Contestant # 1

[Billybob]

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In the subject line type------- Elk Contest
In the Body type-------- Contestant # (who ever you want to win)

[Wapitiwill]

My magic weekend.


The third weekend of archery elk season finds me frustrated. The heat is on cause my wife has gotten hers and if you are like me every day of the season is the last day!! I have had several opportunities but with no luck

Sunday morning finds us sitting around waiting for a friend to show up from Eugene. We make a morning hunt where we had seen elk the night before but we got winded before we got to the herd. We headed home fairly early because both my friends had to work on Monday . They both take off about 2:30 in the afternoon. I get ahold of Carl and Eric and we decide to make a evening hunt . We start by going back to where we were in the morning and the elk had not returned. After a short hike and some calling we decided to go look at one more spot before dark. We park the rig at the head of a old but drivable road and walk up to a saddle that will give us a good view of the mountain across from us. My hopes were not very high being there were about four others pounding this area for the first two weekends. We glassed the adjacent hill and nothing. I pulled out my bugle and looked at my partners, they shrugged.(which means go ahead see what happens) . I let a great squeal go and we all sat there and listened. Nothing. So I did it again this time with a couple of gentle cow calls. I could have sworn I heard a distant chuckle but I wasn't sure where it was coming from. I pulled out my binoculars and was looking at the other hill when I saw it. A beautiful bull getting up out of his bed. I got my buddies attention and pointed it out to the both of them. The sun line is now working its way up the mountain, It will be dark in forty minutes.The bull is only 400 yards away as a crow flies(or bullet which ever you prefer) As for ground we are about half a mile from him . I get a time check from Carl he says just over a half hour of light left. I looked at him and said"I can make it there by dark". "who's going with" I was then decided that my sisters boyfriend would go with me and Carl was staying. We took off like a couple of deer bouncing over brush and logs in the old cat road leading to the bottom of the canyon. We get to the bottom and look up we can not see the bull but we know we got a big steep climb 500 yards up hill and i mean UP! I turned to Eric and said,"this is where you separate the men from the boys ,you ready?" A simple nod of his head and we were off fallowing any thing that looked like a trail leading up. I have hunted here many times so I have a great knowledge of the area so I knew when and where we could make noise and cove ground. At last we were down to the last 150 yards. The steepest part is always at the end. I can see the bull trashing a small pine tree but i have a large open draw between us. I asked Eric if he would stay and rake a tree to give me cover while I closed the last gap. He agrees to stay and rake. I cross the draw and begin my climb straight up the hill to where the bull is. Ten yards to go 'I slow down to almost a crawl. I knock an arrow and slowly peer through the sweat that is pouring off my brow and he is gone!!!I was confused he was just there a couple of minutes ago. I slowly walk don the old road and to the next landing. I here brush moving to my left and it is getting closer . I draw my bow and out steps a ...........cow. Now I find my self in a bad situation. One weekend to go and a cow standing just twelve yards away staring at me. I know there is a bull somewhere but this cow knows something is up. I think to my self ,if she runs off its over,if i shoot her its over. I decided to take a chance and let her go. I let my bow down very slow but it doesn't help she barks and runs off.(In my hunting party we refer to the cows bark as being called a DORK because we know deep down this is what they are saying.) I slowly turn to walk back to Eric when I see more elk coming down an old cat road right for me. I squat down behind a small fir tree. The wind is perfect and they are coming down to see what all the commotion was about. My heart started to pound loud when I saw that the bull was second in line. My first up close impression was he looked like a Clydesdale with horns. He was bigger than I had expected. I drew my bow and waited till he was in a perfect spot and let the arrow fly. I heard the sound of the broad head hitting flesh and he reared up and tore off through the brush. with only a few minutes of light left I decided to go find and flag the first blood . I walked around in circles no blood!!! I thought to my self twenty yards ? I know I didn't miss. It was to dark to see so I got out my LED light and looked some more. I found a very small drip of blood about twenty yards down his tracks. My heart sank this was not what I was expecting. I was thinking it was a poor shot and I hadn't heard the bull fall so I would give the trail fifty yards then I would come back in the morning . I started to find some better blood as he entered a re prod thicket. A spot here a bloody leaf there not much at all. I had made up my mind, I would come back in the daylight and look. I told my self I would flag the next spot of blood and leave. Well the next spot of blood was about three foot in diameter. The next was even bigger. The Next one had a beautiful six point bull laying in the middle of it!!!!! He was huge. I could not physically roll him over so I went for help.
Running in the dark with excitement is not a good idea. I ran out of the brush and jumped down on the landing and my ankle folded up. I rolled to a stop. This was not what I needed. I hobbled down the mountain where Carl was waiting. Where's Eric ? We could hear him up the canyon so I took my light up there and found him all tangled up in a viny maple bush in the dark with no light. (very good lesson for him) Never hunt with out a light!!!! We headed to town for help.
When we arrived at the house I immediately began getting our pack frames, knives, saw ,rope, the list goes on. My wife noticed I was limping pretty bad and told me to take off my boot.
My ankle was four shades of black and purple. It had gone numb so I was not worried about it I wanted my elk out and at home. I was the only one who knew exactly where it was so staying down was not a option.
We load up me, my wife, Eric,Carl,and both my boys and head up on the mountain. When we arrive we are left with two options 400 yards straight up , or walk up the road 1.5 miles. We decide that the road is better cause the hill is steep and covered in logs and brush. I personally did not want to see any body get hurt over an elk. We arrive at the elk and admire it for a bit then the work begins. At about 2:30 we are starting our trek down the hill with the elk all quartered up. It is a lot farther down when you have a quarter on your back. With a little taunting and teasing we made it back to the truck all swearing off doing this again,but as we all know we would be back out there again in a heart beat.

I would like to give the greatest thanks to the fallowing:

My wife, who puts up with me every season being gone ,dealing with all my friends,our stinky clothes ,cooking great meals to keep us going,hunts by my side , and is always ready day or night to pack out or help skin, gut and deal with our wild game. It takes a special woman and I am glad you are mine!!!!!love ya.

Carl ,Who is always willing to hunt with me regardless of the terrain(as long as there is elk at the bottom). He is always there to crack a joke to break the tension when things don't work out. Thanks for the help!!!!!!! Next year is your year!!

Eric, He has I great attitude and is a real go getter. I would hunt with him any day of the week. I thank you for all your hard work. you will always be welcome in my hunting party!!!

My two boys who were both there, ready to work and get the meat home to the freezer.

I guess standing there in the dark with my pack frame loaded looking ahead at my wife ,Carl,Eric,Caleb,and Kyler, all in the middle of the night doing there part to help get my elk out,I realized this was the greatest moment of my life,and it had nothing to do with the size of the elk I had killed.This moment was about what I was looking at right now. I was humbled by the thought there was absolutely no way I could ever repay any of them. How do you repay seeing family and friends come together for you and your moment of glory.

[archerynut]

Repayment, huh.........lmao

Next year is when that happens. An the year after...

And then the next year......

and so on......


Nice one Bud.

[Billybob]

Wow.....Congrats bud.....Thats a great bull. That story was a very good read. Glad you had a lot of fun.