2017 elk season bitter-sweet

[remmy300]

I will start off by saying this season did not go near as planned. I was a P 14 and had the option of drawing pretty much any zone I wanted. With my dad being in his 70's I decided to apply for the one place he loves to hunt so we could spend some time on the horses. I originally had my mind made up 3-4 years ago to apply outside the Suffield base. I wanted to shoot 1 true giant bull. With all the huge bulls being taken down there I was excited to get drawn. That all changed 2-3 years ago when a buddy was drawn. With witnessing our friends from across the border to the east loading up their trucks with giant bulls and posting them in the campground for all to see i was quickly changing my mind. A lot of the huge bulls we scouted prior to season were already dead. Some of you may recall the double drop tine bull posted on this forum. Anyways my friend managed to take a really nice bull that year with lots miles on the boots, tires and river. I decided that is not the type of hunt i want to blow a high priority on.

I am primarily a bowhunter and grew up hunting the foothills and mountains west of my hometown. The decision was made to put in and hopefully draw a tag with my dad. Knowing the zone is no where what is was like 20 years ago, with elk numbers drastically lower i put in and was I was drawn.

With the anticipation growing for this years hunt I was riding quite a bit throughout the summer hopefully limber up my knees and backside for the anticipated long rides. As the season grew near my dad had hip problems bad enough to enable him not to ride. He had a few shots during the summer but nothing seemed to help. As the season grew close I realized that i would be on my own. I had my bow sighted in and rifle dialed in case i came up empty handed in bow season.

I was able to make it out opening weekend with my 7 year old daughter in tow. We started out the first evening with a good walk putting around 7 km on the boots. A long ways for her little legs. I decided to get into an area where someone had seen elk earlier that day and sit and wait. As the shawdows grew long and her patience growing a little thin a bugle cut the air. We quickly packed up our gear and slid west to cut the distance. I let out a few cow calls and nothing. I decided to bugle and instantly i had a reply. My daughters eyes had an excited look. We called that bull into about 80 yards and he wouldn't cross the creek. Pretty cool way to start the 2017 hunting season. The next morning came early and off we went prior to legal light. We walked up into the same area and were able to get the bull fired up again. He was a small 6 but we couldn't close the gap and make it happen. I told myself if she was with me and the opportunity presented itself i was not going to hold back and pass a legal bull. The weekend went on with a few more encounters and back to reality we went.

The weekdays passed and with the heat and extreme dusty conditions I passed on taking the horses out again. Friday rolled around and my lil partner was set so off we went. The first morning we called in a nice bull. We watched him come into the my calls from about a mile away. At first glance i was excited as he looked like from a side profile he was a decent 6. He crested the rise and i noticed he only had single brows. Crap..he proceeded to come in and stand broadside at 40 yards. He hung around raking trees and bugling for 15 minutes. Pretty cool morning. That evening brought in some light showers and not much for elk close by. We did see a herd of around 20 close to 4 miles north from where we standing. The next morning we headed north. Just at light broke we heard a gun shot. We had walked around a mile but decided to continue on. This happened to be an epic morning of elk hunting. With close to 12 bulls crossing our path. I believe my daughter is hooked in elk hunting. The dew was heavy and her hiking boots and pants were soaked half way up her legs. As the sun began to rise that morning the elk kept climbing into the timber. The bugles continued up the ridge. We had walked a long was already,. I told her lets go back to camp and dry out. She just grabbed my hand and said lets just walk up to that big tree and see if they are close. So we continued on another 1100 yards, as i ranged it before we started on again. Well from there on we came close to putting in a arrow into 2 different 6 pt bulls with a few 5 points coming into 15 yards and trying to show us who was boss. Things began to quite down as the sun climbed that AM. We had a long walk back to camp. I gather we walked 12-13 km that AM. The sore wet feet was worth it she said. When we got back to camp we were told it was an indigenous fellow that shot a bull elk that morning with his rifle. He just happen to do so from the middle of a wildlife corridor and there just happened to be an off duty fish and wildlife officer in camp. Sounds like the fellow never looked for the bull. The off duty officer happened to grab his info and had a brief chat before the fella high tailed it out of there. I watched for ravens the next day and didn't happen to see any so i hope the bull lived. The officer confirmed there was blood but the trail ran dry a short time after. that was a little depressing as it is a 6 point zone. There are only so many legal bulls in the area. That said i do not know the size other than one guy in camp seen it the night before there and said it had a decent frame.

