Marvin Poulson writes, "I decided to try to draw archery elk this year and was successful. We started early this summer with trail cameras, which was the first time I have used one. I have to say, it added tons of fun and made every scouting trip successful. I included some of the best pictures we captured on the camera (of 100’s) and then pictures of the bull I was fortunate to harvest. I spent a lot of time in a tree stand above the camera, but as the summer and hunt progressed, I saw less and less at the stand. I always, I made sure I went hunting if it was stormy and it paid off. On Thursday Sept. 9, it was stormy and cold and was the only time I had a 6 point come into my tree stand, but he was too small (The bull covered in mud in the pictures). The next morning I went about 2 miles east where we had found good bulls the weekend before and found myself in the middle of I would say 6 to 8 bugling bulls, starting with one no more than 50 feet from my camp before daylight. I was by myself, so I slowly hiked towards bugles to see what I could do. I was able to sneak in on two different bulls (they were nice, but not monsters) only to have cows bust me before any chance of a shot. I attempted another one but the wind was all wrong so I headed for the ridge to glass and dry out. As I sat on the ridge around 11:30 there was still a bull bugling, but I didn’t see him as big enough to chase. About an hour later, I spotted another bull across the canyon and knew he was the biggest I had seen all day and decided to get the wind in my favor and see what happens. I then hiked down around and above where I thought he might be and had the wind blowing up at me. I didn’t see or hear anything and wondered if I would. By now it was about 3:00 pm, so I sat down and took a nap against my back pack. At 3:45 I was woke up by a bugle maybe 120 yards below me. I then got ready and started to sneak. As I moved into the pines, I heard him again and thought he was moving, but I just took it slow and as quiet as I could. I didn’t hear him again and was lucky to see him standing in the pines maybe 40 yards below me. He knew I was something there but did not spook. I just froze and watched because I didn’t have a good shot and wasn’t sure how big he was. At first I thought he was a 5 point until he turned his head. When I saw 6 points I told myself if he gives me a shot I had better take it. He walked a little to my left and gave me a chance to move, which I did and got on my knees so I could see better. He didn’t go far and then stood in some thick trees. After about an hour of this and not having a good clear shot, he heard something he liked up above us and decided to go towards it, which brought him into the best lane I had and it gave me a 25 yard shot, which I took and connected through both lungs. He didn’t go far. He may not be the biggest bull on the mountain, but I felt very fortunate to have got one with my bow, and I have to say, I now know what everyone means when they say there was no ground shrinkage, because I was pleased when I found him and he was heavy and bigger than I thought."

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