# 2010 Big Bull Elk Hunt



## jjett84724

I drew a limited entry big bull tag on the Manti unit this year. The tag is an archery tag and the season runs Aug. 21 - Sept. 17th. I thought some of the guys would enjoy tagging along as I scouted and hunted for a big bull elk. 

This is my 8th attempt at drawing this tag. The hunts in Utah for trophy elk are a draw type of hunt. Each year that a person doesn't draw, they are awarded a bonus point. I had 7 bonus points and drew the tag. It will be a 5year waiting period before being able to draw the tag again. So adding the 8 years that it took to draw the tag and the 5 year waiting period after drawing the tag means that I would probably not draw the tag again until 2023. 

My friends have been great this year sending me pics of elk from their trailcams. The elk on their trail cams are pretty nice looking and any of them would make a fine trophy. 

My 14 year old son has an archery spike or cow tag for the same unit that I am hunting. It sounds strange, but I am more excited for him to get close to an elk with a bow than for my own hunt. This is his first year hunting with archery equipment. He has previously killed elk and deer with a rifle, and muzzleloader - so he has an idea how to hunt. 

I have been camped on the mountain since Monday, Aug. 16th (I think). I spent the first two days setting up camp and getting equipment up the mountain. The boys will join me for the opening weekend of the deer/elk hunt (in Utah they run concurrently). We are camped off the Skyline trail, at about 9500 feet in Gunnison Valley. 

I hope you guys enjoy the journey, as we try to get close and harvest a couple elk.


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## jjett84724

I spent the remainder of the 2nd day scouting an area that holds a good sized herd of elk. I hiked into the area from the top and wandered around a little bit. I noticed several rubs and could hear cow elk talking below me as I neared a beaver pond. It's a tough hike and the trail has several steep sections. There is water and feed there, and I don't believe many people will hunt the area after the opening weekend. 

I walked into a cow elk at about 100 yards. The wind was wrong, so I didn't push my luck to get closer. She got up out of her bed and walked into the trees above me. She never saw me, but I have no doubt that she winded me. 

I hiked back out of the area believing a bull elk is living there or will be there shortly. The rubs and the cow elk in the area tell me that the bulls won't be far away. The rut will be starting soon and the bulls will begin gathering cows. 

As I was hiking out, I scared a 24" 3 point mule deer. He was only 30 yards and would have been an easy shot for my son. Maybe we can get back on him in a couple days. 

As I was driving back to camp, I noticed a herd of elk standing in the trees. I stopped and looked them over. There were 40 elk with several spikes in the herd. The good news is they are only 2 miles from camp. The bad news is everyone will be able to see them from the road, so the herd will get pushed. 

The last two days have been uneventful as it's rained all day. I don't mind hunting in the rain, but don't care to scout in the rain. The clouds are low enough that visibility in camp is nil. Good thing I brought a couple books.


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## jjett84724

Last night I ran into a couple other elk hunters from Michigan. I was sitting on the four wheeler watching a herd of elk as they drove by. They stopped and asked if I had seen any elk. I pointed out the herd to them and we all watched and listened to the bulls bugle. 

I woke up this morning in the gray light of dawn. After getting my sorry butt moving this morning, I drove to where the herd of elk had been the night before. I drove away from camp and noticed movement on the horizon. There was a herd of elk not 1/2 mile from camp. They ran across the road and dropped into Beaver Creek. It was pretty dim still, but I could see one bull that had a nice set of antlers.

After watching them run out of sight, I drove to the clay knolls and looked off into the canyon. The clay knolls are at 10,600 feet, and after all the rain, it was muddy. I hiked a couple hundred yards into the canyon and saw a cow and calf elk. The calf still had spots. Watching the two of them wander into the trees below me was awesome. I crossed several trails that had fresh elk sign on them. 

Driving back to camp, there was a car parked off the side of the road. I stopped to see if he was stuck and discovered another big bull hunter. He said he saw 100 elk this morning cross the flat and run into the wilderness area that I hiked two days ago. He wouldn't tell me if he saw a good bull or not, so that means that he did. Enough talking, here are some trailcam pics. 

















The last one is my favorite, but the one with the elk sticking his tongue out is a close second.


