# Doing this one the right way



## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Well, it is now official. For the last week, we have known that either me, my son, or my wife had drew a LE Manti elk tag. The last several days has been pretty exciting wondering who the lucky one was and what challenges each of the three options of tag holders would present. 

Although I have been hunting deer my whole life, I started my elk hunting passion in 2000, the same year my oldest son was born, and I was lucky enough to have harvested my first elk that fall with a spike my first year on the Manti. My most cherished photo I own is of me at camp that year cradling my two month old son Mason next to that first elk we were blessed with. I have been hooked on hunting elk ever since and have taken every opportunity I have had to hunt on the Manti in an effort to learn that mountain hoping to have a chance at a big bull one day on that range. Fast forward to 2010 and at the persuasion of a friend at the time, I was talked into putting my points I had built for the Manti to use on a Dutton muzzy tag because the possibility of a "Larger bull" existed there. The Dutton was a mountain I had never stepped foot on and knew little about. I quickly learned that mountain can be very intimidating and my friend that persuaded me to apply there and promised to help was dispatched out of state for the summer. Being so overwhelmed, I was still so enthralled and so obsessed with harvesting a 350+ bull that I had totally lost sight of the important things in life. I was so obsessed with the harvest of a trophy that it ran my whole life through the summer and fall with no thought to anything else in life. I put in as many scouting trips as I could and prepared the best I could knowing my "help" would arrive back in time for the eve of opening morning. The season came before I knew it. I had left my family at home and left several days early to scout before the opener on my own with plans to meet my "friend" on the mountain. I was the first to arrive several days before the help and got camp set up and ready then scouted all I could. In the end, my trailer wound up getting surrounded by multiple trailers and tents of people I did not know that were friends of the guys dad and his dads friends (that were there to hunt general muzzy deer). I would find myself multiple nights coming back to camp late at night physically exhausted to be getting yelled at by this guys dad multiple nights because I was trying to get my dead trailer batteries charged up or pumping water into my trailer to just have a hot meal or take a shower before the next mornings hunt (I was waking people up), firewood I had spent half a day collecting and chopping prior to the opener burnt, etc... In the end, I had a horrible experience and when I pulled the trigger on my bull and made that walk up to that magnificent animal, it hit me like a brick wall.... NO ONE I TRULY CARED ABOUT OR WHO CARES FOR ME WAS THERE TO SHARE THIS WITH!!!! 

My oldest son Mason has been my little hunting buddy since he was old enough hold his head up with a helmet on bouncing down the trail on the wheeler (always resulting in the little tike falling asleep and having that cursed helmet bouncing around smacking me in the face). He has grown into an outstanding young man. I am proud to say that my son has grown up to be the inspiration and the example to his father. I am having a hard time thinking of the fact that this fall will be his last big game hunt as his plans will be to leave on a mission when he is 18 next August. This fall will possibly be my last big game hunt for a few years with my best friend, my son. So when we found out someone had drew, it was hoped by everyone it was him. We had came to the plan that if my wife drew, she would mentor him. Knowing I had only one point going into the draw, we figured it was likely not me that drew, but I having put in for archery, it would be a mad scramble to get him behind a bow for the first time and try to get him prepared. This morning we received the e-mail that it was in deed my 17 year old Mason that SUCCESSFUL in the drawing of his Manti LE Muzzy Elk tag!! 

This will be my second chance now of chasing screaming bulls and this one will be done the right way. 7 years older now than my Dutton hunt with more weight I need to loose, more arthritis in my knees, body aching much more than it did before, but much wiser. I learned a valuable lesson on the Dutton in 2010, one that I would like to share with all of you that were successful in drawing a tag. Whether it be general season, limited entry, Duck or goose hunting, hunting rabbits, whatever it may be... This hunt will be all about putting our time in. It will be about doing the very best we can do. It will be about enjoying the simple fact of having the opportunity of chasing screaming bulls. It will not matter as much this year that we HAVE to harvest that trophy bull with however many inches of bone. We will walk away with our heads held high. Win, loose, or draw, we will know in the end that me and my son did the very best we could do. But I guarantee this year, it will be all about SHARING THE EXPERIENCE WITH THOSE YOU CARE ABOUT. Hope all of you can keep focus of the important things. Cherish this experience, make the most of it, do all you can to do the best you can. Win /loose /or draw, in the end if you did all you could to do the best you could and make this an enjoyable experience, walk away with your head held high!!!

