Here we go again!

Well, I haven't done a post for a while now, but I want to keep it going. I should have done more on the story of my hunt, but just never could find the time. I am still going to try and tell as much of it as I can remember before I forget it all.

The reason I am starting this blog up again is because we get to re-live this whole experience again this year!! We just found out yesterday that my Dad drew the same tag I had last year!! We are so excited to try again. Hopefully we can find him a big one. That was my biggest regret from my hunt last year was that he was not there on kill day. He wont miss it this year!

I will try and keep updated on everything we do for his hunt as well. These are the kind of things you never want to forget!

More pictures

This is the same area that I ended up killing my bull. This was Monday morning with Steven, and Brandon. We had just got back to the 4 wheelers. We got into elk there, just couldn't get a shot at the bull.


The boys came up on Monday night and went with us. It was the only time we didn't get into elk.


Me and the super guide!! It was so fun to have Travis there with us when we killed!


We had to get a picture on the steps of the deck!


This topped off the whole trip! They had so much fun coming up with us to pack out the bull. Parker was more excited for all the meat than he was for the horns. They were also loving the horse ride.




This is where the bullet was lodged in the opposite shoulder! The 210 grain slugged worked to perfection. He didn't go 5 feet after I shot!!

Got it done!

Here is a picture of my bull.


I will post more pictures and the story as soon as life settles down a little, and I get some spare time.

In short the hunt was a BLAST, we hunted hard for seven days, and created memories that will last a lifetime!

Its here!

Well the time has finally arrived! I am working until 1:00 tomorrow, then heading up and not coming back until the hunt is over or a bull is dead.

For the next week and a half I will be hunting hard and hopefully shooting straight.

If all goes well this will end sometime soon and life can get back to normal....I think.

I have a lot of emotions going through my head right now. I am so excited, but nervous at the same time. I cant think about anything else. I cant focus at work, and I think my wife thinks I have lost my mind. Its all I ever talk about.

There is a lot of pressure that goes along with drawing one of these tags. All those years of putting in, and all those people that will be there helping me. I don't want to let them or myself down.

There has been talk of a lot of elk being seen this week, and they are starting to rut pretty hard. I should have a lot of help with family and friends looking in different locations. So there should be plenty of options for places to go.

Just stay calm, and be patient. That's what I need to keep telling myself.

I guess all I can hope for is to have fun. We will make memories that will last a lifetime.

This will be my last post before heading up, and hopefully my next one will have pictures of my bull! I was going to try and do posts while up hunting, but the wireless Internet cards wont work at the cabin.

So until next time say a little prayer for me and cross those fingers!!!!

HERE WE GO!!

1 week to go!

Holy crap its getting close, I am starting to get nervous!

I went out on Saturday morning, and got into some elk! Had bulls bugling all around me. It was great. Again, I didn't see any of them. They wouldn't come out of the thick stuff, and I wasn't going to push them out. It is definitely a place I will be going back to. Lots of elk!!


This is where the walking trail starts. Very pretty area.


I found this good wallow that the elk have been using. Another place to keep an eye on.


Oh welcome back fall, how I have missed you so!! See the small patch of yellow leaves on the quakie tree. It sure felt like fall. 23 degrees when I unloaded the 4-wheeler!

Finally got out and shot my backup gun yesterday. My Browning 270. I am going to take it to just in case.

This is how it shot @ 100 yards.

This is @ 300 yards. The bottom one is before I moved it up. Then shot the next 2. I guess that will kill an elk!!

Tonight Lane and I went out and shot the 300 mag for the last time. He reloaded a bunch more bullets, and we thought we better try it one more time.

WOW, that gun is amazing!!

We ranged a rock that was 713 yards away. I turned the turret to 710, and blew the rock to pieces! I guess I cant blame a miss on the gun!

I have 51 bullets left. Hopefully I come home with 50!

First Bugle!

I finally heard my first bugle on Friday night! I decided to start looking down low, and went on a ride in the rose meadow area. I wasn't out for more than 10 minutes when I spotted 4 cows,and a spike.

I watched them go over a ridge then hiked in after them. When I got into the canyon they were in there was 2 bulls bugling back and forth at each other. It was awesome! It got me really excited. I just sat there and listened to them until dark. I didn't ever get to see them because they were in thick cedar trees.

There seems to be alot of elk in that area, so now I have an area to focus on for a couple days.

Only 2 weeks to go!!

Three strikes!

Had a great weekend of scouting, but all I did was eliminate places where there was no elk. Went out 3 different times to 3 different locations, and no elk. Still got some good wheeler rides in, and some good hikes.

Glassing down into Prater Canyon. Nothing there yet, but probably will be when my hunt starts.

Dad and I went on a good hike up Pelican Canyon on Saturday night, and did find a few fresh elk rubs.

This is what is all about anyway, right. Getting out with family, and enjoying the outdoors. Only 18 days to go!