:D
Sorry Huntnmuleys...couldn't resist. That was awesome by the way. Big Congrats!
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0660.jpg)
Bring it on! That 1st pic has me tied in already.
Wow, what country is that? would not know what to do being able to see so far. Like Izzy I am hooked already.
:coffee:
Shoot straight, Shinken
:archer2:
:campfire: waiting patiently....
I'm missin elk country I'm in. :campfire:
just waitin.... :campfire:
I started applying for WY elk 6 or 7 years ago...whenever it was they started the pref point system. So, I've always had as good a chance as any out of stater to draw a tag. I really thought I'd have one last year but it was not to be. Switched units this year and got the tag. I knew this unit would be a little different, but as mentioned above, I wasn't quite prepared for the openness of the country. My previous elk hunts have looked more like this...
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/CO%20Elk%202010/IMG_0630.jpg)
I'd hunted pronghorns and muley's in WY in the past. It is my favorite western state. But, in all my time there in the vast open sage country I had never laid eyes on an elk! I was anxious to say the least.
I'm in the points game on a few western states. Since I'm not interested in outfitters unless necessary, I'd always assumed this would be a solo affair. However, a good hunting/fishing buddy of mine who had never experienced a western big game hunt said he would like to tag along. He's one of my best friends and the chance to share something so special to me with someone that hadn't tasted it yet added to the trip before we ever left.
On one of my previous trips to WY, I'd bumped into a G&F guy who had given me his card and told me to call him when I came back. Luckily, he was still around and really went above and beyond in helping me learn about the unit. One of the first pieces of advice from him was to get a GPS that had the land ownership map capabilities. While we would be hunting public ground, the elk would be on both and needing to know where we were hunting would be very important.
So, with all of our gear and my research, my buddy and I drove straight through to WY (approx 30 hrs) and arrived the next afternoon. One thing I'd sort of overlooked was actually how to enter our hunting grounds. Turns out, we were blocked by private land and locked gates and wound up spending that night in the truck. Got my contact on the phone the next morning and he told us how to get into the area. I could've avoided that fiasco rather easily but lesson learned and we had camp set up by the next afternoon.
After camp was secure we drove up into the hills to begin orienting ourselves with the planned hunting area hoping to reconcile our maps, GPS, our minds and instincts. As we looked out over the seemingly endless barren country, my buddy says excitedly.."JT! JT!...those are elk!" and there were. Lots of'em.
:campfire: :archer:
:coffee:
I think that first picture of you with the binoculars should be enlarged, framed, and hanging on your wall! What a beautiful picture! This is going to be interesting...
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
:campfire:
hey hey, this is starting to look good! i love that first pic as well, what area are you hunting? if you had all the points im betting its a premier spot. keep it coming!!
Heck, I am going to print that first picture off, hang it up and tell people it is ME!
Then again, I think there will be a few more later I will want to get one of those computer savvy guys to photoshop my face into :campfire:
Man, I am so excited to read this...I have done the same thing with WY deer points and I hope it turns out just as good!
Steve,
That GPS is the shazizzle! I actually left it with another trad bowhunter who was a few days into his hunt in the same unit. You've been a huge help to me over the last few years and like all your advice, that GPS tip was spot on.
We saw a bunch of mule deer and two really good bucks. We didn't get any pics of the big boys, though.
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0663.jpg)
We spent the afternoon watching about 100 elk through the glass. We saw some bulls and a couple were big herd bulls. They were out in the open for the most part but with that many elk in sight, we felt the prospects were great. Heck, that was more than I'd ever seen in my previous hunts combined. The other seemingly positive factor was that I'd heard I wouldn't have much competition until the weekend. It was Monday and we hadn't seen sign of any other hunters.
The next morning dawned and we decided what end of the basin to enter from wanting to be downwind of as much of it as possible. We started hearing bugles immediately and knew we had a handful of bulls in the right mood. Once we got a decent bearing on most of the activity, we dropped down into the canyon and waited for the sunrise to give us some visibility. As the sun emerged, we had two 6x6's skylined on a ridge about 500 yards up wind of us. There were lots of cows with them and sparse cover between us and them so we stayed put hoping some scenario that we could act upon would transpire.