Good luck to all who have a tag this year! I hope to have pictures and another post to follow... ;-)


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Great post! Best of luck to you and Mason!


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

oh geeze ya BIG sap!  Thanks for reminding us all what this crazy _hunting thing_ is supposed to be about! 

Congratulations buddy!!!

Not to bring the cart before the horse buuuut, I know a humble decent type good guy that knows that taxidermy thing a fair bit...


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## turkinator (May 25, 2008)

Thanks for the reminder!


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Thanks guys! 

Chasing bulls with my son this fall will hopefully be something he will NEVER forget!! Gonna be fun times no matter what happens!


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## RemingtonCountry (Feb 17, 2016)

So, which one of you drew?!?!?!?!


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Sorry that write up was long winded Remington haha. I finally got to that on the last sentence of the third paragraph lol. 

It was in deed my 17 year old son Mason that drew. Worked out the best way possible, no mentoring under me or my wife's tag needed.


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## RemingtonCountry (Feb 17, 2016)

Well... I guess I could actually read it and not just skim over it! Now I look like a dork! Tell him congratulations! I drew the LE Archery tag up there, maybe I can help you out with some locations after my hunt!


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Sounds good Rem. I have hunted that mountain for muzzy deer and spike / cow for quite a few years. If you need any help with places to look, let me know! Congrats on your tag!!!


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

Hey Robert I'm on the same kick right now. 
Got to shed some lbs before hunting starts. If you want to go I've been hiking every weekend when I'm home.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Hoopermat said:


> Hey Robert I'm on the same kick right now.
> Got to shed some lbs before hunting starts. If you want to go I've been hiking every weekend when I'm home.


 Hey Matt!!!! Surprised you haven't seen me and the wife walking by haha. Been getting out every evening since Thursday. Well have to team up buddy. What tag did you get?


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

I've been in Georgia for the last month so only home on weekends. 
I've been hiking wheeler creek every day on weekends. 
Only draw was archery buck. 
So looks like maybe Montana if I can get off work in time.


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

I shoot 65lbs 28 and a half inch draw length with 400's, they were a little bit week and less accurate than the 340's I'm shooting now. I want to try 300's.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

katorade said:


> I shoot 65lbs 28 and a half inch draw length with 400's, they were a little bit week and less accurate than the 340's I'm shooting now. I want to try 300's.


Are you sure you responded to the correct thread Kade?
lol


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## TMS (Jan 17, 2017)

Great post Utahbigbull. You have grown very wise! The best of luck to you and your son.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

TMS said:


> Great post Utahbigbull. You have grown very wise! The best of luck to you and your son.


 Thank you TMS. And the best of luck to you too!!


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Well... I upgraded. The ole 1x scopes stayed on through last season so figured it was time to upgrade. My order just showed up and I've mounted a scope for both me and my sons muzzys. Went with Vortex diamondbacks in the 3-9x40 with the BDC reticals. Got the boy HIS first binos so he can quit using mine and now we can both glass at the same time lol. Some new bags and tent for these weekend trips this summer so we're not burning fuel pulling the camper all the time. Now it's time to get the front stuffers sighted in and another month and we'll be spending lots of weekends learning as many more areas as we can. I have a feeling September is going to be here before we know it. 

Oh yeah, and this fat old man has shed a few pounds too!! It sure is crazy what drawing one piece of paper can do to a guy. Gonna be a fun summer on the Manti!! Hoping to be getting some scouting pics up soon!


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

utahbigbull said:


> Well... I upgraded. The ole 1x scopes stayed on through last season so figured it was time to upgrade. My order just showed up and I've mounted a scope for both me and my sons muzzys. Went with Vortex diamondbacks in the 3-9x40 with the BDC reticals. Got the boy HIS first binos so he can quit using mine and now we can both glass at the same time lol. Some new bags and tent for these weekend trips this summer so we're not burning fuel pulling the camper all the time. Now it's time to get the front stuffers sighted in and another month and we'll be spending lots of weekends learning as many more areas as we can. I have a feeling September is going to be here before we know it.
> 
> Oh yeah, and this fat old man has shed a few pounds too!! It sure is crazy what drawing one piece of paper can do to a guy. Gonna be a fun summer on the Manti!! Hoping to be getting some scouting pics up soon!


