I posted a photo on page 3 of the photo contest and was asked for the story, here it is. I was able to draw the WY regular elk tag as a non resident with 6% odds! My cousin/best bud Aron lives in western Wyoming and was able to use llamas to pack into the high country 4 days before the rifle opener. We saw zero elk total. It was 85 degrees and no bugling. We had a zone we hadn't looked in yet that we saved for the opener. We're Christian and prayed in the dark at camp opening morning that the big bull would step out in front of us. Aron and I hunted down a ridge, didn't bring spotters because we figured we'd be shooting in timber, and had our scopes zoomed down to 2 power. We saw outfitters and clients on other ridges bugling with no answers. We stopped and I was glassing a distant face at 1300 yards with binos and this solo bull walked into the circle of my field of view, God answers prayers immediately sometimes. I had elevation on it and was looking down on it from the rear and all I could see were the white tips of his fronts swaying side to side as he was feeding. The guide off to our left was bugling and this dude didn't even look up. We were laughing that of all times to leave the spotters at camp! We could see the frame and knew it was big, so I ranged a bench lower down the mountain that we beat feet to. We were able to keep a few trees between us and the bull as we hustled down and it never even saw us. We happened to link up with Aron's brother Tyler and his son Cameron on the bench, they were hunting with us. Tyler got it in his spotter down ahead of me and was waving me to hurry up like a mad man! I thought I was hurrying until I saw him! I got a quick zoomed look at this stud and had to set up quick. We had a clear view of the bull across to the other face but it was feeding away, and if it stepped into the brush it would be gone. It was a now or never moment. I was able to set up on pair of downed trees almost like a shooting bench. I had 3 guys spotting for me, a 6.5prc set up for distance, and all my time in the 75th Ranger Regiment all on my side, plus those prayers which were the real reason for my success. The bull died at 822 yards, Hornady 147 eld-m's do work. Once he expired we were all super stoked and I couldn't be happier! Believe it or not about 3 minutes after the bull died a bull moose stepped out and walked up to the downed elk and was sniffing it in full view! We got to the elk and processed it but man it was hot. We used contractor bags to sink the meat in a cold creek after we made a rock dam to pool up the water. It worked awesome! I didn't want to but I ran the head up a tree with rope for the night since we had to hike all the way back to camp. The next morning we broke down camp and packed the llamas down to the meat and rack, cross loaded everything and made our way out. We walked around 30 miles on our feet total during the hunt. We taped the bull in the field and it was 367" gross, but back at my cousins house it turns out it was 370" gross exactly, 362 7/8" net. Such an amazing hunt with help from some great dudes! The part I know for a fact is that the Lord answered our prayers. They have saved my life more than once in combat and I flat know that is the reason this hunt ended so epically.
I posted the other photo in the contest because you can see the 21 1/2" fronts, the mass, and the crazy twisty 3rd in that other photo the best.
I posted the other photo in the contest because you can see the 21 1/2" fronts, the mass, and the crazy twisty 3rd in that other photo the best.
