# Idaho elk 2014



## QDMAMAN

The plans are in the works for a rematch!
This trip I'll be headed back to Idaho with my buddy Huntmaster143, and Pez Gallo, if he ever gets permission. 
Leaving Sept. 10 in the evening and returning the 25th!
Taking off some Michigan tonnage and putting on some miles to these old legs!
Can't hardly wait!! 

Big T


----------



## Luv2hunteup

Sounds great. Did you get the maps I sent you?


----------



## QDMAMAN

Luv2hunteup said:


> Sounds great. Did you get the maps I sent you?


 
Yes, came Friday, just like you predicted! Thanks!


----------



## Huntmaster143

You better get those old legs ready. I like to climb...

Nothing beats the elk woods in September! 

Think Pez gets permission while he's on that ferry boat? 


Sent from my SM-P600 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## Huntmaster143

Home sweet home! 










Sent from my SM-P600 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## QDMAMAN

Huntmaster143 said:


> Home sweet home!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-P600 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Is that your tent Scott?


----------



## QDMAMAN

Huntmaster143 said:


> You better get those old legs ready. I like to climb...
> 
> Nothing beats the elk woods in September!
> 
> Think Pez gets permission while he's on that ferry boat?
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-P600 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


It's a "fairy" boat.


----------



## Huntmaster143

No, that's one from a drop camp I did.

Mine is an old "Coleman" but worked well last year with two guys, cots and gear, so it should work this year fine. Three guys will be ok in it but that's it with gear.

We shouldn't see any large amounts of snow as that would cause some problems for it.

I'd love to find a decent wall tent for sale cheap...

Sent from my EVO using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## QDMAMAN

Looks like it's just Huntmaster and I this year!
Bow's in the shop getting tuned up and a new string!


----------



## Huntmaster143

Four weeks and we'll be heading west! 

Sent from my SM-P600 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## QDMAMAN

I'm giddy with anticipation!! :coolgleam


----------



## Huntmaster143

Here's a pic from my morning jog in some really good deer country. You might be able to see Pike County in this pic... 5+ miles before 8am...without a pack today though. 










Sent from my SM-G860P using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## QDMAMAN

3 weeks and 48 minutes!


----------



## Slim1213

Im leaving the 10th also. Colorado bound though. It is close.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## QDMAMAN

I headed down to Huntmaster's on Sunday to deliver tent stakes, coordinate a couple of details, and drop off some of my bigger items (canopy,coolers, cot, etc).
The extended forecast is calling for rain the week we travel and stopping about the time we arrive with sun, hi temps in the 60's and lows in the 30s.
This is going to be epic!!!


----------



## Slim1213

Good luck to you guys. Post up results.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## JBIV

Good Luck!!! 

Don't be afarid to take a morning or afternoon off from hunting. The grind can beat you down, and a little rest can get your head back in the game.

Can't wait to hear how the hunt went.


----------



## Huntmaster143

JBIV said:


> Good Luck!!!
> 
> Don't be afarid to take a morning or afternoon off from hunting. The grind can beat you down, and a little rest can get your head back in the game.
> 
> Can't wait to hear how the hunt went.


Rest is for the weak... I'll sleep when I'm dead! Lol!

Sitting a wallow is a good way to refresh and also be productive. 

You think you can't wait, I only have 6 days of work and we are off.


----------



## limige

Thats on my bucket list. Idaho elk, whats the story on the moose and big horn sheep out there? I see theres a drawing you can enter to get tags for all but aside from that whats the deal?


----------



## Huntmaster143

limige said:


> whats the story on the moose and big horn sheep out there? I see theres a drawing you can enter to get tags for all but aside from that whats the deal?


Idaho isn't much different from any other state out west when it comes to moose, sheep and mountain goats.

One theme...apply, apply, apply.

Most tags in areas with decent populations will have 0.5 - 1% chance to actually draw a tag. It is like winning the lottery to actually get a tag. 

In a lot of instances, you have to send in the tag fee with your application and they get to keep your $1-$3,000 for several months while the draw happens. 

It's a long shot, but you can't win if your name isn't in the hat!


----------



## Slim1213

1 week....

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## Huntmaster143

I kindly reminded Tony of that today and he responded with some off color remark... 

I hope he's nicer on the mountain!


----------



## QDMAMAN

Huntmaster143 said:


> I kindly reminded Tony of that today and he responded with some off color remark...
> 
> I hope he's nicer on the mountain!


If that's all it takes, this is going to be a long 2 weeks on the mountain.:lol::lol::lol:


----------



## barnaby43

Have a great time out there, good luck and take it all in! I'm jealous there's nothing like the mountains. I'm thinking 2015.


----------



## QDMAMAN

Thanks Greg!


----------



## Huntmaster143

Started packing my gear last night and made some dehydrated spaghetti.


----------



## Slim1213

I see duct tape for the blisters... weather is changing some in colorado this weekend. Cant wait. 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## rayed

Mole skin is way better for blisters.I never climb the mountain without it in my pack. As soon as you feel a hot spot on your foot stop and put it on. The stuff is amazing.


----------



## FireDoc66

Good luck fellas. After chasing them in CO with a bow before, I can say you're in for an adventure! Hope to see some success photos!


----------



## QDMAMAN

First set of temps are the forecast, second set is normal temps.

