# Bull down



## lucky duck (Dec 17, 2008)

I have been spending some time hunting in Montana and it finally paid off on Friday. This was my 5th trip up this year, 2 during archery season and one chasing whitetails/mulies around Greatfalls and 2 more rifle hunting. We had a successful trip deer hunting and managed to fill our doe whitetail tags. My youngest son was able to get his first deer after missing 4 shots with a 300 Savage I handed him my 300 Win mag and told him to put the crosshairs where he wanted to hit, boom deer down.









I was able to harvest a mulie in the same area. He is a good looking buck and had been eating alfalfa all summer so he tastes great.
















Having my dad and youngest with me was the best part, hopefully taking my oldest with us next year.
Two weeks later I made another trip, this time for elk. We managed to find a herd of around 65 cows and my buddy decided he was ready to take a cow if we could make it happen. We planned our stock and after about 3 hours we got to within 300 yards of some of the cows. All we could see were heads just over the rise, time to revise the plan. We decided that my buddy would stock closer and I would watch the elk from a distance and let him know what they were doing as he would be hidden from view. About ten minutes into his stock I happened to catch movement up the canyon, it’s a bull elk followed by another bull. I tried to flag my buddy but he didn’t see my effort and so I abandoned my post and chased after the bulls that had disappeared from view over a rise. I ran in the direction of the bulls and knew I would have a shot as they had entered a small box canyon and I had view of all the ways out. As I crested the rise I found them grazing about 350 yards away. I got my gun set on the shooting sticks and placed my crosshairs on the top of closest bulls shoulder. I pulled the trigger and missed, I racked another shell, steadied on the top his shoulder again pulled the trigger and missed again!!!!! At that moment I remembered that I’m not shooting my trusty 30-06 but the gun I had just purchased after last hunting season, a brand new 300 Win mag. I aimed high on both shots and shot over. Okay third shot, I remembered telling my boy to put the crosshairs where you want the bullet to hit, good advice. Boom, bull falls down but immediately try’s to get up, he’s only got front wheel drive (spined him) and starts tearing down the hill towards me. I waited for him to stop and put one more in him to seal the deal.
























We took a couple of hero photos and started breaking the bull down. We got him all quartered and ready for transport. Being the smart guy that I am, I left my pack in the truck so we decided to drag the hinds out with some rope. That lasted for about 100 yards and then it hit me……….. no energy, out of gas , ready to lay down and die. I’m not a perfect example of health but I hit the gym 3 to 4times a week and do cardio 4 times a week. What was going on? I then realized I had a chocolate milk and a cookie for breakfast, that’s it for the entire day, no water no snacks nothing! At this time it was getting dark and the temperature had dropped to -10f. I was in trouble, two miles from the truck. We dropped everything and made a bee line for the truck. I have never been worried about cold before but this was different, scary different. After two hours of struggling to climb easy hills I made it to the truck and downed two bottles of water and two protein bars, I was going to make it!!!! The next day we made it back to finish the pack out, it was-19f. We hung out in the truck and glassed until about 10am when it had warmed up to-10f. This time the walk in and pack out we’re much easier.








Made two trips and got him out. Please be careful in the cold, drink plenty of water, carry your pack and eat some snacks!!!


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## Firehawk (Sep 30, 2007)

Congratulations on a fall of several trophies. Full freezers are the BEST!!!


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## SaltyWalty (Feb 1, 2021)

Incredible season, sounds like a blast. Glad family got to go with you


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Looks like quite the successful season - huge congrats!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

That's cooler than the other side of the pillow!!


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Congrats on a fun filled season.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Congrats!


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## pollo70 (Aug 15, 2016)

Congrats! on a fun filled hunt and memories for life!


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## BigT (Mar 11, 2011)

Congrats!


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