MToutdoorsman
New member
Hello everyone I’m new to this forum. Have peaked in from time to time. I was blessed this past Fri with an awesome OTC Public Land bull. Things all came together. We hunted hard thurs with no elk sightings. My party got bored and wanted to head to the foothills to try their luck with some whitetails. I didn't have a buck tag left since I filled it during archery season. I figured I'd tag along and try and find some elk sign then split from the group. When we arrived to the area we wanted to hunt we had to cross a small river that was frozen. All the other hunters decided not to cross. We made it across just fine. We gathered up our things and headed into national forest. We made it up the hill about a 1/2 mile and decided to break for lunch. Nothing like an MRE in the mountains. Reminded me of my time stationed at Fort Carson, CO.
We gathered up the trash and headed up an over grown logging rd. We made it to the end and there was one patch of snow in the rd with 1 elk track in it that was really fresh. I told them I was going to follow the track and see what happens. They all laughed and we parted ways. I took my time and followed the track losing it once in awhile until I came to a little clearing with some snow in it. His tracks were back and forth on top of each other with fresh droppings in the snow. My heart started to race once I realized this bull could be really close. I cut his track leaving the clearing and I checked the wind and it was in my face. I made it down the game trail about 20 yds and I looked up and BAM there was an elk feeding 60 yds in front of me. I froze and noticed he wasn't aware I was there. I snuck up to a tree and braced my 300 WSM against a tree. I had one little opening and it would have been a mid body shot. Since he wasn’t going anywhere I decided to play my cards and see if he would give me a better shot. Just about that time he backed up and I saw the crease behind the shoulder come into my crosshairs. I touched off a rnd and he whirled around and headed right for me. When he was about 40 yds away he saw me and put on the breaks. Now he's facing me. I put the crosshairs about 10 in below his jaw line and squeezed off another rnd. He dropped in his tracks.
At this point I had no clue what I had just shot. All I knew was it was a legal bull. As I walked up to him his tines kept growing and more points started to materialize. I just stood there in shock. I couldn't count at first. At first it was a 5x6, then a 7x5, and then finally when I gathered myself he turned out to be a 7x7. What an animal. What’s even better no broken points.
My buddies heard the shot and came over and started yelling what did you get. I couldn't talk. It took me 3 tries to get out a monster. We all shook hands and replayed the hunt for a little bit. Then we cut him in two halves and made our way out back to the truck with the help of a game sled.
I waited my whole life to shoot a bull like this and I can't believe it actually happened. That night we put the tape to him and he grosses around 368. Sorry so long but I'm still tore up about it.
We gathered up the trash and headed up an over grown logging rd. We made it to the end and there was one patch of snow in the rd with 1 elk track in it that was really fresh. I told them I was going to follow the track and see what happens. They all laughed and we parted ways. I took my time and followed the track losing it once in awhile until I came to a little clearing with some snow in it. His tracks were back and forth on top of each other with fresh droppings in the snow. My heart started to race once I realized this bull could be really close. I cut his track leaving the clearing and I checked the wind and it was in my face. I made it down the game trail about 20 yds and I looked up and BAM there was an elk feeding 60 yds in front of me. I froze and noticed he wasn't aware I was there. I snuck up to a tree and braced my 300 WSM against a tree. I had one little opening and it would have been a mid body shot. Since he wasn’t going anywhere I decided to play my cards and see if he would give me a better shot. Just about that time he backed up and I saw the crease behind the shoulder come into my crosshairs. I touched off a rnd and he whirled around and headed right for me. When he was about 40 yds away he saw me and put on the breaks. Now he's facing me. I put the crosshairs about 10 in below his jaw line and squeezed off another rnd. He dropped in his tracks.
At this point I had no clue what I had just shot. All I knew was it was a legal bull. As I walked up to him his tines kept growing and more points started to materialize. I just stood there in shock. I couldn't count at first. At first it was a 5x6, then a 7x5, and then finally when I gathered myself he turned out to be a 7x7. What an animal. What’s even better no broken points.
My buddies heard the shot and came over and started yelling what did you get. I couldn't talk. It took me 3 tries to get out a monster. We all shook hands and replayed the hunt for a little bit. Then we cut him in two halves and made our way out back to the truck with the help of a game sled.
I waited my whole life to shoot a bull like this and I can't believe it actually happened. That night we put the tape to him and he grosses around 368. Sorry so long but I'm still tore up about it.