Fri
9/12/201470°38°0 in0 in Sunny and pleasant 76°42°
Sat
9/13/201476°41°0 in0 in







Mostly sunny and pleasant 76°41°
Sun
9/14/201478°41°0 in0 in







Sunny 75°41°
Mon
9/15/201476°40°0 in0 in







Sunshine 74°41°
Tue
9/16/201479°42°0 in0 in







Mostly sunny 74°40°
Wed
9/17/201479°43°0 in0 in







Plenty of sunshine 74°40°
Thu
9/18/201479°44°0 in0 in







Sunny 73°40°
Fri
9/19/201479°44°0 in0 in







Sunshine 73°39°
Sat
9/20/201478°44°0 in0 in







Sunshine 72°39°
Sun
9/21/201478°43°0 in0 in







Mostly sunny 72°38°
Mon
9/22/201485°42°0 in0 in







Partly sunny 71°38°


----------



## Huntmaster143

Good thing I packed the sunscreen...


----------



## QDMAMAN

Under 24 hrs now!!!! :woohoo1:


----------



## Captain




----------



## Kennybks

You guys are going to have a blast. Good luck and keep us posted.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## brushbuster

Good luck fellas

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## Skibum

Good luck guys. I love Idaho.


----------



## Huntmaster143

We are five hours out from our overnight stop today and tomorrow morning we head up into the mountains to set camp. 
We should be able to get an evening scouting/hunting trip in. 

It's getting closer...


----------



## slabstar

Did you throw T's hoochie mamma out the window halfway across Nebraska?lol. Hopefully you have a truck huntmaster, i dont wanna hear about 2 big ol bulls being brought back by that minivan!!!! 
Goodluck out there!


----------



## Huntmaster143

No hochie, but plenty of elk CD's for the ride. 

Luckily I have a truck, but we do have a red neck cap on it. It also must drive a little smoother than Tony's, because "smoky" said he was driving a little fast...

How's this for a weather forecast?


----------



## JBIV

Huntmaster143 said:


> Luckily I have a truck, but we do have a red neck cap on it. It also must drive a little smoother than Tony's, because "smoky" said he was driving a little fast...



:lol::lol: Hopefully just a warning? Don't worry he will slow down when he is walking in the thin air.

Great looking weather forcast!


----------



## casscityalum

Congrats tony!


----------



## U of M Fan

Huh???? 2 men in a small tent on a mountain. Wasn't there a movie called broke back mountain that had similar circumstances? J/k


Good luck guys, hope you guys have success.


----------



## casscityalum

Can't get pic but big t did get a 6x6 elk!


----------



## brushbuster

Nice job Tony

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## Firefighter

It's a dandy bull!!! Won't post pics and steal his thunder but Tony cashed in!!! 

Congrats Tony!

-Jason


----------



## 88luneke

Lookin forward to seein the bull, congrats Tony!


----------



## U of M Fan

Congrats Big T!!!!


----------



## cedarlkDJ

88luneke said:


> Lookin forward to seein the bull, congrats Tony!


Ditto!.....Congrats Tony! Can't wait for the whole write up but, probably to many fist bumps still to even type.


----------



## Huntmaster143

Here's a pic from our last hike down the mountain today. We will post a bunch more in the coming days, but to say we had a good time and a bunch of surprises would be an understatement...


----------



## obeRON

Where is the story and pics fellas!


----------



## QDMAMAN

obeRON said:


> Where is the story and pics fellas!


Patience! Still catching up.


----------



## Huntmaster143

The time leading up to a hunt can be as much fun as the hunt itself. With the planning for new equipment, researching the unit your hunting or just getting your existing gear ready to go. So don't forget to enjoy the pre-hunt time frame.

This was my fourth elk hunt out West in the past 7 years and after my first one, I learned that the mountains are a little bigger than what we have around here...not to mention the elevation sucking the oxygen out of your lungs...

So I usually start my workout regimen around May to prepare myself for the mountains. Each trip I have learned something that doesn't feel up to the task, so I've tweaked my program every trip. I can honestly say that this trip I pretty much nailed it and never felt tired or weak when we were climbing or hiking in the mountains.

My program this year consisted of the Beachbody "Insanity" program 3-4 days a week prior to work, probably two dozen hikes with a weighted pack (65lbs) and zero weight training. I hate running and don't really care to pump weights in the gym and will not go to a gym to workout because I don't like wasting the drive time. So anything I can do in my house or backyard wins. I also like the stretching that is built into Insanity as it helps keep you from getting injured.

Two weeks before our trip, I carried my last weighted pack and didn't workout the week prior. I didn't want to pull a muscle or injure myself prior to the trip and I wanted to be well rested.

Over the course of the four months, I averaged working out a little under every other day. I started at 200 pounds and the day we went on the mountain, I was 182 pounds. Losing weight wasn't a goal, but it certainly helps carrying less baggage for the duration of the hunt. Not to mention the added health benefits. On my last trip, I didn't do as much weighted pack training and my legs would get tired and burn while climbing. Not true this year, so I've solved that problem. Also after eating very well in camp and on the drive home, I weighed 176 pounds when I returned home. 

As a side note, the terrain we were hunting this year was more difficult in total than my previous trips to New Mexico and Wyoming.

Now I have to work, but I'll start up a day by day story line from our trip as I have most of the pics and I kept a pretty detailed journal of our encounters. Tony will jump in with his accounts as we go along.


