Premium Tag Advice/Lessons learned

[IrkedCitizen]

On my premium tag i failed to capitalize on a 340 class bull on the second day and ended up killing a 304" 6x6 on the seventh/last day of season. He was the third biggest bull i found in 12 days (5 scouting/7 hunting). I saw him on the second day of scouting and killed him ten days later. Persistence paid off. It's a mental game

 

[PLhunter]

 

[PLhunter]

Getting into some better bulls on my second trip out. A couple I would take with the tag.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

What I would tell anyone is don't give up, ever, keep going. Although not a "premium" tag, I drew a rare cow moose tag here in WA in 2016. Weather was as bad as you could imagine. Other than the first and last day, it poured down rain every day I hunted. But we kept at it, only my wife and I. And then, one day, my wife bino'd a cow a mile away. Backed up the truck out of her sight and took off. An hour later and 1000 foot climb, it was over, notched tag.

 

[PLhunter]

Well, I have some lessons learned myself I’ll share more about later. Ultimately, I ended up shooting a much smaller bull than I wanted and several factors had to combine for it to happen. I’m pretty devastated and it’s still pretty fresh.

I guess my quick advice would be question your spotters and as a spotter don’t throw out the “shooter” statement lightly. The shooter might have a narrow window and take your word for it. Be as sure as you can. I had some amazing elk encounters and was in big elk. I was very successful at getting in on elk and missed a great bull twice. All on me there. Tricky shots but ones I made in practice. Unfortunately I connected perfectly on a bull I would not have went after if I had looked at it through optics. I put too much weight into someone else’s assessment and paid the price. Open sights at medium ranges makes that quick assessment tougher, bow range is close enough for naked eye assessment and scoped rifle is good at any shooting ranges. Open peep sights at 130 yards isn’t as easy to make that final call at. I’m sick if I’m being honest. Wish I was still out there. I’m the one who pulled the trigger but the response from my spotter stings. “Well he was 2000 yards, you were 150, you shouldn’t have shot” I just wish they had used less definitive language. Possible shooter, decent bull, take a closer look, etc… but I’m the shooter and pulled the trigger. Ended up with a 290 5 year old bull. When less than a half mile away I’d spotted and assessed a 330 and passed on making a move. Had chased several 370’s. Never considered my spotter would be this far off.

 

[WRO]

Well, I have some lessons learned myself I’ll share more about later. Ultimately, I ended up shooting a much smaller bull than I wanted and several factors had to combine for it to happen. I’m pretty devastated and it’s still pretty fresh.

I guess my quick advice would be question your spotters and as a spotter don’t throw out the “shooter” statement lightly. The shooter might have a narrow window and take your word for it. Be as sure as you can. I had some amazing elk encounters and was in big elk. I was very successful at getting in on elk and missed a great bull twice. All on me there. Tricky shots but ones I made in practice. Unfortunately I connected perfectly on a bull I would not have went after if I had looked at it through optics. I put too much weight into someone else’s assessment and paid the price. Open sights at medium ranges makes that quick assessment tougher, bow range is close enough for naked eye assessment and scoped rifle is good at any shooting ranges. Open peep sights at 130 yards isn’t as easy to make that final call at. I’m sick if I’m being honest. Wish I was still out there. I’m the one who pulled the trigger but the response from my spotter stings. “Well he was 2000 yards, you were 150, you shouldn’t have shot” I just wish they had used less definitive language. Possible shooter, decent bull, take a closer look, etc… but I’m the shooter and pulled the trigger. Ended up with a 290 5 year old bull. When less than a half mile away I’d spotted and assessed a 330 and passed on making a move. Had chased several 370’s. Never considered my spotter would be this far off.

I have that t shirt too.


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[LongWayAround]

@PLhunter

Bummer how it ended for you, but it's cool that you got to see and chase those really big bulls.

Don't forget a 290 is still a bull almost anyone would be proud of in a different context.

I killed a bull smaller than I had planned on a ten point tag a few years ago. It took a moment for it to sink in. Bugling elk, beautiful sunrise/scenery, my buddy there to help... It was a great day even if it didn't end in monster bull dreams.

