Two for Two: 407 Bull Elk From the San Carlos

Two For Two
by Gabriel Jackson

The draw results had just been released when I received a call from Woody, my sub-guide, about the elk lottery on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Woody was so excited I could barely understand what he was saying. Woody and I had both drawn tags for two of the best elk units in the world. I had drawn a tag in the R100 unit and Woody drew the Dry Lake unit.

Woody and I started scouting right after the draw because both of our hunts started on the 16th of September. We were in our units during the first hunt, which started on September 1st. We saw numerous bulls during the first week, but it was on September 8th that I found my bull. We figured that we would leave the bull alone until a couple of days before September 16th. We just hoped the bull would still be there so we could keep track of him.

While we were scouting, Woody and I found a bull in his unit, Dry Lake, that would have probably shattered the current typical world record by at least 65-70 inches. The bull was a perfect 9×9, 520-class typical. You do the figuring. This bull was bigger than anything either of us had ever seen – by far. He was with two other bulls that would have scored at least 375-380 inches and he made them look small. He was a true giant.

Back to my hunt, Woody and I ended up finding my bull again about two days before the opening day of my hunt. We followed the bull closely and kept track of where he was. I spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out where he would be on opening morning of my hunt. I was glad none of the other hunters had found him yet.

The morning of September 16th, Woody and I woke up at 2:30 a.m., made coffee and had a small breakfast. After a very sleepless night, we departed from camp and I wished Woody good luck on his hunt. Nobody was even close to where we had last seen the bull, an 8×8 with triple brow tines. I started up a ridge with some friends right above where the bull had bedded the night before. We heard him bugling right above us. It was almost light by the time we topped out on the ridge he that the bull and his cows were on. We followed his bugles until it was light enough to see. I started cow calling and got his attention. The herd was in a saddle right below a big mountain. After a few more cow calls, the bull turned back toward us – a big mistake on his part. I picked him up at about 340 yards just twenty minutes into the hunt. He stopped to rake some brush when I put him down with my 300 Ultra Mag. The first shot went right through his shoulders. He got up so I double-lunged him. He went a short distance before I put the brute down for good with a shot to his neck. I didn’t want to lose a bull of this caliber. After high fives and a few war whoops, I called my cousin Dewey Wesley Jr. on the radio. Dewey and Jimmy Duane had watched and heard everything from down below, so they came up to help out and celebrate.

The bull ended up grossing 407 5/8 Boone & Crockett. He is an 8×8 with triple brow tines. This bull is also the second, 400-plus bull I have killed. I took both bulls thirty minutes into each hunt and on the first day. Lucky!

My bull from 2004 was a 9×8 and grossed 419 5/8 inches. I killed both bulls about a half a mile apart in the same unit. Woody ended up killing a different bull which grossed 402 as a 6×6. His party talked him into shooting this bull because they thought that they couldn’t locate the big 9×9 before the season closed. I would like to thank all of my friends and cousins who helped out on my hunt, as well as my buddy Woody who shares my love for hunting and being out in our playground. I’m also thankful to my wife Rachel and my children Mariah, Rayel, Tyler and Kevin who all put up with me being gone a lot to go hunting and scouting.

Xtended Info:

Hunter: Gabriel Jackson • Location: Arizona • Area: San Carlos Apache Reservation • Outfitter: Turnbull Guide Service • Guide: Self • Date: September 16, 2006 • Time: 6:30 am • Days scouted: Many • Days hunted: 1 • Weather: Hot & slightly overcast • Moon: 27% waning crescent • Temperature: 90’s • Terrain: Pinion pine/juniper • Camouflage: King’s Mountain Shadow • Gun: .300 Ultra mag • Bullets: 180 grain Nosler partitions • Spotting scope: Burris 20-60×80 • Binoculars: Steiner • Range finder: Bushne