Shelly Laws '09 WY bull. Shelly writes: I have been putting in for bull elk for about, oh, 12 years (10 in Utah/2 in Wyoming). Finally this year I drew a tag. Anyway, I have always dreamed that if I ever had the opportunity to shoot an elk, my first one had to be at least 350 or better. I had my eye on a bull that we spotted about the sixth day of the archery season. So far, he was the biggest bull that we had seen on this unit, hence the name "Mac Daddy". As soon as I saw how big he was, I told my husband he was the one I wanted. So, began our three and a half week of (torture) stocking Mac Daddy. We put him to bed that night, made our plan attack, got up early the next morning, arrived on top of the mountain before daylight, and quietly made our way down to the group of trees he was last seen by. Set up and waited, and waited, finally we heard something walking thru the trees. Two satelite bulls walked within 25 yards of me and my son, stopped and watched us for a few minutes. All the while my son is asking why I'm not shooting, what's wrong with you. Not big enough. Not even close. SMALL. Not Mac Daddy. About 10-15 minutes later we hear a kind of bugle-growl and thundering hooves running up the mountain towards us. It's the same two bulls and right behind them, Mac Daddy. He stops within 35 yards of me. All I can see is his head and some of his neck. That's all I get to see, before he trots away. My son has a perfect broad side shot. All the luck. He then says, he is huge, now I know why you didn't shoot one of the other two. A few days later, we spot him again and the stock begins. Six thirty a.m. until eight p.m., thirteen and a half hours we followed him, trying to get ahead of him, or close enough to shoot. Had four encounters with him, but not close enough. I was very frustrated, every plan we had, he did the opposite. I told my husband they must be able to read minds. After that, we couldn't get him to come any closer than a hundred yards. To make a long story short, I ended up taking a bull with my rifle opening morning of the rifle season. Later on, while dressing him out, we discovered it was my Mac Daddy after all. He scored 335. (Really wanted to take him with my bow). Needless to say, for my first elk ever taken, I am ecstatic.
Awesome bull Shelly. Im sure you made a lot of guys jealous with this one!