----------



## QDMAMAN

Piggy backing with Scott's theme for today....
I tipped the scales at 265 on Feb. 1st (slobbish) and started dieting vigorously dropping 20# in the next 10 weeks. I hovered at 245# until I solidified plans with Scott the week after the 4th of July, then I started exercising regularly. This consisted of walking to begin with until I was running 3-4 times/week, about 2-2.5 miles each run and then walking on the off days the same distances. I added a pack with 40# of weight to the walks in the 3 weeks leading up to the trip. I also rested for a week before leaving for the same reasons Scott described.
At age 53 I must live with the stark reality that I can not afford to go dormant with my diet and exercise routines if I expect to continue this type of hunting and the demands it places on me physically. I've resumed my running and walking regiment since returning.
BTW, I was 238# when we left on September 10th. I was 230# the day we returned on Sept. 23rd and I'm 228# as of this a.m. The absolute physical toll the mountains takes on you in the first few days is hard to explain. I ate little to nothing for the first 3-4 days of the hunt, no appetite, and I took 2 notches up on my belt. :yikes:

T


----------



## QDMAMAN

I determined that although Scott lived east of me, and we were headed west, it would be most convenient for me to drive to his house (2 hours) rather than meet en route somewhere. I hit his place around 2 o'clock on Wednesday Sept 10th, and unloaded all of my gear in his pole barn due to the rain. We proceeded to load Scott's truck with our combined gear. We spent considerable time leading up to the trip coordinating what we each had and what we felt we needed to take creating a "check list" in the process (highly recommended). We were on the road around 3:30 p.m.
We decided to each drive between tanks of gas, which we alternated paying for, Scott ALWAYS bought in the cheap states. :16suspect
After the second tank of fuel Scott filled up and I grabbed a couple hours of sleep (in Iowa). Around 2:30 in the morning Scott was getting groggy so I jumped back in the drivers seat. I love to drive and Scott is happy riding, so he can keep up on his business communications and his journal, etc. This proved to be a good arrangement and helped to avoid the "who's turn is it" scenarios. I simply assumed chauffer duties with rare exception. I was also familiar with the area we were hunting and knew where to go.
My sister lives in Ririe Idaho just north of Idaho Falls. We landed at her place on Thursday afternoon after 26.5 straight hours of driving and were greeted with hospitality unmatched. A fantastic dinner, drinks, and fellowship filled the rest of the day before we all retired to comfy beds for the night. The next morning my sis and BIL were up and on their way to Savanna, GA for 10 days to celebrate their 25 years of wedded bliss. We saw them off and prepared to leave for the mountain with a stop at the local grocery store for our perishables and ice.
Because I was documenting our escapades along the way on Facebook, a girl that I dated in HS when I lived in Idaho asked if I was going through DuBois (where we grew up). She and I made connections Friday morning at her folk's, after 35 years Donna looked stunning. She was in town from her home in Utah for her Aunts funeral.
We were off before noon for the last hour of driving to camp (+-35 mi).
I made contact with another girl I went to school with out there before leaving. She and her husband run a Dude Ranch in the Unit we were hunting and they were familiar with the drainage we were camping and hunting. I used them as emergency contacts and they graciously offered up anything that we might need while we were in the neighborhood. We took advantage of the water hydrant in their yard for our fresh water needs a couple of times. What a blessing to have friends along the journey. 
On a side note...I got a ticket to the WY State Police ball while in Rock Springs, $110.00 dollars worth.


----------



## QDMAMAN

You would think that a cop that pulls you over at the gas pumps would have a sense of humor. Not the case, trust me, I tried. 
Oh well, just more flavor for the adventure!


----------



## Firefighter

More!!! 

-Jason


----------



## Walleyed Ty

QDMAMAN said:


> You would think that a cop that pulls you over at the gas pumps would have a sense of humor. Not the case, trust me, I tried.
> Oh well, just more flavor for the adventure!


LMAO @ that pic...

At least you got stopped in an American AND Chinese Food store parking lot!!! I don't think we have those in Michigan!!!


----------



## QDMAMAN

Right on schedule we arrived in camp at noonish.
After checking out a couple of prospective camp sites at the very end of the designated trail/road we settled on a spot that provided "relatively" level ground, which was at a premium, and began the task of setting up camp.
Our digs were of the "deluxe" variety. Scott pulled the trigger on a 12'x14' outfitters tent that he had been contemplating buying for some time before we left. This provided us a spacious area for our cots, chairs, a table and all of our gear. Everything was inside and secure. I purchased a 10'x10' Pop up awning that would serve as the cover for the kitchen area.
Everything came out of the truck as we prioritized what needed to be set up first. This was done with surprising efficiency and before long we had our home for the next 11 days up and serviceable.
Coolers were placed in the kitchen area along with a table for food prep and dish washing and our cots were assembled and our gear sorted out inside the tent within just 2 short hours.
Upon getting things arranged, we looked up to notice the local CO approaching our camp. He proceeded to ask for our licenses and was happy to see that we had each added a wolf tag before leaving DuBois earlier that day. THE IDNR is very interested in wolf management and he wanted us to report any wolf activity we may come across.
After nearly an hour of visiting with him and discussing wildlife politics in our respective states, he bid us a kind fair well and wished us luck. Great guy and a credit to the IDNR law division!
I set up a 50 yard archery target so we could tune in our bows after the long trip and after we each got the bows dialed in we were confident in our equipment.
By now it was getting late in the afternoon and we were anxious to head up the mountain to do some glassing and set a plan for the next day. About then a couple of gents on quads rolled in to camp to say hello and admire Scott's tent, it got lots of attention. 
The gentleman, and his son, had talked to the CO and the CO mentioned we were up the canyon and that I had lived in DuBois years back. This gent had also grown up in DuBois and as it turns out I had went to school with 2 of his younger brothers. He had hunted this unit for decades and he and his family had killed a lot of game over those years in this area. They were baiting bears and mostly sitting wallows for elk. Both were hunting with long bows. Jerry, the Dad, had killed 19 bulls so far but had yet to kill one with a long bow. Later that week we learned that he took his first long bow bull (#20) within hours of leaving our camp! 
We'd have on and off contact with Jerry as the week went on and he was always welcome company.
As the clock hit 4 o'clock we had our packs on and bows in hand as we started the climb in search of elk to glass.
The next 4 hours would be a whirlwind of unexpected events.
To be continued....

