Hunting 1 bull this year...Advice needed.

[montanaelk31]

Shot a bull every year for the last 8...I'm not usually a horn hunter, my family loves to eat elk, I never pass on a bull...until now.
I am familiar with a bull in my honeyhole for the last 3 years.  Last year, I saw him 3 times, all cowed up.  I had him at 20 yards broadside and hammered a twig between me and him.  Just kind of lucked into him that day (walked into his herd during a sleet storm).  Shot a little 5 point the next day. 
Hes almost a 350 bull this year which is exceptional for the area I hunt. I have never targeted one bull before, so here's my question.
How do I mentally pass on other bulls?
I get to archery elk hunt about 14 days during the month of September, and generally have 1 good chance daily to put an arrow in an elk.  When do I pull the plug on hunting 1 bull?  I hunt General OTC units in Montana.  Advice?

 

[RUTTIN]

I think you should be giving me advice, I would love to have that many chances at bull elk! Seriously though it is hard to pass bulls up. I have never shot a bull over 300 and have passed up my share of rag horns trying to get that bigger bull and it is hard. I would say give yourself half the hunt to hunt this one bull and if it doesn't work out take what you are given. Good luck and make sure you post picks of him when you stick him!

 

[montanaelk31]

Sorry ruttn should specify that 1 elk daily usually means cow...I'm not Will Prmos lol! Was thinkin of devoting the first half of September so that'd b 6 days.

 

[eltaco]

Is it open country? I feel like it's dang near impossible to target one bull on OTC if it's dark timber. That's a needle in a haystack unless he's decided to stay in one particular hole for you.

 

[montanaelk31]

yea eltaco its pretty open country.  I can usually find him within a 5 mile radius which I think is crazy (as far as elk go). The way he groans instead of bugles is how I usually get on him.  The last few years I've called in his satellites and hey, I haven't been picky up to this point.

 

[cowboystl1]

if you get on him id say try challenge bugle at him  and lost cow calls over your shoulder with a heads up decoy on a bush were he will see it behind where your bugling might take some time to set that up but if he is all that and thinks he is id say that would work

 

[montanaelk31]

Havent tried the deke in a few years, cowboy might b time.(I've got a coupla pinch points I'm thinking I can catch him in before I start calling.) Have you ever passed on a lesser bull (I haven't) 

 

[cowboystl1]

no i doubt i would ever pass a bull that i would shoot the last day on the first

 

[Bullhunter]

Ill take all the advice you want to give.  Im sure this year will be the year for you. GOOD LUCK and I cant wait to see a harvest picture.

 

[montanaelk31]

Found him! Same place...opener is in 8 days so he'll probably be there. Here we go!

 

[Big Tex]

Sounds like you just need to go in with the mindset that you will not shoot just any bull this year, but that success for you is shooting that bull.  Sounds like you can tag out on a cow at the end if you really need to fill the freezer, but just remember you can only shoot the big boy if you still have a tag in your pocket.  Good luck.

 

[montanaelk31]

Update.  Went out to find the BigBoy this weekend and got to my glassing spot at first light.  Saw same elk, no bulls, until later when the cows were heading into the timber, a raghorn was tailing them.  Heard a weak bugle.  It was kind of a dreary day so I'm not taking too much stock in what I saw there.  Trying to keep my eye on what I'm trying to accomplish.

 

[montanaelk31]

I am weak!  After a long weekend of hunting, brought this guy into his wallow.  It wasn't the bull that I had targeted, but too good to pass up. DIY, public land, not bad.  My partner and I haven't given up on the Big Boy, but he certainly was not in our area.  Good luck to all, thanks for the advice.  I'll let u know if my partner tags him. 

 

[Big Tex]

Can't say that I blame ya.  Nice bull!  Congrats!

 

[cowboystl1]

great bull man awesome!

 

[RUTTIN]

Great bull, congrats!


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