Huntin buddy tagged out Saturday night.
Still nothing talking where we are at so it has been a frustrating few weeks.
Anyway, on to the story. We ( 3 of us ) hiked into a place that we had never been to but we figured we could get away from the wind ( 20-30 MPH winds). We hiked up the side of the ridge, 300 vertical climb, got up on top and found a forest service road that wasnt on the maps. We hiked down it for about half a mile and found that the forest service had been in there for about the last week cutting down trees and clearing the road. So we turned around figuring that they had pushed the elk the other way. we came to a nice open sagebrush flat with trees bordering it on 3 sides and some nice aspen cuts to the east.
My buddy says " you guys go ahead i need to take care of some business". So the other guy and i hike up to the flat and take a look. He is inexperienced so he just starts to go cruising through the sagebrush and i called him over to a couple of pine trees near the edge so we could do a little calling from cover. By this time i am a little frustrated and to be completely honest pissed off that we havent heard any elk this year. So i let that emotion take hold when i pulled the bugle tube out and just let one rip, like hey F**k you Tony, RIP. no answer. wait about 1 minute and let another, I'm the baddest MFer in this valley, bugle go. grab a stick and start beating the hell outta the tree next to me. My buddy who is taking care of "business" bugles back while he has his pants down, lol. so i cut him off with my own bugle. Me and the inexperienced guy start laughing under our breath.
My buddy comes out of the trees and starts across the sagebrush to take a look over the edge. Just then 2 bulls come walking out of the trees to our right about 200 yards away. Inexperience and I couldnt see them but my buddy could. he drops to his knees in the middle of the sagebrush and gives a cow call to get our attention, Signals that there are elk coming and we got ready. unfortunately they came walking right through the middle of the darn brush at about 75 yards away, A small 5 point and a 3 point raghorn boadside to me. No way was i comfortable with that long of a shot. so the bulls walked right at my buddy, they got to 60 yards and the larger one turns looking for the cow. Buddy makes a 62 yard shot, from his knees with no cover. Hits the bull hard and he spins and runs back the way they came from. goes approx 60 yards and piles up in the middle of a nice grassy area. Buddy took the top of the heart right off, it was just laying in the sack. it was one hell of a shot for sure!
We got him gutted and we debating about quartering him out and coming back in the morning to get him. Just as we were getting him opened up coyotes started talking a ridge away. They made up our mind for us. I grabbed the first hind quarter and threw it on the Icon Pro ( Love this Pack! ). hauled it back to the RZR ( 1.4 miles through the trees, creek, and about 40 yards of thick willows ). got back to the RZR unloaded that quarter, strapped my buddies pack to mine and back up i went.
I just want to say, if you dont have OnX...get it. that app saved our asses. as i was going back i found a nice big trail and opening by looking at the app. Saved at least 45 minutes of heavy pack time and who knows how many broken ankles, haha.
Got back to the kill as they were finishing up and the rain started. we loaded the rest up in the 2 packs and back out we went. by the time we reached the Rzr we were soaked completely through...i mean even my undies were wet. half hour ride in the rzr to camp and then it was drinks and elk heart for dinner.
I have to say it was one hell of a night.

first trip back to the rzr. 1 hind quarter and my bow

Second trip out, 1 hind quarter, the other bag has the heart, liver, back straps, loins, neck meat and misc hamburger meat.
this one was a heavy SOB.