09-23-2013, 03:38 AM
This is kind of long so if you don't like reading you can skip to the end to see the pics.
I was fortunate/lucky enough to draw a Manti premium elk tag this year. I have been able to get out about every weekend since July. It was great to make up for lost hunting time the last four years as I have been in school and residency.
The bulls really started to show up and get vocal the last couple weeks of the archery season. I had seen a couple of good bulls that I would be willing to shoot and had a couple of good bulls on my trail cams. I also had a couple of close calls with smaller bulls on the bow hunt, but could never get close to any shooter on the archery.
I found a good canyon holding some good bulls the week before the opener of the rifle hunt. I got some good pics of two bulls on my trail cam, but couldn't find them during the daytime. The day before the rifle opener I went to the canyon and didn't see or hear much at all. So for the opener I went to plan B. My Dad, two brothers and myself would hunt a different canyon that we were very familiar with. We hunt deer in this area and it is also very good for elk. I stopped at the top of the canyon the night before the opener of the rifle hunt to take a listen and I heard the bulls talking so I knew it would be a good day if the rain/fog help off. It was a long night and dawn couldn't come soon enough.
In the morning we headed over to our spot and the fog was thick. We bailed off the top in hopes we could get down out of the fog. As soon as we dropped off the top we could hear the bulls screaming. There were probably 8-10 different bulls screaming their heads off. My Dad and youngest brother stayed on a point higher up with the spotting scope while my other brother and I dropped further down in to see if we see what all the commotion was about. The fog was still pretty bad, but we could see pretty well where we were at. Only problem was that the bulls were in the thick aspens/pines and way down in the bottom of the canyon. We were only 30-40 yds from a bull at one point in time, but it was on the other side of a thicket and we never got a glimpse of it and didn't see anything all morning. We backed out around 11 a.m. and saw/heard another group of hunters with a horrible sounding bugle. Was going to tell them if I can tell it's not a real elk bugle, the elk can probably tell as well, but I figured I would let them figure it out themselves. [
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We headed back to camp and got some breakfast/lunch. Around 2 p.m. we headed to a different canyon that has treated us well in the past. I hadn't been to this particular canyon hunting or scouting this year, but we have taken several deer and elk from the canyon so we were very familiar with the area. It was an easy walk as we could have my Dad drop us off at the top and there was a different road my Dad could drive around and pick us up at the bottom of the canyon. The plan was for Dad to drop me and my brothers off while he went to check one of my trail cams and then he would pick us up at the bottom.
As soon as my Dad dropped us off and started driving away I look around and see that the canyon is chock full of sheep. I think; crap, there won't be any wildlife at all in the canyon. Since our ride had left we were committed to our plan. We spread out and headed down canyon. About halfway down I start to hear a bugle on the pine ridge to the south of us. Myself and a brother head up the ridge to see what we can find. We cow called a bit and we eventually bumped a small raghorn. We started to head back down to meet up with my other brother and my Dad was waiting at the bottom for us as well by this time. Just then we hear a couple of bulls on the opposite ridge. Eventually we see a nice bull come out of the trees into a wallow. It looked like a nice bull, but I only had my 8 power binocs and the bull was over 700 yds away. I knew I wanted to get a better look at it. He eventually went back into the trees and we could hear him and another bull screaming at each other. I hiked up the opposite ridge and got in position above them, but the trees were too thick to see much. I did get less than 40 yds from a small 6 point and a few cows. This was the other bull we heard. I didn't dare go any further in fear of bumping all the elk out of the area and not being to be able to get a shot from my current location.
By this time my Dad had hiked up the backside of the ridge and was above the elk as well. I decided to back out to a location that I could see 2 or 3 potential escape routes. I then had my dad work his way slowly through the trees where the elk were holding to see if we could get them to come out and get a good look at the big boy. Shortly after he headed in I see 5-6 cows/calfs coming out of the bottom of the ridge and heading up the opposite ridge. I then hear my brother come on the radio and says the big bull is coming out. I was several hundred yards closer to the bull this time and could tell he was a shooter. The decision was also made easier knowing that this was the only day my dad and both my brothers would all be able to hunt with me.
The lead began to fly. I missed the first shot, but hit him the second shot. He went down hard, but I could tell he still wasn't down for good. I wanted to get a bit closer to make sure I could put him down for good. I was able to get over closer and finish the job.
It was a great hunt and I couldn't be more happy with the outcome. I was able to harvest an amazing animal and share the experience with my Dad and two brothers. [
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The first three pics are of bulls I got on my trail cam the week before the hunt. The next pic is the bull that was on the cam that my Dad went to check when he dropped us off before I shot my elk. I would love to hear any thought on scores on any of these animals. Last but not least are a few pics of the bull I harvested. I taped it out at 348. Regardless of what he scores I think he is a beautiful bull and I couldn't be more happy!!
