So far

[Lefty]

Julie was to get off at work at 5, somehow she showed up an hour earlier and we are on our way to camp, we spotted some mule deer and off she went chasing deer. We parked the truck and ran up the trail then made a couple of calling stands without any response.
Since were in grizzly country we were heading up the trail at crack of light. On the 6th calling stand Julie heard some cows and a couple of bulls. We went after them but never found them. Then it became miserably hot. We made the choice to head up into some thicker Grizzly country absolutely no hunters or camps, no cows no sheep. Just the wood cutters. At 5:30 we got a reply bugles from a bull that would not budge from his location. We knew we were close maybe 250 yards from the bull, then sent Julie to get in front to set up she jumped a little five by five she within 40 yards, the bull bounced off stopped at 80 yards to look back to my call calling.
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500 bugs, too funny my daughter just said how much do you think they want for that rac on the wall I said five hundred bucks not bugs we're sitting at a restaurant with WiFi the little five by five they want $700 modern on a piece of quakie now back to the rest of the story.####

After a half hour it was apparent the bull was moving towards us Julie setup downwind of me I saw white tips coming from a little bit different direction than we expected I let Julie know the bull was coming and I took off running his Direction. A huge body and big racked five by five stopped at 34 yards and I pulled off my normal routine and shot High. The ball took off and started bugling back for the next hour and a half, we dogged the bull The Bull kept going down deeper in the canyon and I felt it was really important to get out of there before Pitch Black and the bull just kept diving down deeper and deeper .

A really a great day and a good experience of course this morning coming into town Julie had to chase after some Mulie's.

[LarryBud]

Nice report Lefty.

Your getting me pumped!

[Lefty]

Wow what a weekend.
Sunday morning after heading into town for gas and to attend church; the smoke in the valley from all the fires in Montana was terrible, visibility was less than 10 miles. Back in the mountains for an afternoon nap a bugle awoke us both, a few more bugles from the bull and we headed up after him. We came in soft, mostly glassing and calling away from the area we expected he was bedded in. We back out and have made a plan for the evening. In the mean-time we took a Sunday drive, interrupted by deer sightings that Julie just had to go after.She set her personal shooting distance limit at 30 yards and never had a shot she wanted to take at that range.

We hike up 500 foot of elevation and nearly 3/4 mile in from the truck. We were going to give the bull first chance to start talking.

The my pet -peeve. Guys on an ATV driving into the area. Julie and I quickly set up. I wanted to bugle before they shut off the ATV.
I was in the middle of the bugle when they shut off their engine. We dont hear a response from the bull so we distanced ourselves from the location and the other hunters. 800 yards away We make another set up. After the first bugle an immediate terrible sounding cow mew. Nobody would call if they sounded that terrible , would they?. Minutes later I bugle a gain. The same single mew. My daughter looks back at me shakes her head and stands up. I motioned for her to stay. Ran over a ridge and began a good imitation of a herd of cows and calves moving away. I move back towards Julie, she points towards the other hunters, I cant see them and we slip away.
We then moved 3/4 mile, dropped in a canyon. made a few more calling stops and circle the area we suspected the other hunters to be.We passed where they drove on a closed fence two track. Julies spotted a couple little bucks and was after them. she peaked around a tree,.. (yep didnt listen to dad, glass through the tree). busted.
As we were leaving the area we spotted the culprits trucks who drove in illegally. I put an ATV/ ORV trails map under their windshield. If I get around to it I may call his local CO to talk to him.
3:00AM I wake up , tears rolling out of both eyes, my nose and throat burning. The moon a dark orange orb in the sky.
We never did see the sun the first few hours, at times visibility was less than four miles. I was ready to head home.
We bumped more deer from their beds. Sometime around 9:00, fresh pee, urine still on top of the dirt. I told Julie to move in front of me as 6 cows and calves are watching us just 50 yards away busted.

400 yards from the truck, "Bucks"
My daughter restates " Two bucks"

Me " Nock and arrow!"

"They're not moving"

Me " Are they to far away"

"They aren't moving"

I just figure they are too far, they both stand up at 25 and 30 yards and bounce off
Wow what is this place going to be during deer season. We saw 15 little bucks, a couple forkies and a bunch of small 3's and 4x4s all under 60 yards that would have been easy with a rifle

Tore a tire apart on the way home. Some young fellow pulled over and gave us the spare to his van. I ll return the tire to his brother and include a gift certificate to a local grocery store in his area.

Great hunt




.

[Roosiebull]

no elk season is complete without some sort of forces working against us thanks for the read and keep up the good work!

[Lefty]

no elk season is complete without some sort of forces working against us thanks for the read and keep up the good work!

The more mistakes I make the more I learn
I will say it was fun dogging the bull I missed for a couple hours.

[Roosiebull]

no elk season is complete without some sort of forces working against us thanks for the read and keep up the good work!

The more mistakes I make the more I learn
I will say it was fun dogging the bull I missed for a couple hours.

Story of my season so far

You are very correct, the woods are my favorite place to be humbled.