# Bro's S.W. Desert Elk



## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

Hunter's Log: Day's 1 - 8: Day one. The beginning of an emotional roller coaster ride. Made it almost to where we were planning on setting up camp when we had problems with one of our vehicles. Fuel problems, electrical, gremlins, who knows. Ended taking an extra two hours to get there. Spent the next day and a half scouting, but had spent a good deal of time getting to know the area all summer long and knew where we wanted to start.

Opening morning comes and we get to our spot with good timing. We have the help of some good friends and family, and spot some animals early. We put on a stock on a good group of cows with several bulls bugling. We get to within 250 yards of a nice 6x7 but decide to pass because we had been seeing much bigger bulls on this unit. That was something I'm not likely to pass up on again.

From that time on we hunted the next 5 days with not much success. We were seeing bulls just not able to close the distance. We tried many different things. Sitting on wallows in the afternoon not even going back for lunch. Hiking endlessly trying to figure where they were going in the afternoon, or where they were going period.

Then we went back to the same spot of opening morning and saw a nice bull with cows in pretty much the same place as the 6x7. We put a stalk on but could only get to within 445 yards and there were cows too close to the bull with lots of deadfall, so we passed on the shot. We watched them funnel into the trees and I knew exactly what they were going to do. We ran down through the meadow they were in and got some elevation on a hill near by and waited for them to feed around the end. Never saw the cows but as soon as we got in a good place to see into the tree's I spotted the bull right off. He was standing broad side to me raking a tree at about 80 yards, apparently letting it know he didn't particularly like it being in his way. My brother tried pulling up but had branches in his way and couldn't get off a shot. In trying to set him up with a tripod to shoot off of the bull heard us and was gone like a ghost. More disappointment for my brother. Wondering if he was ever going to seal the deal.

The next couple of days were made even harder by the unseasonably hot weather, but we kept at it. We hiked the soles off of our boots. Covering as much ground as we could just trying to get a glimpse of the elusive big bull. Nothing! What we did find out by covering so much ground is that the animals were coming out of the bottoms in the night, feeding up the mountain, and going right back down in the morning. Great we know just what to do. Set up low and be patient. But to make things even more frustrating the elk would come out after the sun set and be bugling their guts out. Sometimes hearing 10 to 15 animals at a time. (Hard to call one in when there are that many going off.) Then in the morning they would already be heading into the trees at first light.

Only two days left in the hunt. Starting to get a little nervous. We head out in the morning to get set up. We have been seeing several bulls in this particular area hanging out a little longer so we get set up to head them off at the tree line. We are in great position. All except the wind direction decided to change on us after the whole hunt it had been coming out of the south and this morning it is coming out of the north. Great! We high tail it to make sure we have a better position. In the mean time bulls are bugling all around us, it was hard to decide which way to look. It's getting real light and still we haven't even seen a bull. It sounds like they are right next to us. Then just as the sun is cresting the hill a nice 6x5 comes into view. Biggest bull we have seen by far. Real long thirds, long main beams, and huge mass. Just what we have been looking for. He doesn't even know we are there. I range find him and he is at 235 yards. My brother crouches down to steady his gun on his knee, but can't see the bull in the depression while low to the ground and just like that another ghost. POOF! My brother doesn't know what to do at this point. I know he just has to be beside himself. He lets me know his frustration. expletives that can't be put on here. By now the bulls have shut down. I tell my brother, don't hang your head now we might run into something still trying to make it back to the trees on our way back out. Be ready! 

Sure enough, heading back to were we parked a nice 6x6 stops broadside at about 100 yards and we don't hesitate. I just say put it on hair pull the trigger. I step off to the side and just like that, (BOOM) it is a done deal. To make things even better, the bull was about 100 yards from where we parked, and 40 yards off of the road. SWEET! Pay back for all the miles we had put on hunting our tails off. We were surely blessed.

It wasn't the biggest bull on the mountain. I'm not even sure it was as big as the one we saw the opening morning. None the less it was a great experience that I'm not likely to forget in some time.

Thanks to all those who helped. You know who you are. T-horse especially! 
Here's a couple of pics.


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## .54 (Sep 24, 2007)

I thought you told the story well. Congrats to him. He looks like a nice bull!


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## svmoose (Feb 28, 2008)

Cool story and cool bull. That's always nice when the pack is only 40 yards...actually I wouldn't know.

Congrats!


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## MadHunter (Nov 17, 2009)

Great story and a nice bull to boot. Thanks for sharing.


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Wow cool deal congrats!


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## fussy (Sep 26, 2010)

Beautiful Elk=happy hunters


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

Good deal! Way to pull it out in Southwest Jesus!


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

NICE! Good job!


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

Nice write up, ma! Here's a few more photos of the hunt. Thanks for the great time boys!

Way to keep at it Rich, I knew you'd get er dun.

The mossy possy desert shack. :mrgreen:




























We decided to spend the day on the mountain, after food rations ran out, we resorted to pine nuts. I'm still diggin sap out of various crevices!


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## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

Thanks for all the nice comments! Tree thanks again for everything. Love the pics. I hope you have more. Here's to more great times. :O--O:


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

That's a great story! Working hard for a big animal in the heat must have been very difficult! Very nice end! Glad you got it done! That is not a bad animal!


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## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

Thanks again! I will try to put more pics up. More pics when the taxidermy gets done also.


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

It sounds like you had a great time congrats on the bull. 8)


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Dandy bull! congrats to you!


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