The Hunt is On

Sorry few pictures, mostly the story.

I arranged work so that I could go up on Wednesday night and Kenny met me up there 0400.
We decided to scope early and then come up with a game plan. It wouldn't make sense to go after a memory.
Luck was with us and the herd was still there, but we also saw a bear in with the cows (we'd bring deterrents just in case). We decided to hurry back to camp, grab our gear, packing very light, and go after the big guy. On our way back to camp we talked to the sheep herder that I had spoken to last week. He reaffirmed his willingness and ability to help us pack the bull out if we got him. Things were definitely lining up for us.

We packed and got our gear. I had a couple MRE entrees, so I suggested Kenny could leave his stove and freeze dried meals, plus he would have to carry the extra water to rehydrate. We headed out and returned to our lookout point. From there we took the trail up onto the mountain, up above where the bull had been bedding. We waited up there looking right down the draw I had seen him using. As the afternoon wore on we didn't see them, and I suggested we circle back and look in the shadows. As we circled back the squeals from a couple of the bulls told us they were straight down below us. We did a couple cow calls and the bull replied. Unfortunately we failed to pay attention to the wind.

When the sun shines on the ground, the warm air rises and goes up slope. As the shadows fall the cooler air is heavy and falls down slope. We started calling up slope in shady draw, and the wind took our scent to them, and they shut up. As we continued to look towards the shady sides we noticed how thickly covered these north facing slopes were. We finally were able to look back, we started to discuss whether it was going to be possible to drop in quietly. The wind, thick brush, and coming darkness were against us. Nevertheless, nothing ventured, nothing gained. So we headed back above the elk draw.

As we neared and passed where we had passed the afternoon the sun went down and the valley was covered in shadow. Suddenly the occasional squeal turned to full bugles in the valley. We sat down and watched. Down in a clearing a big six point was circling, thrashing trees with his antlers, and trying his best to lure a cow away. In the meantime, at the end of the draw we sat on, the big guy and and several cows were ignoring the challenger and heading for the graze land across from the mouth of the draw. They were all there. Things were lining up again.

We went one ridge further over, and dropped off the edge. It was horrible! Past avalanches had cleared out tall mature trees, leaving thick scrubby aspens, chokecherries, and scrub oaks. It was dusk when we started, now night was nearing and the slope was still very steep ( black diamond, maybe double). After a lot of struggle and exhaustion, we made it to a flat spot sufficient for our bivys. We spent a restless night wondering, would the big guy come back, would we be able to close the gap, did we scare them all off the mountain?

Pre -dawn came slowly, but the bulls were bugling and time was now wasting. We cut over the ridge separating us from the bulls and then worked to a vantage point. There in the lightening day was the big guy moving parallel to us up the ridge he had gone down. We ranged it at 250-300 yards, a done deal with a rifle, but 5 times the max bow range. We slipped down our ridge towards him. Unfortunately a big branch cracked and he was off, heading uphill with amazing speed. Ken made a cow call with his "Hoochie Mama" call, and he stopped his charge and circled back towards us. We kept up the calls as we worked towards the aspen covered slope separating us. Each time we called he answered back with a short, deep squeal/bark. We held once we were down on the slope, but but he finished circling back onto our ridge but higher in a stand of thick pines, easily within 70-80 yards from us. Now he quit moving and bedded down, still answering, but not budging to our promiscuous cow calls. This position gave him all the cards, he could see, hear, and smell anything coming after him.

So, we sat down about 10 yards apart, and waited.

And waited,

and waited.

Suddenly off to the east of our position, there was a crashing progress being made through the trees. I strained to see or hear what was coming our way. Finally I caught a glimpse of antler through the brush, and I desperately hoped for a six point bull to be bedding down up-wind of us. Unfortunately it soon became obvious it was one of the bigger five points. A great bull to be sure but not the size this practically once in a lifetime hunt deserves. And because we had seen several six points, we knew this was do-able.

So we sat for some more, not moving from our seats for fear of bumping the big guy.

Around 10 a.m. the flies started showing up, but we waited.

Around noon their buddies showed up, but we still waited.

At 2:30 I had to stand up, but I sat back down and resumed watching them fight, chase and breed on me. Around then the black and white wasps showed up. They were so noisy, and if any skin was exposed, the flies and the wasps crawled all over it like I was covered in honey. But we sat.

Finally around 5:30 , we heard something crashing off the ridge( we would have heard it sooner, but the buzzing in our ears rendered us functionally deaf.) It was a cow and calf, and Kenny was within 10 yards of the seep they got a drink at. They left, and we waited for the other cows and the big guy, by 6:00 we saw and heard nothing. We figured it was a bust, so we headed out to the clearing the six point was bugling in yesterday. We hoped we might cut off the others before they crossed and headed for the grazing area from last night. We fought our way down and to the opening of the clearing. When we arrived, we discussed where we should set up. I thought we should cross the clearing and call from the far side, that way our scent wouldn't reach him until he had crossed the opening. Kenny pointed out that this would be a long shot if he didn't cross. So we opted for moving uphill to a small stand of aspens and a service berry bush about halfway across and on the uphill side of the opening.

I let the "Hoochie Mama" work its magic from the bush while Kenny was standing among the trees. Suddenly From on the hill we had just left the big guy started belting it out. AND moving towards us. I'd wait a minute or so and then let a couple calls go, he'd answer and continue crashing towards us down the hill. Kenny was moving back through the brush towards the opening to close the gap. Not long after I thought he should have been coming out into the opening, the big guy barked a warning bark and headed back up the hill. he'd winded us and wouldn't be coming back down tonight. Around this time I noticed an elk up at the top of the clearing, directly behind me. Again I hoped for a six point, and yet again snookered by the same five point. I guess that "Hoochie Mama" was music to his ears. Once we determined the big guy had "left the building", I turned my attention to the Lonely guy. I wanted to see which calls, both mouth and hand operated, worked best. I also perversely wanted to see how close I could bring him to this little bush without being trampled to death. He liked the old reliable and the mouth call made by Sceery, but he turned and moved off when I tried an open reed model (you use your teeth on the reed to vary tone.) Next thing I knew there appeared to be another bull with lonely guy. Drat! Another five point.

They had been about 20-30 yards away most of the time, but I wanted them closer. I muffled my hand with the Sceery and the end of the hoochie to make them sound further away. I also pointed them downhill. I'd never been so close to something I was bringing to me and it was addicting. I was just about in the fetal position laying on the dirt trying to squeeze all the cover I could from that little bush, and trying to watch them at the same time, I'll never forget it.

Finally my quiet calls seemed to entice the bigger lonely guy to within 10 yards, then I looked uphill to the little guy. He was staying put but lonely was moving downhill past me. Suddenly I heard the thhwaaot of a bow. Kenny had moved back uphill and taken a shot, but unfortunately it didn't work out. The little guy gave a big bark and took off, as did lonely and every other elk on the mountain. Oh well.

It was dark then, so we bivied another night. In the morning we searched for blood but came up empty handed. I realized I had only eaten two homemade powerbars (moose goo), and a couple hand fulls of trail mix. I had been so focused I hadn't really missed food, weird with all the work we'd been doing. Maybe this hearkens back to our hunter forefathers and made it possible to stay afield longer. The hike out was a bear, literally I spent half my time following bear trails and seeing scat and torn up logs. At the top I ate my MRE to finish it all off.

We went back to the camp where I packed my kit and came home. I was filthy and had lost 7 lbs. It was a wonderful and memorable time.