My Success actually comes with a very heavy heart. On the day I took my bull, I learned Sharon lost her husband Billy. To the entire family, I sincerely hope you are all able to find peace and share in the wonderful attributes that Billy brought to each and every one of your lives.
So finally, I was blessed with the opportunity the have Ulysses walk up and sniff me at about 40 yards. It was my second day I’m sitting on a small Bluff watching a small saddle and an aspen groves that I suspected big bulls we’re sneaking through to get to bedding areas.
We have 30 to 50 mile an hour winds and blowing snow. Some of the most miserable conditions to sit all day. Fortunately, I was able to identify their feeding preference, and was sitting in the perfect place.
At 7:30 in the morning, Ulysses came into a couple of cow calls and snuck through a small saddle directly behind me. As he stood in the Deadfall, I could see the mass of his brow tines and his eye guards. Through the tree limbs I could see the outline of his rack and a broken view of his times. I had no doubt this bull was the 300 plus inch bull I had been waiting for.
325 to 350 inch Bulls are not trophy status by Boone and Crockett, but they are to me. Hunting National Forest in Colorado, self-guided, and hundred percent do it myself makes this bull, Ulysses, a bull of my dreams. I have seen larger bulls and photographed many of them throughout the years. But when it comes time the put the crosshairs on them, circumstances have not always worked out in my favor. So considering Colorado has a success rate of 20 to 25%, I think I’ve done very well with a simple goal to put a mature bull in glass Within 500 yards each year.
I haven’t aged Ulysses, or had his rack scored yet. My best guess is a rough score around 3:30 the 340. But most impressive was finding all the battle wounds this bull has endured. He had been shot with a Broadhead that entered his neck. It missed his throat, arteries, an optical nerves. It traveled into his navel cavity and partially exited his skull.
From fighting, he had an eye gouged out, multiple holes in his cape, puncture wounds in his rib cage and hindquarters. He was heavily infected, and most likely would have never survived this winter. While field dressing, we saw multiple ribs broken, and a half dozen ribs that had previously been broken and were partially healed up.
I can only dream and imagine what the other bulls may look like that this bowl have fought with. Knowing the incredible strength and endurance these elk have, one would think that the other bull would be of equal or larger size. I sure wish I could have been a spectator for that boxing match.
I need to extend a special thank you to the people that are crazy enough to hunt with me. Crystal, Don, Paul, Jessie, Larry, PJ, and Justin. The ethics we share, and the persistence to pursue makes hunting with you guys one of the greatest experiences a hunter could have. Thank you
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