in 1998, i had just switched jobs, and i was in training for my new one. i found out i only had 4 days to hunt elk. being just out of college, i hadnt really gotten to hunt elk much as of yet, just a few days here and there through high school and college. anyway, i had drawn, had basically no time, and was sorta bummed. it was a hot september, and the bulls werent saying much. however, on that first morning, it was cooler and foggy...seemed like a good morning. i was going to hunt a place called tillets hole, in the wyoming high country, but when i was dropped off above it, i realized that the wind was blowing directly into it. i would have to hunt the next basin over. that was cool, i was walking the finger between the 2, and i had no more than decided to hunt the long park drainage when i heard a bugle from in there. wow, that worked. i proceeded to drop off on the tillets side to get the wind right, and moved around.
when i got to where i could see the upper parks, i could see a herd, with a decent 6x6 which was making all the racket.i snuck in close to where i thought they might go to bed, and got ready to call. however, i found that to be impossible since i had left my call in camp. oh well, spot and stalk was always my forte, id sneak in on em in their beds. just into the trees i bumped a 5 point, but he didnt booger, just walked toward where the herd was. bumping him made me slow down, and after 100 yards or so i knew i was right there. his bugling had kept me locked into their location. there was a slight ridge they were below, and i snuck over, and with my binos i spotted him, that 5 point from earlier, some cows and a couple spikes. lots of elk. i was within 60. some were bedded, some were moving about. i eased closer, almost got a shot at that damn 5 point as he fed through a shooting lane, but he was gone too quick. i eased on. a spike and 2 cows moved by me at about 15 yards, but didnt give me a shot. got to within a good range of the big guy, but he decided to get up and move a bit. in playing cat and mouse with him, i got pretty close to that damn 5 point, which i had forgot about, but thankfully he didnt see me. no shot either. i had elk on 3 sides of me now, the only side with no elk was where the breeze was blowing...what luck. finally i manuvered within 35 yards of the nice bull, and he turned broadside. i couldnt tell where i hit, he was in a shadow and i just couldnt see it, but it felt good. the herd slowly moved away, and i thought i had heard my bull fall. they really moved away when i was looking for blood. couldnt find any, he was slightly downhill of me when i shot. i figured id go get the guys. went to mark my trail, and realized my trail tape was laying with my elk calls..... used my arrows keeping a line of sight from one to the other, (between the 2nd and 3rd arrows i thought i smelled him, but couldnt see him) and when i ran out of arrows, i used my camo coat, hat, and a white sock, which worked, by the time i got to the sock i was on long park, and knew the way. damn good thing i didnt have to mark further, id have been naked. got my dad, bro, and a buddy and we went back in. found the bull about 15 yards from my 3rd arrow, behind a deadfall. although he was the herd bull in a good bull area, he was about a 270 class animal.

i will never forget the words my brother said when he rounded a tree and first saw him, "nice bull, brad"

damn that was fun.