Great thread!
I took my first bull elk last year. I first saw him when he was 4 yards out (I kindda fell asleep laying over a water hole), and shot him at 40. You know they are close when you can smell their breath!
My coolest was this year. Glassed a book mulie at 700 yards. Wind was perfect and they went just over the top of a small hill, but bedded one on their backtrail.
I worked the sporratic bush for about the first 400 yards, but after that, it was all uphill grassland.
I've heard too many stories about 'belly stalks' to not try one myself for the first time.
So for the next 2 hours, I slowly crawled on my hands and knees into a set position I had picked from the binos.
I actually managed to work past their sentry at 60 yards. Fortunatly, it was the dumb azz spiker rather than an older doe. He just watched with great curiosity.
Got to where I wanted to be, and the buck popped out and started raking a small tree. By now, I'm half frozen and soaked from the 6" of snow.
However, his position gave me some time to prepare for a draw/shot scenario.
I hit the grunt tube, he challenged, perfectly came to 21 yards and I drew........
Peep was full of snow/ice. Had to let off. Yet another lesson learned........... Toughest one yet!
Tree