This is looking to be quite an adventure. Makes great lunchtime reading!
:campfire:
:campfire:
We watched the bulls bugle and parade from a perch we climbed to in some rimrock below the elk. After about 20 minutes, the elk started to break apart and move in several directions. The large 6X6 moved off to our right, never giving us an opportunity to move in on him and he eventually dissapeared over a ridge. The smaller bull bedded on the hillside 50 yards below the ridge line they had been on. He was in plain view in the sparse burnt timber so we decided he was the best opportunity for a stalk. We did a wide around to use the terrain and wind to our advantage so we could get as close as possible to him hoping to keep some ridge between us while we worked as close as possible. As we are getting into the 100 yard range, my buddy whispers excitedly that he's on his feet 60 yards ahead. We freeze and notice he's thashing a small pine to pieces and is facing directly away from us. Wind is perfect, so I immediately knock an arrow and start sneaking deliberately straight at him. I tried to keep a burnt timber trunk between us at all times and would freeze when he'd lift his head to look around. When I got to forty yards, a raghorn showed up from my left and began feeding between me and the bull. I was pinned by this raghorn for a good ten minutes and the 6x6 just thrashed away, never knowing I was in the world. If that raghorn hadn't been there, I could have walked straight to that bull and popped him square on the butt. But, the raghorn finally moved into my scent line and boogered the opportunity. My buddy got to watch the whole stalk up close and personal. We were both jacked with adrenaline. An hour into the first morning.....we didn't know whether it would be like this until we got an elk or if we'd just been handed the best chance we'd get.
This was the little pine....
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/WY%20Elk%202011/IMG_0339.jpg)
DB,
Like others, those early pics really got me going!!
Question: My eyes are not what they were, but is that a Delaney Poundcake dangling from your backpack I see? :jumper: :dunno: :rolleyes:
I've been waiting for the story of your hunt, and so far, so good. Don't leave out ANY details!
quote:
Originally posted by Doc Nock:
DB,
Like others, those early pics really got me going!!
Question: My eyes are not what they were, but is that a Delaney Poundcake dangling from your backpack I see? :saywhat:
I don't remember too much about the rest of the morning but about lunch time, we noticed one of the herds had gathered around a wallow that was only about 150 yards from our rimrock perch down in the bottom of the canyon. We felt like we could get up in there without getting busted so off we went. We sat for about two hours and watched probably a 100 elk just be elk. We didn't have a choice but to wait and just enjoy the show through 10 power glass. The biggest herd bull had to be over 350 and just an unbelievable thing to witness as he bugled, licked cows, chased satellite bulls, layed that massive rack down on the ground to nap etc etc. Finally, they started to break up in smaller groups and move around.....
and so did we.
Hot and heavy elk action the first morning out...thats what I'm talking bout!!
Looking forward to the rest.
Awesome and thanks!
Heck yeah!!!
i love sneaking up on rubbing bulls. my heart usually jumps out of my chest though everytime.
Keep it coming
We made our way up slowly into the burnt timber hillside that was the downwind side of the basin. We needed to stay at a safe distance from the elk but also be in a better striking position than the rimrock perch offered if an opportunity arose. About 6:30pm, we spot a lone bull on a ridge to our left. He's a good 6x6 and moving in our direction. As he covers a few hundred yards, we realize we better start angling in on his line. He was obviously headed somewhere with a purpose. I continued to move down the hill hoping to cut him off as he went buy us and finally ran out of cover as he passed at about 50 yards. He stopped at a wallow and proceeded roll around, flipping and flopping on his back like a silly yard dog rolling on a dead fish. It would have been laugh out loud funny had it not been a bull elk that I couldn't get any closer to. After about 5 minutes of his sillyness, he started to move away from us. I darted wide to the right and got the rimrock perch between us. Then sprinted into some cover and hoped I'd catch him on the other side. Not fast enough. I was in some relatively thick stuff, so I thought I'd hit him with some cow calls. He stopped and bugled at me but never would come closer to investigate. We finally just let him move away unspooked.
Our thoughts at the end of the first full day...THIS IS INCREDIBLE!
