The final day of the hunt.
A friend of ours, Robby, came up to camp to spend the last day with us, and to hopefully pack out some meat. We split up and went to different ridges. I watched a monster 5 point work his way across an opening with a few cows. He was a dream bull, super heavy dark brown antlers with 5 long ivory tipped points. I could hear the bull that Matt had chased a few nights earlier bugling in a little side canyon. I worked my way in, slowly closing the distance. When I could hear him bugle from 200 yards out I decided to try to get under his skin.
I started bugling and cow calling. He immidiatley answered! And so the chess match began, each of us making our move, sounding our threats. He was getting closer. Then a tan body 60 yards up the hill. A cow, followed by a small raghorn. The big bull was pushing his herd towards me. He screamed again from 80 yards away. I had an arrow nocked, hoping that he would work below his herd and give me a last second shot.
But just as that thought entered my head, the wind hit the back of my neck and just as fast as it had started, it ended.
The afternoon was spent under a tree waiting out a full on monsoon! It rained for 6-7 hours.
When the weather finally let up I had a couple hours to find an elk. I hiked/ran/slid through the mud. But the elk had quiot talking, right up until just before dark. I called a few times at a couple of bulls, hoping against hope that a miracle would happen. That all of my hard work would pay off. But it wasn't meant to be. I watched the light drain from the sky while listening to bulls bugling in the distance. It was a hutn I will never forget. One that I will probably not experience in UT for at least 20 more years, if ever.
I left it all on the mountain. I stacked my will, my body, and to some extent my faith against one of the most noble animals to ever walk the earth. And again I came out on the short end, or did I? I was able to spend 13 days hunting elk this past year. I saw some world class animals and had three legitimate chances at bulls. I truly believe if not for the weather this year I would have punched my tag. It rained every day of my hunt. I joked to Matt that now we know what it was like to hunt Alaska
The rain wasn't the bad part, it was the wind. I've hunted the west my entire life and never hunted in such squirelly winds as I did this year. There was only one time I felt the wind would hold true, and it did. Hindsight being what it is I should have been much more aggressive on that bull.
I'd like to thank Matt, one of the best hunting partners a guy could have. He pushed me during the off season like I've never been pushed. Because of that I was more physically prepared than ever before. Thanks Matt!!
It amazes, and sometimes really bothers me when less experienced elk hunters have elk basically run them over, or fall into their laps. But I've learned to deal with that. Everyone seems to have an animal that eludes them consistantly, and mine is the elk. I'm coming to grips with it
I hope to have another story this year as my Dad, some great friends, and myself should draw a Wyoming elk tag. If we do, you can bet I'll be running up and down those mountains, as well as those here locally, in search of that bull or cow who selflessly jumps in front of my arrow. Until then, it's time to start running hard, climbing hills, and getting ready for this fall, it's only a few months away
Topic: A 2013 UT Elk Hunt (lots of pics) (Read 1694 times)
