my solo backpack hunt (with pics)

[killerbee]

HE WONT NET VERY WELL, CAUSE HE'S GOT A TON OF DEDUCTIONS. IN FACT HE WONT GROSS VERY WELL EITHER, CAUSE HE DONT HAVE ALOT OF ANTLERS:) but he sure will eat well

i left last sunday to do a weeklong ,solo backpack trip in oregon. it was awsome!
i got to the trailhead right at dark, got my gear together and headed in with my headlamp. there was alot of trucks at the trailhead, but that parking spot opens up miles and miles of country to get away from people. i passed 11 guys who were on their way out within the first 2 miles. i was a little bummed after hearing everyone complain of so many guys. but knowing that once i get to where i was going - i never run into people. i hiked the first 3 1/2 miles and set up my tent. when i woke up monday morning i noticed i had slept right next to 2 other tents . no worries i still had another 3-4 miles to where i wanted to camp!

so i had my gear together by the time i could just see and headed off. after about another mile i heard a bugle. first thing i thought was , it had to be a hunter . i sat down just to listen and he bugled a couple more times confirming it wasn't coming from a tube. so i dropped my pack in some bushes, grabbed my calls and took off.

he wouldn't respond to my cowcalls, he wouldn't respond to me "small" sounding bugles, but when i strarted sounding like a big , growly old bull he started going nuts. i'd bet he bugled back at me no less than 30 times. finally i closed the gap to where i knew he was within 80 yrds. but couldn't see him. somehow i missed him going from 80 yrds to 50 yrds, but i looked over and could see antlers swaying through the trees. he was tearing this little sapling to shreds! it seemed like forever but he started to come out to the right so i drew my bow. but he stopped at the next sapling and demolished it! after about 2 minutes i couldn't hold my bow any longer and had to let down. we bugled back and forth a few more times and he started coming out, so i drew my bow. well-- then he came to another sapling after another minute, and my arms shaking from holding my bow so long i had to let down Again.

i still had no idea how big he was, but all he would do is growl, grunt , and chuckle back to me. + only responding to my bigger bugles, i figured he was something mature- if givin the shot, i was taking it.

well while he had his head into that last sapling i gave him 1 more "little" bugle and he picked his head up and turned around. he walked right through an opening and i cow called to stop him. put my 40 yrd pin on his heart and let it fly..........

i was 99% posative i hit him perfect. i watched him in my bino's run just a ways and stop. he was acting goofy for a couple seconds and then i saw glimpses of tan Rolling down the hill [ at least i thought]

so it was 8:00 am and i wanted to give him 1/2 hr. after 10 minutes i couldn't take it and wanted to just see if i could find my arrow. well before i got to the arrow i looked over and there he was piled up! it was awsome!

i did see right before the shot that he was just a 4 point but was still shooting. after all that excitement it was great!

it was so steep where he was at, later i ranged at 50 yrds. but i used my 40 yrd pin and hit to a "T" where i wanted to. i gutted the bull and drug him 400 yrds by myself. 1 pull and he'd slid 20 feet till he got hung up. i did this all the way to the bottom. then i spent the rest of monday packing him to my pack, which is where i set my camp for the night. and then most of tuesday packing him to my truck. from camp to my truck was 4.7 trail miles. stupid like i took the elk AND my camp out in 3 loads. that last load was a tough one. but once i was at my truck it was still worth it!

so my "weeklong" trip ended up being about 1 1/2 hrs of hunting and 2 days of packing:)
so here a couple pictures

[m gardner]

Nice bull. Good hunt. I have trouble leaving to go home from a place like that.
mark

[MuleyMadness]

Well done Killer, sounded like a blast. Worked to perfection also. Plus you shot a goof Elk, I like the odd ones.

[maintguy47]

Your story got me pretty pumped up, I'm going solo for a week starting sat. Nice bull, good looking area. Congrats on your hunt.

[ABert]

Congrats on a hard core hunt! I believe I might have done that kind of hunt 20 years ago but you won't find me hunting elk by myself anymore!

[sneekeepete]

Awesome story and great pics. Congrats on a great hunt Killer! He sure looks like he will be tasty.

[6x6 bull]

Great job on an awesome animal. Looks like you had a great trip.

[grimreaper]

Great bull! congrats! that huge spike side gets me pumped for utahs mighty unicorn hunt! j/k But seriously thats too cool

[NotEnufTags]

Killer there must be some pack mule in your blood lines. What a cool hunt. Thanks for taking the time to share the experience. Like others have mentioned I too like the odd ones. Anyone can get a spike, four, or five point, but the odd ones are trophies in thier own right. Very cool.

[Tonoonyi]

That sounds like it was a great hunt. Great story.