2021 failures, close calls, and lessons learned

[BigDog00]

Three come to mind, all happened last weekend.

#1. Bull bugles right at daylight on Saturday morning. I bugle back to illicit a response and get it. I immediately try to cut the distance, but not just have the general direction where he is. I start working my down and about 10 minutes later he rips off right about where I was located when I called back to him. Basically he would have been in my lap if I would have stayed put. To add to it, he ended up getting pretty fired up and I was way to passive. He ended up wandering off.

#2. Also Saturday, I sneak into an elky area and was just slowly/quietly meandering across the top of a ridge. I got to the edge of a patch of dog hair thick timber and happen to look about 50 yards down into it and see a "funny looking log". Turns out it was a bull facing away. Wind is generally good. I decide to very quietly take my pack and boots off and try to sneak a bit closer. I get to about 35 yards and have an opening but the bull will need to stand up and take a couple steps to his right to clear a couple trees. There ends up being a couple cows with him that eventually start to stand up. They know something isn't right but it takes a few minutes for them to start working down slope to my left where I wont have a shot(not ideal right?). Well the bull takes notice and decides to investigate. He stand and takes one step to his right (not a couple). I have about six inches of shoulder to work with and his neck, so basically no shot. I'm pleading with the elk gods that he'll take one more step, but he decides to circle downhill and to the left. I think they may have gotten just a hint of my wind but not for certain. You know you're close when you try to get the range finder shakes. Fun either way!

#3. Day 2, Sunday. I go back to the area from #1. The woods are dead calm. So quiet you could hear a fly fart. No bugles, zip...nada. I try a few locator bugles with nothing in return. The area had a recent fire and I decide to skirt the edge of the timber to see exactly what burned and what hadn't. The area has a big finger ridge perpendicular to the main ridge and there are usually elk on both sides of the finger. I end up making a big circle along the burned edge. I decide to work back into the timber about 200 yards and I'll do a blind calling sequence. I get to a spot to "test the waters"....pretty much a terrible setup if anything comes in. Guess what? I make two cow chirps and about 10 seconds later here comes Mr. Stud Muffin (95% sure its the bull from #1). He comes in from about 10/11 o'clock and gets to about 40 yards. He stops to take inventory and decides to move in directly in front of me after not finding his cow. He comes in about another 5 yards and works from left to right. I have virtually no cover and as he passes behind a thicker clump of trees I draw back. There are about 6 trees in this clump that he has to clear and I'll have my shot. Well I got drawn back without any ill effect, but I had to adjust my left foot a bit and caught me red handed. He was gone before he even had time to think twice. Still fun, but the idiot behind the bow needs to get it together.

 

[SlimTim]

Not an elk story (as I'm in Aus) but a deer story.

Hunting a local area without much sign all morning I decided to cross a large clearing and begin working my way back to the car with a somewhat favourable wind direction.

Pretty much halfway across the clearing I notice a large hind (good meat for me) grazing on the edge of the clearing. I was way out in the open but the wind was perfect so I decided to attempt to approach in the open. Moving slowly just trying to take metres (or feet (or yards) if you prefer ) while she was feeding. She looked at me a couple of times and I just stood dead still. She really didn't seem to be aware of my presence at all.

Got to 30 yards and took the shot. Shot broke perfect and seem to impact in the exact right spot though the arrow hardly penetrated. The hind ran off with only a few centimetres (inches) of the arrow inside. I waited an hour then begun the process of looking.

As I was looking, I think, though can't be sure, she got up and ran away. No blood anywhere and only some tracks. I think I found some more tracks leading away where I think I heard her run though as I said, can't be sure.

Probably the biggest lesson for me was if penetration looks questionable give it waaaaay more time than you think.

Perhaps the arrow simply didn't do too much damage and she survived. I certainly hope I didn't relegate her to a slow and painful death.

I questioned everything at the time, but now I think I've come to terms with the fact that this is bow hunting.

