HunterGatherer
Lil-Rokslider
Went out for a post-rut, “any weapon” hunt last week and got it done on a small bull for the freezer. Here’s how it went down…
The evening before this hunt there had been a crazy lightning storm accompanied by 45-60mph winds. As often is the case in Idaho, we were hunting in a burn scar. As we drove up the access road there was about 2” of fresh snow from the storm the night before and we found that the wind had blown over dozens of trees across the road. I had told my friends to be sure to bring a chainsaw, which they didn’t. Luckily I had the 440 with me. 45 minutes later, we had cut out 31 trees in about 1/2 mile of road, making us a bit late for the morning hunt.
My two buddies decided to sit a glassing point close to the rigs and we split up. My plan was to work a travel corridor in hopes of cutting a fresh track and try to follow it. After about a 1/2 mile I did indeed cut a solitary bull track. Because I knew the exact timing of when that storm blew through I could age the track at about 13 hours old and the bull was clearly heading down from the top to security cover lower on the mountain, probably got scared by all the lightning and trees blowing over…
I followed the track, descending for over a mile down the long ridge until I came to the edge of a bedding area that I had discovered a few days before while pursuing a big Muley track. It was a very similar scenario but with the buck, another hunter had shot him as I pursued him into an open area. At the same time, I had blown out a small herd of elk from this bedding area, which was in a pocket of aspen on the back side of a knob on the ridge. I knew if I went into the bedding area again it would be the same result - the bull would just dive off into the long timbered chute that they used for an escape route before.
I had an open feeding area and, most importantly, a small spring on my side of the knob - the only water source nearby. I was betting that the bull would get up from his bed and come over that knob to my side to feed and water so I settled in for a sit. By now, it’s about 9:45 in the morning but still frigid cold. I settled into a spot where I had a good view of the draw with the water source in the bottom. I had only been there for 5-10 minutes when I started to get cold and decided to pull my puffy jacket, thicker hat, gloves, etc out of my pack. As I started to pull gear out I heard the unmistakable sound of an elk blowing out just 40-50 yards above me on the slope. I hadn’t expected the bull to move so soon !
As the bull wrapped around the knob above me and then into the draw, I could see he was just a small 5 point - not the big solitary herd bull I was hoping for. I let him work around the draw in front of me, as I listened to see if more elk would follow him. He slowed down and I waited a bit longer and decided he was indeed alone and this was the only opportunity I was going to have. By now he was nearly 400 yds away and I really struggled to get a good range with the vortex RF ( I’m replacing it before next season), so I dialed my scope, got a solid rest, and fired. Low. Adjusted for elevation and fired again with the bull quartered away. This time I wasn’t able to see my shot hit but the bull acted like he was hit - walked a few steps into the trees- didn’t go down but just stood dead still in the trees.
I tried again and again to get a range, and to find a clear shooting window to put a finishing shot on him, but couldn’t get either. I should say, all my rifle shots on elk prior this had been under 200 yds, most under 100, and I was shooting a new gun so I didn’t have full confidence that my shot was lethal. The bull didn’t walk out from behind the trees and I no longer had a view of him so as quickly as possible I grabbed my gear and hurried across the draw to the patch of trees where I had last seen him.
It didn’t take but a couple of minutes to cross the draw and climb up to where I had last seen him. As I approached the trees suddenly the bull stood up and looked in my direction. I was only about 50 yds from him but he wasn’t trying to get away. I knew now that he was mortally wounded but I needed to move around him to get a clear shot at his vitals as some small trees were in the way. I put a shot into him, center lungs and he went down for the last time.
I sent a satellite message to my friends only to find out they had bailed early and were on their way back home already. Through a little coercion I convinced them to come back and help me pack out.
I had the bull completely broken down and bagged up by the time they got back up on the mountain and hiked down to me. Since it was a small bull we were able to load him up in the 3 packs and get him out in one trip - Huge bonus to be able to 1-trip him. I took the two front quarters and some loose meat with all my gear on my old Exo K2. My two friends each took a hind and the rest of the loose meat. They were able to get a RZR closer to the kill site than where my car was parked so we had less than a mile to pack out with just over 1k feet vertical gain.
Packing out with my friends I was filled with gratitude and appreciation. I’ve soloed a lot of bulls so this pack out felt like a dream come true. It’s really a great feeling to pack out from a successful hunt with friends- to share the success and the excitement with others. The mountains were snow-covered and beautiful as the sun finally broke through the overcast skies. We laughed and joked, took pictures, and just really enjoyed the pack out.
The RZR was only a 2-seater so we had to pile packs full of meat and gear all over the roof rack and bed and I had to hang on to the roof rack, ducking tree branches on the ride out. Not gonna lie, it was a pretty good end to the hunt
.
Back at my truck - a little pemmican and a “sip” of peanut butter whiskey to celebrate. I said many thanks to my friends and they headed off. I stuck around for awhile taking photos and enjoying the scenery until I had soaked up as much of the feeling as I could and then I too started the long trip home.