But more importantly, we were learning to get aggressive at the right times and be patient at the right times, hopefully keeping them from feeling the pressure of our presence in the area. We figured if we could average two good opportunities a day like we just had, our chances were good with 10 days to hunt.
I'm not sure if this is the bull from that encounter, but it is a pic my buddy snapped of a bull in that wallow to give you an idea....
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/WY%20Elk%202011/IMG_0346.jpg)
that is an INCREDIBLE first day. And with 10 to go. This is gonna get good. Cant wait to hear the rest.
The next morning when we crawled out of the tent, a front was moving in on us. Much cooler weather, misty rain, clouds etc. The wind direction had also done a 180 so our approach to the basin and our formerly safe glassing perches would have to change. We were relieved to hear bugles filling the canyon when we arrived but nothing was very close to our starting point. As the sun revealed the landscape, the bad news was that the elk were herded up big time clear across the canyon, in the wide open and dangerously close to the private ground. Nothing to do but keep them in the glass and hope something might change to our favor. We sat for a few hours with the cold wind pounding us in the face on our high vantage just below the ridge line opposite the elk herd. The elk were bedded on the opposite side of the canyon on a hillside totally blocked from the hard cold wind. Dang animals are smart some times. They didn't seem interested in activity and the temps were dropping so we decided to go check out some new ground for a couple of hours. Warm up a bit and start to develop a plan B just in case our honey hole started turning sour.
After we killed a couple of hours exploring more of our area, we came back to find the big herd still hunkered down on the same hillside. A dense fog rolled in and though the bugling kept us clued in to their location, we started to lose visibility. After we were frozen to the bone and the fog had settled in solid, we cut out for camp about 5pm. A little time to make calls to the family before they were in bed and get some general camp/gear/hygene chores knocked out (a necessary time out on hunts like these.) Full day number two turned out to be a sobering experience. Two opps a day just went to a one a day average. A couple more dry days could make the odds begin to look like a fold'em scenario. Doubt started to creep in...
The fog was thick I tell ya. Well, when it was time for supper, I pulled out a couple cans of my favorite Bush's Baked Beans with brown sugar and bacon. Figured I might be able to create some of my own atmospheric chemistry that might suffice as a viable fog deterrant. Almost lost my hunting partner that night though....
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0664.jpg)
As I mentioned earlier, I had been educated on the reality that the early part of the week would be best as the end of the week and especially during the weekend, local hunters would join the fun and the elk feeling the pressure would head to the sanctuary of private ground. On day three, we notice a truck sitting in our normal parking spot when we arrive at the basin. When we tried to make polite conversation, the guy was visibly agitated by our existance so we just drove up a bit and parked. Well, he proceeded to then drive on by us so we just started walking back and decided to enter the canyon lower than any day previously. The wind direction made it a good choice as well but we were really just trying to create some space from the other guy. At daylight, we are hearing the other hunter cut off every bull's bugle with his own and then we see a big herd hightailing out of the canyon and over the mountain top. Oh boy...here we go.
We are fortunately on the opposite side of the basin from the other hunter and luckily for us, we have a bull bugling pretty darn close. We drop down into a draw so we can travel closer to his bugling without getting skylined and finally work our way as close as we can until we run out of cover. This was the scene when I peaked up over the edge of the draw.
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/WY%20Elk%202011/IMG_0347.jpg)
While I didn't get him in the picture, there was an awesome herd bull that was on this little hill with these cows.
I'm gonna hafta go get me a drooling towel. Great story so far.....
Unfortunately, this bull and his harem decided to move in the opposite direction. Once this group was at a safe distance, we got high again to see if we could locate more elk. The other hunter was still going strong and we discover that most of the elk are now way out on the flats which is probably private ground. Not good. We study the elk and the surrounding topography through the glass for a while. We study the GPS screen to try to determine if there's enough public ground to even justify the hike way way out there to the herd which is now basically in pasture land. We see a small group close to a hillside which looks like it may be public ground. So, with no better options at this point, off we go.
An hour or so later, we make our way up to a group that has a large herd bull, a few shooter satellite bulls and many a cow and raghorn.