I know what you mean, concerning your OP.
Glad to see your excitement for the upcoming season. 
Looks like I'll need to keep my 1x at least one more year.
Looking forward to your reports.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Yep at our age we need to bring up the kids and grandkids right. Started my diet this morning in fact. Want to shed at least 25 pounds before hunting season. Putting in the grandson for antlerless elk to see if I can get the big game bug into his system. We have a blast every duck season. Man you should hear the ribbing we give each other in the duck blind...it's the best time ever. It just drives them nuts when "old man" let's them shoot and miss and I mop up and drop em graveyard dead. Then walk out there with my waders and pick em up. I wouldn't give it up for anything. Man I hope we draw a CWMU and he get's an elk....good luck everyone and stay safe out there.

My years here in Utah are numbered now as I realized how my breathing difficulties almost vanished down south at sea level on our vacation to FL and LA 2 weeks ago, so a firm decision was made with the Ice Queen that when retirement hits in a few years we're going to move to the Florida panhandle to spend our last days. Good gosh it was easy for me to breathe down there. Just plain scared the crap out of me that I have the issue I have though.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Sure wish you the best of luck with that cow tag LL!!


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Well, we got it done!! What a roller coaster trip of events. I showed up 5 days before the opener to scout and get camp set. I arrived to pleasant conditions and bulls screaming everywhere!! Had a couple really good bulls figured out to boot. My son and a good friend of mine came down together Friday night. Since drawing the tag, my boy figured out with his AP classes, he could only miss out on one week of school and that was all the time we had. When they showed up Friday night, I took my boy in to show him the best bull I had found and watched him Friday night and again Sunday morning. That Saturday afternoon, winter set in on Skyline and we were trailer bound until the opener on Monday morning. That's a LONG time for three guys to be stuck in a trailer haha. We were dreaming of the bull we had watched and playing out all weekend what may happen Monday morning. When that morning finally arrived, we found the bull we had been watching was nowhere to be found, but an even better bull had showed up. That Monday evening, we made a move and as we were 100 yards away from the best bull we had seen all summer long, and with only 20 yards left to go before we could make the left hand bend to an open shooting lane, one of the guys cows had left him and walked right on top of us!! With three loud barks, the stalk was blown and she took the herd and left. Three days of hunting that same area hoping either of the two dandy bulls would show back up, no other chances were given and by Wednesday, the elk disappeared. With only a few more days to make things happen, my boy decided it was time to fight the mud elsewhere and see what else we could muster up. Although the storm had shut the elk right down, we managed to get into action nearly every morning and evening. Thursday evening, we found some more elk down a ridge that would make for a decent stalk but could not see what bulls there were in the mix. We hurried to the ridge and we made a move again... Slipping and sliding the whole way in the wet baron clay side hills, we made our way down the spine of the ridge and had came to a point that dropped down into a meadow at the top of the ridge that was lined with an aspen grove just below it to the left. Looking down from our perch, the meadow was full of cows, rags, and lone behold, a 320ish bull that he figured he would fit the bill for his tag to get it done with only a few more days to go. My son got on the shooting sticks and pulled the trigger after I ranged him at 200 yards... We watched the bull slip into the trees after the shot without so much as a flinch. Fearing the worst, we had to follow up the shot and hiked down in there and made sure no blood was drawn. We caught the bulls tracks as he had made his own and separate entrance route into the aspens and as we feared, he was unscathed. The hike back up out of that canyon that evening was the roughest and toughest walks mentally we have ever done together. I knew the elk had not gone far as the bulls were tormenting us with their bugles no more than 300 yards down the hill that they disappeared into. My boy had hit a new all time low and was so afraid he had missed his chance at a mature bull for the next 20 years, it was all he could do to muster the strength to hold his head high enough to see where he was walking. We made our way back to camp, beaten, humbled, and heads hung low. Talking it over with my son over a hungry man dinner, he decided he wanted to make another push in the morning to the same exact spot. As the morning arrived, we found ourselves hiking down the ridge and to our amazement there was a distinct rag horn I had seen with this herd the night before, bedded on the spine on the ridge below us in the same exact meadow, taking in the early morning sun. Having seen this bull the night before, I hoped and wondered if we were going to be lucky enough to have another shot at the bull my son missed night before. With what seemed like an eternity passing, but only a short time latter as the clock goes, to the left of us, I hear the unmistakable sound of two bulls sparring. We glass and find 140 yards below us, a 4 point and 5 point bull going the rounds. We were taking the excitement of the moment all in when next to these sparing bulls, I see leafs and brush going sailing into the sky. Sure enough, the bull my son missed was really getting upset with the battling rag horns beside him and was preparing himself to take on the victor of that battle to show who the real boss was. He stepped out to give my son a clear 135 yard shot and it was over!!!!! A perfectly placed shot by my son buried right into his right shoulder, allowed him to take only a few steps and then a wobble, a quivering leg, then two, then all four. He went down for the count!!! 

