Mike opens by thanking Caitlin’s parents, who watched the boys through five nights and six days in the backcountry, a reminder that this kind of hunt takes a village. From there the group picks up the story with elk everywhere, bulls bugling constantly, and a week of getting winded, blowing stalks, and making what felt like the wrong call every time. As Mike puts it, it only has to work once.

By Wednesday, Caitlin needed a reset and missed the kids, so the plan was to hunt their way out Thursday. That night brought backcountry charcuterie and the worst thunderstorm any of them had seen, with rain splashing up through the tent and lightning close enough to blind and deafen. The crew also breaks down how they pack for a multi-day hunt: the shelter, food, and water trio, bagels as the energy-dense backpacker’s friend, rationing calories you can never fully replace, and the garden hose rigged into a cascade that filled a three-liter bag in a minute or so.

Thursday morning started with a soaked camp, wet rain gear, and a hard fall over a rock that left Caitlin bruised and the whole crew mentally halfway home. They blew one more bull, then settled into a patch of old-growth timber to wait out the bugles. Mike cow-called, Caitlin and Hunter ate lunch crouched behind trees, and about eight to ten cows filed in at 20 to 40 yards while a bull thrashed a pine tree for fifteen minutes just beyond them.

When the bull finally stepped out at 30 yards, Caitlin held high on her 25-yard pin and made the shot. He went down within fifty yards, and the first words Mike said when they walked up were the title of the episode. The bull is a heavy six-by-six with a 19-inch third point, roughly ten inches bigger than last year’s 318-inch gross bull, and Caitlin’s goal of topping last year’s elk was met on what was nearly the last morning.

Then came the work. Jeremy hiked in with breakfast burritos and water, the group shuttled six heavy loads of meat, head, and camp gear down a steep, rocky slope, and they made it to the truck by three o’clock, ahead of the rain and in front of a van of unsuspecting kindergartners. Hunter shares his best and worst moments of his first Western elk hunt, and everyone reflects on perseverance, giving up hope, and why this hunt is worth the effort.

The episode closes with a few thank-yous, a new bow for Caitlin, and a plan for a Euro mount, plus a reminder that photos of the bull are on social and the website.

Topics covered:

Picking up the hunt midweek and the frustration of blowing elk out

Thanking the community that helps make a backcountry hunt possible

A lightning storm in the backcountry and the Wednesday night camp

Backpack hunting prep: shelter, food, water, bagels, and a garden hose

The final morning and the encounter that finally worked

Caitlin’s six-by-six bull and beating last year’s score

Packing out six heavy loads with help from friends

Hunter’s first Western elk hunt, perseverance, and lessons learned

Links

Outdoor Ruhls Podcast: www.outdoorruhls.com

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This week’s episode replays the second half of Caitlin’s 2025 elk hunt.