Jamie Black R/T
CGN Regular
- Location
- God's Country, AB
After two days in camp trying to bowhunt in between rain showers we had seen minimal elk but the sign was promising and my brother and I had a game plan for the rifle opening.
Sept 17 we were up at 4 and quickely on the quad to travel the mile and a half to where we wanted to start walking in from. Nice and early and off the quad well before the one hour before sunrise rule.
we had a bite to eat at the quad and listened to the deep spine tingling howl of a big ole wolf a mile or so away.
about 45 minutes before first shot we started walking. We only had about three quarters of a mile to go before the ridge where we wanted to start working the calls.
200 yards in a cow busts out in front of us. We freeze. Then a small fork horned bull. He stands there at 80 yards looking at us. Not enough points. And too early as well. Why are the non legal bulls always so dumb??
The elk move off without a bark. Thankfully. We keep on hiking. Things are falling into place. Every time we need to cross a bog that would make a ton of noise a huge flock of geese would come off the river and cover up our travel nicely.
We get to ridge and its now ten minutes into legal shooting time. Before i can even let out a call we hear a bugle across the valley on the opposite ridge.
We spread out and start with some cow talk back and forth and get the occasional bugle out of the bull across the valley but he doesnt seem to be moving. I didnt think we could suck him across but it was worth a try.
Just as im thinking to move on a bull starts just a screaming behind us and i can hear him crashing his way towards us. We slow down the calling and quiet up as he is charging towards us. Just in time for a loser on a Can Am 800 to come roaring down the trail. He stops. Shuts the quad off. Stands up and bugles through what looked like a vacuum hose. Sits down and waits about 30 seconds.....then fires up the quad and leaves.....he was 15 yards from me and never knew i was there....if you are reading this Can Am guy...your license plate number was called in and you should expect a call from a CO soon.
So utterly disgusted with this and the fact that the bull that was coming in obviously shut up. We grabbed a seat on a log and discussed game plans for the rest of the morning. We decided to let things cool off for a bit and try again in the same spot since it was looking to be productive.
so after a half hour we spread out again and start some sultry cow talk. We kept that up for almost an hour off and on. No response. Not from the bull that was interupted by the quad and not from the bull across the valley. I admit i gave up first. I got up and walked over the 50 yards to where my brother was and he stopped calling.
We stood there and i said that quad screwed us up too bad for this area. I said "you wanna head east or west?"
Just then a single branch broke behind us on the slope down into the valley. I turned and quickely shouldered my rifle and could see ivory tips right away. Counted four points on one side and was sold already. This is the bull from across the valley. He had made the 3-4 mile trek completely silently. He walked straight at us with the wind at HIS back and turned broadside for me at 10 yards. His shouler and head were behind a tree but I had a 8" gap before the next tree and could sneak one into the boiler room.
The guide gun barked and and he jumped and turned downhill instantly. We stood totally silent listening and within 10 seconds heard him crash...and roll....and roll.........and roll LOL
Bull down!!
god i love Alberta. Took us almost five hours to extract him from that valley wall but them are the lumps we take to chase elk!
heres some pics. sorry for the long winded story. Ive eaten 5 tags to finally nail this guy so to say i was excited is an understatement.
Sept 17 we were up at 4 and quickely on the quad to travel the mile and a half to where we wanted to start walking in from. Nice and early and off the quad well before the one hour before sunrise rule.
we had a bite to eat at the quad and listened to the deep spine tingling howl of a big ole wolf a mile or so away.
about 45 minutes before first shot we started walking. We only had about three quarters of a mile to go before the ridge where we wanted to start working the calls.
200 yards in a cow busts out in front of us. We freeze. Then a small fork horned bull. He stands there at 80 yards looking at us. Not enough points. And too early as well. Why are the non legal bulls always so dumb??
The elk move off without a bark. Thankfully. We keep on hiking. Things are falling into place. Every time we need to cross a bog that would make a ton of noise a huge flock of geese would come off the river and cover up our travel nicely.
We get to ridge and its now ten minutes into legal shooting time. Before i can even let out a call we hear a bugle across the valley on the opposite ridge.
We spread out and start with some cow talk back and forth and get the occasional bugle out of the bull across the valley but he doesnt seem to be moving. I didnt think we could suck him across but it was worth a try.
Just as im thinking to move on a bull starts just a screaming behind us and i can hear him crashing his way towards us. We slow down the calling and quiet up as he is charging towards us. Just in time for a loser on a Can Am 800 to come roaring down the trail. He stops. Shuts the quad off. Stands up and bugles through what looked like a vacuum hose. Sits down and waits about 30 seconds.....then fires up the quad and leaves.....he was 15 yards from me and never knew i was there....if you are reading this Can Am guy...your license plate number was called in and you should expect a call from a CO soon.
So utterly disgusted with this and the fact that the bull that was coming in obviously shut up. We grabbed a seat on a log and discussed game plans for the rest of the morning. We decided to let things cool off for a bit and try again in the same spot since it was looking to be productive.
so after a half hour we spread out again and start some sultry cow talk. We kept that up for almost an hour off and on. No response. Not from the bull that was interupted by the quad and not from the bull across the valley. I admit i gave up first. I got up and walked over the 50 yards to where my brother was and he stopped calling.
We stood there and i said that quad screwed us up too bad for this area. I said "you wanna head east or west?"
Just then a single branch broke behind us on the slope down into the valley. I turned and quickely shouldered my rifle and could see ivory tips right away. Counted four points on one side and was sold already. This is the bull from across the valley. He had made the 3-4 mile trek completely silently. He walked straight at us with the wind at HIS back and turned broadside for me at 10 yards. His shouler and head were behind a tree but I had a 8" gap before the next tree and could sneak one into the boiler room.
The guide gun barked and and he jumped and turned downhill instantly. We stood totally silent listening and within 10 seconds heard him crash...and roll....and roll.........and roll LOL
Bull down!!
god i love Alberta. Took us almost five hours to extract him from that valley wall but them are the lumps we take to chase elk!
heres some pics. sorry for the long winded story. Ive eaten 5 tags to finally nail this guy so to say i was excited is an understatement.