The evening before this hunt there had been a crazy lightning storm accompanied by 45-60mph winds. As often is the case in Idaho, we were hunting in a burn scar. As we drove up the access road there was about 2” of fresh snow from the storm the night before and we found that the wind had blown over dozens of trees across the road. I had told my friends to be sure to bring a chainsaw, which they didn’t. Luckily I had the 440 with me. 45 minutes later, we had cut out 31 trees in about 1/2 mile of road, making us a bit late for the morning hunt.
My two buddies decided to sit a glassing point close to the rigs and we split up. My plan was to work a travel corridor in hopes of cutting a fresh track and try to follow it. After about a 1/2 mile I did indeed cut a solitary bull track. Because I knew the exact timing of when that storm blew through I could age the track at about 13 hours old and the bull was clearly heading down from the top to security cover lower on the mountain, probably got scared by all the lightning and trees blowing over…
I followed the track, descending for over a mile down the long ridge until I came to the edge of a bedding area that I had discovered a few days before while pursuing a big Muley track. It was a very similar scenario but with the buck, another hunter had shot him as I pursued him into an open area. At the same time, I had blown out a small herd of elk from this bedding area, which was in a pocket of aspen on the back side of a knob on the ridge. I knew if I went into the bedding area again it would be the same result - the bull would just dive off into the long timbered chute that they used for an escape route before.
I had an open feeding area and, most importantly, a small spring on my side of the knob - the only water source nearby. I was betting that the bull would get up from his bed and come over that knob to my side to feed and water so I settled in for a sit. By now, it’s about 9:45 in the morning but still frigid cold. I settled into a spot where I had a good view of the draw with the water source in the bottom. I had only been there for 5-10 minutes when I started to get cold and decided to pull my puffy jacket, thicker hat, gloves, etc out of my pack. As I started to pull gear out I heard the unmistakable sound of an elk blowing out just 40-50 yards above me on the slope. I hadn’t expected the bull to move so soon !
As the bull wrapped around the knob above me and then into the draw, I could see he was just a small 5 point - not the big solitary herd bull I was hoping for. I let him work around the draw in front of me, as I listened to see if more elk would follow him. He slowed down and I waited a bit longer and decided he was indeed alone and this was the only opportunity I was going to have. By now he was nearly 400 yds away and I really struggled to get a good range with the vortex RF ( I’m replacing it before next season), so I dialed my scope, got a solid rest, and fired. Low. Adjusted for elevation and fired again with the bull quartered away. This time I wasn’t able to see my shot hit but the bull acted like he was hit - walked a few steps into the trees- didn’t go down but just stood dead still in the trees.
I tried again and again to get a range, and to find a clear shooting window to put a finishing shot on him, but couldn’t get either. I should say, all my rifle shots on elk prior this had been under 200 yds, most under 100, and I was shooting a new gun so I didn’t have full confidence that my shot was lethal. The bull didn’t walk out from behind the trees and I no longer had a view of him so as quickly as possible I grabbed my gear and hurried across the draw to the patch of trees where I had last seen him.
It didn’t take but a couple of minutes to cross the draw and climb up to where I had last seen him. As I approached the trees suddenly the bull stood up and looked in my direction. I was only about 50 yds from him but he wasn’t trying to get away. I knew now that he was mortally wounded but I needed to move around him to get a clear shot at his vitals as some small trees were in the way. I put a shot into him, center lungs and he went down for the last time.
I sent a satellite message to my friends only to find out they had bailed early and were on their way back home already. Through a little coercion I convinced them to come back and help me pack out.
I had the bull completely broken down and bagged up by the time they got back up on the mountain and hiked down to me. Since it was a small bull we were able to load him up in the 3 packs and get him out in one trip - Huge bonus to be able to 1-trip him. I took the two front quarters and some loose meat with all my gear on my old Exo K2. My two friends each took a hind and the rest of the loose meat. They were able to get a RZR closer to the kill site than where my car was parked so we had less than a mile to pack out with just over 1k feet vertical gain.
Packing out with my friends I was filled with gratitude and appreciation. I’ve soloed a lot of bulls so this pack out felt like a dream come true. It’s really a great feeling to pack out from a successful hunt with friends- to share the success and the excitement with others. The mountains were snow-covered and beautiful as the sun finally broke through the overcast skies. We laughed and joked, took pictures, and just really enjoyed the pack out.
The RZR was only a 2-seater so we had to pile packs full of meat and gear all over the roof rack and bed and I had to hang on to the roof rack, ducking tree branches on the ride out. Not gonna lie, it was a pretty good end to the hunt
. Back at my truck - a little pemmican and a “sip” of peanut butter whiskey to celebrate. I said many thanks to my friends and they headed off. I stuck around for awhile taking photos and enjoying the scenery until I had soaked up as much of the feeling as I could and then I too started the long trip home.
