# Manti archery elk



## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

My buddy drew a LE bull tag for the manti this year and it was a super fun hunt! we hunted off and on whole hunt but we had the last Saturday till Thursday off to really put some time in and make it happen I'll attempt to sum those days up. We arrived at our cabin Friday night, my wife would be joining us for the Saturday hunt. Saturday morning came quick and we found ourselves on top of 3 canyons that we have scouted for a few years to the sounds of a few bugling bulls and some cows about 200 yds below us. We were patient and just listened most of the morning and were able to watch him cross a saddle to what we thought would be his final resting place for the day. We made the plan to hike down to the saddle and sit on it all day waiting for him to come back. it just happened to be the bull we had been keeping track of the last few weeks so the wait would be worth it. After what seemed like eternity we awoke from naps to his bugles just fifty yds below us . He was just below a rolling hill and never presented a shot before some cows came from behind and busted us taking the bull with. Sunday morning was really slow no elk sighted and only a couple bugles but we were confident they were in there just hiding from the Saturdays hunting pressure. Monday morning we went to the same canyon and almost immediately heard the very discernible bugle from the bull on Saturday. we quickly made a plan to hustle down the rigde and setup on the saddle we hoped he would cross to bed. We were just a little late and he crossed the saddle about 150 yds in front of us. So close but yet so far! Tuesday morning stuff started to get good! We heard a lot of bugles on the hike in and we chased bugles all morning in a fairly thick canyon. we finally were able to call and get answers. Nothing was willing to come within bow range but I called nearly 50 times with answers back and it was awesome. Tuesday night we decided to take a step back and go to the other side of the canyon where we had a distant glassing point to see where the elk had moved from pressure and make a game plan for the morning. Little did we know it would be the best decision we made the whole hunt. On the drive to the trailhead for the glassing point we happened to see a bull Just off the road. We didn't get a good look as he booked it back in the trees quick! We decided we had nothing to lose and went in after him. I quickly grabbed my mouth reeds and grunt tube he grabbed his bow. A little ways into the trees where he was last spotted I threw out a bugle and surprisingly got an answer instantly back. We had a direction to go and knew he was pretty close. while we were closing the gap me and the bull bugled back and forth 2-3 times. We found ourselves at the top of a very small canyon with 2 water holes in the bottom and after sitting for about 30 seconds I caught some movement to my left. It was him! About 150 yards away, he bugled and I bugled right back and told my buddy to get up a head of me a little bit as he had not seen him yet. On his way to get ahead he got eyes on him and he motioned to me that he was coming towards us. The next little bit was a little blurry cause it happened quickly but I huddled down as low as I could because I was wearing a Goldish colored rain jacket and didn't want to get busted. I watched as my friend ranged some trees ahead of him and anticipated him cresting the hill in that area. Little did I know that he had changed his path at the last Second and was headed right for us I got eyes on him at about 30 yds and at about 15yds he came through a little patch of sapling aspens and raked his antlers on the way through. My friend took this opportunity to draw his bow. 15-14-13-12 he kept getting closer. At about 8 yds he finally saw us jumped with his front legs and did a 180. As soon as the bull was broadside in his turn he snapped the shot and a loud THWACK commenced. He ran! Not knowing how good the shot was I threw out a bugle which stopped him about 30-40 yds out and while he was knocking another arrow the bull tumbled!!! It was crazy! We celebrated and even though he wasn't the biggest bull we'd seen the whole experience was so amazing I wouldn't trade it for anything plus he was only a few hundred yards from a road! All this time we were hiking our buts off when we could have been road hunting??? Last 3 pics are of the bull we had been chasing.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

Very cool!


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## BradN (Sep 25, 2007)

Great story; great bull. Thanks for sharing.


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## SCtransplant (Jul 31, 2015)

That will get the blood pumping, nice bull!


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

He looks plenty big for me, nice job.


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

Awesome, there is nothing quite like taking one of those big boys with a bow.


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## Raptorman (Aug 18, 2009)

Nice work, that is a beautiful bull!


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## cdbright (Aug 24, 2016)

holy crap i LOVE these stories !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nice bull , good job


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Adrenaline rush!! Congrats


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Awesome experience, I hope to get a bull that big on the ML hunt. Great one, congratulations.


-DallanC


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Very cool - to have an animal that big, that close is awesome. Gotta luv you those thirds - nice bull!!

Edit: Top of page!!


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## bekins24 (Sep 22, 2015)

Man that would definitely get your heart pumping a million miles an hour having the bull that close. Congrats!


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Beautiful bull!


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## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

Thanks guys! It was an adrenaline rush for sure and I can't wait to do it again! It was a lot of work and we hunted hard but very rewarding! Yes, he is a great bull and he's very proud of him!


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## Slayer (Feb 3, 2013)

Brendo, I met your buddy up there on the hunt when I was scouting. He's a cool guy and I'm happy to hear it was a successful hunt! Congrats!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Very nice! I spoke to a guy same tag while he was eating his soup Saturday morning. Said he passed on several 350's only to miss a 400 the last night at 91 yards...not sure..., but I like your story much better, congrats!


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## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

Huge29 said:


> Very nice! I spoke to a guy same tag while he was eating his soup Saturday morning. Said he passed on several 350's only to miss a 400 the last night at 91 yards...not sure..., but I like your story much better, congrats!


Haha Not sure why you doubt that story there are 350-400 Bulls just crawling everywhere on the manti!  thanks for the kind words! on a serious note, do you have that guys contact info? I think my friend will be interested in having that guy score his elk for him.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Congrats!

I'd run the other way if I seen that big SOB.

.


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## mlob1one (Aug 29, 2014)

How many points to draw out that unit? 

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## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

mlob1one said:


> How many points to draw out that unit?
> 
> Sent from my SPH-L710T using Tapatalk


He drew with 4. I believe max point pool is around 7 right now


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