went on and as she got older, the bonus points started to add up. Once she was in high school and playing high school basketball, she told me..."daddy...I don't want to go hunting right now, I want to enjoy high school activities and play basketball." So I just started buying bonus points.

After high school graduation came college. Once again she told me she wanted to concentrate on academics instead of going hunting. Again I just purchased bonus points. I told her when she graduated from college, daddy would get her a quality elk tag as one of her graduation presents. little did I know how long this would take! In the fall of 2014 and 18 bonus points later she finally drew her early trophy bull tag!

Finally the hunt was upon us. We arrived in camp the day before the hunt and got some evening scouting in with Lee, Shane and Richard, with multiple bulls being located. Just before we encountered our first of many rain storms. Back to camp to make plans for opening morning. Up and at it early and drove to our starting point. As we sat in the truck with the windows cracked we could hear bugling in the distance. Just before light we started out to head off the bulls and try to get a look at them and judge their quality. None met our standards for opening morning. That afternoon we glassed some ridges that held many bugling bulls. We made a plan to take off on the long trek and climb these ridges and peek into each drainage that held bugling bulls. As we were doing this we could see a fast approaching thunder storm with lots of lightning. Well, we got caught in this storm and the rain pelted us with lightning striking at our feet and thunder roaring as if we were looking down the throat of one of those bugling bulls! By the time we made it back to the truck all my daughter could say to Lee and I was "that was fun!"

Second morning much of the same. Nothing worthy of her tag. Again more rain! That afternoon after she got to see her first bear in the wild, we could hear what seemed like a decent bull bugling in the distance. We worked the forest diligently with binos until we found him bedded. After Lee calculated the bulls score on his phone...we decided to pass on him. Again more rain as the sun set.

The third morning, up and at it again. We had to sit in the truck and wait for the fog to start lifting. As the visibility got better we dropped down into a drainage and out of the wind so we could listen for bugles. Once we figured out their direction of travel we went back to the truck drove to a point where we could head them off. Again out of the truck and the race was on. Over one hill, down another. Which was repeated numerous times and finally in position to choose between the two biggest bugling bulls. Lee took the lead and got my daughter into position to harvest her first bull!

I have to tell you, when the bull was down and I knew my daughter had finally got her graduation present, we hugged & I lost it! I couldn't hold back my emotions and couldn't believe my little girl, who had waited so long for her chance, finally got to experience the thrill of victory and the excitement of harvesting one of the animals that I live to chase!

So here you go sweetheart...HAPPY GRADUATION! I love you...dad.

I would like to thank all that helped to make this present possible. Lee, Richard, Shane, Jay, Chad, Logan and especially my wife Sheila for cooking for this whole mess.

Keep your powder dry!

Russ

 

[kidso]

Looks like a beast to me! Great job!

[jgraffaz]

Dude that's a cool post!

[jgraffaz]

Score? Let me guess....340-350?

[jgraffaz]

She put you to shame(;

[SunDevil]

One of the best stories I have read in a long time. Thx for sharing and congrats to u n ur daughter.

[lucky2hunt]

Outstanding!!! Congrats to all!

[tjhunt2]

They certainly grow up quick. Not only do you have a beautiful daughter but a hunting partner for life. That's an awesome bull and my congratulations. Very nice story and thanks for sharing.

 

TJ

[Coues Sniper]

Well done dad

[capoeirajosh]

What an awesome story with a fantastic ending! Congrats to you both!

[Old Buck]

Great story!

[bonecollector]

Outstanding write up! Congrats to you and your daughter.

[SirRoyal]

Very nice!

[WHT_MTNMAN]

Very cool story and wonderful Bull.

[shanehamblin]

Thanks for letting me hunt with you guys it was a blast!!! Awesome bull an even better people. Congrats again!