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## luckycutter

I saw more impressive racks a couple of days ago, but they were at Yellowstone. Those elk are off limits but I prefer quality of meat in the fridge anyway. Antlers are impressive but you can't eat them. Still it gets the blood pumping for my own elk hunt. Good luck on yours and I hope your son receives an experience that makes him a life long hunter.


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## deeker

It is easy to spot a dirt bag....one who draws a trophy elk permit....and does not invite me along. That one is a very nice bull!!

This is my first year archery hunting for elk. We are doing the dedicated hunter for mule deer so we get all three seasons for them.

Oh, well we have trophy cow elk tags for the Nebo unit. From Spanish Fork canyon to Santaquin canyon.

Just above my house.

Let me know if you need any help with an elk!!!

I am about an hour and a half away.

Best of luck!!

Kevin


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## Burvol

I rooting for you and your son!!! :yourock:


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## deeker

Great pics by the way!!! The area we are in will be spike bull or cow only. Another area we will be hunting is in the desert by Eureka, a couple of nice five by five and a five by six bulls. The archery tag is good for any bull there.

Never taken an elk with a bow, yet. Several mulies, but no elk.


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## deeker

jjett??? How was opening day??? We saw a few small bucks and a couple of cows in the distance.


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## jjett84724

Opening day was a lot of fun. My family suprised me by showing up the night before the opener. We had a blast sitting around the campfire and got all of our gear ready for the opener.

I took two of my sons and one of their friends into an area where we previously built a ground blind. There's usually a lot of elk in this canyon. I sent the youngest son to sit in the blind to see what would come past him. The rest of us milled around in the trees hoping to chase elk past my son.

I heard some cows talking and then a loud bugle. Yes, he was in here. I circled around above where the elk were and dropped into the draw with them. I saw three cows running down the draw away from me. They turned and went downhill.  Dang it, they went the opposite direction of my son. I climbed back out of the draw, and started working the trees back toward my son. 

When I found my son, he was shaking with excitement. He told me that a spike had walked past his blind at 20 yards. In his excitement, he pulled his bow back, used his 40 yard pin, and shot right over the top of the spike. After he missed, a cow came out and walked past my other son (who didn't have an elk tag). We saw lots of elk, heard lots more and had a general blast on the opener. 

Last night we went looking for a buck for my son, and glassed for a bull for me. We saw 15-20 head of elk in the distance, laying on an open hillside. There wasn't enough light to chase, so we noted where they were for another day. 

I have yet to see the bull of my dreams, but haven't stopped looking. 

Deek, you can come up and visit anytime. If you want to help, that would be great too. I am camped at the north end of Gunnison Valley. I will be here the duration of the hunt.


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## scattergun13

Keep after em buddy and be safe. Keep us posted and let us know when either of you scores.


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## jjett84724

The last of family left this morning. After catching up on laundry, I decided to check a canyon that usually holds a few elk. I rode the four wheeler to the top of the ridge and noticed no four wheeler tracks leading into the canyon, which is odd because a lot of people hunt this particular draw. 

I parked the wheeler and walked toward a spring that usually has sign around it. While walking toward the spring, the breeze was steadily in my face. ELK, I know that smell anywhere. I slowed my walk and started looking hard. A calf elk twitched is ears down below me. I could see a cow and two calf elk below me. The rangefinder said 53 yards. Unfortunately, I don't have a cow elk tag - I have a big bull tag. I sat and watched the cow and calfs get up, get a drink and start feeding. 2 hours later, I was ready to throw rocks at them so they would leave and I could sneak further down the canyon. Nature intervened, the wind swirled and they ran out of sight. 

I went down to the spring to check if more elk had been using the water. The game trail was beat to a powdered dust with elk droppings all over the place. SWEET, there were elk in here. I walked up the trail toward the top of the canyon looking downhill as I went. I could hear cow elk chirps below me as I walked. The wind changed again and was now blowing straight downhill toward the cow elk. I figured they would wind me and be gone just like the other elk. 

