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First coast range bull.

tailgunner

tailgunner

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2021
Messages
4,673
Location
western Oregon blacktailwoods
Write up for matt,and dogg.13 years i have been chasing elk on the upper oregon coast.East of the willamette valley the cascade range is majestic but to the west the coast range vertical rain forest is just mysterious.Pacific fog trancforms the land you knew into another world right in front of you leaving you clueless to wether you are standing on earth tree or moss...there will be recyled pics to entertain peeps like me.then some fresh pics.
 
However it was a suny saterday morning harvest .last year i didnt get to hunt elk and didn't think i could get a chance this year exept maybe à singlé day or two.on average it takes 5 days to run down a heard,and you only get an opertunity once every ten years at shooting a bull.This makes for lots of great adventures but not alot of harvesting.It becomes a pipedream thinking of actually tagging one.like something unreal you just see on tv.Seen some great bulls over the years in places that are just crazy to access.Dropping down 300 feet of élévation into a canyon just to see them 100 feet above you moving back into the timber à quarter mile away while you Wade through the 7 foot thisttles that looked like a feild of knee high weeds from the ridge.But thats hunting the great north west
 
Friday evning we drove around the top of bible creek canyon to the east side and saw some cows down in a draw so we backed out knowing they would bé close by in the morning.this is a placé that i know well and i had a hunch where they would go in the morning to bed at.Its dry and they need water.This area has a wallow and fresh water spring.Its hidden below à motercycle trail called mutant ferns.Most people would never go there its so thick and so steep but it opens up down below where the sun dont shine and under the tall timber its à bio désert with only ferns and moss.The elk use these steep benches to bed on with great veiws around them through the steep timber.
 
In the morning we dropped in around the next ridge from the draw the elk where in the night before.walking down in the dark we cut across à hard beat elk trail you coud see in the dark heading down to the wallow .We fallowed it down loudly walking, cow calling sence the forest floor is so crunchy.the trail was old and the wallow was dry so we walked past the spring à hundred yards away sat and waited behind à stump.like clockwork about 8:00 the lead cow comes down the trail that angles from left to right above us to the spring.the Other 4 cows come down the same trail get a drink then start to meander around grazing to our right.i ranged them with my new range finder i thought i would never need at 75 yards uphill to the spring trail.thats when the tree raking started on the trail down....theres à bull.Then for some devine reason he comes down the hill strait towrds us.now in the blacktail woods you are only catching glimpses of this majestic Wapiti through the timber and we where turned facing the wrong way so we had to time our rotations with the sounds of the elk snapping twigs sence the ground is so loud.Finaly I see Gavin get to full draw on his knees 10 yards from me to my left.after 2 minutes at full draw with this bull advancing throughthe timber i realized my dude dont have a shot.i look at him and he shakes his head no.
 
Then the bull takes 2 steps to the left my right and there is a window through the woods you could drive through.through this 15 minute ordeal i was shaking like a leaf on a tree,got to full draw ......and my pin just settled right where i want it.....NO...WAY....is all i thought as i let it go.Easton axes 300 ,340 grain arrow with a 100 grain montec broadhead ...300 feet per second. I already knew he was done.Bairly made it 15 yards.
 
Congrats man, seems like an awesome hunt and I'm glad it came together for you. Are you mounting it or euro or anything? Or just enjoying the meat?
 
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