South Ridge: 9/24/13 When David and I first heard this bull from a distance we both looked at each other, smiling knowing he sounded like a good one. We closed the distance, set up and David started calling. Right away he bugled back and came out of the trees across from us and worked our way. He was circling to my left about 70 yards out and was going to get around and downwind of me so David moved farther up. This turned the bull around and he started back in my direction. He really wanted to come in but he was a wise old bull and thought better of it and continued back into the trees he had come from. My heart was pounding out of my chest but we regrouped and knew I would have to sneak in closer to the bull and David would stay back and get him excited again. I crept into his tree patch and set up when I saw him up in front of me about 60 yards on the other side of a big cedar tree walking away. David started calling again and he stopped, turned to listen and turned around and started back. He ran one of his cows out in front of him as he came out from behind that big cedar tree, and they both started grazing about 30 yards out in front of me at my 10 O'clock position. I had no shot right there because of a handful of small trees, I was hoping he would turn to his left and come out in front of me and I would have him somewhere under 30 yards. To say this was exciting would be a bit of an understatement, I had this massive bull and his cow grazing right in front of me for around 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile David was behind me in the thicker trees throwing everything he had at them, the bull would keep looking and easing that way but would not fully commit. Finally he bumped the cow that way a little and they both started in David's direction. This is not where I had been planning on them coming but it looked like it might work great, they would be crossing directly behind me where I was kneeling but I knew I could twist and make that shot thanks to some helpful advice I received from Dave Canfield just a couple of weeks earlier. He was watching me target shoot and told me to practice this exact shot a couple of times. This was all going through my head as the bull started that way, he was going to be under fifteen yards from me and I drew my bow as he twisted his head to get his rack under some trees. My window for the shot was not a big one but he stopped right in the middle of it, and my pin settled in and my arrow flew true. He jumped and started off but never broke a fast walk as he made it only about fifty yards before he went down and was done. Great work David, what a memory! Thanks!
Keith