Uplandhunter67
Active member
2017 was the year it was my turn to be the guide for my hunting partner. After accumulating 8 points he drew in a prime area.
We arrived on Friday and set up camp. We were the only guys on the mountain and as the sun set a bull started to bugle then another and another. In short order there were 6-8 bulls screaming at each other. It was absolutely incredible. They were moving down the mountain to feed in the open grass below our camp. Later that night they came back up. They bugled all night. It got to the point we could hardly sleep.
Saturday morning came and we made the command decision to move on the closest bull. He was screaming just below camp. We weaved down the trail towards his call. I spotted the elk first. We were in a perfect position. Wind in our face and the elk a mere 80 yards away. There were at least 40 animals milling by. Spikes and cows passed the as they climbed towards the dark timber farther up the mountain. The shooting lane through the aspen was tight when I saw a shooter bull. He stood broadside for a moment. Unfortunately my hunting partner was looking left waiting the screaming bull following the herd and never saw the bull I did.
Suddenly a shot rang out always above us and the herd broke and ran. Our stalk was over.
It wasn’t long when the bugling stopped and the wood fell silent. We spent the rest of the day poking around in the timber but didn’t see anything.
Saturday night was silent. Not a sound from the mountain. We got up on Sunday and headed North from camp. It wasn’t long when a bull bugled just above our camp. The stalk was on. We slowly moved towards the sound. We started to hear cows and I signaled they were close. We crept around a pine and I saw the cow just up on my left.. She had seen first unfortunately and the herd broke and thundered up the hill. Busted!
Again we spent the rest of the day poking around the timber glassing and listening.
Then there was nothing for the rest of the day but silence.
Sunday night a bull started bugling north of camp. I called back and started a bit of a war. I finally gave up not wanting to bring him right into camp.
Monday was our last day. We had already committed to leaving by 10am due to other obligations.
We immediately spotted elk in a meadow near camp. They were moving towards the dark timber. We decided to try and intercept them. We moved up and around. They stayed just ahead as I bugled and the bull kept responding back. We played a cat and mouse game for two miles up the mountain. They entered the dark timber and we followed. I bugled and close by a bull responded. I saw the spike the moment he saw me. He moved off but not quickly. We moved right slowly and I bugled again. A bull responded immediately so we knew they were still close. We crept two steps at a time pausing looking and searching for the elk.
Suddenly there was a cow. She saw us but didn’t seem to be concerned. Others began to appear. We walked right into the herd! We stood perfectly still as three cows worked no more than 10 yards away. The big cow kept looking and seems like an eternity they moved off. I signaled we wrap around below them sniffing the air. I thought for sure we were about to be busted. After what and see if we could find the bull. We were creeping along when I saw an elk broadside about 50 yards. I looked quick with the binoculars. It was a spike but it was a bull. I pointed him out to my hunting partner. I said if you want take him. He nodded and said he would. The shot rang out and the bull fell. 9:35am and the bull was on the ground. Now of course the work began. It was almost dark when we got him down the hill.
This is probably my hunting partners last elk hunt as he will be 73 this year and elk hunting is a tough sport and not for the faint of heart. It probably wasn’t good for me either after my medical ordeal of the last two years.
This is also his third elk and said this was his most exciting hunt..
I am glad I could join him and guide him on this very exciting hunt...
View attachment 7563
We arrived on Friday and set up camp. We were the only guys on the mountain and as the sun set a bull started to bugle then another and another. In short order there were 6-8 bulls screaming at each other. It was absolutely incredible. They were moving down the mountain to feed in the open grass below our camp. Later that night they came back up. They bugled all night. It got to the point we could hardly sleep.
Saturday morning came and we made the command decision to move on the closest bull. He was screaming just below camp. We weaved down the trail towards his call. I spotted the elk first. We were in a perfect position. Wind in our face and the elk a mere 80 yards away. There were at least 40 animals milling by. Spikes and cows passed the as they climbed towards the dark timber farther up the mountain. The shooting lane through the aspen was tight when I saw a shooter bull. He stood broadside for a moment. Unfortunately my hunting partner was looking left waiting the screaming bull following the herd and never saw the bull I did.
Suddenly a shot rang out always above us and the herd broke and ran. Our stalk was over.
It wasn’t long when the bugling stopped and the wood fell silent. We spent the rest of the day poking around in the timber but didn’t see anything.
Saturday night was silent. Not a sound from the mountain. We got up on Sunday and headed North from camp. It wasn’t long when a bull bugled just above our camp. The stalk was on. We slowly moved towards the sound. We started to hear cows and I signaled they were close. We crept around a pine and I saw the cow just up on my left.. She had seen first unfortunately and the herd broke and thundered up the hill. Busted!
Again we spent the rest of the day poking around the timber glassing and listening.
Then there was nothing for the rest of the day but silence.
Sunday night a bull started bugling north of camp. I called back and started a bit of a war. I finally gave up not wanting to bring him right into camp.
Monday was our last day. We had already committed to leaving by 10am due to other obligations.
We immediately spotted elk in a meadow near camp. They were moving towards the dark timber. We decided to try and intercept them. We moved up and around. They stayed just ahead as I bugled and the bull kept responding back. We played a cat and mouse game for two miles up the mountain. They entered the dark timber and we followed. I bugled and close by a bull responded. I saw the spike the moment he saw me. He moved off but not quickly. We moved right slowly and I bugled again. A bull responded immediately so we knew they were still close. We crept two steps at a time pausing looking and searching for the elk.
Suddenly there was a cow. She saw us but didn’t seem to be concerned. Others began to appear. We walked right into the herd! We stood perfectly still as three cows worked no more than 10 yards away. The big cow kept looking and seems like an eternity they moved off. I signaled we wrap around below them sniffing the air. I thought for sure we were about to be busted. After what and see if we could find the bull. We were creeping along when I saw an elk broadside about 50 yards. I looked quick with the binoculars. It was a spike but it was a bull. I pointed him out to my hunting partner. I said if you want take him. He nodded and said he would. The shot rang out and the bull fell. 9:35am and the bull was on the ground. Now of course the work began. It was almost dark when we got him down the hill.
This is probably my hunting partners last elk hunt as he will be 73 this year and elk hunting is a tough sport and not for the faint of heart. It probably wasn’t good for me either after my medical ordeal of the last two years.
This is also his third elk and said this was his most exciting hunt..
I am glad I could join him and guide him on this very exciting hunt...
View attachment 7563
He smiles and said he'd do the same for me!