T


----------



## QDMAMAN

Two different angles of our camp, one of the inside of the tent, and one of our kitchen.


----------



## Rico

And..........:corkysm55


----------



## QDMAMAN

It's never a given that 2 people that are spending 2 weeks together, will get along, and it should never be taken for granted. As it turns out Scott and I had zero issues. We liked the same foods, had the same philosophies toward alcohol in camp, and pushed the hunt when we needed to, backed off when it was appropriate, and dealt with the adversities we encountered with calm heads. 
I've read horror stories of guys ending friendships on adventures like this, I can say without hesitation that Scott and I's friendship is solid and I wouldn't hesitate to join him in the mountains again some day. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
There were days when I felt like I was slowing him down but he never complained and was gracious to move at the pace I could provide, even when I had some unexpected knee issues that nearly sidelined me.
Always encouraging and positive the entire trip....well except for Wednesday night. :lol::lol: You'll understand as we get to that part.


----------



## QDMAMAN

Rico said:


> And..........:corkysm55


I apologize that it's taken us a few days to get this rolling. 
We hope to make this recount as detailed and entertaining as possible and it simply can't be done in the course of a few hours.
Bear with us as we each add our experiences, and lots of pics, in the coming days. 
This thread will serve as our historical documentation for years to come.


----------



## Huntmaster143

At the pace Tony was posting, I figured the hunt would be over before I could add any more...:mischeif:

Tony mentioned the gear list already and as he can attest I'm a little anal when it comes to lists and planning. I've kept detailed records of each hunt on what items I've used and what has remained in the bag. I have spreadsheets on everything to make sure I don't forget anything...

I do the same thing with my food list. I also don't care to spend much time cooking or worrying about food. On a typical trip I'm never back in camp for dinner until 9 PM or so and with 4 AM wake up calls cooking dinner is the last thing I want to do. On the other hand, Tony likes to cook and wash dishes...

So far you can see where this is going, Tony likes to drive, (Fast I might add), buy the expensive gas, he cooks, cleans... so all around a great camp $#&%^!!! :yikes:

So we actually decided to mix up the meal planning and each brought a little of what each other likes. As I mentioned several posts back, I made some dehydrated spaghetti. On most of my other trips, I've had dehydrated or just add boiling water meals for every dinner because in 20-30 minutes dinner is done and the only thing you have left over is a quart freezer bag that gets tossed in the garbage or fire...

All of the food prep is done at home and you don't end up with very much trash. 

Pot of spaghetti...




Add Sauce...




Spread one pound onto freezer paper and put in dehydrator before bed. 




And by morning four meals are prepared and ready. 



Here's what the dehydrated meal looks like. It's not attractive, but add 8 oz of boiling water and you are done!



Minus a handful of dinners, here's what my 10 days of food fit in.


----------



## Huntmaster143

We decided to grab a few of our combined dinners at the grocery store once we arrived in ID.

Never and I repeat NEVER let two guys that are planning on going into the mountains for 11 days stop at the grocery store minutes before you leave...

To say we bought to much food would be an understatement...

However, we did have a great lunch after we had camp all set up...


----------



## Patman75




----------



## Ranger Ray

Great stuff. The two person narrative theme is great.


----------



## WMU05

QDMAMAN said:


> It's never a given that 2 people that are spending 2 weeks together, will get along, and it should never be taken for granted. As it turns out Scott and I had zero issues. We liked the same foods, had the same philosophies toward alcohol in camp, and pushed the hunt when we needed to, backed off when it was appropriate, and dealt with the adversities we encountered with calm heads.
> I've read horror stories of guys ending friendships on adventures like this, I can say without hesitation that Scott and I's friendship is solid and I wouldn't hesitate to join him in the mountains again some day. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
> There were days when I felt like I was slowing him down but he never complained and was gracious to move at the pace I could provide, even when I had some unexpected knee issues that nearly sidelined me.
> Always encouraging and positive the entire trip....well except for Wednesday night. :lol::lol: You'll understand as we get to that part.


You are absolutely right. This nearly happened to me and a lifelong friend after a 10 day hunt in WY last fall. There were two other guys in the truck as well and it was a tense ride back to the midwest. We're cool now, but when my wife picked me up at the dropoff location and saw the four of us, her first question to me upon getting into the car was "what the hell happened to you guys?"


----------



## Huntmaster143

After getting camp setup, we decided it would make sense to get up high to a couple lookouts and just glass a little to see if we could find any elk. The mountain looked like it held elk well, but neither Tony or I have ever hunted this spot prior to this trip. So we wanted to let our eyes do the walking first night out and hopefully get a read on where we needed to focus our efforts.

On my previous hunts, glassing was not much of an option as the areas were completely covered with spruce and the elk just didn't show themselves very often. In my pre-hunt Google Earth research, I actually was a little nervous going to an area that had so much open space as I was afraid that when the elk were pressured they would run MILES to the next patch of cover. And for anyone who has never hunted elk, if you think a whitetail spooks and covers ground, elk make them look like turtles...

It's funny how your lungs and legs acclimate to continuous climbing as the first trip up the mountain was probably my worst climb of the trip. The climb was only about a half of mile and approx. 800 vertical feet. However, after getting to the top of a big open ridge behind camp, Tony and I decide that we will split up and get to different glassing points so we can cover more ground.