 

[TheGDog]

On my third deer in 2017 (started in 2014) in frustration with lack of bucks passing by my ambush spot... I decide to blow on the buck side of Primos Uproar. At first just short little sorta tending grunts. But after a good hour of only doing like 2 grunts each 15 min..... I got impatient and decide to mimic a really aggressive sparring buck.

Well... sonnova B if not much later in that uber quiet place with the ridiculously loud oak leaves... I see this nice 3x3 coming down the gullie that goes right in front of my spot. So I wait and as he passes behind to huge old oak that right by that gullie I draw... only.. right then is when he decides to take his sweet a$$ time meandering up and out of that gullie (which bTW I've blocked off with deadfall right in front of my abmush spot to encourage them to then change up to the criss-crossing trail line which makes them comes even closer to me)

So he's taking his sweet time... and before long my jacked-up shoulder joints are quivering and hurting... he's finally right there now... up the slope coming away from the gullie and headed toward the lone tree that's 25yds from my sit. Me being a bow noob... and it being soo close... I just use the topmost pin... woosh... FACK!!.. just below him! I freeze in the leafy suit.... after a long stare in my general direction he finally calms back down and puts his head back down near the ground again, so Ninja quiet I knock up another arrow... so this time my dumba$$ is like, oh, ok, guess I need to use the 30yd pin!

Woosh... KA-THOCK! Slips over his back... across the gullie a ways and slams into a dead oak over on that other side a bit. At which point he's like "Naw.. somethings not right... I'm outta here" at which point he begins to turn around and trot in the direction he'd originally come from... well.. past that big old oak my sit looks right at... to its right there are two groomed shooting lane openings I took time to clear beforehand in the season... he up and turns into one of them curious to investigate what the heck is flinging these things at him I guess. I'd already gotten up outta my seat when he went behold that old big oak... my hand was right about to grab a knock off the onboard quiver when he turned in suddenly... and there we are... at a Mexican standoff at like 7yds! FACK!!! After several seconds of the freeze-game... I assume some of my wind may have wafted over to him as he decided to turn around to perpare for possibly retreating... but then remained looking back over his shoulder at whatever I was to him. But after he'd turned around like that... I could see his tail was starting to do that nervous twitching, which I assume means he was starting to catch my wind... not long after he took off outta there in stott. I made sure to use that opportunity to look him over closely just to make sure I didn't perhaps hit him and not know it with those first two.

ANYHOO... big lesson learned is that with archery knowing that yardage is WAY important.. and if you have a 20yd pin and a 30yd pin.. if its' at 25 yds.. it means you hold on him at the midway point in-between the middle of those two pins.

When he left I screamed out in silence.. pissed as hell at myself. Later that night while in the tent recording a recap of it... I talked it out how I'd pre-measure everything tomorrow with the RangeFinder... and then constantly during the day was repeating to myself in my head the distance of all the objects I used as measurements points of referrence.... and each time I'd look back at them... I'd say their yardage and say to myself which pin or in-BETWEEN which two pins I'd need.

Later on that 2nd day... frustrated with not seeing anything yet... I have the grunts a try.. and son of a B if this young dumb Sporkie doesn't come clamoring out of the thick chaparal rather close to this same exact location where it all went down y'day!

He's making his way toward that same lone tree in the middle... and right as his eyes go behind it I draw... and then BOOM ...of course.. of course he would take right now to stop and try to eat with most of his body covered up by that tree.. damn it!! Stressin' that I'm gonna run into same scenario of having to hold soo long that I start shaking. Which I indeed was after a bit of waiting for him to move.. then he move.. but there was still too much tall grass obscuring his body so wanted him to come a little closer before I let go.

Finaly he was close enough that most of his body was now visible and exposed. I pick my spot and let it fly. I must have messed up a lil on the release as it went a bit over from where I was aimed at.. but I saw the arrow travel thru a ray of sunshine between he and I... so I had a good idea of where the arrow hit......

...But trip off this... this hit... maybe because it was higher and a ways back... he's just standing there for several seconds.. not moving.. looking in my general direction!