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/WY%20Elk%202011/IMG_0367.jpg)
There is really no way to make a move on them but we feel like we need to stay as a close as possible, just in case. Here's a photo from our spy session on this group. This satellite bull bedded about 200 yards away and we caught him bugling on camera.
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0364-2.jpg)
30 minutes into our spy session, we feel the wind hit the back of our neck. Our little bugling buddy blows out of his bed and the next thing we know, 100 or so elk are moving briskly away from us and much further out onto public ground, bunched up tight like nervous animals do and legally out of reach for us. We lick our wounds and start to head back towards our traditional stomping grounds, wondering if between our blunder and the other hunter's presence, there will be any elk left to hunt. Here's a pic of me after sounding a location bugle, trying to see if we can get a response in our canyon before we go barging back in blindfolded.
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0350-1.jpg)
An aside...Though I didn't realize it at the time, (I didn't carry my cell phone out of camp), but at this very time of day my wife sent me a text message from Delaney saying she felt today would be the day. She also wanted to make sure I had the good luck charm.
We didn't get any responses to my calling and the reality of our situation started to affect our spirits. The elk were moving to private ground and it wasn't even the weekend yet. What would this mean for the next several days? We were whooped from the extra long hike so we decided to climb into our now comfy rimrock perch to rest and glass a while. As we climbed, we noticed a herd bunched up in the burnt timber on the opposite side of the basin, probably a 1000 yards away. While they were bunched up tight and all on their feet, atleast they were still in our basin. Hope creeps back in just a bit. But just a moment later, my buddy plops down in the rimrock, only to have a bull and three cows explode from their beds right under us. They take off running across the middle of the canyon. The already nervous elk across the basin notice, take the cue, then start their own stampede and dissapear over the ridge, bee lining for the sanctuary.
:thumbsup: :campfire:
Just like being there, keep it coming
At this point we are feeling pretty discouraged. All the small herds have joined together to form one massive herd way out on the prairie, as if they've rehearsed this scene a hundred times over. I had heard about a private basin to the west of us that the elk gathered in when pressured and this is exactly the scenario that was unfolding. We took our boots off to let our aching feet dry out a bit, ate some granola bars and pretty much just started to pout. Then, to pour salt into our wounds, a darn plane starts low flying around the elk as if to intentionally mess with the herd. Like partners in the plot against us, they start trotting towards the private basin. We're hosed.
So now we have two crappy options. Sit in camp and lick our wounds or sit in this empty canyon and lick'em. I waited seven years for the tag....we choose to sit in empty canyon.
Then, about an hour later, out of nowhere some lost bull that apparently didn't graduate from the save your elk hide class with his peers, wanders over the ridge out on the horizon. He eases down the hillside in our direction and dissapears into a draw at the bottom of the hill.....and off we go. There is really no safe way to approach the draw because if he pops out of it, we will be caught out in the wide open. So, we decide to set up close to the wallow area that had significant activity on the first day and do some calling. It was pretty hot that afternoon so we thought water might play a factor in his afternoon plans. We got settled in against some small scrub downwind of the wallow area and I bugled once and hit the cow calls for a bit. No response. After about ten minutes, doubt is back and I start just trying to get comfortable to wait out the lonely hours left of daylight. All of the sudden, I'm startled by my buddy who is blurting "here he comes, get your bow ready."
I look up and he's fifty yards and trotting right at me! I'm all tangled up in this little burnt up bush, trying to get on my knees, trying to move my bow around to make sure I've got limb clearance if I get a shot, all the while watching him and trying not to get busted. He's coming straight at my tree so I'm thinking surely an elk is going to take the downwind side which is my right. I can't swing to my right and shoot. Heck, he'll have a snout full of my wind before I can shoot anyway! What's this!? He's going to my left. He's broadside and walking fast at 20 yards. I pick a spot, shoot, and the arra sails right over his back. The elk takes a few quick steps and then resumes his normal cadence and direction. I put my face in my hands in pure disbelief. I've just flubbed a chip shot. All of this wait and preparation and that is what I do with it. I can't even look back to face my buddy who is a mere 10 feet behind me.
I'm heartbroken.
Buddy, whenever we go, we are taking my tipi. I am NOT humping that tent you have there up any mountain. I'd have to talk Mitten into going with us...