I am here to tell you that we spent three days chasing a couple 340-350 bulls, but the moment this bull went down, my boy mustered all he could to overcome his own trembling knees and jumped up right into my arms and gave me a hug of the type I have never been given before by ANYONE! I don't think I will ever get a hug like that ever again! That moment was one in which the size of this bull did not matter in the slightest. I realized at that time, it was mission accomplished. Me and my son had a wonderful summer TOGETHER on the mountain. It was a summer of memories being made before my little man and hunting buddy grows up and moves away and there were memories made that will NEVER be forgotten once that happens which is very possibly next summer. I love you son!!!


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

CONGRATS TO YOU AND YOUR SON!! THAT IS AWESOME! those are memories that will never be forgotten. Beautiful bull.


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## Raptorman (Aug 18, 2009)

Nice work! Great bull, great story!


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

-8/-OOO°)OO

CONGRATS Fellahs!


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Congrats on the adventure, memories and success!!! He looks like a very happy camper in the pics! Well, both of you do.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Here is our top bull we spent the first three days chasing and got so close to. These pictures were taken right as we were 100 yards around a bend and getting stepped on by one of his cows..


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Great report and congrats!


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## turkinator (May 25, 2008)

Awsome report and great bull! I love hearing about hunts like this!


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

SO AWESOME!! Congrats to you and your son!


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

8)8)8)


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## JC HUNTER (May 18, 2015)

That is awesome! Congrats to you and your son!


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

The bull that got away is a very impressive bull. However, you found out that it doesn't matter at all. Congrats to you and your son for a great adventure, a great bull, and a great bonding moment.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Thank you to everyone for the kind words!!!!!!!


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## hazmat (Apr 23, 2009)

Everything about this post is awesome the right up the pics and the harvest job well done. The Manti unit is an awesome unit I can't wait for when I draw


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Sounds like you had quite the adventure. Glad it all worked out.


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## LukeS (May 27, 2017)

That's a good bull! Good story too. Glad he was able to fill his tag.


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## NHS (Sep 7, 2007)

Congratulations! That is an awesome experience. One you will both treasure forever.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

What an adventure! Congrats to your son on an excellent bull!


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Oh heck yeah!! great looking bull! congratulations to Jr! sounds like a ball!
Now lets see if we can get ourselves into some mallards!


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

goosefreak said:


> Oh heck yeah!! great looking bull! congratulations to Jr! sounds like a ball!
> Now lets see if we can get ourselves into some mallards!


Hey Nate!! Pretty sure the honker shoots up here are gonna be pretty limited this season. Corn prices have turned other fields into hay or onion fields, so gonna be a lot more mallard pursuits this season. I'm sure you been out blazing ways through that frag?!?!?!


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Well, I was able to surprise my son on the morning of his High School Graduation, as he came upstairs, he got to see his graduation present hanging in the living room. Final chapter of this amazing experience with my son has now been written and he will always have this guy to remember it. Thanks Jack for helping me make sure you timed this just right and did such an awesome job (as always)!!


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## schoolhousegrizz (Nov 23, 2014)

Thanks, sometimes we forget!


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

<slow clap>

Awesome stuff here!


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