Jeffrey writes, "We scouted for bulls all over the unit hoping to find a shooter. It was not working out for us so I made some phone calls. Fellow MonsterMuley.com member, DONK, told us about some ruttin activity in the area he was hunting with his son. So we took the risk and loaded up camp and move 3 hours away. We scouted the day before our hunt and found lots of sign.

The hunt began and we are up in the dark and ready to go. Myself, JP, and my brother (Dave) head out working a ridge for about 2 miles. It started to get rough and steep so JP and Dave started to head back to the canyon where we parked. I continued about another mile and started to drop into an Oak canyon, it was pretty much elk heaven cause every tree was blown apart by bulls.

It all happened pretty fast. I spooked out the cows first then the bull was in hot pursuit. The bull was running to the bottom of the canyon so I took off to a more visible spot. I cow called to him and stopped him in his tracks. He stopped right behind an oak tree. When I put him in the scope I found a spot and smoked him. I stopped him with a bugle and started to reload (that was interesting considering I was shaking pretty good.)

I started down to where I last saw him. I could hear him trying to breath and I realized I had just smoked my first bull with a Smokepole. I knew I saw antlers when he was running but could not remember if he was small or big. Since, he stopped behind a tree I did not ever get to analysis him. Although, I wanted to get a big bull, it did not matter because my son was about to experience a hunt of a lifetime with his dad.

As I made my way to the last breath, I kept looking up the ridge thinking that is where he will be standing or lying down. Searching for him on the hill side I nearly walked on top of him. I felt relief at first to have a bull down. Then it turned into excitement to get back to my son and show him pictures. I learned how to use the self timer pretty quick considering I never used it before.

I made my way back to the guys and had them pick me up (gotta love radios). I showed my son the camera with the bull and he was pumped up and confused! He just kept saying, “Who got this bull? Everyone just looked at me and I told them "bull down"! Everyone’s spirits were lifted!!!

We went to camp and loaded up the packs and started for the pack out!! My son, JP is five years old and put some serious miles (5 miles on the first day) on this hunt. He has earned the right to hunt with me any time. This was my son’s first big bull and definitely not the last!

Not much of a story line but it is the truth, I want to thank my wife and daughter for putting up with the hunting obsession my son and I have! Thank you JP for the pride and joy you give me! Thank you Dave, Walt, Jerome, Dino for the support and strong backs!"