I was watching down the hill and saw a massive bodied elk come into view. This elk had its head down and was slowly working it's way uphill toward me. It was about 120 yards away, but coming fast. I sat down, just as he lifted his head. HOLY CRAP!! That's a nice bull, I thought. He had a chocolate brown neck and ghost white antlers. His antlers had the width, the length and the tine length I was looking for. I worked my way down hill and heard crashing to my right. I looked over to see 40-50 head of cows running away from me - and with them the big bull. Two more bulls started up the meadow but soon winded me and followed the cows to parts unknown. It was getting dark so I hiked out of the canyon, and left the elk alone for another day.


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## custom8726

Sounds like a great Hunt!! Good luck to you guy's, regardless kill's or not you will have an experience you and your sons will keep for a lifetime.. I had the opportunity to do a Elk hunt with my father the year before last, also with the bow, but in Idaho. We had a great time and he ended up with a nice bull (Pic Below) And I ended up hitting and losing a very nice 6X6:censored: It's definetly a whole different catagory of hunting ELk when going from Rifles to bows but also more rewarding IMHO....


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## deeker

custom8726 said:


> Sounds like a great Hunt!! Good luck to you guy's, regardless kill's or not you will have an experience you and your sons will keep for a lifetime.. I had the opportunity to do a Elk hunt with my father the year before last, also with the bow, but in Idaho. We had a great time and he ended up with a nice bull (Pic Below) And I ended up hitting and losing a very nice 6X6:censored: It's definetly a whole different catagory of hunting ELk when going from Rifles to bows but also more rewarding IMHO....



Nice pic!!!

I have yet to kill an elk with a bow....soon....soon.

Kevin


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## PasoRoblesJimmy

It looks like you are having tons of fun. Enjoy your hunt!


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## jjett84724

Hit one tonight. A six point in full velvet at 30 yards. I could hear his lungs whistling after the shot. I believe it was a good shot. Hopefully, we will find him tomorrow and I can post some pics.


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## deeker

jjett84724 said:


> Hit one tonight. A six point in full velvet at 30 yards. I could hear his lungs whistling after the shot. I believe it was a good shot. Hopefully, we will find him tomorrow and I can post some pics.



Keep us posted!!!!!

Gonna be a looooooooooooooongggg night in camp!!!


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## custom8726

jjett84724 said:


> Hit one tonight. A six point in full velvet at 30 yards. I could hear his lungs whistling after the shot. I believe it was a good shot. Hopefully, we will find him tomorrow and I can post some pics.



Good luck man!! I caught 1 lung on the 6X6 I hit and could hear him gurgling blood not 20 yards away and thought it was a wrap, got excited and decided to go looking for him 45min later. Had I been patient he would have stayed right were he bedded down 20 yards form my stand, stiffened up and bled out,, but instead we jumped him and after 2 solid days of walking up and down what seemed like a shear cliff looking for blood he was gone Hope you have better luck..


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## CGC4200

*elk hunting in KY*

They have draw hunting @ limited eastern KY spaces, have bison & elk in LBL. Most of the rest have to settle for whitetails and small game. Wild hogs 
are varmints in my state, but may be enjoyable to hunt. I saw one of my cousins, Wes Hixon.com from north Georgia mentioning night hunting pigs on his
site with nite sights. We used to jack-lite rabbbits on back country public roads
in WK, but that has been long ago.


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## jjett84724

Sorry guys, pics are going to have to wait. We couldn't find him this morning, and I have more pressing matters to attend to.


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## deeker

jjett84724 said:


> Sorry guys, pics are going to have to wait. We couldn't find him this morning, and I have more pressing matters to attend to.



This is why jjett had to leave so quick. May God rest the officers soul and bless his family.

Aug 28, 2010 4:55 pm US/Eastern Reward Offered For Suspect In Deputy KillingFREDONIA, Ariz. (AP) ― The U.S. Marshals Service offered a $10,000 reward Saturday for information leading to the capture of a man accused of killing a Utah sheriff's deputy in the Arizona town of Fredonia.

Authorities say 23-year-old Scott Curley vanished after he fatally shot 41-year-old Kane County Deputy Brian Harris on Thursday and was believed to be hiding in the wilderness on the Arizona-Utah line.

"There is somebody out there that knows where this guy is," said David Gonzales, U.S. marshal for Arizona.

Harris was shot Thursday while chasing Curley, who was suspected of trying to burglarize Fredonia High School and holding a janitor at gunpoint on Wednesday night.

The janitor was unharmed, and Curley avoided authorities until Thursday.

