Season 8, Episode 2 Behind the Scenes: Blue Mountain Bugles

Season 8, Episode 2 Behind the Scenes: Blue Mountain Bugles
The MeatEater crew struck off into southeast Washington to hunt elk in a limited-draw archery unit.
We spent the first few days learning the area and trying to find where the elk were hiding.
The open country was perfect for glassing. We covered a lot of miles with our Vortex Optics and found a lot of elk.
After several days of hunting, we found an area where a big bull was spending a lot of time.
Janis was able to call the bull close, and Steve got an arrow in it. The shot wasn’t great, so we gave the elk a few hours to expire. After the long wait, we started the blood trail but accidentally bumped the bull just a few hundred yards from the site of the shot. Steve and Janis made the decision to leave the bull overnight.
Letting the bull lay was the right decision. We found the elk dead the next morning, just a short distance from where we bumped it.
Steve and Janis got to work right away. Overnight temps kept the meat cool, but the clock was ticking as the morning sun warmed the landscape
We divided the meat among our packs. Steve was responsible for bringing the bull’s headgear back to camp.
That evening we got the quarters hung up to let the meat cool and breathe.
The next morning, Janis cooked us chicken-fried backstrap and eggs for breakfast. It was the perfect way to celebrate a successful hunt.

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