Well back from the hunt and I must say I was given a dose of reality. I arrived 10 days before the season to scout the area as I had never set foot in it.
I saw Elk 14 of the 17 days that I was there. When I arrived the Bulls were mostly still with the cows and Bugled every morning and evening. I even had a bull and his cows feed off the mountian above my camp on the second evening and into a flat about 750 yards away, while I was BBQing and drinking a beer. When he got his cows in the flat and started bugling I thought I might be in a dream. He was a 6x7 over 350 class.
I had expected to see alot of 350+ bulls which I did. Just not many over that. It was hot and dry until the day before season. Saturday before season we got about 4" of snow and all the elk I had scouted by the water dissapeared.
I stalked a 350 bull on opening day and was busted by a cow and calf he had with him and never saw him again. I was able to find a few good sized bulls the biggest was missing his entire left antler about two inches above the base. He was a 370 class if he had had both. I never saw more than three hunters during the day and most never got out of their vehicles.
I ended up killing a 330 6x6 (If he hadn't broken three points) on the sixth day of the hunt. He was only a mile and a half from the truck but without two good friend ( One of which is 28 and packed the front& back quarters off the hill in two trips, Oh to be 28 again) It would have been quite a task.
If you do not apply for Elk in Nevada you truely do not know what you are missing. I saw 32 different Bulls while I was there. A game warden informed me that the bull to cow in that unit is 32 to 100 not many states can say that.
With that many bulls naturally some get broken but they still have quility bulls. I do not feel that I even came close to being able to cover the entire unit and may have been in the best spot or just a average one I don't know. I do know that I had a great time and am dreading having to wait the 10 year waiting period that nonresidents have to wait to apply again. I also realize that dreams of shooting a 370+ bull can be just that dreams. But it was a truely amazing trip. I was also lucky enough to kill a cow in Colorado and the second day of the fourth season. So all in all a great year!
Forgive the pictures but the camera showed up late and we were half way thru getting him out. I on the other hand will always be able to see him standing on the hill in all his glory!!