foldem_aug
FNG
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2018
- Messages
- 17
So back in July by the grace of god and the Nebraska Game and Parks commission I was drawn for a once in a life time bull elk tag for my home state. After the high from drawing the tag went down, it was time to get to work. I called everyone I knew and everyone they knew who had drawn the tag before or just knew landowners that may have elk on there property. I was overwhelmed with the support i got from everyone. I called and called till I got in touch with a few landowners and as luck would have it I found the perfect one for me. Over the next few months I would drive 5 hours to meet up with the 82 years young land owner. We would share hunting, fishing, and ranching stories while driving around for hours to check trail cameras. Listening to his stories from the past will be forever embedded in my mind. It is truly amazing what some people have been through. He really made me feel like I was part of his family.
Now skipping forward to the second day of my hunt. The sun rose as i watched numerous bulls bugling and chasing cows around a valley on the neighboring cornfield. It was fun to watch and seeing the action it definitely got me fired up to get one close. I thought I knew where some where they would be going to bed down, a thick pine grove to the south. So I went for a two mile hike while hearing bugles the whole way. I set up a calling spot with with in 200 yards of a bull i couldn't see. 20 minutes later there is a 7 x 7 bull 30 yards from me, he gracefully walked right by me and bedded down 100 yards away. I pulled my rifle up and then it went back down, something inside told he wasn't the bull for me. So I left him be and went after the next closest bugle. After a lovely 4 mile walk I came up a fence line down wind of the next bull bugling. I set up on the fence to call when to my surprise not only did the elk bulge I was in position for, one bugled 50 yards from me, just behind a small knob; neither me or him could see each other. Problem was he was on the wrong side of the fence. My first reaction was the right one I ran as fast as I could away from the fence and slide behind a small pine tree for cover. Just about the time I was set up I looked out to see antlers walking up to the fence. When the bull hit the fence he stopped and bugled a few times over next few minutes. Finally he turned away looking behind him I figured he was starring at another bull that had been answering his bugles a couple hundred yards away. Over the next ten minutes I would call he would bugle and so on and so forth. Then the sound that was heart breaking I heard a cow call, great he with cows went into my head. Once she called he ran away after her. Then my instincts took over I remember watching a elk nut video had said elk make noise so make some noise. I tried to sound like a bull with cows that would not bulge. I stomped on the ground smashing pine cones, I picked up every stick I could and broke it across the tree in front of me. I was making as much noise as I could while cow calling every minute, granted this bull is still within 60 yards of me. After about 3 minutes this the bull's switch just flipped he was mad. He turned to me and let out a lip bawl bugle that shook the ground, next he ran towards a tree about 40 yards away and broke it in half, then smashed it into the ground. Soon after he ran strait at me I can't honestly remember if he went over the fence or through it but he came within 20 yards of me turned broadside and let out another bugle. The rest is history I have a once in a life tag with a once in a life time story.
Now skipping forward to the second day of my hunt. The sun rose as i watched numerous bulls bugling and chasing cows around a valley on the neighboring cornfield. It was fun to watch and seeing the action it definitely got me fired up to get one close. I thought I knew where some where they would be going to bed down, a thick pine grove to the south. So I went for a two mile hike while hearing bugles the whole way. I set up a calling spot with with in 200 yards of a bull i couldn't see. 20 minutes later there is a 7 x 7 bull 30 yards from me, he gracefully walked right by me and bedded down 100 yards away. I pulled my rifle up and then it went back down, something inside told he wasn't the bull for me. So I left him be and went after the next closest bugle. After a lovely 4 mile walk I came up a fence line down wind of the next bull bugling. I set up on the fence to call when to my surprise not only did the elk bulge I was in position for, one bugled 50 yards from me, just behind a small knob; neither me or him could see each other. Problem was he was on the wrong side of the fence. My first reaction was the right one I ran as fast as I could away from the fence and slide behind a small pine tree for cover. Just about the time I was set up I looked out to see antlers walking up to the fence. When the bull hit the fence he stopped and bugled a few times over next few minutes. Finally he turned away looking behind him I figured he was starring at another bull that had been answering his bugles a couple hundred yards away. Over the next ten minutes I would call he would bugle and so on and so forth. Then the sound that was heart breaking I heard a cow call, great he with cows went into my head. Once she called he ran away after her. Then my instincts took over I remember watching a elk nut video had said elk make noise so make some noise. I tried to sound like a bull with cows that would not bulge. I stomped on the ground smashing pine cones, I picked up every stick I could and broke it across the tree in front of me. I was making as much noise as I could while cow calling every minute, granted this bull is still within 60 yards of me. After about 3 minutes this the bull's switch just flipped he was mad. He turned to me and let out a lip bawl bugle that shook the ground, next he ran towards a tree about 40 yards away and broke it in half, then smashed it into the ground. Soon after he ran strait at me I can't honestly remember if he went over the fence or through it but he came within 20 yards of me turned broadside and let out another bugle. The rest is history I have a once in a life tag with a once in a life time story.
