# Filled my elk tag a few days ago...



## UtahMountainMan (Jul 20, 2010)

This was a great year for me. I was able to fill my general archery deer tag a few weeks ago (as posted here viewtopic.php?f=9&t=27934) and a few days ago I filled my Hunter's Choice tag.

We left my house in utah valley at 345 am on Thursday morning last week and I was parked and hiking with my brother and brother in law (both were tagless) at 6am. I always hunt central manti north area. We hiked up to the top of a ridge and saw a HUGE porcupine in the mornings first light. We all thought it was a small bear because of its size and how dark it was.

Once on top of the ridge I let out a few cow calls and immediately had 2 bulls screaming but they were way across a canyon in the thickest of thick timber. We ended up hiking along this ridge and went up and down a few drainages. When we were about 3 miles off the road and up in some really steep terrain I called again and heard a bull about 300 yards away call back. We set up in a nice open meadow that had two or three wet springs that reeked of elk urine. We waited there for about 90 minutes but while the bull was calling at us he never came out of the trees. Finally at about 10am we decided to move in on the elk before they bedded.

We hiked into the timber and pretty quickly I spotted a nice 6 point bull about 120 yards in front of me. He was surrounded by cows and calves. We had played the wind perfectly on the way in so they had no idea we were there. I was about to stalk around to get closer when my bro in law spotted an elk at 60 yards that was staring in our direction. He couldnt see or smell us as we were covered by young aspens and deadfall. I put my range finder up and sure enough it was a spike and he was at 61 yards. I did not have a shot because of all the brush , he was quartering towards me, and 61 yards is definitely a longer shot than I would like to take.

They stayed where they were and I crawled about 50 yards sidehill away from the elk into a more open area. When I came up and found a very narrow shooting lane I ranged him at 57 yards. I have never shot anything farther than 30 although I practice 3 days a week up to 60 yards.

I had a perfect broadside shot so I nocked an arrow and took about 15 seconds to settle my 60 yard pin right where I wanted it and to make sure I felt good about the shot. I released the arrow and it nailed him right where I wanted it and he literally tipped over!. He didnt even take a step he just fell over like a domino. I snuck up to him and at 15 yards away I noticed he was still moving a little bit so I stuck him with another arrow right into the chest.

It was awesome that my bro and brother in law were both with me and witnessed it. Neither of them have ever even hunted before and now they are both wanting to save money to buy bows!

I wish I had a LE elk tag for the area because I would have had a great chance at a 350" 6 point bull, but I am happy with this guy. The only downside is that as we were quartering out the meat we returned to the spike after the first trip and a HUGE golden eagle was tearing into him. It had at least a 5 ft wingspan.


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## bullsnot (Aug 10, 2010)

That's a big ole bodied spike! Congrats, enjoy all those steaks, and thanks for sharing the story.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Congrats man on both deer and elk!


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

congrats on a dandy spike/alien there.


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## Lefty (Sep 20, 2008)

looks like your spike is bigger than ours - good job.


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## RedNeck (Jan 6, 2010)

NICE ALIEN THERE GREAT STORY <<--O/


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## yak4fish (Nov 16, 2007)

Nice big fat spike you got there! Thanks for sharing.


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## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

LOVE the stories!!


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## hunterbumb (Jul 25, 2009)

Great story and congrats on all that meat in the freezer!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Congrats, but porn shots are discouraged! :mrgreen:


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