I'm starting to get bewildered and I'm like WTH?? I KNOW that should have hit him! No way... how the hell could that have missed!?!? And right about this his body language changes up to "Uh oh.. oh no.. I think I have to leave... like right now.. so he starts to trot over to the gullie... has to negotiate a steeper bank he dropped in at... gets to other side of bank, walks around that tree growing out of that opposite bank so he can do that same thing of looking back where they think it might have came from... by this time I'm confused and bewildered and in disbelief... at which point I knock another arrow and begin to rise from my chair saying to myself "You have GOT to be kidding me!! WTH!!?" (thinking he hadn't been hit)... then finally he turns and tries to stott away, but quicly changes it back down to trot.. but as he turns that glorious ray of sunshine I mentioned earlier... shows me a beautiful swath of red going down his butt cheek. YESSS!!!!!!!

So then I convert over into video record mode and commit to memory where he trots out of the scene and out of my vision. Then... ugh.. the waiting!!! I couldn't wait only longer, after about 15 I begin to trail him and record the evidence and the blood drops I was finding to video. Without much blood trail it was a real brain teaser trying to think where he might have gone. I followed his path he took and eventually got to a place of no blood no track right where he left my sight entering into the thick. There were two possible paths he could have taken. One was into that same area of chapparal approximately, that it had original come out from.. but the more I thought about that I'm like no G, he's gonna try to go away farther than that, so I chose the other path... which entailed busting thru the dried up thin branches of a down treed that happened to be laying crosswise to me. Thankfully seconds after crunching and snapping thru that down trees branches and over its trunk.. DING! DING! DING! there he was... my first bow kill!

What made the whole thing so surreal with the bow situation was how quiet the whole thing is. Definitely a totally different experience.

 

[idahomuleys]

I learned to not always trust my equipment. Snuck up on a cow in a creek, ranged her routes she would pop up as I was coming from above her. She jumped out of the creek and ran a few feet up the hill, I cow called to stop her perfectly broadside and held my 40 pin a hair high on her vitals. Let the arrow go and looked like it hit perfect. High lung but with the downward trajectory looked like it would come out good. I see her take off up the hill and stop about 100 yards away. Pull my binos out and the arrow looks like it only had 5-6 inches or so of penetration. She had blood pouring out of her and her whole side was bloody. Gave her 2 hours and started tracking. Steady blood with multiple big puddles for 600 yards. Blood trail ended with a puddle and then blood disappeared. Spent the next 2 days scowering the hillside for her with no success finding any other sign. Don't know why the arrow didn't do its job, wondering if it smacked a rib perfectly and angled upwards or something. Newer hoyt at 74 lb draw weight shooting a gold tip kinetic pierce and slick trick 100 grain standard. I would think it would've had plenty of punch to easily go through both sides of a rib cage. Super bummed and replay the shot in my head hundreds of times a day. wish I would've aimed a hair lower thinking that may have had a different outcome.

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[roosiebull]

alright... struggle stick struggles

last thursday i decided to check out a spot i haven't been in all year... it's tough country to hunt, it's all big huge canyons (NF 2nd growth timber) but figured i should check it out.

i hadn't gone very far, maybe 3/4 mile when i get a bull to light off.... looking over the edge it's almost too steep to get down, but looking at the topo, there isn't a pleasant way down there, and he's way down in the bottom.

i was trying to decide what to do, but he kept answering me, so what the hey.... i'm going. i knew getting down to him was gonna suck, and i knew when i got down there i would have to cross at least 1 nasty draw (ended up being 3)

i kept tabs on him the whole way down, but just the noise i was making crashing down the ridge was enough to build his anticipation. he hadn't moved at all since his first bugle, so i knew he had cows staying totally stationary.

his attitude was getting worse with every answer, so i was getting excited, and the wind was staying good for me... exactly what i needed, a cross wind. i finally got to the bottom, and had to fight through 3 salmonberry choked little steep draws, but i was finally on his ridge, and close... less than 100yds.