I basically stay put to glass one mountain and Tony heads in deeper on the back side to glass a large bowl at the end of the canyon. I keep glassing into the sun nearly 2 miles of dark timer with rock slides scattered down the side and keep hoping to see some elk crossing the openings. Finally the sun drops behind the ridge top with not more than an hour of daylight left and then I spot a herd feeding over a mile up the canyon. There appears to be around 15-20 cows and at least one bull in the herd. The shadows were playing enough games that I couldn't really see the antlers, but he was chasing the herd in circles. So far so good as on one of my 10 day trips to NM, I never saw an elk the entire trip. So the pressure is off!!

As the sun sets, I climb back up to the top of the ridge and wait for Tony to show back up so we can make our way back to camp.

Here's a pic of me and the area in the background is what I was glassing.



Here's Tony just before we split up to glass separate areas.


----------



## Skibum

Beautiful country. I've hunted the Middle Fork several times and it reminds me of it. My favorite place on earth.

LOL, about the first climb of a hunt. All those hours spent working out and the first climb is always "***, I'm going to die":lol: The payoff is in the subsequant hikes.


----------



## beer and nuts

In.


----------



## QDMAMAN

Huntmaster143 said:


> However, we did have a great lunch after we had camp all set up...


Delicious, however...no fun burping it up while climbing!


----------



## QDMAMAN

After Scott and I separated to glass I continued up the ridge we were on to get a better vantage point to view the drainage to our east while Scott glassed the one to our west.
About the time I thought I had just the right vantage point and settled in, I would get frustrated that I couldn't see around the side of the mountain so I'd move further up. This happened several times until I found myself about 1/2 mile from Scott and completely out of eye and ear shot.
The top of the canyon I was glassing flared around to the west at the top end and I was side hilling a very steep mountain side that had lots of loose rock and sheer rock walls. Navigating it in the daylight was treacherous enough and I wasn't thrilled about the prospects of the return trip in the f dark or fading light. I eventually came to a spot on the side of the mountain where I could get my feet flat on the ground where there was a semi comfortable rock to sit on. There was also a small pool/wallow directly below me in the bottom of the canyon and it appeared to be a hub of activity. I settled in and hit the glass.
As the sun settled behind me and shadows began to engulf the valley I started to entertain the thought of making my way back to reconnect with Scott. About that time I caught movement coming out of the timber across the valley approx. 3/4 mile away, THIS was what we came for, ELK!
For the next 15-20 minutes 14 cows and calves filtered out of a small stand of spruce into a high basin and feed in the lush grass just below the MT state line. I stared intently trying to find the bull that HAD to be accompanying this group. Eventually a satellite bull appeared from the right, covered from top to bottom with a fresh coat of black mud from the wallow he just departed. It was an awesome sight!
As the bull approached the herd they paid in little attention and he showed no aggression in trying to chase or check the cows. As I watched he attacked defenseless spruce trees one after the other all the time bugling with multiple deep chuckles at the end of each series.
I continued to scan the immediate area of the herd and eventually locked on to the king of the mountain, a very large bodied 5x5 herd bull that was content to keep the other bull at a safe distance.
I decided to give my new Primos Bugle it's first work out so I gave it a high pitch bugle without any chuckles to imitate a JV bull looking for a herd to join, I immediately had the attention of the satellite bull as he locked on to my location and started to make a b B line in my direction.
As he exited the hi basin through some sparse timber he hit a long narrow rock slide. As he ran down the slide he was jamming his antlers into the rocks causing him to spin around and run backward down the mountain, it was hysterical to watch and it continued all the way to the bottom as he would stop occasionally to bugle back at me. He would eventually disappear behind a patch of timber in the bottom briefly before emerging near the water hole I was watching. As he proceeded toward the waterhole I continue to bugle back and forth with him, his temper was at a fever pitch and I could tell he was all pissed off. He stopped at the water hole to drink and I let him have it again with the bugle, instant aggressive response.
I was now at a crossroads and considered the thought that I may have worked my way in to a no win situation. The object of my affection was the big 5x5 herd bull and I was game planning in my head how I would approach him the next morning, but I had this satellite bull locked on to my location and coming hard. Do I lay off in hopes he loses interest? 
_There certainly couldn't be any realistic way for this rambunctious bull to climb the steep canyon wall I was perched on_, heck, it was nearly vertical. Would I be able to slip away without buggering the entire herd?
The bull made up my mind as he continued to work up the hill in my direction. At this point I took out my Hoochie MaMa cow call and gave him some sweet talk. That was it! He was on me like flies on a cow pie and was closing the distance...FAST!
At this point I decided this might actually happen and that I should probably unsling my bow, nock an arrow, and prepare myself for a possible shot opportunity. I had a bleached white spruce tree stump approx. 12" wide and 6' tall right in front of me to break up my silhouette and to hide any movement I might need to make.
The bull continued to squeal and chuckle as he climbed the steep rock walls trying to find me. It was SO steep that I could not see him until he was just 47 yards below me as his antler tips appeared behind a lone spruce tree. The bull was standing on the side of a steep rock and appeared to be standing straight up, I gave him another cow call, and at 47 yards his harsh squealing bugle sent shock waves through my entire body. This was one of those magical moments that archery elk hunters live for but few ever experience and life seemed to move in slow motion as the bull lept up a rock cliff and approached to 37 yards where he stood on a small bench facing away behind a small spruce tree slightly to my right and directly below me. I put the range finder on him again a couple of times to confirm the first reading of 37 yards because I would have sworn he was further. The reading was true. I grabbed the cow call one last time and spun the bull 180* in his tracks. He proceeded to walk a few steps along the bench he was on until he went behind a large spruce tree directly in front of me. As he emerged out from behind the tree he was exactly 35 yards facing left and perfectly broadside, it was time to execute the shot.
With the long drawn out encounter I had plenty of time to steady my nerves and the memory of the miss from 2 years previous was forefront in my mind as I talked myself through the motions.
Is the bull stopped?
Do I have a solid range on him?
Are my feet secure under me before I draw my bow?
Am I torqueing the string on the draw?
Is the arrow firmly on the rest?
Do I have a clear line of sight through my peep?
Am I breathing when I settle my pin on the target?
And finally, DON'T punch the trigger!
It all happened fluently as my arrow raced through both lungs and clanged in the rocks after pass through. The bull flinched only slightly as he spun back around and took 3-4 steps. I could hear the blood gurgling out of the near side of his chest (exit side) as he staggered to keep his footing as his hind quarters began to fail him. His nose raised in the air as the last gasps of life left his body. It was over!
As the beast hit the ground gravity took over and I watched and listened as the bull tumbled, and tumbled, and tumbled down the sheer cliffs and rock slides we occupied antlers crashing against the rocks and boulders being dislodged and joining in the chaos. And then it was silent.
I stood in stunned amazement at what had just transpired. I was only 4 hours in to this adventure that I had spent months preparing for and I was still in a fog at what had just taken place. My first thought was to verify the rest of the herd was still where I had left off with them and that the commotion hadn't sent them fleeing, after all Scott still had a tag to fill and the 5x5 was a worthy target. The elk fed unaware of what had taken place and the bull was content with his harem.
I cautiously made my way down to the kill location and recovered my blood soaked arrow and then walked the narrow bench the bull stood on before collapsing. It was crimson red as were the rocks that covered the canyon wall where he made his final decent.
At this point I still could not see my prize but I knew he was down there somewhere so I picked my way down the cliffs and rocks until I came upon the beast a couple of hundred feet below me. He had landed upside down with his antlers underneath him against a sagebrush bush still on a steep rock slide. I grabbed his hind leg and rolled him over to expose his antlers and to admire him. Now what?!
Light was fading fast and I knew Scott would be wondering where I had wandered off to. I also knew that he would never believe what had just transpired. I laid my bow in the bulls antlers and snapped a quick picture then made my way back up to the top of the mountain to rendezvous with Scott.
By the time I got to Scott it was dark. As I approached Scott enquired what had taken me so long and I asked him to shine his head lamp on my quiver to make sure I hadn't lost one of my arrows.
As his lamp illuminated the blood soaked arrow a bewildered look came over his face as he said "what the heck did you just do?" to which I replied "don't worry, I saved the big one for you!"  Congratulations ensued as we made or way back down an unfamiliar mountain in the dark and planned for the coming day and the work of getting my bull off the mountain.
The first pic somewhat the mountain in the background where my bull tumbled down from. This was after we rolled him another 50' or so down the mountain to a flat spot in the shade where we could break him down.
Second pic is another angle of course and the third pic is a diagram of the playing field and the play.


