# My DIY Wyo Bull



## chuckler (Sep 30, 2007)

Shot a bull Saturday morning in a box canyon up in Wyoming. He was the biggest in a herd of about 200 head. He's far from book but he's a wallhanger imo. I'm damned happy with him.


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## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

*Re: My DYI Wyo Bull*

Congrats! That is a nice looking bull. It is a trophy in my eyes.


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## north slope (Sep 8, 2007)

*Re: My DYI Wyo Bull*

Nice, this is why I visit this site!


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## InvaderZim (Sep 7, 2007)

*Re: My DYI Wyo Bull*

Outstanding and a DIY!


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

*Re: My DYI Wyo Bull*

Nice! Great thirds. Enjoy him this winter.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

*Re: My DYI Wyo Bull*

Very nice elk... great job!!! :shock:


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## ClintW (Sep 15, 2007)

*Re: My DYI Wyo Bull*

A++++ Nice thirds. I'd be happy.


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

*Re: My DYI Wyo Bull*

Congrats on a nice bull!

PRO


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

*Re: My DYI Wyo Bull*

VERY NICE!! Congrats!


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## HOGAN (Sep 8, 2007)

*Re: My DYI Wyo Bull*



Treehugnhuntr said:


> Nice! Great thirds. Enjoy him this winter.


+11/2


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## EPEK (Sep 11, 2007)

We need more of the story, how did you get close enough to close the deal etc.......
Zim, your avitar is now very appropriate.


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## archery (Sep 7, 2007)

Very nice.. by the way where weere at??? just kiding. good job and enjoy them steaks.


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## burge (Sep 11, 2007)

Nicely done. :wink:


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## chuckler (Sep 30, 2007)

> We need more of the story..


Things really started looking up when I realized a couple weeks ago that I'd be able to break away for the trip. I had my gear ready to go and got a cabin lined up to stay in not far from the hunting grounds. I headed out Wednesday afternoon excited to get a crack at what I consider to be a decent mature bull. The drive out was spectacular especially the drive through southern tip of the Tetons and Wind River canyon. I must have seen near 1,000 antelope on the drive--they were herded up and thick in several stretches.

I didn't sleep much that night at the cabin eagerly anticipating the opening morning. Just below the snowline on my way up to the elk hunting grounds, I had a magnum buck with 10 or 11 does run right in front of my rig. He stood there and eye-balled me for a minute or two before stotting off with his does. At the snowline the road had a couple inches of snow--I soon parked, got out and started hiking. As I crested over ridgeline, I saw roughly 30 head of elk. The crunchy snow in the still morning caught their attention. At 300-400 yards off, they weren't ready to bolt just yet until they could get a better fix on what was making the noise. There were 7 bulls in that bunch...smaller bulls. I had fun watching them for a few minutes as they worked their way into the dark timber. Off in the distance I saw a band of 12 cows going straight up & over a hill. By the way they were moving, I think they got bumped by a hunter down below.

On the way back to the cabin which was near a mix of private alfalfa fields and sage blm lands, I saw over 200 deer...it was around noon to boot...the rut was startin' to kick in a bit.

Day two proved to be uneventful but really, really cold. Riding my quad up to the walk-in area proved very, very cold. On my way up the hill, a Wyoming fish and game officer flagged me down and asked me if I was freezing....lol. I told him my hunting plan for the day and that I couldn't wait to hike up the hill to warm up. He laughed and told me my plan was a good one and also not to overlook some of the lower country *that proved out to be very true* (also, a reminder to myself to always strike up a good rapport with our wildlife officials). I hiked, and hiked and hiked...no elk. I did glass a couple of hunters cleaning an elk several ridges over but had not heard any shots. I also saw a couple of hunters with two smaller bulls taken that day which served to keep the motivation and spirits up--the elk were in the area.

There was a chow hall next to the cabins where there was good conversation from a cowboy up in his 70s. He entertained me and the 3 deer hunters from Idaho with his cowboy poetry and tales of the country back in the 40s and 50s. His wife served up some of the finest chow I've ever had at any hunting camp. I told the boys from Idaho about the magnum buck I saw and pointed it out on the map. They didn't see any elk but promised to let me know if they did.

I decided to follow a contrarian plan that next morning. Sure enough, no one was hunting the lower country. I had seen maybe 15 different hunting parties spread out in the upper country so it was refreshing to have a huge area to myself. I hiked an hour into an upper basin and saw some good sign. I glassed the open country and didn't see anything so I trotted down the hill. I hopped into my truck and was going to go to an area about 5 miles away that was loaded with a mix of thick dark timber and some open parks. In less than a mile up the road I ran into the Idaho boys. They had mostly been road hunting for their deer. They looked excited and I thought they shot a deer. No sooner had we pulled up window to window did they yell...follow us! We just saw 300 head of elk in an open park about an hour ago! I was really beginning to wonder about 8 miles away heading down, down, down to some lower country. And just then they pulled over and pointed up to where they saw the herd....

I couldn't believe my eyes.... :shock:

I looked up this boxed canyon and in the back of it were 100s of elk. I grabbed my pack and gun and started working up my way up the canyon. I was astonished to realize that the elk would have had no way out without passing within 100 yards of me as I worked my way into this canyon. The elk were milling about feeding. I glassed up the bull I later shot and he was definately the biggest elk in the bunch. I counted about 30 bulls in this bunch. The cows discovered I was there when I made some noise and started chirping and mewing--I was shocked that I didn't hear a bark. In the cold, still air their vocalizations bounced around rimrock that blocked any hope of escape.

As the ferverant, ear piercing cow chirps & mews and spike squeels bounced around the rimrock, my elevated adrenelin levels reached new highs. I then realized I was about to have an awesome shot op at the bull I wanted. Deep breath...slowly exhaled half...saftey off...He was 100 yards from me and quartering into me. Just as he stepped into clear view, he paused and I lowered the boom. The 165 grain TBB from my trusty '06 hunched him up good...it was evident I blew out his shoulder as well. I quickly jacked in another round and sent a bullet through its throat. Done deal as he toppled over just feet from where the first shot nailed him good.

There was no ground shrinkage as I approached the bull from behind. His mass just continued to look bigger. He had great thirds but didn't have the branched tops that would have made him a real high scoring bull but he's definately a wallhanger to me! The Idaho boys behind me down the canyon were whooping and hollaring as they had glassed the show. Not me, I don't do that sort of thing *yeah, right*

After a few high fives and such they helped me get a few pictures. I didn't want to cut into their hunt time so after they helped me get the bull to a flatter spot, I told them I could quarter it and such myself no problems. It took the better part of the day for me to process and pack the bull back to the truck. Awesome day to say the least... :mrgreen:


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

Great story. Makes me wish I were there! Congrats again.

PRO


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## soules2007 (Oct 29, 2007)

That depends on what book you are talking about , in mine thats a record, Nice Bull!!!!! Dave


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## FC2Tuber (Oct 26, 2007)

I would be very happy with that bull. Great story too!


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## J-bass (Oct 22, 2007)

chuckler said:


> He's far from book but he's a wallhanger imo. I'm damned happy with him.


Well you should be damned happy with him! He's a **** fine bull and to hell with the book is what I say!


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