After six consecutive days of hunting, Alex Steve had no idea that a big bull elk that showed up on his trail camera in the preseason was about to walk into his call.
The Dalton resident drew a bull elk tag for the September archery season. The once-in-a-lifetime tag would end up being used on a bull that would be the pinnacle for any hunter, but it didn’t come easy for Steve.
He applied for an elk tag for 8 years before being drawn. The tag — one of 15 issued for bulls for the September season — placed him in Zone 309 in northern Centre County. It was an area that Steve knew nothing about.
“I was able to scout two different times before the season,” he said. “We set trail cameras in multiple spots and scouted the areas that we thought looked good on.”
One of the cameras captured an enormous bull that Steve hoped to cross paths with during the season.
With his wife, Paige, and three friends, Steve headed to Centre County in time for the Sept. 17 opener for a do-it-yourself, public land elk hunt.
The first morning of what would be a seven-day journey, things happened quickly as the elk were actively bugling and in the rut. A big bull came close, Steve said, but several cows in front of it prevented a shot. In the evening, a different bull nearly approached within range, but circled Steve and his hunting party and winded the group.
The bugling continued the next day, Sunday, but the bulls didn’t cooperate, but things got interesting on Monday.
Steve had another close encounter with a third different bull, but once again several cows got in the way and prevented a shot.
For the next three days, Steve changed up his locations, came close to getting a shot all the while hearing plenty of bulls.
Despite the activity, getting into position on a bull was challenging.
Friday marked the seventh consecutive day of hunting, and Steve opened the morning in a new spot. Even though there wasn’t much elk sign, he was optimistic.
“We were trying something new,” Steve said.
Before first light, several bulls started bugling and Steve worked his way in close and started calling. One was approaching until he realized the winner of the Keystone Elk Country Alliance tag — which is awarded through a raffle — was already rifle hunting in that location so he backed out.
For the afternoon, Steve went to another new area and it wasn’t long before he heard more bulls calling.
He wasted no time in setting up and called one of the bulls within shooting range. Using a Mathew Triax compound bow with a 72-pound draw weight, Steve took a shot. The big bull ran, but it was later located with the help of Torey Glenny, owner of Glenny Tracking, and his dog, Rafe.
When Steve walked up to the bull, it was one that appeared on his trail camera before the season, nearly 5 miles from where he shot it. He had no idea the bull would be where it was on the seventh day of the hunt.
“It felt so surreal to finally see the bull on the ground,” Steve said. “It was bigger than I expected it to be.”
He measured the antlers and the green score was an impressive 397. Steve said they’ll be officially measured after the 60-day drying period.
Not only was the bull a once-in-a-lifetime trophy for Steve, it also provided a memorable ending for his Pennsylvania elk hunting experience. For seven days, Steve hunted a new area for a different quarry — elk – and got to do it in September, which was different than archery hunting for deer later in the fall.
Hunting in September was tough, he said, because it was warm and the mosquitoes were horrible. But the full leaf canopy gave him plenty of cover to set up on elk, and his patience allowed him to persevere for seven days.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity and couldn’t have done this without my wife, friends and parents being there every step of the way. It was truly an amazing experience,” Steve said.
TOM VENESKY is a freelance outdoors writer. Contact him at veneskyoutdoors.com.