Day One

The first day was met with great anticipaction. The am drive into the cold pitch dark 11K foot mountains made our trigger finger stiff. The opening of the first gate got the addrenaline flowing, as we knew it was time to begin,,, look and listen, look and listen, our serch for Elk. 20 minutes after the first gate we came to our first park, still pitch dark we rolled down the windows and the crisp fall air rush in. We were here to listen and we imeadiately began hearing bugaling far off in the distance.

After search in several revines we finaly got to were they were close enough to get a peak at them. On top of a bluff and peering down, out and across about 800 yards away there they were. This first goup had 9 Bulls and saveral cows. The biggest one a 6x6 with nice splits "points number 5 and 6. The rakers the guide said would have gone easily 12 inches... This bulll started after a cow up the hill and quickly was out of site.

Then on the very side of the canyon we sat came a thunderous sound towards us. It was nother herd of Elk heading towards the herd we were watching. Out of the brush 75 yards away came 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cows followed immediately by large bull. Fortunately or unfortunately this bull never stopped running so we never realy got a good feel for what he would have scored but we all felt he was 300 plus, easily. If this was not the first day and the first close bull, one of us would have shot at it.

At the end of this day, sun already down on the drive back Dad and I saw a bull running after a bunch of cows,,, he would chase a cow that was in heat then fall down on all four form exhustion and rest. He looked to have great splits. We watch him for about 30 minutes till to go to dark, since it was the first day no need to rush things we left them alone!

The next day was totaly different, in the morning it was very slow we didnt hear any bugaling nor did we see many animals. We did come across some groups of great bucks, the largest group was i believe 21 buck in one group, see below. When we got in the other hunters also said they didnt hear of see very much... Everyone seem alittle paniced due to the lack of animals we saw and heard,,, as were we.

The PM hunt was even slower,,, think both of us were concerned that maybe we should have pulled the trigger on some animals that we passed up the day before. But At end of this night on the drive down we came across the same bull we had seen the night before. The sun was already down and getting darker by the minute. He did have great splits on the back and I said I'm thinking about shooting him. With that dad said lets go, we started off down the small hill to where he was, in the bottom of the creek. When we first used the rang finder on him he was about 110 yrds. Then we moved in closer but he spoooked a bit and climbed out of the wallow to the rim. Stood straight on to us,,, i wouldnt have liked taking this shot. Then he turned broad side to us. I was about 3 feet away from dad and could see that he was shaking as he was kneeling in a very akward position. I had already sat down on my butt and put my cross hairs on the animal and knew I could locate him quickly. I was just getting ready to lean over onto dad to stabalize his body when he busted out a shot. You could hear the hit,,, but the animal started trotting away with its head up... I heard dad trying to chamber another bullet,,, I put my gun up on the animal and said "do you want me to shoot!". Dad said shoot it!!! I took a shot and the animal immediately feel to the ground. The guide said you didnt need to do that he was not going far... When we got the animal back to the skinning shed the crew pulled off the skin and the first shot was in the brisket, it never entered the Rib cage!!! This animal was NOT going to stopped running any time soon had the 2nd shot not been taken. Frankly in my oppinion we wouldnt have found the animal because it was not a vital shot... Hind site, dad and I were glad the 2nd shot was taken. When we got to the animal it was almost completely dark but it was a very nice animal. I grabbed the horns and thought these are bigger than what we thought. This animal scored 312, at least 20 points greater than any of us expected.