A 2013 UT Elk Hunt (lots of pics)

[steadman]

I've been waiting to tell this story until this time of year. When the "Is my arrow gonna kill.." and the "Is this bow fast enough" threads started dominating, I knew it was time.

This hunt started like most hunts do here in UT. The "successful" email. My freind Matt, a new traditional convert, and i put in for the Wasatch unit. That's as specific as I will get during the hunt on locations. I had started a workout regime since Feb. and now it was time to ramp it up. Matt is a low twenties gym rat, and to keep up I was going to have to put in the work.

Our first task was finding areas to scout. We both had different parts of the unit to look at. It was a dry year so water was going to be key. A friend of mine put me on two water holes and Matt had a place to look at.

   

So mid June we head off to look for a water source in Matts area. We glassed a huge bull and watched where he bedded. We then hoof it to the other side of the canyon. We found a nice area that just reeked of elk and had rubs everywhere! We then found a waterhole! It was looking real promising.

   

On the way out we saw this. I believe it is a morel. If it was, it's the first I've ever seen here.

   

We named his stand BB. Big... well it was 3miles in and 1500 feet down, then 1500 feet up in elevation to get to it. It took a lot of effort to get there!

[steadman]

Please bear with me for this story. I spent nearly 30 days scouting and 13 days hunting, so it might be drawn out a little.

So I read a thread here about a home made elk target. I forget who did it, sorry I'd like to give them some credit. But I decided to make my own. The one on the thread was headless, and I can understand why. But I was getting a chance to finally hunt big bulls in UT, mine was going to have a head  

 

I also went and started checking trail cameras at my 2 waterholes. Things were looking good!

 

 

 

Except seeing this visitor to one of the spots  

 

[huntnmuleys]

sweet.  an elk story!   finally!!!

[Dannon]

Keep it coming! I love good elk stories!

[steadman]

Now my hunt started on Aug 17 and went through Sept 13. Yea Utahs dates are ridiculous, but it's a state that caters to gun hunters. So you work with what you're given. It was a hot summer as well.

Towards the end of July my son and I went with Matt back to the BB stand. It seems we weren't the only ones who knew where the water was.

 

Matt got some decent bulls on his camera and we headed out. On the way out my son almost put his hand on this!!

 

It was cool to see this old broadhead buried like this.

 

 

 

 

[steadman]

The hunt was fast approaching and the waterholes were looking very good!! My workouts were amazing and I dropped below the 200 mark. First time in 15 years    Here are some of the bulls and other critters I was picking up through the next month. Anticipation was HIGH!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[steadman]

Now a little background on my elk hunting experience. I have been hunting elk since I was 14, and a couple years with my Dad before that. I am hitting the big 40 this year. I have also hunted multiple states a few years as well for elk.

I usually never have a problem finding elk. I am not afraid to go where others won't or stay out all day and put in the miles. However I have a VERY difficult time putting elk on the ground. In fact I have never brought an elk home. That's quite the 0fer streak. But I love hunting them, even when they make me furious.

The reason I bring this up is to say I was going to shoot at any leagal bull that gave me a shot. But that was a difficult desicion based on what i was seeing on my trail cams  

 

 

 

 

 

[Over&Under]

Looking good Ryan...I was wondering when this thread was gonna come:)

[steadman]

OPENING DAY!!! I had always wondered what the anticipation of all those guys that had drawn these coveted tags was the night before the opener. Well it was a sleepless night. My plan was to hunt one of my stands that had elk hitting water at all times of the day.

I awoke to a cloudy, windy day. My Dad was with me but was going to glass some other areas while I sat. As I crossed the ridge I knew i was in trouble as the wind was at my back. All at once I hear some crashing and look on the other hillside to see a nice 6 point and 2 raghorns fleeing the canyon.

I knew things weren't great but I still had high hopes. Afterall I'd seen a lot of elk on this waterhole.

I won't bore you with all the details of sitting in a treestand for 13 hours, but all that I saw were squirells. Then the lightning and thunder started about 4 in the afternoon. I don't sit in trees with lightning    

So I bail out and head to camp, a little rejected, but after an hour nap felt ready to go sit again. Even after our first rain in over two months. Remember I said it had been so dry. Yea that was going to change  :(

I finished out the evening without another elk sighted. Bummer. I'd be back hunting the area in a few days.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

[steadman]

I went back a few days later with a couple days to hunt. I decided to hunt my other stand, which previously had been taken over by cattle. I eased on down to see the waterhole deystroyed. But still had water.

 

This stand was a lot lower in elevation but held great potential!

 

 

Now it had rained every day since the opener. Now I don't mind the rain, but the swirling winds were enough to drive me insane!!

 

As I was sitting here this evening, I had the inpression to stand and get my bow. As the time slowly eased by, I caught movement 25 yards down the hill. A splash of tan, then antler tips above the maples. How big? I couldn't tell, but I didn't care either! Twenty yards away he stops, not sure he wants to commit to the water. I have my longbow in position, and my feet shifted for the shot.

"Come on" I think to myself. All I can see is dark chocolate legs below the maples and tines above. By now I know it's avery nice 6. "COME ON!!" I scream in my mind, but I know what the wise ole buggar is doing. It felt like he was there for an hour, but was more like a couple minutes, when the dreaded shift in the wind we all know hits my neck. The gig is up as the bull turns on a dime and crashes down the hill. Only a few more feet and I'd have had a shot. Dang it man!!

 

 

 

[Steve O]

Man, I feel so left out having to read it here first    :(

I am looking forward to an excellent adventure!

I am planning my UT elk hunt for 2016.  Just got point 15 yesterday.

[Over&Under]

I wish there was a "I hate the wind" icon!