A manhunt was under way for Curley. More than 300 law enforcement officers from 36 agencies have taken part in the search.

Investigators say Curley was armed with an assault rifle.

Authorities described Curley as a person who suffered from depression and had few friends. He is likely fatigued and hungry since being on the run, but is familiar with the wilderness near Fredonia.

"He knows how to live under the cedar trees, under the sage brush," said Lamont Smith, sheriff of Kane County.

Police have searched abandoned buildings and used tracking dogs to find foot tracks, but those efforts haven't panned out.

Gonzales said authorities will likely begin in the coming days to approach the search as a fugitive investigation into whether he is in other states.

The marshal said Curley could have hitchhiked out of his community and gone elsewhere. "He could have gotten a ride somewhere with somebody, with a friend, and he might be God knows where, in another state," Gonzales said.

*I hope this dirtbag gets caught......*


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## jjett84724

That SOB was captured. I will be back on the mountain as soon as we lay Brian to rest.


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## PasoRoblesJimmy

jjett84724 said:


> That SOB was captured. I will be back on the mountain as soon as we lay Brian to rest.



Good catch! Prayers and condolences to the family. Friend told me how an SOB with an assault rifle interrupted the prayer service in his synagogue, Dallas-Ft Worth area.


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## jjett84724

It is with a heavy heart that I returned to the big bull hunt. After laying Brian to rest, I returned to the mountain. The bull that I hit earlier in the hunt was no where to be found. Several friends and I searched the area where I shot him and we couldn't find him. We looked for birds, tried to smell him, but no luck. I was sick to my stomach, and hung up my bow for several days. I thought long and hard about throwing my tag into the fire and calling the hunt. 

Several of my friends and I decided to hike through both canyons. If the bull was in there, we would smell him. We searched, but didn't find him. After talking with several of my friends, I decided to keep hunting. 

My family showed up on Labor Day weekend for a nice visit. We camped and hunted all weekend. On the last day, my son asked if he could stay until Saturday and make up the school work the following week. Of course I said yes and we teamed up on Mom, and she reluctantly agreed. 

Jay and I chased elk for several days. Unfortunately, Jay didn't get an elk. On Friday, Jay was chasing a small two point deer that happened to walk across the trail we were on. While waiting for him to get back, I decided to bugle. 

Much to my suprise, four bulls answered the bugle and one of them was close. We jumped off the four wheeler, and started hiking down the hill toward the bull that was the closest. The bull was very vocal and had a distinct bugle. He would whistle high, then end the bugle with a loud grunt. Jay and I nicknamed him "Growler." 

Jay and I hiked into a flat and could hear the bull was very close. I left Jay in the trees and snuck down into the flat. As I snuck down the hill the bull came into view. He was a six point, mature bull with unique eye guards that twisted inwards. The morning was super cold. When the bull would lean his head back to bugle, I could see the breath coming out of his mouth. He was destroying a bush with his antlers, throwing the bush and dirt into the air. He would stop, bugle, then throw the bush around some more. 

I bugled at the bull attempting to draw him across the flat into the trees that I was hidden in. The bull bugled several more times, but wouldn't come across the flat. Eventually, the bull walked into the pine trees and didn't come back out. I decided to go into the trees after him. I snuck down the tree line until I was approx. 60 yards from where he disappeared. As I was looking around, I noticed another bull - this one a four point raghorn - come out of the trees and stand 60 yards from me. This bull stood there trying to figure out what I was for several minutes. After seeing the mature bull, I really didn't want to shoot the small one. 

I snuck into the trees, saw several cows, but couldn't find the bull. I hiked back out, deciding to try for this bull another day.


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## jjett84724

Saturday found my son and I waiting for my wife to return. After 9 years, we were having family pictures taken. We had family pictures taken up at Fish Lake, Utah. If you have never been to Fish Lake, you are missing out. The lake is beautiful. It's set in a high mountian valley, surrounded by pines and quaking aspen trees. 

After pictures, we had dinner at a local restaurant. By the time dinner was over it was too late to hunt. I went to my brother's house and slept there.

Sunday was a beautiful morning. It was so much warmer in the valley compared to the mountain. I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to the same ridge where Jay and I saw the elk on Friday. 