The weekend rolls by and again back to reality. With the rut getting deeper and the temperature supposedly dropping i was excited for the next weekend to roll around


to be continued.

[peakseeker]

Great write up! thanks for sharing and am looking forward to the rest of the story..

[wildwoods]

Great write up! Keep it coming. What a trooper of a kid you have

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

Great write up! Keep it coming. What a trooper of a kid you have

No kidding!!!!!

Good stuff, brings back some great memories with my kids.

[remmy300]

....Onto the third weekend and last week of bow season. I planned to spend the last week of the season out bowhunting and the first 2 days of rifle season trying to fill my tag. My lil partner had a sleepover at a friends and had to miss out

As I was planning my week off in the bush a good buddy sent me a message stating he will be free to come out for a few days. He said he is going to shoot his bull in the AM and will be free to come along. Well I wasn't expecting him to text the next AM with a picture of a toad of a 6 pt. Well i was excited for 2 reasons, 1 he shot a beauty bull and the other he was coming along to do some calling. We have shot a pile of bulls together over the years and have some great memories.

The weekend comes and I had some family commitments on Friday so we planned to head out with the horses later Saturday afternoon. We get to camp, get set up and head out late afternoon on the horses. We rode up a few miles from camp and decided to tie up and glass. The wind picked up and we only seen a average 5 pt with 8 cows. They were pretty much bedded down the whole evening. We decided to head back early and get ready for the morning hunt.

It was a restless night. The alarm came early. Coffee was on and quick bite before saddling the horses up. As we headed out of camp we heard a bull bugle then another one a little closer. We made it out of camp a half mile and were closing in on the first bull to take a look and see how big he was. the distinct snap of a rifle filled the air, then another followed by 5 more shots. The bull we were close to shut up as the shots were only 6-700 yards away, again coming from the road. How to quickly put a damper on a hunt. we decided to ride up and call a few minutes after the shooting settled. The bull let loose but was headed away quickly into the heavy timber.

A decision was made to do a 180 and head the other direction. It was a short 30 minute ride and the bugle of another bull cut the air followed by cows chirping. We checked the wind and rode around the elk and tied up. It was on. My partner held back and let a bugle go. I worked in close as the bull took out his aggression on a tree. I figured I was under 40 yards and picked a spot with the most shooting lanes that I could see. Had an arrow nocked and was excited to let loose one of the new Kudu broadheads. One quick look down at my sight and confirmed my moveable pin sight was set at 20 yards. It has a 2 pins set at 20 and 38 yards. Good to go. I glanced up in time to see him sneak out of the shadows. That large main bean stuck out like a neon sign. he quickly passed the first shooting lane and was walking into the next. As he walked behind a spruce i came to full draw. Just at that time I felt a bowhunters worst nightmare, the wind hitting the back of my neck. The bull came to a halt lifted his head and spun around heading back to the thick timber. no shot, he needed 3 more steps I backed out quickly and made a plan with my buddy. He continued to bugle and I slipped in. I bumped into his cows at 40 yards and he walked out at 90 yards. I couldn't close the distance. They ended up heading across the river and again up into the heavy timber.

We started back towards the horses. we were 50 yards from the horses and a bull bugles further down river. He has that distinct scream/growl of a large bull. Back into the timber my buddy goes and I sneak up to the river edge. The bull is closing in and continuing to scream. I see his antlers clear the willows as he makes his way. It was an unreal scene and wish i had the camera on this day. He stops on the far side of the river and just growls my way. I quickly range him, 85 yards, i then range a spot close to my side of the river at 35 yards. I set my pin and look up in time to see him plunge off the river bank. He stops where the water split and lets out another rip. I hear a call and chuckles from my buddy and the bull continues my way. He ran through onto the bank so quick and wouldn't stop at my whistle. I found my self 12 yards away. Again I feel that wind hit my neck, the bull went to turn and i let it rip. All that practice with a back tension release out the window. Im sure I about broke my trigger off of my release. The bull ran 50 yards and slowed up. He looked sick. As he walked out into the river I made it down behind a brush pile. I took out the range finder quickly...63 yards, dial it in and come to full draw. My nerves are shot and i did a double pump nearly sending my arrow 15 feet over his back. I took a deep breath and told myself just like at home. The bull was quartering away hard. I settled the pin in front of his hip and let it fly. The arrow hit home and found its way into the off side shoulder. The bull staggered falling back into the river. My quick celebration quickly turned into panic as the bull was floating down the river. Off came by pack and down went the bow with no time to take off the boots. I ran into the river grabbing the still kicking bull by the back leg. The current was strong bulling me down river with the bull. My buddy made the trek from down river to lend a hand. It was honestly one of the largest bodied bulls I have ever seen. He ended up dressing out at 598 lbs.