And there are no Mountain House Baked Beans made OR allowed!
Now, back to those elk you guys keep tripping over ;)
PLEASE keep it comin. this is incredible. keeping me thoroughly distracted from homework
So I guess ten or so seconds go by while my face is buried in my hands. My buddy is watching the bull closely. When the bull gets fifty or so yards past us, he starts chewing me a new one to get my bow and get back in the game. I slowly look back over my left shoulder and see the bull flop down in a wallow. Having seen this show a couple of days earlier, I knew I had a second chance. These bulls lose their minds when they go to playin in these wallows. He was only 80 to 100 yards away, up wind, and I've got a few trees between me and him to work with. I'm gone and on auto pilot before I've had time to give the situation any conscious thought. This is the view looking back up to the wallow from "the whiff tree."
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0371-1.jpg)
Over the course of a couple minutes, he starts wallowing around and I move closer, he lifts his head and I freeze. Luckily, he still seems to be focused up the hill away from me....likely still looking for the source of my calls 15 minutes prior. Finally, I make my way up to the last bit of cover. This split tree was made for a bow hunter to stand behind and shoot through. This pic of me gives you the scene I had of the elk in the wallow at 25 yards, as I was standing ready at the split tree.
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0373-1.jpg)
uh oh...a shot at vengeance on a big bull elk? Seems that most trad hunters have the guts to make it happen the second time around! Can't wait to hear the rest.
A few minutes earlier, my mind was scrambled eggs and I couldn't perform at any reasonable level of competence. Now, as I stood behind this tree in a comfortable and familiar shooting position with plenty of time to settle in and focus, I knew there was nothing that could go wrong. The wind was right. It was just like the shot I've made thousands of times in the yard over many years. I had zero doubt and knew that I was watching a dead elk wallowing.....
A minute or so passed and he finally stood up. When he stood up, he was perfectly broadside. Like the cliche, I don't remember drawing or releasing, just seeing the arrow bury into his shoulder to the fletching and him taking off out of the wallow. He sprinted up the hill about 50 yards, slowed to a walk, then started to wobble. Within another second or two, he was down in plain view. I looked back at my buddy who was going nuts at this point, then bowed my head in disbelief trying to absorb what had just happened.
:clapper: beautiful
YEAH! Way to go! Gotta go do homework now...
congrats, I was starting to get worried.
doug77
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0377-1.jpg)
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/WY%20Elk%202011/IMG_0375.jpg)
Congrats DB!
Excellent 2nd shot!
Enjoy the feast!
Shoot straight, Shinken
:archer2:
QuoteYEAH! Way to go! Gotta go do homework now...
haha same here. gotta get that electrical engineering.
great story duckbutt. awesome bull too
Those are great pictures and that is a great bull. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Now to the good luck charm...
As some of you know, my daughter Delaney has been blessed with a big role in the St. Judes auction the last couple of years. After her first auction, our friend Tippit made her one of his incredible custom knives. When Delaney went on her first deer hunt this past youth day, she killed a buck while wearing her "Tippit Knife." Having concluded it was the major mojo machine that day, I asked Delaney if I could borrow her good luck charm for this hunt. We both knew I would need it! What she'll understand some day is that this was my way of taking her on this hunt with me.
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0381-1.jpg)
That makes it the hunt of a lifetime. Congrats that is a slammer, and Congrats to Delaney for lending you the luck.
And even though I already had the deck stacked in my favor I figured on buying some additional insurance by bringing the Randy Morin Banschee longbow donated and purchased in this last St. Judes auction. I was a little nervous about dropping to 50lbs for an elk hunt. Randy told me with a two blade head and heavy arra I'd be fine. Boy was he right. Blew through the heart and opposite shoulder. The hide kept it from being a complete pass through.
Thanks Randy!!!!
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0343-1.jpg)
Absolutely fantastic pictures and story telling!
Thanks for taking us along and Congrats!!
Very nice story,great job.
The good luck charm going to work....
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0383-1.jpg)
My buddy making his mark...
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0385-1.jpg)
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0386-1.jpg)
I'd say that is better'n pound cake anyday, DB!
What an incredible experience...and if I do say so, you got a great camp mate to keep your head in the game!