While driving the four wheeler across the ridge, I smelled elk. I saw elk tracks on the trail and immediatley shut off the four wheeler and started listening. "Growler" bugled approx. 100 yards away. I grabbed my bow, pack and bugle and started his way. I could see several elk bodies through the trees and "Growler" walked by an opening at 80 yards. I bugled at him. He stopped, looked toward me, trying to pick out a rival bull. He couldn't see me, stretched his neck toward a cow and started following her. I snuck closer and got picked off by that danged four point raghorn.

He barked and the entire herd went over the lip of the ridge into the canyon. I followed them to the edge, watching to see how far they would go. Much to my relief, the elk dropped 300 yards and started feeding across a terrace. I circled the top of the canyon to the next ridge. They were feeding toward this ridge and I was in a perfect position to intercept them. 

I knelt down by a tree waiting for the elk to come into bow range. The cows were feeding toward me and I could hear "Growler" screaming his rage into the morning sun. The elk were coming closer and closer. The wind was in my face, and the cows were soon 50 yards away. Suddenly, I heard a stick snap behind me. I slowly turned around and watched 15 more elk walk past me and join the other herd. The herd turned downhill and fed away from me. Believe me, a few bad words were muttered under my breath. 

I snuck down the hill toward the elk again. We were getting close to the bottom of the canyon. While sneaking, I noticed a cow on the opposite ridge. She was looking toward "Growler" and slowly working her way toward the herd. As soon as she walked behind the trees, I hustled toward the herd. One of them picked me off as I crossed an open area. The entire herd bolted, through the creek and up over the next ridge. 

I chased those elk two more ridges, always led by "Growler's" distinct bugle. At 10:15, he stopped bugling. By then, I had snuck within 200 yards of the herd again. I thought about trying to sneak into his bedding area, but realized that I am not that quiet. I backed out while hoping he would be in the same area for the evening hunt.


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## jjett84724

The evening hunt found me sneaking up the ridge where I had last heard the elk. At 1730 "Growler" let one of his sinister bugles go. I sat down on a wallow and waited to hear if he was coming closer or getting farther away. He bugled a second time and was further away. I jumped up and started hiking toward where he sounded like he was. 

While hiking up the trail, I saw a cow cross the pines in front of me. She hadn't seen me, but was feeding slowly away from me. I sat down and gave her a five minute head start. I figured she had watered, and was going to return to the herd. 

I got on the trail and "Growler" bugled again. He was close. The terrain changed from densly wooded pine trees to quaking aspen trees, with rolling hills approx. 80 yards apart. The hills and valleys were just far enough apart that you had to be on the top of the hill to see into the valley. I crossed a creek and found fresh elk droppings. I slowed way down and started looking hard. The breeze was in my face and I knew the elk were close.

I saw a cow walking up the next hill as I climbed rolling hill in front of me. I took one step and saw another cow. Another step, two more cows came into view. Each step revealed more elk. They were 80 yards away, feeding away from me with no clue that I was in the area. I was looking for the bull, and took another step. I could see 20 elk by now, and the bull was nowhere to be found. I took another step...still no bull. I kept thinking to myself, "Where was he?"

I had an arrow knocked and glanced to my right. THERE HE WAS. 29 yards away, calmly feeding without a care in the world. He was facing directly toward me. I stepped behind a quakie tree and tried to calm my breathing. My heart felt like it was beating out of my chest. I stood there for 4-5 minutes trying to calm myself down. "Growler" fed right there, 30 yards away.


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## deeker

*And then???????????????????????*


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## jjett84724

*no and then!!!!!!!!*


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## deeker

*Your Fired!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


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## dingeryote

Then what?

Seriously. All that typing just to leave us hangin' here?

C'mon man!!! That just ain't right.

Pics. Either track soup or critter hangin'!!

LOL!!
Almond and garlic stuffed tenderloin slow broiled in Butter with Onions....

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## deeker

*t u h h h d a y son!!!!!!*


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## jjett84724

I slowly pulled out my rangefinder and ranged him. While looking through the rangefinder, the bull looked at me. His eyes widened, he turned, and ran through the trees. I yelped at him and he stopped in a shooting lane. I pulled my bow back, placed my 60 yard pin over his vitals and sent an arrow on the way. I momentarily saw the arrow as it arced toward him. The arrow was in line, but looked to be short. I lost sight of the arrow and wasn't sure if it hit "Growler" or not. "Growler" walked out of the opening, over the ridge and out of sight. I couldn't see any blood on his side. 