i look around up ahead and see a spot that i can see 20yds (which is open for where i am) where he is turns to nice open timber with brush patches and chest high ferns, but i'm not wanting to risk getting seen getting up on that finger, i think i'm close enough where he'll come the rest of the way. i finally nock an arrow, and scream at him one more time and move up to the back of the little "opening"

all behind me is dense salmonberry, off to my left was ugly, to my right there are a couple big blowdowns. in front of me in the direction of the bull is a huge rotten stump with an old growth huckleberry growing out of it, laying in front of it is a big rotten log... if he comes, it will be perfect, because he will have to turn broadside inside 15yds.

as soon as i stop, i immediately hear swishing ferns... he's coming! he is walking steady and deliberate, and i see his antlers come through the salmonberry patch 20yds in front of me, and his antlers match the bugle... he's a big black horned bull, clean 6 on the left side, crowned on the right, and i think stickers on both sides where the 4ths meet his main beams... incredible bull.

he is going to disappear behind the big stump, and i need to know what way he's going to veer around it, and he disappears veering to my left, so i slightly turn and go to half draw so i'm ready when i see his antlers, and make sure my bow will clear the brush when i draw.... when he comes out he is going to be too close, but that's what i got (this is all happening fast, but there is a lot going on in my head) i catch movement to my right... ****!! he's coming out on my right. his head is still behind brush, so in one motion i let down and turn, and a little limb gets hung up between my string and top limb! i hold my arrow on the shelf with my left hand, clear it with my right, bring my bow around, as he comes out of the brush.

he's now even with me almost passing me, sees me draw but just slows to a stop... he didn't jolt to a stop, he wasn't tense, but he's way too close and looking at me, my mind is screaming "SHOOT!" and i listened, and skip my arrow off of his back at spitting distance...NO!

the bull wheels, but only goes a few yards and stops quartering away, still inside 20yds, and screams at me, he's in a depression, and his body is covered in ferns, i have another arrow nocked and ready... he takes a few steps, now i can see his body, but i would have to shoot through a huckleberry bush... 2 more steps, come on...

he turns directly away and up the ridge.... stops at about 40yds again, trying to figure out what happened, bugled again and over the top of the finger and out of my life... he bugled 2 or 3 more times, grabbed his cows and crossed the main drainage.... i was sick

i knew the odds of actually calling him back in were basically zero, so i figured i wouldn't pressure them anymore, in hopes i can find him another day. i saw my arrow land probably 40 yds past the bull, into a brush hole, so i went to look for it.... as i'm looking for it i hear brush rustling getting closer, then i hear steady mewing.... a bull mewing, every breath.... is he coming back?! i take a few steps to get out of the brush, and it's getting closer, then i see him coming, about 25yds angled towards me and closing... unfortunately it wasn't the same him, and was a young 4x5 the big bull probably chased off when he grabbed his cows... that bull came by me at probably 15yds, but he went on the opposite side of a little knob.

that miss is gonna sting for awhile. i was doing pretty good mentally until he popped out on my right sight unexpectedly, and i think i went into panic autopilot which is not a good place to be when shooting at something. all i can figure is i held point on and shot (my point on is 30yds) no other explanation. bugling in bulls and a recurve is a bad combination for me.... that recurve gets me rattled like i used to get 20yrs ago with a compound.

i wish there was a different reason for the fail, like hit a branch i didn't see, hit my limb on a branch ion the shot.... something! unfortunately there is nothing to blame, it's all me, haha.

that was a perfect storm of circumstances that took my cognitive thinking ability away, after 16 roosies with my bow i make the most rookie of mistakes, let emotions take the shot... i know better but couldn't stop it that time.

pretty frustrating, there was literally nothing that was going to foul up that shot opportunity, he was as committed as he could have been. he was marching me down, not pausing to look, just squinted eyes, head low marching me down to make an example out of me.... he was so committed that he still thought i was a bull after he stares at me from a few feet away, and then got shot at... i won the battle but lost the war.

the plus side- that was one of the most epic elk encounters i have ever had, it was best case scenario call in, classic beautiful roosie country, and a perfect depiction of a big mature roosie.... everything up to the shot was as good as it gets. had i been hunting with my compound, i would have never had that encounter, i would have had a dead bull already a couple times, so i don't regret what went down... it was too big for my first recurve roosie anyways, haha.