After some fist pumps and some quick recollection of what just went down we stood in awe at the sheer size and discussed the task at hand. The bonus was he was in the river. With the temperature climbing we quickly dressed him and propped him open in the current. We rode back to camp and made a game plan. One of the camp residents and good friend of my dads was excited to come out and give us a hand. A big shout out to him and his horse.

The Bitter.......14 years to get drawn and it seemed like it ended so quickly. The chats with my dad and anticipation of spending some quality time in the bush was sorely missed. The couple days with the indigenous folks lighting up the country side. The run in with the 3 of them while loading up their elk later that morning I shot mine. We confronted them after a lady came to camp just shuddering telling us how they pointed their rifle at her dog and threatened her to get away from them. I wont get into details but that elk population is unstable with regulated hunting let alone a free for all. There is a wildlife corridor for a reason, just wish it would apply to all. Having them parade through the campground the 6 point pt bull strapped to the roof did little to gain any respect from me or anyone else that seen that spectacle.

The sweet......I spent some quality time with my daughter. Memories were made that she will have forever. She has the hunting bug and is already talking about next years elk hunt. We have a couple more months to try and find a decent whitetail. Another great elk hunt with a good friend ending up with a great result. Thanks to him and his calling skills, second to none.

I had dreams of shooting a 350 plus inch bull. I think a lot of time we get hung up with score, rather than the experience, myself included. This is a hunt that will remain upfront in my mind for many years. With that said back to the pool and start to build up points to draw a tag in one of the most amazing areas in Alberta.

[pikeman06]

Awesome story bud. That's the way she goes down. Better than losing a wounded elk of settling for a 3 point after all that waiting. You hunted your animal and did what a good hunter does. Hold your head high and fill your belly. 👍

[ABBowman]

wow sounds like you had an elk season we all dream of!!! congradulations on the beast of a bull!

[remmy300]

A couple more pics

[Moo Snukkle]

Thank you for putting your story and experiences to paper. Happy ending to boot. Sounds like a lot of effort was put into your hunting and I'm happy you succeeded. Getting out with your family is priceless! Well done.

[livinthedream]

Great Bull! Great Story! Thanks for sharing.

[Evan83]

Wicked Story! Can't wait to take my little ones out with me on my hunts.

[hookset]

Awesome story, great bull, great memories. Congrats

[Don K]

Congrats again on a great hunt! Wish I coulda been there with you guys...
Next time!

[muliehuntr]

Wicked story, congrats on a great bull its not always about the score its the memories that are made that matter.

[beerhunter]

That is one of the best magazine stories I have every read. I commend your writing and the great story telling.

Great Bull!! Congratulations on a great experience with your family and friend.

[Sooner]

Great read, super bull. Congrats.

[sharpstick]

Those are the stories I love to read on here. Congrats to a great elk hunt and more importantly, a wonderful experience with your daughter and your friend, truly a hunt and experience of a lifetime.
Congrats and enjoy the fine dining.
SS

[wildwoods]

Great bull! You are a fantastic story teller

[birch280]

Awesome story! Thanks for the write up and congrats.

[Little red riding hood]

Damn dude! Ever consider writing for a career? Write a novel, I'll buy the first copy! You had me wishing the story would keep going. Excellent story and congrats on the elk!

[JonBoy]

Fantastic story and a great bull!

[HoytCRX32]

Great read and a great hunt
Congrats!

[Slicktricker]

Congrats what a great read thank you

[Ice Fishing Maniac]

Congrats on the hunt and the memories made out spending time in the outdoors with family and friends.

[IronNoggin]

All the way around EXCELLENT!!

Congrats!

Hell of a write up of a great hunt!
Thanks for the share!
Greatly Appreciated!

Cheers!
Nig

[270 WBY]

From start to finish...Fantastic!!

[Kristopher10]

What an awesome story, and a great bull too! Having those memories are what makes hunting truly beautiful.

[peakseeker]

Great story, great hunt, great family time, great bull! can't get any better. Thanks again for sharing your adventure with all of us!

[remmy300]

Thank so for all the comments. I actually didn't mean to write a novel.

I forgot to add my fav pic of the the fall so far. I can't wait until the day she turns 12 and is able to hunt.

[Rockman]

Good times!