Sorry for being long winded, but hopefully you enjoyed the read. Happy Hunting and Fishing!!!!
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I was fortunate/lucky enough to draw a Manti premium elk tag this year. I have been able to get out about every weekend since July. It was great to make up for lost hunting time the last four years as I have been in school and residency.
The bulls really started to show up and get vocal the last couple weeks of the archery season. I had seen a couple of good bulls that I would be willing to shoot and had a couple of good bulls on my trail cams. I also had a couple of close calls with smaller bulls on the bow hunt, but could never get close to any shooter on the archery.
I found a good canyon holding some good bulls the week before the opener of the rifle hunt. I got some good pics of two bulls on my trail cam, but couldn't find them during the daytime. The day before the rifle opener I went to the canyon and didn't see or hear much at all. So for the opener I went to plan B. My Dad, two brothers and myself would hunt a different canyon that we were very familiar with. We hunt deer in this area and it is also very good for elk. I stopped at the top of the canyon the night before the opener of the rifle hunt to take a listen and I heard the bulls talking so I knew it would be a good day if the rain/fog help off. It was a long night and dawn couldn't come soon enough.
In the morning we headed over to our spot and the fog was thick. We bailed off the top in hopes we could get down out of the fog. As soon as we dropped off the top we could hear the bulls screaming. There were probably 8-10 different bulls screaming their heads off. My Dad and youngest brother stayed on a point higher up with the spotting scope while my other brother and I dropped further down in to see if we see what all the commotion was about. The fog was still pretty bad, but we could see pretty well where we were at. Only problem was that the bulls were in the thick aspens/pines and way down in the bottom of the canyon. We were only 30-40 yds from a bull at one point in time, but it was on the other side of a thicket and we never got a glimpse of it and didn't see anything all morning. We backed out around 11 a.m. and saw/heard another group of hunters with a horrible sounding bugle. Was going to tell them if I can tell it's not a real elk bugle, the elk can probably tell as well, but I figured I would let them figure it out themselves. [
]We headed back to camp and got some breakfast/lunch. Around 2 p.m. we headed to a different canyon that has treated us well in the past. I hadn't been to this particular canyon hunting or scouting this year, but we have taken several deer and elk from the canyon so we were very familiar with the area. It was an easy walk as we could have my Dad drop us off at the top and there was a different road my Dad could drive around and pick us up at the bottom of the canyon. The plan was for Dad to drop me and my brothers off while he went to check one of my trail cams and then he would pick us up at the bottom.
As soon as my Dad dropped us off and started driving away I look around and see that the canyon is chock full of sheep. I think; crap, there won't be any wildlife at all in the canyon. Since our ride had left we were committed to our plan. We spread out and headed down canyon. About halfway down I start to hear a bugle on the pine ridge to the south of us. Myself and a brother head up the ridge to see what we can find. We cow called a bit and we eventually bumped a small raghorn. We started to head back down to meet up with my other brother and my Dad was waiting at the bottom for us as well by this time. Just then we hear a couple of bulls on the opposite ridge. Eventually we see a nice bull come out of the trees into a wallow. It looked like a nice bull, but I only had my 8 power binocs and the bull was over 700 yds away. I knew I wanted to get a better look at it. He eventually went back into the trees and we could hear him and another bull screaming at each other. I hiked up the opposite ridge and got in position above them, but the trees were too thick to see much. I did get less than 40 yds from a small 6 point and a few cows. This was the other bull we heard. I didn't dare go any further in fear of bumping all the elk out of the area and not being to be able to get a shot from my current location.
By this time my Dad had hiked up the backside of the ridge and was above the elk as well. I decided to back out to a location that I could see 2 or 3 potential escape routes. I then had my dad work his way slowly through the trees where the elk were holding to see if we could get them to come out and get a good look at the big boy. Shortly after he headed in I see 5-6 cows/calfs coming out of the bottom of the ridge and heading up the opposite ridge. I then hear my brother come on the radio and says the big bull is coming out. I was several hundred yards closer to the bull this time and could tell he was a shooter. The decision was also made easier knowing that this was the only day my dad and both my brothers would all be able to hunt with me.
The lead began to fly. I missed the first shot, but hit him the second shot. He went down hard, but I could tell he still wasn't down for good. I wanted to get a bit closer to make sure I could put him down for good. I was able to get over closer and finish the job.
It was a great hunt and I couldn't be more happy with the outcome. I was able to harvest an amazing animal and share the experience with my Dad and two brothers. [
]The first three pics are of bulls I got on my trail cam the week before the hunt. The next pic is the bull that was on the cam that my Dad went to check when he dropped us off before I shot my elk. I would love to hear any thought on scores on any of these animals. Last but not least are a few pics of the bull I harvested. I taped it out at 348. Regardless of what he scores I think he is a beautiful bull and I couldn't be more happy!!
Sorry for being long winded, but hopefully you enjoyed the read. Happy Hunting and Fishing!!!!
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