----------



## casscityalum

Congrats again tony. Great job. Can't wait to hear the rest


----------



## Huntmaster143

Here's the view looking up towards where Tony killed his bull.


----------



## jatc

That is just so cool!

And a big THANK YOU for the way you guys are rolling out this story. Reading about Tony's bull just brought back a pile of memories that I haven't had the privilege of reliving lately due to an ultra stressed out period of my life. 

That "Did that really just happen?" feeling along with the first time you see that bull laying there and finally realizing that dream to tag one. The weak knees and the numbness of mind after the totality of the accomplishment sinks in and the brain fog that sets in, "So now what?", as it takes a few more minutes to start thinking clearly again.

My story is from 2002, but reading this just a few minutes ago brings back EVERYTHING! I can literally smell the Alpine air and feel the boulder I sat on just admiring my bull......

Congrats on having a memory that will now live forever with you.


----------



## WILDCATWICK

One of the best threads I've ever read on this site. Thanks for sharing! Geez you guys were probably hunting not very far from me. I'm in Missoula Montana.


----------



## Firefighter

Outfreakingstanding!!!

-Jason


----------



## Huntmaster143

Firefighter said:


> Outfreakingstanding!!!


Thanks, but we haven't even started the hunt yet! :lol:

Well my hunt...


----------



## Patman75

Well done Tony! Talk about not wasting any time.


----------



## brushbuster

WOW!

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## QDMAMAN

eyecatcher1 said:


> That is absolutely unbelievable. There were bubbles in the blood. I figured for sure he was down. Still a great read and thanks for taking us all with you.



Actually, there were no bubbles in the blood. All dark red consistently and all on the left side of the trail.
When I recovered the arrow the broad head was encased in meat. After he shook the arrow and turned to head down hill, he passed a massive clot that was about 12" long and as big around as a quarter. 30 yards later the blood pored out and stopped abruptly. The last speck we found was within 5 yards of a large puddle. Experience told me that another clot plugged the hole for it ho halt that quickly.
The last speck was on a stone the size of a 50 cent piece which was laying on a game trail. The downhill direction he was heading would have him running through some ground level conifers. Not impossible but also not likely.
The more we looked the more concerned I got that we may be scuttling any small amount of blood that may possibly remain. You can never make ever perfect decision and considering the amount of blood that we had just followed for over 600 yards, we thought for sure he simply changed direction on us again.
The gut wrenching feeling you have when the decision is made to go from what was a solid trail, to a grid search, can't be described, it's simply a kick in the butt.
I felt awful for Scott, I've never hunted with anyone that put as much time and effort into obtaining a goal. Every day he was sure that it would be "the day" and his enthusiasm drove me even when pain was telling me to stop.
I have no illusions that I have been very fortunate with shot opportunities on elk (1 on the 4th day of a 6 day hunt and then my kill 4 hrs in on this trip).
Elk hunting is demanding, both physically and mentally, and when the moment of truth is upon you it's easy for nerves and emotions to take over.
I wouldn't trade it for anything.