i am packing the mach 1 now, i will keep checking in on that bull, hoping to catch him within earshot again, but there is no sneaking up on any elk down there, so i will need him to answer me to hunt him again, and i think he will. i walked several miles in that area this morning, had a distant bull answer me first bugle this morning, but couldn't pinpoint him, and never heard him again, which is odd because he cut me off this morning. if it's the same bull, after a couple bugles he started just chuckling in response until i shot at him, then he started bugling again.... if that was the case this morning, i never would have heard him chuckling if he answered me. there was a directional breeze this morning too, which made it hard to hear.

i try to not fail often, but when i do, i go big

 

[roosiebull]

I learned to not always trust my equipment. Snuck up on a cow in a creek, ranged her routes she would pop up as I was coming from above her. She jumped out of the creek and ran a few feet up the hill, I cow called to stop her perfectly broadside and held my 40 pin a hair high on her vitals. Let the arrow go and looked like it hit perfect. High lung but with the downward trajectory looked like it would come out good. I see her take off up the hill and stop about 100 yards away. Pull my binos out and the arrow looks like it only had 5-6 inches or so of penetration. She had blood pouring out of her and her whole side was bloody. Gave her 2 hours and started tracking. Steady blood with multiple big puddles for 600 yards. Blood trail ended with a puddle and then blood disappeared. Spent the next 2 days scowering the hillside for her with no success finding any other sign. Don't know why the arrow didn't do its job, wondering if it smacked a rib perfectly and angled upwards or something. Newer hoyt at 74 lb draw weight shooting a gold tip kinetic pierce and slick trick 100 grain standard. I would think it would've had plenty of punch to easily go through both sides of a rib cage. Super bummed and replay the shot in my head hundreds of times a day. wish I would've aimed a hair lower thinking that may have had a different outcome.

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that's a huge bummer man! sorry that happened. ever find the arrow?

 

[idahomuleys]

that's a huge bummer man! sorry that happened. ever find the arrow?

Never found the arrow. Was really hoping to to see how much it actually penetrated. It's crazy how tough elk can be with the amount of blood she lost. Almost positive she's dead but the amount of distance she must have gone for me to not be able to find her is crazy.

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[Read1t48]

alright... struggle stick struggles

last thursday i decided to check out a spot i haven't been in all year... it's tough country to hunt, it's all big huge canyons (NF 2nd growth timber) but figured i should check it out.

i hadn't gone very far, maybe 3/4 mile when i get a bull to light off.... looking over the edge it's almost too steep to get down, but looking at the topo, there isn't a pleasant way down there, and he's way down in the bottom.

i was trying to decide what to do, but he kept answering me, so what the hey.... i'm going. i knew getting down to him was gonna suck, and i knew when i got down there i would have to cross at least 1 nasty draw (ended up being 3)

i kept tabs on him the whole way down, but just the noise i was making crashing down the ridge was enough to build his anticipation. he hadn't moved at all since his first bugle, so i knew he had cows staying totally stationary.

his attitude was getting worse with every answer, so i was getting excited, and the wind was staying good for me... exactly what i needed, a cross wind. i finally got to the bottom, and had to fight through 3 salmonberry choked little steep draws, but i was finally on his ridge, and close... less than 100yds.

i look around up ahead and see a spot that i can see 20yds (which is open for where i am) where he is turns to nice open timber with brush patches and chest high ferns, but i'm not wanting to risk getting seen getting up on that finger, i think i'm close enough where he'll come the rest of the way. i finally nock an arrow, and scream at him one more time and move up to the back of the little "opening"

all behind me is dense salmonberry, off to my left was ugly, to my right there are a couple big blowdowns. in front of me in the direction of the bull is a huge rotten stump with an old growth huckleberry growing out of it, laying in front of it is a big rotten log... if he comes, it will be perfect, because he will have to turn broadside inside 15yds.

