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Father , son bull elk

antlerradar

antlerradar

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This started this March. Recently my son and I have been applying for the 900 archery licence first but this year my son would be in his first year of collage at MSU Northern. His hunting time was going to be limited to a few days around Thanksgiving. He applied for the 799 ether sex licence. I was expecting we would be doing a little deer hunting but when the drawing was held he had his elk licence. He has put in for that licence twice and drawn it both times. Talk about some luck.
Instead of deer hunting I spent most of my free time this season scouting for a big bull. Ended up finding more than 20 bulls. Most were small but this one stood out. Not the best scoring bull but a very heavy and unique set of antlers. I found him about a week ago and then again was able to find him on Tuesday. Thanksgiving Day we would give him a try.
 

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After some unexpected morning commitments on Thanksgiving we were at the end of the road shortly after noon. I had a plan. Hike to the top of the ridge and spend a the rest of the day glassing the big canyon on the other side until dark. I didn't have much hope of finding him and getting on him that afternoon but at least we would know were to be in the morning.
With a hour and a half of light I spotted a smaller bull feeding on a sage bench close to a mile away. I told Tom that if the big bull was there we needed to get to the next ridge to the west as soon as possible. Off we went at a fast walk. We peeked over the hill and now there was two bulls on the bench. One quick look with the glassed was all I needed to see the big bull was there. Five hundred yards away and with a stiff wind it was just too far to shoot. We needed to get closer so we crept off the hill using any cover we could find. At 300 yards we could get no closer. One shot across the canyon and the work started. Took a half hour to get to him. Just enough light to get a few pictures and then we skinned and quartered him in the dark. Of course the batteries went dead on our light so we had to walk out with out light. Good thing it was a clear night with lots of stars.
 

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That night I called a friend and the next day he and his son and my son and I went in with backpacks and packed him out. Good to have friends that are willing to help. Was a great hunt for me and was happy my son got to a back county hunt like this one. Back county for Eastern Montana that is.
 

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Last edited:
He's got some character!
Any visible damage to the drivers side pedestal? It's hard to tell in the pictures.
 
elkmagnet said:
He's got some character!
Any visible damage to the drivers side pedestal? It's hard to tell in the pictures.
Click to expand...

It is bent way forward. About 5 or 6 years ago there was a spike in the same place. One antler was normal and the other spike stuck straight out past the front of his nose. Could be the same bull.
 
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