# Impressive main beam / personal best!



## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

I finally got my archery elk. I spent 4 days on the Boulder hiking, and hiking, and hiking, only to come home with sore feet. It was a very frustrating hunt this year over there. I had a very hard time finding the elk, and went home discouraged.

This weekend (Labor Day) I decided to take it easy. We took the boat to Quail Creek on Saturday and towed my girls around in circles until they couldn't stand it any longer. Sunday afternoon I was sitting on my couch staring at the clock (4:00 pm) trying to decide if I should brave the heat and crowds. I asked the wife and kids if they wanted to go, and they all said "not really...". But my wife told me I should go. So I changed my clothes and jumped in the truck, not really inspired to go at all. I pulled out of the house at 4:30.

The area I chose to try to hunt was busy. Lot's of camps, ATVs, and other trucks driving around. I chose a road, and immediately had company. There were a couple trucks already pulled off the side of the road, as if hunters were out hiking. Another truck soon zoomed up behind me -- obviously I was going too slow for their liking. I decided that this was as good a spot as any, and pulled to the side to allow the other truck past, and figured I'd go for a hike.

I hadn't gone more than 150 yards from my truck, less than 5 minutes, when I saw an elk butt! It was only 20 yards away, and it was the trophy that I had been hoping to find! He was HUGE!! And, best of all, he had no idea I was there. I quickly nocked an arrow, using a pine tree in front of me as cover. The bull was just feeding in the trees to my side. I stepped around the pine, but my window was blocked by a fallen tree. The elk took a couple more steps, and that lane opened with a beam of golden sunshine from heaven. Now or never. I pulled, aimed and shot. Thud! The massive bull spun around and trotted into the thick trees, not knowing what had just happened. The trees were thick, so I couldn't watch him go very far. But then I heard a crash, and could see a tall pine tree shaking like an Ent had a hold of it. Game over. I walked over to where I hit the bull, and could then see the dead animal 15 yards further into the trees! I couldn't believe it! It wasn't even 6:00 yet! And, the best part: I was only 100 yards from the road!

I walked back to my truck, put my bow away, unloaded a bit of gear from my pack, grabbed my cell phone (3 bars!!) and texted my brother. He didn't believe me at first, but I convinced him I had a dead elk on the ground. He said he was on his way to give me a hand. He showed up 30 minutes later. I had the animal half-way quartered. He helped my finish the quartering, and we carried the pieces to my truck -- all before dark. 

We spent Monday sitting in my garage cutting, cleaning, grinding, and wrapping. My wife is happy: our freezer is now full.

What a great hunt!!


for those interested, my rough-score calculations come out to about 110!!

(30 inch main beams!!)

Enjoy some pics.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)




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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

That's awesome PHB! With all the miles you put in you certainly earned it. Congrats.


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## izzydog (Jan 18, 2008)

Those have got to be record book spikes! Nice job!


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

Now that's what you call, a Trophy Spike!


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Nice P&Y spike!


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## El Casador (Aug 27, 2009)

High hat spike! 8)


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

I have been thinking about Euro Mounting a spike if I get one, since this is one of the only years I will prolly hunt them, and it would be no question if I got that one! That is awesome!


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## Old Fudd (Nov 24, 2007)

Nice Bull seen a few Bulls like that on the Boulders. but not as tall as that boy. we were there 10 days. , tag soup and lots of people.. looks to me that the deer population is way way down from last year. what do you think? I heard the gun hunters cleaned up on a ton of little spikes and 2's.. stiill love the place.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Big ole tomato spikes nice


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## MtnRunner (Oct 21, 2013)

Stud.


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## blazingsaddle (Mar 11, 2008)

Very nice shot placement!


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

You wouldn't happen to have a picture of his molars. How old is he? Huge spike!


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## Bow hunter mojo (Oct 12, 2013)

that was a great story. I love the trophy spike. Congrats


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## Josh (Oct 27, 2008)

Nice work, you deserve it! I hope I can be as lucky here in a few weeks. Thanks again for all your help.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

Bucksnort1 said:


> Nice Bull seen a few Bulls like that on the Boulders. but not as tall as that boy. we were there 10 days. , tag soup and lots of people.. looks to me that the deer population is way way down from last year. what do you think? I heard the gun hunters cleaned up on a ton of little spikes and 2's.. stiill love the place.


We thought that the deer population seemed to be way up this year....in fact, we felt like the archery deer hunt was better than we may have seen in a long long time. IN fact, I chased a group of 16 bucks that included 5 4-points, 7 3-points, and a 3x4 for most of one whole day. It seemed like 20-24 inch 3 and 4 points were pretty easy to find....
PBH hunted from Wednesday through Sunday of the weekend before Labor Day...and saw only a few elk. I arrived at our camp on Friday afternoon and saw a good sized herd--50+ elk including 6 spikes and a raghorn 3-point--early Friday evening. After that evening, though, the only elk I saw were through my binos at some very long distances. The strange thing with our elk hunt was that we were finding more cow elk low and in the junipers than what we have ever seen.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

RandomElk16 said:


> I have been thinking about Euro Mounting a spike if I get one... it would be no question if I got that one!


my thoughts exactly. I'm working on the skull now. If nothing else, it will certainly be a useful shovel and rake rack.
(why would you not hunt spike elk again in the future? This is by far my favorite hunt!!)



Bucksnort1 said:


> Nice Bull seen a few Bulls like that on the Boulders... looks to me that the deer population is way way down from last year. what do you think?


Our experience with deer this year on the Boulder was opposite of you. We were very impressed with both quality and quantity this year. (FWIW, this did not come off Boulder)



blazingsaddle said:


> Very nice shot placement!


20 yard shots make for good placement. Like I always tell my brothers-from-a-different-mother: GET CLOSER!

Lonetree -- no ivories were found. I'm guessing this was just a 1 1/2 year old like most other spikes...


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

Nice!! Congrats!


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## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

Great story & Kill!!! Congrats!!


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## bamacpl (Jun 1, 2010)

That's one hell of a sword horn!!!


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Persistence pays off. Way to go!


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