[steadman]

I still hadn't heard any elk talk but the following morning heard my first bugle. I ended up 60 yards away from a 320ish 6 with a few cows. This was encouraging! I couldn't get any closer because of, you guessed it, the wind. See a theme here?

The next time I could get out would be over Labor Day weekend. My son had a deer tag for the area, so we focused our efforts on that for the weekend. It was not meant to be, but he got close on a couple occasions. I was in a new area and could here a bunch of bugling.

I sat one night and glassed where the bugling was coming from. There! Oh man what a stud! A good 350 class bull with cows being harassed by some sattelite bulls. I knew where I'd be the next weekend!

Mabey you're wondering about how young Mathew is doing. Well he'd been close to several bulls, only to be out done by the unconsistent winds and the deluge of rain we'd been getting.

As you noticed I was using a longbow of my own make at the first of the season. But doubt started to creep in. That's never a good thing! Especially in traditional shooting! So I made the decision to go to my Stalker recurve for the rest of the season. It is my go to bow and I just shoot it so good!

I'll be back with the last 8 days of the uhnt shortly.....

[Stone Sheep]

looks promising so far.

[steadman]

Holy cow sorry for all the typos!!!!

So my Dad and I headed back up to where I had glassed the monster the weekend before. As we drove up the heavens opened up again. This was getting old!!

Before leaving my wife wished me luck knowing how much work I'd put into this tag, and my 5 yaer ols little girl walks up, gives me a hug and hands me a paper towel holder. You know the cardboard tube. I ask her what this is for? She says it's a special made elk call. Apon closere examination there were little pictures drawn all over the tube. Surely if that bugle tube wouldn't bring me luck, nothing would!! I wrapped it in packing tape and put it in my pack.

 

I had also received a special broadhead from our own RC. He had told me this certain head had been through deer, hogs, and a turkey. He felt it needed some western blood on it. I was pulling out all the stops for my final 8 days!!

 

It was also about this time that Larry Fischer found out about the cancer. I decided to fill the rest of my quiver with some Eclipse broadheads, and wear my Eclipse hat with a purple ribbon for the rest of the hunt. As a sort of tribute to a friend battling the toughest battle one could face!

 

[Matty]

Like the way this is going. Love the bugle tube too!
Keep it coming!!

[steadman]

So that afternoon apon arriving, the rain finally let up. I headed to the canyon where I had seen the big bull the weekend before. It was late afternoon as I started easing up the pine ridge. For once in this hunt I had a steady wind in my face!

A thunderous bugle rang out from above me a eased up through the timber as fast and quietly as I could. All the while keeping an eye out for cows, and an ear out for more bugles. The big bull bugled every 5-10 minutes or so. A perfect situation for a solo hunter.

I like to hunt this way, get as close as possible, and try to not use a call at all. I only like to use calls to locate, or as a last ditch effort while hunting by myself. I like to not use them at all if possible as the elk are called here all year long.

The daylight was slowly fading, but I had made good progress. I reached an area in the pines that had bedroom written all over it!  

   

It was getting darker and darker, but the bull was getting closer and closer. There, just over the edge of the small ridge, a glimpse of antler. Dark, pine pitched, mud covered, ivory tipped beauties. Just 30 yards away. Come on closer I try to will the bull into veiw. Another spine tingling bugle rings out from mere yards away. I put tension on my string, just hoping. The wind is still strong and although not perfect, there's no way for him to wind me without getting shot at.

The colors are now turning to grey. He is within shooting range, but I can't see any part of his body other than the beautiful rack. I try not to stare, but it's impossible! He turns his head back the way he came a rips a monsterous bugle. He then trots off back the way he came. What? Then I hear the seductive sounds of his cows. Dang it, almost again. But wait, he has no clue I was there, or just how close he was to eith er death, or a survival story that I've taught so many elk in the past  

I ease back out knowing right where I will be when the light of dawn breaks...

[FerretWYO]

I am so glad to be finally reading this story from you my friend. I know I pestered you a lot during the month as to your progress now I get to relive it all with you again. Keep spinning.

[steadman]

Loved the pestering Randy    One day we will have a story to share together  

The next morning I'm right up in his bedroom as the light slowly get more intense. He has only bugled once this morning, and he and his cows are further up the ridge than I would've thought. Dang it going to be playing catch up! And to top it off the winds are swirling, again! Probably should've been more aggresive the night before, but you know what they say about hindsight.

So across the hill I go, trying to keep a decent crosswind. I've covered a few hundred yards when i see a tan body 80 yards away and uphill. Sweet! Good wind and I finally caught them. But there's a problem. It's getting warmer and I know any minute the wind will switch. I hang back and listen to the bull bugle a couple times. Moving further away.

I decide to sprint up the mountain and try to get to the ridge to get the wind right when it decides t switch. I reach the ridge and here the bull bugle down in the bottom of the next canyon. Decison time. It's almost noon. I know they'll bed up soon. I decide to locate him to see where they had gone to. I figure, nows the time to use some 5 year old mojo  

 

No sooner did my bugle leave the end of the tube, that not only does the big one bugle back, but 2 other bulls fire off in different directions! Well, this was nice. So the four of us get into a great shouting match! The two new bulls getting closer and the big one holding his ground. For an hour this goes on. The bigger one worked his way a hundred yards closer, but there was no way he was leaving his cows. The other two must have known just how big he was because they wouldn't get closer that a few hundred yards. But it was sure fun to participate in the bugle fest  

By 3 or so the bugling had stopped, but the heavens opened up!! I will hunt in the rain, but not a downpour. I made my way back to camp to enjoy Dad and my buddies Jeff and Robbys company and to relive the day.