A couple of weeks ago while hiking up hill, i stopped for a breather. Taking my time i studied the contour lines on the GPS to try and decide how i was going to navigate back to the truck, without retracing my steps, and without having to struggle with cliffs. Of a sudden two bulls much the same as the two in the photo appeared just above me on the same trail walking directly toward me. They were a tad less grown than those two in the photo, but both were definite branch antlered bulls, as are those bulls. Too bad i was standing right out in the open, other wise they would have passed near close enough to touch; the breeze was just right.

When the lead saw me, he was maybe 15 yard away, and he stopped. I was able to get my rifle off my shoulder, and count coup on him about 3 times, before he bolted away. He stopped about 40 yard away, and studied me some more. Some more i counted coup on him with my rifle. When the wind shifted they ran up over the ridge, and i never saw them again.

Walking up that little drainage isn't something i planned to do when i left the truck, it just happened.