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Updated 09/14/2011
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Dennis Dunn Elk - Click on Photo to Enlarge

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Dennis Dunn - Oregon Elk Hunt



On September 9th, while hunting the Sixes Unit of S. W. Oregon for the always-elusive Roosevelt bull elk of my dreams, I was blessed with a 13-yard shot opportunity, and a heart/double-lung pass-through. The bull died 18 yards from where he was standing when I arrowed him with a wooden shaft made by Suzanne St. Charles, daughter of the late Glenn St. Charles. I was using a two-blade Zephyr broadhead.

With my good friend, Ron Hofsess, of Powers, OR, doing the calling, the first day's hunt had drawn in two 5-points, and each had passed me by at four yards — neither one aware of my motionless presence in the shadows of the Old Growth forest. Thank heavens I decided to hold out for something bigger!


On the seventh and final day of the hunt, in the heat of the early afternoon, we set up on a steep, heavily-timbered slope, so as to anticipate the herd bull circling around behind Ron in an attempt to get his scent. Oblivious to my presence, the 6x6 bull appeared silently after 20 minutes of calling and tried to sneak in past my position at 13 yards. I was waiting for him at full draw. When he was exactly broadside, I vocalized the mew of a cow elk — which stopped him dead in his tracks. Literally, "dead in his tracks"! The arrow passed through his heart and both lungs, and he expired in just a few seconds. We estimated his live weight at around 900 pounds. The two back straps weighed 20 pounds apiece! He IS truly the bull of my dreams — and taken with my Steve Gorr recurve bow, no less!

"For what it's worth, I can't say enough about the quality of Ron Hofsess and his Avery Mountain Ranches. He's one of the finest guides I've ever had the pleasure to hunt with. He takes only four bowhunters per season; and only two firearm hunters. Not one John Q. Public hunter is allowed to hunt the 25,000 acres of private land he leases. Thus far, over two years (he just became an outfitter last year), he's had 100% success on trophy bulls. Last year, one of his rifle hunters killed a 330+ bull.
  

 

 

   










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