as soon as i stop, i immediately hear swishing ferns... he's coming! he is walking steady and deliberate, and i see his antlers come through the salmonberry patch 20yds in front of me, and his antlers match the bugle... he's a big black horned bull, clean 6 on the left side, crowned on the right, and i think stickers on both sides where the 4ths meet his main beams... incredible bull.

he is going to disappear behind the big stump, and i need to know what way he's going to veer around it, and he disappears veering to my left, so i slightly turn and go to half draw so i'm ready when i see his antlers, and make sure my bow will clear the brush when i draw.... when he comes out he is going to be too close, but that's what i got (this is all happening fast, but there is a lot going on in my head) i catch movement to my right... ****!! he's coming out on my right. his head is still behind brush, so in one motion i let down and turn, and a little limb gets hung up between my string and top limb! i hold my arrow on the shelf with my left hand, clear it with my right, bring my bow around, as he comes out of the brush.

he's now even with me almost passing me, sees me draw but just slows to a stop... he didn't jolt to a stop, he wasn't tense, but he's way too close and looking at me, my mind is screaming "SHOOT!" and i listened, and skip my arrow off of his back at spitting distance...NO!

the bull wheels, but only goes a few yards and stops quartering away, still inside 20yds, and screams at me, he's in a depression, and his body is covered in ferns, i have another arrow nocked and ready... he takes a few steps, now i can see his body, but i would have to shoot through a huckleberry bush... 2 more steps, come on...

he turns directly away and up the ridge.... stops at about 40yds again, trying to figure out what happened, bugled again and over the top of the finger and out of my life... he bugled 2 or 3 more times, grabbed his cows and crossed the main drainage.... i was sick

i knew the odds of actually calling him back in were basically zero, so i figured i wouldn't pressure them anymore, in hopes i can find him another day. i saw my arrow land probably 40 yds past the bull, into a brush hole, so i went to look for it.... as i'm looking for it i hear brush rustling getting closer, then i hear steady mewing.... a bull mewing, every breath.... is he coming back?! i take a few steps to get out of the brush, and it's getting closer, then i see him coming, about 25yds angled towards me and closing... unfortunately it wasn't the same him, and was a young 4x5 the big bull probably chased off when he grabbed his cows... that bull came by me at probably 15yds, but he went on the opposite side of a little knob.

that miss is gonna sting for awhile. i was doing pretty good mentally until he popped out on my right sight unexpectedly, and i think i went into panic autopilot which is not a good place to be when shooting at something. all i can figure is i held point on and shot (my point on is 30yds) no other explanation. bugling in bulls and a recurve is a bad combination for me.... that recurve gets me rattled like i used to get 20yrs ago with a compound.

i wish there was a different reason for the fail, like hit a branch i didn't see, hit my limb on a branch ion the shot.... something! unfortunately there is nothing to blame, it's all me, haha.

that was a perfect storm of circumstances that took my cognitive thinking ability away, after 16 roosies with my bow i make the most rookie of mistakes, let emotions take the shot... i know better but couldn't stop it that time.

pretty frustrating, there was literally nothing that was going to foul up that shot opportunity, he was as committed as he could have been. he was marching me down, not pausing to look, just squinted eyes, head low marching me down to make an example out of me.... he was so committed that he still thought i was a bull after he stares at me from a few feet away, and then got shot at... i won the battle but lost the war.

the plus side- that was one of the most epic elk encounters i have ever had, it was best case scenario call in, classic beautiful roosie country, and a perfect depiction of a big mature roosie.... everything up to the shot was as good as it gets. had i been hunting with my compound, i would have never had that encounter, i would have had a dead bull already a couple times, so i don't regret what went down... it was too big for my first recurve roosie anyways, haha.

i am packing the mach 1 now, i will keep checking in on that bull, hoping to catch him within earshot again, but there is no sneaking up on any elk down there, so i will need him to answer me to hunt him again, and i think he will. i walked several miles in that area this morning, had a distant bull answer me first bugle this morning, but couldn't pinpoint him, and never heard him again, which is odd because he cut me off this morning. if it's the same bull, after a couple bugles he started just chuckling in response until i shot at him, then he started bugling again.... if that was the case this morning, i never would have heard him chuckling if he answered me. there was a directional breeze this morning too, which made it hard to hear.

i try to not fail often, but when i do, i go big

What a great opportunity! I enjoyed your write up and the lessons learned. Felt like I was right there with you in the woods. It sounds like the struggle stick is providing you with some unique opportunities. Those are great memories regardless of what’s hitting the ground. It is such a blessing to be in the woods hunting elk… Something many people never get the opportunity to do or experience.

