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The end of the hunt

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The end of the hunt

Postby Lefty » 10 01, 2017 •  [Post 1]

How did the last hours of your hunt end. Yes I know not all seasons have even started however yesterday was our last day.
Did you fill the freezer?
Put horns on the wall?
Some great days in elk country?
or good times with family and friends!

Every Saturday we were on bugling bulls( and some quiet ones too!)

The last hours of our season was spent following a cow into a herd with a nice 6x6 who was too busy chasing another bull and cows around. Unfortunately we didnt know he was there until sunset
So the evening grer darker on the big bull, knowing we didn't have time to get above the bull and to be completely down wind.
And nearly two hour hike out, downhill on a decent trail.What a fantastic series of Saturday hunts!!
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Re: The end of the hunt

Postby Roosiebull » 10 01, 2017 •  [Post 2]

I'm sure you read how my final hours went, but the whole season was awesome, it was a tough one, with the most relentless messy wind, but I took more away from this season than any I remember. I got to hunt 13 days straight, my wife was awesome and supportive as always, it will be one I remember VIVIDLY.

I think there were only 4 days of the whole season I wasn't in the woods, I had some awesome hunts with buddies.

I am not proud of how it went down with my bull, but at the same time, I was blessed with no wasted meat, no real issues, just another lesson in humility.

This may have been my favorite season, it was just so complex, I got my monies worth out of this season (always do)

I just feel blessed I was able to experience the season as I did.
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Re: The end of the hunt

Postby Roosiebull » 10 01, 2017 •  [Post 3]

Now on to blacktail!!!

It opened yesterday and I am at work, but that's ok, I will get plenty of time, but I really love chasing blacktail
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Re: The end of the hunt

Postby Fridaythe13th » 10 01, 2017 •  [Post 4]

It was a wonderful night. I sat in a meadow that we seen a nice 6x6 and a couple of cows come out in the night before. As shooting time dwindled I decided to walk the edge since I couldn't see most of the meadow. As I cleared a grove of aspen a bear and 2 cubs took off running less than 40 yards away. The cubs were gone fast but mom stopped and check out what I was doing. No elk that night.
We did well 2 bulls down should of had 3, could of had 4. Woulda, shoulda, coulda. I'll take 2 for 5 any day.
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Re: The end of the hunt

Postby Navesgane » 10 01, 2017 •  [Post 5]

I had another great season- called in 6 different bulls, drew back on two but for one reason or another just couldn't get a clean shot being the caller & shooter. Took a cow on the last weekend.
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Re: The end of the hunt

Postby six » 10 07, 2017 •  [Post 6]

Spent 2 hours last day eve listening to 5 bugling bulls while I was trying to drift off to sleep. I kept thinking what a good problem to have. I woke up a couple of times during the night to close bugling. The last day was spent chasing bulls and calling in two spikes within range. One to 10 yards. We packed up camp at 3 pm and were on the road to Michigan by 5:30.
Elk are where you find em...
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Re: The end of the hunt

Postby six » 10 07, 2017 •  [Post 7]

Roosiebull wrote: I got my monies worth out of this season (always do)


Me too (always do)
Elk are where you find em...
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Re: The end of the hunt

Postby Swede » 10 07, 2017 •  [Post 8]

The end of a hunt always brings many mixed emotions for me. I was pleased to have taken a small bull in Idaho and very happy to be going home to see my wife. She is a great blessing to me and I am happy with her. Still after forty days in the elk woods, I had a melancholy feeling about leaving. Those hunting days are cherished. Life is never stationary. Sometimes it is too hot, and sometimes I shiver in my stand waiting for hours and days and weeks for an elk that does not want to show up for me, but they are all a joy.
I guess it is knowing that it will be nearly eleven months before I am back to hunt. maybe it is wondering how long of a string am I holding for future hunts. Still, I am already talking with my son Oly about a 2018 scouting trip, and a late season foray into the woods. It is just not the same.
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Re: The end of the hunt

Postby Roosiebull » 10 09, 2017 •  [Post 9]

Swede wrote: It is just not the same.

that is the truth, though extends an extra month for me chasing deer...the rest of the year i'm in the woods a bunch, mainly calling for lions, but it's not the same as chasing roosies and blacktails...something feels very purposeful in the fall with a deer or elk tag in the pocket, and I cannot put my finger on the extent of it, but it sure is a beautiful thing.

I also learned another lesson "again" this year...if you stop a bull, you better have a clear and close shot. the bull I ended up killing, 6 days prior, I stopped him with a cow call at 31yds, it was a steep quartering away shot, and with my level of composure at the time, I wasn't comfortable with the steep angle. had I let him walk through my shooting window, I likely could have set back up and had another shot at him unaware. if you stop a bull, they usually see you and are close to bolting, so you have that working against you too.....you set yourself up for a hurried shot opportunity, close and wide open, broadside, no big deal...30+yds at a funky angle is a bad situation...potentially.
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