I finally had time to post some pics of my bull I shot back on Sept 13 th.
I was hunting in unit 231 on a DIY hunt. We have been hunting this area for a few years and we always seem to get into elk but for some reason the last 3 years we have had a rough time getting one killed, not that there was no elk but just couldn't get the shots . Last year I drew my bow 3 times on 3 different bulls and could not get the shots same with my 2 longtime hunting partners we were getting close but could not close the deal .
So this year I was hunting in a ways right at 3 - 4 miles from the trail head ran into a group of elk and to my surprise 9 spikes and 3 cow with 2 calves so being hungry for elk meat I was taking a cow if I could get the shot, dog them for hours in downed timber from first light to the time they bed down needless to say to many eyes to get close . By the time I got back to trail head it was dark and I had broke one of the major no no's of hunting in high altitude I didn't take enough water and left my pump at camp so I was a little dehydrated and not feeling so well.
So the next day I hunted close to camp and took it easy . The following morning I was headed back to where I had seen spikes and cows and took a one of my friends up with me thinking middle of Sept and there should be at least a small bull running with that bunch. So we eased our way up the mountain and got to where I had ran into the elk the two days before and my buddy steps on a limb and snap as loud as you can snap a limb. Out of reaction I hit my cow call and a bull bugles not 100yds away.
We quickly set up with me up front an here comes some cows as I'm shedding my day pack (with my water pump in it) I get an arrow on the rest and looked up at 2 cows at 40 yds . My friend hits his cow call and bull bugles again the cows move off to my left and I can see bull horns once in awhile when he turns his head .
The bull would not budge with just cow calls so my buddy hit his bugle and all got quite though he was gone. Public ground bulls just don't respond well sometimes so my buddy started walking away breaking limbs and cow calling then stopped and grabbed a limb and started beating up a small pine .
The bull cut loose with a bugle and grunts , he was pissed and came in sight and holly buckets he was a good one still weary he stopped at 42 yards and he looked back the other way and I let the arrow fly . I couldn't of made a better shot and I fell to the ground from a kneeling position exhausted from the action . The bull went about 60 yards and piled up .
Then the packing begins 9 loads of meat 1 load of hide and horns. Did not lose an once of meat to spoilage and we in 3.5 miles and highs were in the 70s took everything out on our backs . That is another story about good friends who are dedicated to the hunt and don't blink an eye about the task at hand!
This is by far my best bull and on public ground from an OTC unit I'm still pumped about it. You can kill good bulls in OTC units just get in and hunt hard.
The last pic is a bull from same general area my buddy shot in 2006
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My 2010 Co. Archery Bull
