Some hunts are hard to put into words, and this was one of them. After years of building points and waiting for the right opportunity, Kyle Lopez with KB Outdoors Inc. reached out about a potential lease on small ranch. I had hunted with Kyle several times before, so when the opportunity came up, I was all in.
From the beginning, my cameraman and good buddy Aaron Avestruz and I were covered up in elk. The numbers were incredible, but the quality of the bulls was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Every time we left the truck, we seemed to be in the game on a big bull—sometimes multiple bulls.
There were days we heard 300–400 bugles, and one evening, as a cold front moved through, we watched an estimated 200–300 elk pour off the mountain toward us. When you head west, you rarely hit everything just right. This year, we did.
After battling high winds, rainstorms and plenty of close calls, everything finally came together on our last morning. We found a herd bedded in the next bowl with the wind in our favor and made our move. Aaron and I slipped over the ridge and spent more than 20 minutes carefully working down the face, moving loose rocks so they wouldn't roll into the herd below. Once we were in position, we waited for more than an hour, ranging every opening and watching for the bull to make his move.
I finally let out a light bugle, and the herd stood and began repositioning. The bull came out from behind a big pine and stepped into one of the openings I'd ranged, and the rest is history.
Looking back, we got to experience just about everything elk hunting has to offer—the bugles, massive herds, incredible country, unpredictable weather, close calls and tough stalks. We hunted hard right up to the final day, and when it all finally came together on that last morning, it made every mile, setback, and close call worth it.
This bull represented my #1 goal in hunting, and having family and friends there to share the accomplishment made it that much more special. Having Aaron alongside me throughout the hunt and my wife Abby and kids in camp turned an incredible hunt into a memory we'll share for a lifetime.
Featured Item: Crossline Pant
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