Excellent team work! Those are some incredible pics all the way.
Couldn't happen to a better guy!
Congrats and thanks for sharing!
It was a long night but by the next morning we had the meat in town and at the processor. All of it in good shape.
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/IMG_0388-1.jpg)
and after spending a few hours getting the skull started good towards a Euro fashion, we finally sat back to celebrate.
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/2011-09-16_18-20-55_881-1.jpg)
That is a great story!! Congrats on an awesome bull.
Awesome adventure congrats.
Congrats on a fine hunt and story.
Congrats. A well told story showing you know what matter. Great recovery after the miss I know I have been in that position and it is not easy at all. You made it happen though.
Amazing. Thanks for taking the time to share a GREAT story. Congrats. . .
Dan in KS
Great story!! Congrats!!
WELL DONE !! :notworthy:
Great accomplishment! Most folks have no idea how difficult it can be to make it all come together. Well done!
Congratulations on a super bull! Great story and your pictures are incredible. Thanks for sharing! (I'd still enlarge that first picture!)
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Great story and an even better ending.
Wow! Beautiful country and pictures! Great story telling and elk!
Benjy
Wow! More than anyone could ask for. Way to close the deal. Congrats! Great story. :notworthy:
Thanks for taking us along Great Bull,glad it all came together for you. :thumbsup:
Awesome story and thanks so much for taking us along.
Too cool! I think the post miss redemption makes the hunt that much cooler. Congrats.
Congrats on a nice bull. Great story and photos, looks like you had a fine time. Thanks for the write up!
Nice work!
Great story with a great ending. Really nice job of sharing and keeping us on the edge of our seats. :notworthy:
Congrats on a great bull! :thumbsup:
All I can say is a fantastic story, documented wonderfully with High Quality Photos...
Congratulations on a well deserved trophy of a Lifetime....
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Man, can you tell a tale and with great photography. Thank you for taking us along. I was completely captivated by the whole experience :notworthy:
That was a good story, good hunt and thanks for taking the time to share.
Wow Julian - lots of anticipation while reading your story....and finally relief when you made good on your second chance!!!
Congrats on a well earned bull!
It was great to read how Lil' D had a part in your adventure......Jeff will be beside himself when he sees that photo of his Lil' D knife and your elk!!! Karma for sure!!!!
You did well and thanks for sharing with us....now you'll be counting the days until you're back in Wyoming chasing them again!
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Great job sticking with it. Congrats on a fine bull!
Great story. Congrats.
Way to go JT!
What a great story, you really hit the meaning of why we do what we do. Knowing and hunting with you in the past; If it could be done, you could make it happen.
Look forward to picking your brain over lunch sometime soon.
Well Done.
Tim
OUTSTANDING! Thank you for sharing!
Kris
Very nice!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Way to go Julian.
What a hunt!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great job with the hunt and story, I'm proud of you.
Excellent story and pictures! Thanks for the ride! OH YEAH- CONGRATULATIONS!
Congrats and great story telling. Thanks for taking us along. Awesome bull.
Loved every second of that!!!
I was not able to elk hunt this year, so many many thanks for bring us along!!!!!!!
Congrats on a great bull!
Congrats! Well done.
LOVE THIS PIC!!!....Showing the Thrill in your face...
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/WY%20Elk%202011/IMG_0375.jpg)
Then this one with reflection going through your mind...
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j112/Dutch4duck/2011-09-16_18-20-55_881-1.jpg)
CONGRATS!!!!
Top notch! Good photos and storytelling.
Probably doesn't get much better than that last pic!
Very nice! Great job!
Great job, way to stick with it
I really enjoyed your tale! Thanks for making my day!
What a pleasure it was to share it with this crowd. Somebody who's been here let me know when my feet might touch the ground again. :campfire:
What a fantastic story. Well told in both picture and word. Congrats and thanks!
Fantastic :readit:
OUTSTANDING!!!!
Congrats - way to stick with it.
Julian,
Just Awesome!!!