----------



## limige

I probably would have done the same things he did. In hindsight you often think I should've waited. Be in the moment your so close you think its doable. Happens to the best of us. All you can do is keep your eyes peeled. Hes wounded for sure. But I suppose he clotted and is still chugging along.

Wonder if there's any dog trackers out there


----------



## brushbuster

Man, what an awesome hunt and story fellas. So sad for you scott. But dude what a hunt!
Dang man , i want to hunt them elk sooooo bad.

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## slabstar

Tough ending to that particular day. There'll be more hunts to come. Great story, great pics, and thanks for sharing! Keep the positive attitude and goodluck on your next adventure!


----------



## slabstar

brushbuster said:


> Man, what an awesome hunt and story fellas. So sad for you scott. But dude what a hunt!
> Dang man , i want to hunt them elk sooooo bad.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-S720C using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Once you do, your hooked! You'll find yourself amidst whitetail season dreaming and planning your next elk hunt!


----------



## Slim1213

What a great adventure guys. One of the best write ups also. As scott said, elk hunting will test you both mentally and physically. It can be very rewarding and very humbling. Always something to learn. Ill have to post my adventure from colorado this year tonite. Would have sooner but didn't want to steal these guy's thunder.


----------



## Chuck

Great read! Congrats Tony on a real nice bull.

That's tough loosen one but it did look like a muscle hit and he will pry be fine. Those bulls are tough.

Just out of curiosity, could you have made a front head on shot? A lot of guys will take this shot on elk. Just be sure to really study where to aim. Your set up should have plenty of ke so that's not an issue. Extreme quarrying away shots on elk are tough there is a lot of animal to pen iterate. But looks like you hit in the right spot. Must have deflected off rib. 

You will get one next time!


----------



## SHOOTN4FUN

Wow fellas what an exciting hunt. Thanks for sharing I felt like I was there along side of you.

Paul


----------



## josheupmi

Great read Scott! 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## Huntmaster143

Chuck said:


> Just out of curiosity, could you have made a front head on shot? A lot of guys will take this shot on elk.


In this circumstance, yes if I would've been full draw the entire time and shot him when he stopped to bugle.


Inside 20 yards the frontal is probably the most offered shot for an elk. Its really important to know where to aim on the frontal if you are hunting solo.

I'd take that shot in a heart beat. Very effective.


Thanks to everyone for all of the positive comments!


----------



## RAck_Attack

Thank you both for taking us all along on your hunt. That was awesome.


----------



## Walleyed Ty

UGH!!!!!!!!!!

Great thread. Hate the ending. Man oh man..... Sounds like you guys had a great trip regardless of not recovering the second bull.

Thanks for sharing.


----------



## U of M Fan

Awesome read!!! Sucks that you guys didn't find your bull. All that effort, to not be able to find him, had to be tough. 

This was by far the best story/hunt that I have read on this forum. Congrats to you guys on a successful hunt.


----------



## QDMAMAN

Glad everyone enjoyed this as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you.


----------



## Patman75

Great read guys. I was clicked refresh every free moment I had hoping for an update. Not the ending I was expecting, but that is hunting. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## [email protected]

Great read fellas, Congrats Tony, and nothing to hang your head about Scott, nothing you can do but try again next year. Sounds like a wonderful trip


----------



## Huntmaster143

Here's a few other random pics that I thought some of you might like to see.

My pack with my bow loaded up how I would carry it when we were climbing hard or coming back down in the dark. I have used a Primos sling several times, but this worked great and I left the sling in camp after the first day out. Not sure I'll use one again with this setup.





The back of my truck loaded down with all of our gear on the trip back. We also had the hitch carrier with the big Icey-Tek on the back.




We also had the crew cab loaded down with just about as much gear...





All that gear and I only used what was in the stuff sack (excluding my vest and fleece) to hunt with the entire trip.




Here's the topo and blood tracking screen shot of the path the bull took after the shot.


----------



## kracker

How was the abundance of other game in that area? Deer, bear , wolf, mountain lion??


----------



## QDMAMAN

kracker said:


> How was the abundance of other game in that area? Deer, bear , wolf, mountain lion??


We saw plenty of moose and mule deer and even 3 speed goats near where Scott arrowed his bull. We saw zero bear, wolves, lions, or even coyotes however, we heard plenty of coyotes, not even sign.
There was a camp that was baiting bear nearby and Marvin and Marcus saw a very large chocolate phase black bear one night while glassing.
We were each carrying a wolf tag btw.
Oh, Scott saw a couple of whitetails one evening.


----------



## brushbuster

Would you guys say that you were entirely pleased with the area you picked?


----------



## QDMAMAN

brushbuster said:


> Would you guys say that you were entirely pleased with the area you picked?


Good question, and for obvious reasons, I was.
What should be the criteria for a "successful" hunt? In my view the presence of decent numbers of elk is foremost and the "opportunity" for bulls in the 300" realm (likely 5 yo +). Both of these boxes received an X. Again, we saw elk every day and bulls, 4 over 300", every day but 1.
Although one's perspective may change over time, I would give this area a good to excellent rating because it is probably one of the most heavily archery hunted units in Idaho, accessible and tags are OTC.
Keeping things in perspective, Scott read that archery success rates on elk are +-12% across the elk's range. Two flatlander deer hunters hunted 10 days in an area that neither of us had ever stepped foot in and had 100% shot opportunity with a 50% success rate.
I can tell you without equivocation that "most" of the hunters that I have encountered out there didn't exert the same amount of physical effort that Scott and I did, they may just be smarter, but we were very determined. When I went 2 years ago my extra effort produced a shot opportunity on day 4 while my BIL was walking a gravel road in the bottoms glassing, day 3 he made it half way up and decided to glass, day 2 he scouted another drainage on quad, and day one he kept up. He never got closer than a 1/2 mile from a branched antlered bull.
It won't make a bit of difference how many elk, or how big, if you go unprepared physically. The "luck factor" goes way up with preparedness, IMO!


