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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 2019)
MyEagleNews.com // Grant County Hunting Journal 2019 // 5 Ol’ Fighter Dyson’s first of 12 record book bulls By Greg Dyson For the Blue Mountain Eagle y first book bull will always hold a dear place in my heart as “finally I’ve arrived!” Ha! Having harvested sev- eral branch bulls in succession, I began to have an idea that maybe, just maybe, I could step up to the next level as a public land bull elk hunter. I had called up a few bulls over 300 over the last few years, but as these tro- phy bull elk grow to majestic size, they also grow smarter, sharper, cautious, fortunate, etc. At this point of the season, I had passed on Contributed photo seven branch bulls under 30 yards and was Greg Dyson shot this 344 class bull elk on beginning to have thoughts that maybe I’m public lands in Grant County, his first of 12 not cut out to be a big bull harvester. As they record book bulls. say, it seems to be pitch dark just before the est are in many hunters’ eyes the ultimate big dawn! The next level transition only appears to be game trophy. a big step? It truly is! These giants of the for- Since the very beginning of my elk hunt- ing days, I was always standing on ready and sitting on go! Always up for chasing bulls in the rugged Blue Mountain Range — the Rocky Mountains of Eastern Oregon — that I was never going to catch, then real- ized hunting a Chevy pickup in the early morning hours several times a season was as chal- lenging as the bull elk M I WAS UP ON TOP WAY BEFORE DAYLIGHT WHEN A DEEP-THROATED SCREAM CAME BACK TO ME, ALMOST CUTTING ME OFF. Getty Images apparent when he doubled down. Moving up the second time put me within a 100 yards of my bull. When you first hear a bull elk raking a tree, it takes a minute to register, but in most cases, it’s a chance to move up or somehow put the favor in my hands, a blessing for sure! It’s the time of morning that dark gives way to light, I’m 60 yards from a 340 class seven-by-seven bull elk, He also has seven or eight cows and calves all around him helping with safety. It truly is the greatest feeling to see God’s creation being elk and naturally as beautiful as they could be. This is the moment a bow- hunter continues to practice calling, shooting, being accountable — this moment that’s upon me. I’m close enough that, if I give away my location, with a quick glance they’d see no elk in the area. So my go to up until now would be a chuckle grunt with my tube turned away from the elk to hopefully make them think Contributed photo I’m farther than the 60. A low whine with six quick chuckles Greg Dyson says he feels as close to his creator as he can be when hunting. works like a champ, and after he tore up the small pine sampling a little more he came to themselves! confront the intruder — an uninvited guest Stepping up to the next level will always who needs to be dealt with. As he makes his way toward my location, test who you truly are. But any passion to become good or great comes with hard work I could hear him popping his teeth, a sign of being irritated. As he passed behind a tall and dedication. This was the end of the third week of the thicket of buck brush, I drew my 93-pound elk season and I hadn’t put eyes on a book Bowtech Tribute. As he veered to the left and bull elk yet. A favorite ridge that I frequent down a little gully, he appeared at roughly usually is good for a whistle and has been 16 paces. Top pin! As I let out a short and quick cow call, home to a few herd bulls over the years. I was up on top way before daylight when he stopped broadside, staring at the double a deep-throated scream came back to me, pine tree that made for a perfect hiding place almost cutting me off. I thought, “How rude!” to arrow my first book bull elk, as my 125- grain Thunderhead exited the back shoulder Ha! So using his aggression to my benefit, I cut cutting a perfect triangle through both lungs. The big, beautiful 344-inch Herd Mas- the distance between him and me in half and thought just down the ridge a couple hundred ter only made it 120 yards down the trail yards that the wind would stay and not be a collapsing for the final time. My first of 12 concern. Because my first bugle was met with record book bulls will always have a soft place in this ol’ bowhunter’s heart! such harshness, we may as well. The closeness to the spirit of good and all This time out Herd Master seemed to have closed in. Also being on the north face, the that I feel at these times is priceless! As close thought crossed my mind he may be close to to my creator as I can be! My first of 12 book his bedding ground. This seemed even more bulls so far!
