Broken Tine Guy
In relationships, there are moments when your relationship levels up. This trip had many of those moments for us. We truly can conquer anything we set our minds to. Hunting with Tim, my husband, these last few years has shown me more of the importance of a good hunting partner. My first hunting partner, my brother, set some pretty high standards for me as a kid.
From different hunting tactics, approaches, grouse cleaning, and of course PPP (piss poor preparation), we can conquer or learn from the impossible together.
Most don’t know this, but Tim was not a hunter. He was the one who sat in the truck with his window open, rain or shine, listening for me, keeping me safe as I went out to hike and hunt. He would shake his head as I butchered my deer on the kitchen island. To now stand by his side as he’s elbow-deep in an elk that he punched his very first tag on was nothing short of incredible. This was one of the proudest moments hunting that I have had. To say that he has dove deep into hunting would be an understatement. What a joy it has been to have a partner with so many common interests.
As always, I research and scout areas to hunt before applying for an LEH draw. This year was no different. We had our groups picked out for moose hunting, and I worked out where to draw for an elk close to home. Us islanders don't expect to win an elk draw, we just know we are supporting conservation while throwing a Hail Mary. This year, no different than the last, as I waded through the family's logins to see if we were successful for moose and check everyone's elk ticket. We were so blessed to have won a family draw for 2 moose in Northern BC, thinking our day couldn't get any better. Little did I know Tim had won after his second entry, the elusive Roosevelt elk draw, in Gold River, BC, on Vancouver Island. This area, having one of the last few pristine winter beds, must have been beginner's luck or good karma for the countless hours he spent keeping me safe out in the mountains.
We spent the first couple weeks of September out scouting areas we isolated on maps that seemed to offer a good winter bed. The rut was nearing the end, and elk hunting can be a lot of chance, intel on herd locations, or calling.
With our area set up with 4 old cameras, we planned and geared up for moose hunting, hoping our cameras would do some more pregame.
The late draw came quickly. We made it out a couple days before his elk tag opened; we hit the ground hard scouting. We seemed to have found a wallow, a bedding area, and a feeding area that was used every couple days by a herd and their herd bull. This bull was first spotted in August and September, with a fully intact rack. From the 17th of September, when he showed up on camera with a broken tine, all wet and disheveled, he was always with this herd. Our camera had four main bulls showing up in the area frequently, quickly earning unique names. Hundreds of photos were taken over the months of sitting out. Broken Tine Guy seemed to be the herd bull. In some photos he was found kissing calves, stomping the ground, and even knocking down one camera and giving us some funny close-up nostril and eyeball shots.
There was even a monster bull whose elusive nature had us wonder why this wasn't his harem.
We decided to attack this from both sides of the river and their bedding network to see who we could pull out, with the wallow being in the center of it all. On day 1 of Tim’s tag opening, we built a blind in this network of trails which we had those summer cameras set up on.
On day two, we roamed this huge area looking for herds and letting our new blind and main area settle down after building. Finding more sign and lots of mushrooms, we sauntered on, enjoying this sunny day picking mushrooms.
On day three, we decided to try for this herd bull, Broken Tine Guy. We spent a morning calling in the river flats, and exploring the dry creek bed and river system that had fresh sign and good trails. Tim, feeling defeated, I said, “I got you. Let’s go find you the herd bull,” as we headed up the back side of the river with the plan of sitting for an early evening hunt. I grabbed my elk reed and headed down, imitating a cow elk. Let me tell you, game cameras can leave you frustrated when they come up empty; offering summer intel not helping in the fall months. A number of things can change which shift movement and leave one puzzled. With deer hunting, I was personally used to this frustration, but it still hurts, especially for new hunters. We decided to still stick with our plan and sit on the burn pile, calling over the river on the opposing side of the wallow and bedding network we had been working. Tim headed down ahead and set himself up to look down over the river as I came in behind.
Everyone knows that feeling of being watched; the hairs rose, and I knew the feeling. I turned my head for a 360 scan to find the cows and calves grazing the slash behind Tim. I silently lowered myself slowly and turned to Tim and started hand signs. (We honestly could have a whole conversation with the hand signs we’ve made.) I knew this herd always had a bull with them. I started glassing the slash for him as Tim set himself up. I located the bull behind a set of fir trees and confirmed he had a dark set of antlers, assuming he was a nice 5x5 with smaller typical antlers we had seen on the summer photos.
I signaled to Tim the bull was with them. Tim, knowing he did not have a shot at the distance, decided to move up the slash to get a better vantage as the herd was just grazing and keeping their eye on me so far. Tim made his way up to shorten the distance and put his eyes on the bull. This guy did not make it easy; he decided to turn and head up towards the cows, offering no opportunity. I decided in that moment to throw out a distressed cow call as they can have an innate instinct to protect their herd. This guy turns and heads straight down towards me and closer, yet out of sight of Tim. His instinct takes him towards the cow distress call, and the approach offers Tim a great shot opportunity. The bull and Tim are now out of my sight, and I just have the pleasure of watching the herd in immense anticipation and utter excitement, not knowing whether Tim had an ethical shot or not. We all know the sounds of our own vehicles pulling up; well, I know the sound of my .308 Tikka going off, and it’s like music to my ears. I sit and wait, and within seconds the bull comes into sight, cresting the top of a steep slash. It has that wobble that I know as a fatal shot. The cow, not phased by the commotion, comes from behind and continues to walk just out of sight over the top of the slash pile with the bull.
Now let me tell you, as a hunter, these are some of the hardest minutes you will go through—waiting to confirm your animal is down and not suffering. A feeling of overwhelming excitement that jostles back to fear and anticipation, but patience must prevail. You don’t want to track a wounded animal or push them farther by not allowing them to pass peacefully. These moments are spent in sheer agony. For Tim, we let enough time pass and started hiking up to where he was shot. I confirmed an organ shot was made by the trail of blood left behind, and we started to hike up. The moment Tim crested the hill, I could see it in his eyes as he dropped to his knees in sheer gratitude and relief. He shot a mature 6x4 Roosevelt elk, and he didn’t even make it 20 yards. He got Broken Tine Guy, and what a beauty he was with deep red antlers. The wounds on this guy showed the immense amount of strength these majestic beasts have. From a broken tine, a broken tooth, spears, to punctures on his skin, he sure fought hard for his harem during the rut.
Well, this all sounds hard, but I will tell you the hard part’s about to begin once the animal’s on the ground. Quickly realizing it was gonna be dark in a couple hours, there was no way we were gonna be able to pack this out in the dark safely down an extremely steep slash. We worked into the late evening, quartering and hanging him for a morning backpack out. I have packed many deer out, but never a large game animal down a slash pile at a 90-degree angle. That night, we barely slept, knowing there was a black bear we caught on camera in the area we hung the elk.
That morning, we tied up our laces and packed down around 500 pounds of meat, bones, a head, and hide, making this our first VERY large game animal harvested together from start to finish. What teamwork can accomplish is nothing short of amazing. I hope everyone finds a friend, a partner, or a lover like this.
Biggest congratulations and cheers to Tim for his harvest of The Majestic Roosevelt Elk ‘Broken Tine Guy’. Good luck to everyone this hunting season—some seasons are harder like last year, and others will go down in history.
Denise Foster