 

[TripleJ]

alright... struggle stick struggles

last thursday i decided to check out a spot i haven't been in all year... it's tough country to hunt, it's all big huge canyons (NF 2nd growth timber) but figured i should check it out.

i hadn't gone very far, maybe 3/4 mile when i get a bull to light off.... looking over the edge it's almost too steep to get down, but looking at the topo, there isn't a pleasant way down there, and he's way down in the bottom.

i was trying to decide what to do, but he kept answering me, so what the hey.... i'm going. i knew getting down to him was gonna suck, and i knew when i got down there i would have to cross at least 1 nasty draw (ended up being 3)

i kept tabs on him the whole way down, but just the noise i was making crashing down the ridge was enough to build his anticipation. he hadn't moved at all since his first bugle, so i knew he had cows staying totally stationary.

his attitude was getting worse with every answer, so i was getting excited, and the wind was staying good for me... exactly what i needed, a cross wind. i finally got to the bottom, and had to fight through 3 salmonberry choked little steep draws, but i was finally on his ridge, and close... less than 100yds.

i look around up ahead and see a spot that i can see 20yds (which is open for where i am) where he is turns to nice open timber with brush patches and chest high ferns, but i'm not wanting to risk getting seen getting up on that finger, i think i'm close enough where he'll come the rest of the way. i finally nock an arrow, and scream at him one more time and move up to the back of the little "opening"

all behind me is dense salmonberry, off to my left was ugly, to my right there are a couple big blowdowns. in front of me in the direction of the bull is a huge rotten stump with an old growth huckleberry growing out of it, laying in front of it is a big rotten log... if he comes, it will be perfect, because he will have to turn broadside inside 15yds.

as soon as i stop, i immediately hear swishing ferns... he's coming! he is walking steady and deliberate, and i see his antlers come through the salmonberry patch 20yds in front of me, and his antlers match the bugle... he's a big black horned bull, clean 6 on the left side, crowned on the right, and i think stickers on both sides where the 4ths meet his main beams... incredible bull.

he is going to disappear behind the big stump, and i need to know what way he's going to veer around it, and he disappears veering to my left, so i slightly turn and go to half draw so i'm ready when i see his antlers, and make sure my bow will clear the brush when i draw.... when he comes out he is going to be too close, but that's what i got (this is all happening fast, but there is a lot going on in my head) i catch movement to my right... ****!! he's coming out on my right. his head is still behind brush, so in one motion i let down and turn, and a little limb gets hung up between my string and top limb! i hold my arrow on the shelf with my left hand, clear it with my right, bring my bow around, as he comes out of the brush.

he's now even with me almost passing me, sees me draw but just slows to a stop... he didn't jolt to a stop, he wasn't tense, but he's way too close and looking at me, my mind is screaming "SHOOT!" and i listened, and skip my arrow off of his back at spitting distance...NO!

the bull wheels, but only goes a few yards and stops quartering away, still inside 20yds, and screams at me, he's in a depression, and his body is covered in ferns, i have another arrow nocked and ready... he takes a few steps, now i can see his body, but i would have to shoot through a huckleberry bush... 2 more steps, come on...

