DIY OTC CO bull I shot Sunday night solo 6.5 miles back. Set up camp 15 min before dark in a saddle near a peak I figured elk were bedding on the north side of during the day. After not hearing a bugle since 8:30 am, heard a light bugle decently close (within 300), decided to rip one back a minute later and he fired back within 200 yards. Put my gear back on, walked 20 yards from my tarp, threw out a growly bugle and a cow goes nuts mewing and he bugles. I cut him off with one more and they come running in, I took 10 quick steps behind some cover and knock an arrow. Cow comes to 10 yards on the left of the cover and looks at me, bull ends up coming in to the right and sees me finish drawing but stops at 13 yards. Sent one through the ticker and he went 90 yards and piled up. Entire situation happened in less than 4 minutes from the first time I bugled to when I shot. Prof it only takes one.
20 miles of packing yesterday and a good friend who was dumb enough to hike in and take a heavy load, got it out in 14 hours. Now I’ll spend the rest of my week of vacation recovering from the pack out and debating if I’m dumb enough to go back in after a bear.
