This bull was killed spot and stalk. I kill almost all my bulls doing that. I located this bull on the way to our spike camp location about 4 miles from the truck. He had 22 cows. We named him 320 bull. A half asses attempt on way in pushed bull and cows up around ridge and my partner and I continued to our area and set camp. That night he went after a nice 6x7 bull about 305 we think and I went back to look for this bull. I located about 50 yards down from a very steep ridge with his cows and he was just rutting hard doing what bulls do in mid september. I was going to come over the back side of ridge sneak over and get him, but 8 cows cam running from across the drainage and cut my path off. Now the bull has 30 some cows. It is late, I decidede to let them be not push them out and go after in morning.
Next day Jake went his way, and I went back towards mr. 320. they had moved a bit from the night before, so I began going down that ridge they were on staying on. Jake was bugling in a drainage locating a few bulls and doing this got my bull to bugle. I came in quiet. The bull bugled again after a few other bulls started bugling. from the night before the elk just went over the other side of ridge and were only about 150 yards from evening before. I snuck to top of saddle and could see the tops of his antlers walking about 50 yards down from the ridge. I backed up, nocked my arrow, eased to the top, they started to get nervous, and began walking towards timber. I cow called to stop, he did, I put 40 yard pin where it needed and the rest is history. he went like 150 hards, and fell another 80-100 yards tumbling and rolling before stopping in the shade and under a tree.
This bull did not leave blood. I found my arrow, pass through, and dry tracked him. I saw where he started to fall. I get down to bull and my heart stopped a bit when he lost most of his right side. So I started up the hill and found the broken antlers. Lucky! Got Jake did some pics, and began boning out bull. I shot him at 8am on the 17th and we had him in my cooler by noon the 18th.
We headed back in and hunted till the 21st. My buddy killed a nice bull on the afternoon of the 21st.
His bull scores 297. This bull bugled and he snuck in silent and shot him at 62 yards. I stayed high on ridge not moving, doing so the bull didn't feel need to grab cows and leave. I bugled every few minutes and Jake moved fast and quiet, located and killed his bull.
It was a great hunt. Jake and I just go where there is not many people. Did hear wolves, never saw them, saw more elk in 2012, then I have in a while, more specifically, big bulls. Saw a few in the 340+ range and just some toads. Can't wait till next year