Persistance Pays!!!

I arrived in Williams to some rainy weather on Monday prior to the hunt to get some scouting in. I was afraid to get the camper stuck so I parked and set up camp in the National Forest there to scout the road conditions prior to dragging the tow hauler into a situation that would leave me stuck on the side of the road. My intuition paid off as the roads were pretty trashed and still needed a day or so to dry out.

After checking my cameras and seeing some good bulls,

I was positive that that opening day would be hot…… Boy was I wrong!

When Ronnie arrived a couple of days later, it was go time. We glassed up a great 6x7 370 plus bull the day before opener and they were bugling well too. Lots of 340’s in the mix as well. On our way in to check that bull at first light, we were into bugles and got 30 yards from another great bull, but he wouldn’t show himself enough to determine his bone size. A truck ended up spoiling that moment so we pressed on. Day after day, we pressed on through the rain and mud only to be greeted with very few bugles and zero rut activity. Ronnie kept me positive by continuing to say “Persistence Pays” and not to worry because “you’re going to kill a good bull Bravo, I guarantee it”.

We had the good fortune of meeting a guy a few camps down from us that had been into bugles and almost had a shot at a monster bull we later dubbed “Bucket”. Shawn was gracious enough to let us join him in the area he had located these elk and said they were bugling in the mornings. After chasing some bulls with him and locating Bucket again, we kept at it. Shawn and I both passed a shot at a 330 class bull that had great tops but short thirds and a short G2. Thanks Ronnie for telling me to pass this bull!



As the hunt progressed the pressure started to set in as I had passed on a chance at a 360 class bull earlier in the hunt and also on the 330 class bull. Ronnie and I refocused our efforts with RNH member GMARC who was camped about 30 min north of us on a growler we located at night via the bugle-locate method. Luck would have it; we were right on him at first light. First, I gotta tell you what a bro GMARC is for stepping back and working that soft cow mew he does to get the bulls going. The bull came straight in and busted him and moved off, but Ronnie and I were hot on his trail. I had the bull facing me at 38 yards in some really thick stuff and couldn’t get a look at his horns or weave an arrow through the branches when he turned broadside so I elected to hold off. He moved back to his bed and that was it.

That afternoon we decided to move to a waterhole out in antelope country just north-west of where we had been hunting to check a spot Ronnie and I had located some good bugling action a few days prior. “This was it, these bulls had to hit water and they were up early”, I thought. Just as we set the blind up, a call came in over the radio with a frantic Cowboy Outfitters saying “Get in the blind you have a big bull coming in”. Jumping in the blind in a fury of ripping windows open and adjusting chairs, we waited……. No more than 8 minutes passed when the bull came in on the opposite side of where I could shoot. After a frantic readjustment, I was on my knees waiting for my opportunity to present itself. The bull drank for what seemed like an eternity as GMARC rattled off a checklist of things to do to ensure success; my only reply was “yup” to all of his checks. I was in the zone. The bull finally turned broadside and began splashing the mud and water all over as I came to full draw. I split my 30 and 40 yard pins for the 34 yard range the GMARC had given and waited. The bull stopped splashing and stuck his horns in the mud and I released my arrow. THWACK, SMASH, CLANK is all I heard as the bull lifted his head to the sound. I asked, “Did I miss?” GMARC said, “No bro, you hit him, I heard the whack”. The bull quickly stepped out of the water and stood for a moment before flinching and trotting off and we saw the blood spot materialize tight behind the shoulder. “You smoked him Bravo, you smoked him!” GMARC said excitedly and began roughing me up! All I could say is, was it a good hit? I was still in shock of how it went down and didn’t really know what was coming out of my mouth at that point. I was so in the zone in crunch time I didn’t get the fever or even bother looking at the horns. The only thing I noticed when I was at full draw was the tips of his 5th and 6th points. GMARC asked me how big you think he was and my only reply was “320 maybe”. He said “no bro, way bigger”. GMARC quickly got on the radio to Ronnie to see if he saw the bull go down and his reply was, “he went down to the water somewhere around there, has he not come in yet?” “No bro, Bravo smoked him did you see him go down?” Ronnie flipped and came running down to greet us. When Ronnie arrived onsite, I ran to grab my arrow to see the damage……NO BLOOD!! OH NO!!!! I started to trip out as Ronnie filmed the events. As we crested a rise in the hill, I saw antlers 40 yards out and took off in a sprint. I couldn’t believe how big the horns got as I approached. What a great bull!!
I could have never imagined my first tag would have landed me such a great trophy. This really was a dream come true and the hunt of my life! What made it even more special were the great sportsmen I had the privilege and honor to have shared the hunt with. Ronnie, Gary (gmarc), Joe, James, Dennis, and Shawn were my hunting buddies on this hunt and great camp mates indeed! I’d like to thank all of you for being a part of this truly awesome Elk hunt and playing a part in my success. Ronnie is my friend of 17 years (a great guide too) and I’m so thankful to have had his help and experience that made this hunt possible. He kept saying “Persistence Pays” and it did indeed. I’d like to thank my wife for putting up with my passion to hunt and support me while on my life’s dream of harvesting a trophy elk. I only hope that one day I get the chance to repay the kindness and camaraderie shown to me by everyone who participated in this hunt.


Remember…… Persistence Pays!!!