I ranged the opening where he stopped and saw it was 72 yards. Crap!!! I probably shot under him. The cows never moved, and went back to feeding. My phone vibrated in my pocket and much to my suprise I had phone service. I sent a text to my brother in law telling him that I shot at a nice bull, but wasn't sure if I hit him. He told me to get off my butt (he used another word) and go check for blood. I sat there for 20 minutes, until the elk fed over the hill. I snuck across the flat to where "Growler" had been standing to retrieve my arrow.


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## deeker

*We will be back in a few minutes, after a word from our sponsers.....*


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## jjett84724

I bugled and cow called several times. The bull never answered. Hmmmmm....

As I walked to retrieve my arrow, I noticed the grass was waist high. No wonder the elk were in here. I looked down and BLOOD!!! HOLY CRAP, a lot of blood....I hit him. There was blood everywhere. I immediatly sent a text to my brother in law tellling him I had blood. 

I waited another ten minutes and started slowly following the blood trail. It looked like someone had put a faucet inside the elk, turned it on and drained the blood out of him. There was two steady streams of blood, plus lung foam on the brush. It was 1900 hours and going to be dark soon. 

I followed the blood for approx. 150 yards, then decided to back out for the night. I walked back to the four wheeler and met my BIL at the mouth of the canyon. I explained to him that we weren't going after "Growler" tonight, and we would wait until morning. He tried to change my mind, but I was having none of it. I slept on his couch and returned at 0630 the next morning. My friend Chris, my brother in law, Cody and I hiked back into the area the next morning. 

I showed them the blood and they were super excited. We started following the blood trail. The trail led us up hills, down hills and through two water holes. The trail went from two steady streams of blood to quarter sized spots, then to dime sized spots. There were times when the tracking got tough, especially through the pines. "Growler" crossed a four wheeler trail, and stopped to drink at two water holes. SOB...this sucker is tough. 

After following the blood trail for 1.5 miles, we snuck into a group of pines. There was his bed. CRAP!!! He wasn't in it. There were three big puddles of blood in the pine needles. 10 feet away there was another bed with blood in it. 15 feet from that bed was another bed with blood in it. Cody walked around a pine tree, looked uphill and yelled, "There he is!"

I was frantically trying to get an arrow on my bow as I came around the piine tree. There was no need. "Growler" was laying dead in the meadow. We started yelling and carrying on like you have never heard. The range of emotions was exhausting. Here are the pics!!! I hope you guys enjoy.


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## deeker

*I am looking high and low for pics...I see none....*


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## jjett84724




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## deeker

Nice bull!!! But only one small *"atta boy"* for the delay's......


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## jjett84724

"Growler" was dead. Now the work starts. Luckily for us, he died less than 200 yards from a four wheeler trail. The arrow passed through him. He was hit right behind the front shoulder on the left side, with the arrow coming out under his brisket.


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## jjett84724




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## deeker

A very nice bull.


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## jjett84724

That's Chris in the last photo. A big THANK YOU to those guys for helping me with get this bull out. 

Kevin - Thanks for the help offer. I hope your son finds his deer.


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## custom8726

Awesome man!!, Glad you got your bull......


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## LarryTheCableGuy

*W0w!!!*

Awesome, impressive!!!

  


.


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## jjett84724

We spent approx. 4 hours caping him, and getting him to the ATV's. After packing up camp we drove into town. I was an instant celebrity with the locals. We couldn't drive two blocks without someone waving us over to look at the bull. Eventually, we made it to the taxidermist and he cut the cape off of him. Thanks Harvey!!

I spent one more night at my BIL's house. I got home this afternoon, ready for a vacation from my vacation. I know this bull isn't the biggest on the mountain, but he is a good bull. This bull was killed with a bow and arrow, perserverance and persistance. I know how hard I worked for this bull and he is a trophy to me.


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## esshup

Nice, nice, nice! Congratulations!


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## PasoRoblesJimmy

Good work in tracking it down. Most excellent elk!!!!!


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