----------



## QDMAMAN

The trip home only took 26 hours, probably because of a tail wind, because I wasn't speeding this time. :evil: The only deviation from our trip out was that we came back on 94 in Michigan from Indiana and took 80 all the way out from Toledo. MapQuest had them virtually the same for mileage.
We landed at Scotts and proceeded to unload everything and sort out his gear from mine and get some venison in his freezer, then I loaded up for the 2 hour drive to my place so I could unload all over again.


----------



## Tim.Ignatowski

Trophy's are made from the hunt itself and you two are both sporting huge ones from this particular trip. What a great story and one I envy oh so much. Congrats on what truly is a successful hunt for the both of you with of course the added bonus of at least one elk because I get the feeling that this would have been considered 'successful' even without it.


----------



## Huntmaster143

brushbuster said:


> Would you guys say that you were entirely pleased with the area you picked?


I was very pleased with the area considering that it is a OTC unit that has very high bow hunting numbers and is very easy to access overall.

Since I've only hunted three great units in the past, I had to make sure my expectations were kept in check knowing that I wasn't going to be seeing as many or as big of bulls as my past hunts. Without that mindset, I might've been unhappy. 

Looking back though, we were around six or seven 6 point bulls and 1 big 5 point in 9 days of hunting on OTC Public land. It would be hard to find any seasoned elk hunter that would not be pleased with that kind of action.

On one of my trips to the Gila in New Mexico, I hoofed around in the mountains for 10 days and never saw or heard an elk...so hunting a great unit can be tough as well. For contrast, last year I had bugling bulls within 100 yards for 10 days straight and passed up opportunities on a couple of shooter bulls. 

I started out this year, as I have for the past seven years, hopping to draw a great tag for a mountain animal in one of seven different western states. If I didn't draw this year, I planned on doing a OTC hunt for elk to get back in the elk woods, gain more hunting experience for my next great unit and hopefully find a decent place that I can elk hunt on years I don't draw a tag. 

I would say that since I didn't draw a great tag, this hunt fulfilled everyone of my goals for this year. Can you ask for anything more?


----------



## Skibum

Awesome hunt guys and incredible story telling. You really captured what a mountain hunt entails. There are so any obstacles, physical and mental, that are difficult to capture of you haven't been there. As tough as the physical challenges are it's mental and emotional toughness that makes or breaks a mountain hunter. It's hard pushing yourself day after day. I've seen hunters thoroughly beaten. You two did it right. What a great adventure. Well done and thank you for sharing. 


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


----------



## sNeAkYpEtE11

Thanks for sharing this awesome story. I read the entire thread today and I'm bummed it's over. Congrats to both of you on a great hunt. Sorry about the lack of recovery Scott. I would've taken that shot any day. And Tony way to get it done only 4 hours in! I have never met either of you guys, but I feel like I know you after this story. Thanks again


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## goodworkstractors

I sent this thread to two other people. Very fun read. Thanks for bringing us along.


----------



## QDMAMAN

Some of you may have seen this, it was recently posted by Donnie Vincent on his Fb page.
It expresses my exact sentiments about my experiences in the mountains, woods and fields and seems a fitting exclamation point to this story. 

_&#8220;I&#8217;m willing to invest in failure and I&#8217;m willing to invest in the physical nature of the archery hunt. For me these hunting expeditions aren&#8217;t vacations. It&#8217;s about pushing my mind and my body to the edge trying to be successful. But if I&#8217;m not, I hold my head high as I go out because I&#8217;ve spent everything."_ &#8211; Donnie Vincent

I can't speak for Scott but it has been fun reliving our adventure and sharing it here. Thank you for all of the public and private kudos you've shared.

If you have never hunted in the Rocky mountains, what are you waiting for?


----------



## EdB

I don't get on this forum much and just saw this, nice job on a great hunt, sounds like it was an awesome experience!


----------



## QDMAMAN

barnaby43 said:


> Have a great time out there, good luck and take it all in! I'm jealous there's nothing like the mountains. I'm thinking 2015.


You thought correctly! 
This will be epic!


----------



## barnaby43

That's funny,when I wrote that I didn't dream I would be joining you! Lots of work ahead but that's part of the fun!


----------



## Huntmaster143

Thanks for the bump Tony!! I just reread the last few pages... Still hurts reading the shot and tracking part! 

Have fun this year guys!! I won't be able to text much from my unit in WY, but I'll have access to the internet and will keep in touch to see how your hunt is going.

What dates are you guys going?


----------



## QDMAMAN

Huntmaster143 said:


> Thanks for the bump Tony!! I just reread the last few pages... Still hurts reading the shot and tracking part!
> 
> Have fun this year guys!! I won't be able to text much from my unit in WY, but I'll have access to the internet and will keep in touch to see how your hunt is going.
> 
> What dates are you guys going?


Heading out Wednesday the 16th and returning Sunday the 27th!
I started an _Idaho 2015_ thread already.


----------



## QDMAMAN

barnaby43 said:


> That's funny,when I wrote that I didn't dream I would be joining you! Lots of work ahead but that's part of the fun!


 
Well here's hoping it doesn't turn in to a nightmare! :lol::lol::lol:


----------