 

[PLhunter]

@PLhunter

Bummer how it ended for you, but it's cool that you got to see and chase those really big bulls.

Don't forget a 290 is still a bull almost anyone would be proud of in a different context.

I killed a bull smaller than I had planned on a ten point tag a few years ago. It took a moment for it to sink in. Bugling elk, beautiful sunrise/scenery, my buddy there to help... It was a great day even if it didn't end in monster bull dreams.

Mine stings just because it was so unnecessarily soon, we had no rush. We were having fun. I was fit and up to days and days of moves on elk. We had bigger elk fully located. It just was all around unnecessary. Lol, a 7x7 wandered through camp after we got all the meat out. No one else missed the 350 twice though.

 

[PLhunter]

The spotter who made the call “shooter” is also one not to reflect or apologize. My dad. He simply saw the bull and said…. “Well that’s not even close.” Then didn’t apologize or state anything other than it was a long ways away for him and you were closer why did you shoot. Not considering all that goes into shooting a successful shot with open sights in a 20 yard gap of aspens. He watched the bull for two hours and never changed his assessment or added any info. Simply criticized my 10 second window. It’s hard.

 

[huntnful]

Honestly, I know it sucks. But live, learn and move on. At least you got to hunt with your dad, even if he was the catalyst to you killing a lesser bull. They're just animals, they don't matter much in the grand scheme. You kill one, look at the horns a couple times, and move on to the next year/hunt.

My buddy just had a 240" mule deer smoked right out from under him after watching him all summer. Shit happens for sure. But it's just a hunt. You'll lose some sleep and pass some blame around, but at the end of the day, it's mostly on you and you're decisions. If you're only trophy minded, either hunt with trophy hunters that know exactly what they're seeing, or hunt alone and take it all in your hands.

Lets see some pictures of the bull!

 

[realunlucky]

I had max points, drew a top tier unit, shot the wrong bull on opening morning (crazy circumstances). Made me physically sick in the moment of realization.

All that to say the sting goes away with time.

Give your dad a little grace, move on and don't let it eat at your relationship with him.

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[hoosierhunter11]

I just found this thread today and read the entire thing. I enjoyed reading about your preparations and strategy for the hunt. I can understand the bad taste in your mouth, however, years from now that will be gone and you’ll have fond memories of hunting with your dad and this will hopefully be a funny story to share with your children or younger hunting partners down the road. I’m not trying to downplay your emotions, but this too shall pass. Congrats and cherish the memories!

 

[hoosierhunter11]

I just found this thread today and read the entire thing. I enjoyed reading about your preparations and strategy for the hunt. I can understand the bad taste in your mouth, however, years from now that will be gone and you’ll have fond memories of hunting with your dad and this will hopefully be a funny story to share with your children or younger hunting partners down the road. I’m not trying to downplay your emotions, but this too shall pass. Congrats and cherish the memories!

I have had the opportunity to hunt elk with my dad the past two years. Last year, he was 10 feet from me when I shot my first bull (CO archery - unreal experience!) and I was 10 feet from him this year when he missed a beautiful 6x6 at just under 100 yards with an open sight muzzleloader. He’s 60 and I know this era of our hunting career won’t last forever. This is likely the reason for the spirit in my response. Eager to see some photos!

 

[PLhunter]

I have had the opportunity to hunt elk with my dad the past two years. Last year, he was 10 feet from me when I shot my first bull (CO archery - unreal experience!) and I was 10 feet from him this year when he missed a beautiful 6x6 at just under 100 yards with an open sight muzzleloader. He’s 60 and I know this era of our hunting career won’t last forever. This is likely the reason for the spirit in my response. Eager to see some photos!

My dad refused to take a photo with the bull. I think he’s embarrassed. I was with him on his 370+ bull. I’d love to just be able to have an honest conversation with him about what we each could have done better but he gets really defensive. Any time I try to bring up how next time saying a different less definitive word would be helpful if it’s far he just says how I was on the trigger and closer…. Makes reconciling hard. Outside of this hunt I have many epic memories. When he was a hell of a lot tougher and harder of a man. He’s a different man without his horses. It’s tough for me to reconcile. It’s like they took all his responsibility and grit when they died.

 

[PLhunter]