First Bull Elk... and with a Lever (Pics)

[jkbrea]

I just returned from an elk hunt outside Jackson, Wyoming. Had a great time with one of my sons, my brother and a good friend. We ended up with two elk and two antelope. This bull was my first in 16 years of elk hunting. It happened with my son on his first hunt and on my wife's birthday. I'll post more details if the pics come out. I've tried resizing three times.


Some of the country we hunted



My rifle and first bull. Marlin XLR cut to 18", extended tube, WW lever

[iceman]

Nice going!! Now tell us the story.

[spaceman spiff]

How cool is that? CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!

That's beaucoup good eats. Beeeeautiful country, family and friends.

A man could not possibly ask for more.



spaceman

[TedH]

Outstanding! Details man, we need details!

[Mac in Mo]

That is very cool. Congrats. Like the others said, lets hear the details.

Kevin

[Steve Collins]

Good lookin' animal there, congratulations!

[Paladin]

Congratulations, on a great job. (Story required)

[jkbrea]

Sorry about the pic sizes. Can't seem to get it right.
I got him on the third day of hunting. We did help my brother and my friend hunt for three days prior. The weather in Wyoming was unusually warm every day. In the low 80's.

Me and my son were sitting near a fence line where he and my brother bugled in a couple bulls the day prior but they got winded and the bulls fled. About 6:15 pm I let out a weak bugle and a bull responded loudly close by. We bugled biack and forth for several minutes. He got really worked up.

The wind was blowing in our favor and I could smell him. He was just inside the tree line and we could see the branches of a pine tree swaying as he tried to tear it up. He finally stepped out broadside about 35 yards away. Here's where I almost blew it. I carry my rifle like most, a round chambered and the hammer one click back. I never engage the safety. Well, I aimed and "click", pulled the hammer back and "click" again. I chambered another round and looked at my rifle and saw the safety was engaged. I think my son may have put it on safe when we climbed over a fence. By now the adrenalin has my hands shaking and the bull has turned to look right at my location as my son used a cow call. Thank God he didn't run. He turned and gave me a quartering shot. I fired and he turned and ran uphill. I didn't know if I hit him or not. We found him about 200 yards up the hill. I had the scope set at 3" high at 100 yards so the shot was a bit high but lethal none the less. We got him opened up and packed out the head.

The next morning we quartered it and packed it out. It's great having a kid thats 6'4", 240 lbs. The meat cutter said it was a very large bodied bull for a 5 pointer. After quartering and skinning it weighed just over 400 lbs. . This was my son's first time hunting with me. He's always played travel hockey since 5 yrs old and was unable to go.

His first hunt, my first bull and he helped call it in. Later in the week he took an antelope. By far my most memorable hunt.

[dkmlever]

Very nice, big congrats to you!

[dr walker]

Way to go! Congratulations on a great hunt for you and your son.

[crs]

Great hunt and story; thanks.

[mod71alaska]

Congratulations! Father and son hunting together...can't get any better than that!

[Ben_Rumson]

A man could not possibly ask for more.

+1 Well done congrats

[Don McDowell]

Yessir that's how its done.
Looks like you must of been up the GrosVentre?

[jkbrea]

Yessir that's how its done.
Looks like you must of been up the GrosVentre?

I think west of there in the Teton Nat. Forest. I believe the GrosVentre is east of Jackson. Either way, beautiful country.

[86er]

Fantastic adventure and congratulations!

[Griff]

Congrats... and the pics are fine!

[Hobie]

[C. Cash]

Congratulations......looks like a great hunt and priceless time spent, in God's Country no less. Was that the 338?

[Paul105]

Excellent! It doesn't get much better than this. An experience that you and your son will never forget.

Paul

[kimwcook]

Priceless experience. Congratulations! A memory you'll cherish forever.

[rjohns94]

that is awesome.

[jkbrea]

Congratulations......looks like a great hunt and priceless time spent, in God's Country no less. Was that the 338?

No. It was a 45-70. I don't reload yet. I used the Leverevolution stuff. It worked. It was a quartering shot that did not exit. Didn't find the bullet though. It was getting too dark. I've shot one cow with it before and it worked well. I'm glad my first bull was with a lever. I've used a 7mm rem mag mostly for elk.......till now.

[RIHMFIRE]

Congratulations great story.....
I like to see a close up of your marlin!

[jkbrea]

Congratulations great story.....
I like to see a close up of your marlin!

I used a Leupold scout scope. 2.5x28

[C. Cash]

Looks great....not much that won't do, and do well.

[Rafe Covington]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!

buffalohunter

[Nath]

Good for you and your son Nice when they come in close, what ever it is

Nath.

[deerwhacker444]

Congrats...! Now get rid of that danged safety before it costs you any more heartache....!

[BigSky56]

Good shooting and +1 on get rid of the safety. danny