My forge is finished in Aiken and I've duplicated my shop...anvil, forge, grinder, etc. Just need to move it all down. It seems fitting that we need to meet up and forge a Duckbutt Elk Skinner this winter. You don't want to be begging Lil' D for her knife every time you go hunting! Maybe something like my Bear Skinner would be more appropriate...NO Pink Cord ;) tippit
(http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp73465%3Enu%3D32%3A4%3E%3B87%3E672%3EWSNRCG%3D36%3A2%3B3987732%3Cnu0mrj)
Great story....you will Dream Forever :thumbsup:
Jeff,
You had me at "Julian" :goldtooth:
Congrats! And thanks for sharing!
and to think I just want to drop a white tail doe this year! haha awesome read!
L.R.
NICE!! Making the 2nd shot, wow, I'd have a lot of mental stuff going on, way to go. :clapper:
Fantastic! A hunt I'm planning to do myself when the opportunity comes along.
DB, PM sent.
What a great trip, fantastic story telling, beautiful pics, and an awesome animal. This is what you call a lifetime memory type of hunt!
Contracts again buddy, you deserve it!
Holy Smokes Julian!! Oh man am I happy for you. You two must have had a great ride home to SC with that load of meat and your awesome rack. I really, really enjoyed your story and pics. Thats how its done brother!! :bigsmyl:
What type of arrow set-up did you go with Julian?
I should mention/thank Tony Goncalves (chopx2) for securing the bow for the St. Judes auction. He's a very generous guy and had a part in the backstory of this hunt as well.
QuoteOriginally posted by Randy Morin:
I should mention/thank Tony Goncalves (chopx2) for securing the bow for the St. Judes auction. He's a very generous guy and had a part in the backstory of this hunt as well.
That's a big 10-4!! Overlooked that very important fact while telling the tale (but have never forgotten it!) Thanks again Tony!!!!
I shot Beman 400's with STOS 145s up front. After I beefed up the insert arena with brass my total arrow weight was around 600 grains. The KME sharpener I got for Father's Day was a gem and had those heads scary sharp....all the KME hype is well deserved. I think the other pieces of gear that lived up to the hype and were new to me were 1. Safari Tuff Arrow Master quiver and 2. KUIU Spindrift jacket. Also, hauled meet with my X2 and a more traditional frame and found my X2 to be more comfortable under any load I could handle.
Great story and pics,congrats
I very much enjoyed the story from start to end. Thanks for sharing. Steve
Great story and congratulations.
Thats some great Kudos to the X-2. I'll remember that. Do you ever get any creaking noises with that pack when you are stalking around. You know...bending over, twisting shoulders around...stuff like that. My Blacks Creek pack is great but it groans a little and bugs me. Maybe they all do but I'm curious about the x-2.
Julian,
Congrats, great elk. The other "trad" bowhunter who you lent your GPS to is my good friend and long time hunting buddy and I got to hear how he fared today over the phone. Your GPS is in good hands and I am sure will be back to you soon.
Nathan
Awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Randy,
Yes, the X2 squeaks as shipped but is very easy to fix. There is a hollow metal tube that serves a framing/support function for the pack and where the bag contacts this frame, it can squeak as you move around. I wrapped the entire tube with some of the first aid bandage type stuff tht clings to itself but doesn't leave a sticky residue completely around the tube. $2 and 15 minutes...problem solved.
Nate, Gary is obviously good people. Hope good things happen for him!
ya know, the one good thing about being away from the computer for a few days is ya get to read the story all at once, cause the great stories and pictures make waiting for the next post Hell!! congrats on a dandy bull man!
Up again cause I heard this story in person and never got to read it :) Julian way to go my friend!
Good read thanks for bring this back up.
What a hunt. You made it feel like the reader was there. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Mike. That was fun to re-read. I've got a good feeling something special is about to happen not too far from that spot. :campfire:
Thanks for taking me along! Congrats! Great tale and pics. TD.
Julian,
An excellent read! Thanks for taking the time to put your hunt into the written word and share your adventure, it is appreciated.
Congratulations on a fine bull, You done good.... Really good.
Julian,
An excellent read! Thanks for taking the time to put your hunt into the written word and share your adventure, it is appreciated.
Congratulations on a fine bull, You done good.... Really good.
I can't believe that hunt was 2011 ... It feels like I had just read that story, what a hunt ! Good things happen to good people.