he turns directly away and up the ridge.... stops at about 40yds again, trying to figure out what happened, bugled again and over the top of the finger and out of my life... he bugled 2 or 3 more times, grabbed his cows and crossed the main drainage.... i was sick

i knew the odds of actually calling him back in were basically zero, so i figured i wouldn't pressure them anymore, in hopes i can find him another day. i saw my arrow land probably 40 yds past the bull, into a brush hole, so i went to look for it.... as i'm looking for it i hear brush rustling getting closer, then i hear steady mewing.... a bull mewing, every breath.... is he coming back?! i take a few steps to get out of the brush, and it's getting closer, then i see him coming, about 25yds angled towards me and closing... unfortunately it wasn't the same him, and was a young 4x5 the big bull probably chased off when he grabbed his cows... that bull came by me at probably 15yds, but he went on the opposite side of a little knob.

that miss is gonna sting for awhile. i was doing pretty good mentally until he popped out on my right sight unexpectedly, and i think i went into panic autopilot which is not a good place to be when shooting at something. all i can figure is i held point on and shot (my point on is 30yds) no other explanation. bugling in bulls and a recurve is a bad combination for me.... that recurve gets me rattled like i used to get 20yrs ago with a compound.

i wish there was a different reason for the fail, like hit a branch i didn't see, hit my limb on a branch ion the shot.... something! unfortunately there is nothing to blame, it's all me, haha.

that was a perfect storm of circumstances that took my cognitive thinking ability away, after 16 roosies with my bow i make the most rookie of mistakes, let emotions take the shot... i know better but couldn't stop it that time.

pretty frustrating, there was literally nothing that was going to foul up that shot opportunity, he was as committed as he could have been. he was marching me down, not pausing to look, just squinted eyes, head low marching me down to make an example out of me.... he was so committed that he still thought i was a bull after he stares at me from a few feet away, and then got shot at... i won the battle but lost the war.

the plus side- that was one of the most epic elk encounters i have ever had, it was best case scenario call in, classic beautiful roosie country, and a perfect depiction of a big mature roosie.... everything up to the shot was as good as it gets. had i been hunting with my compound, i would have never had that encounter, i would have had a dead bull already a couple times, so i don't regret what went down... it was too big for my first recurve roosie anyways, haha.

i am packing the mach 1 now, i will keep checking in on that bull, hoping to catch him within earshot again, but there is no sneaking up on any elk down there, so i will need him to answer me to hunt him again, and i think he will. i walked several miles in that area this morning, had a distant bull answer me first bugle this morning, but couldn't pinpoint him, and never heard him again, which is odd because he cut me off this morning. if it's the same bull, after a couple bugles he started just chuckling in response until i shot at him, then he started bugling again.... if that was the case this morning, i never would have heard him chuckling if he answered me. there was a directional breeze this morning too, which made it hard to hear.

i try to not fail often, but when i do, i go big

What an awesome encounter Mike, it's a huge bummer your shot didn't work out. Those big black horned bulls can get your ticker pumping for sure. I may or may not have had 2 experiences with big Roosies in the last several years that ended with the same results, both under 15 yards. When you go back and re-live it, it doesn't seem possible to not make the shot. It's frustrating, but it keeps you hungry and keeps you humble, or at least it does me. There's so much work and effort that goes into getting those encounters in the 1st place, it can be painful when they don't work out. Now that you're packing your compound, I imagine it's only a matter of time and your tag will be filled, hopefully with that big guy now that you know where he's living!



I've only hunted 3 days so far this season, headed out friday for the rest of the season though. The lesson I learned so far this year was patience/shot selection. I chose not to shoot at a bull opening morning, that in years past I probably would have shot at. He was in range and wide open, but I didn't like the angle he was standing so I let him walk. There was a good chance I would have made the shot, but there's also a decent chance I would have made a bad shot too, and I would have probably never found him in the tangled coast range reprod mess I was in.

 

[ncstatehunter]

Incredible story @roosiebull, I’m sure you aren’t finished with that bull yet.

My lesson learned is I should have been more aggressive in getting close to a bull on opening morning of muzzleloader here in Colorado. Still a rookie in the elk woods (2nd time hunting them, first in September) and that was my first experience with having one bugle. Wasn’t sure what to do since he was below me but wind was ok for me to get down on his level. I did that without answering him at all and by the time I got the 200 hundred yards down there he had moved and was to my right now which wasn’t good for the wind but still doable. But I stayed up higher instead of circling to get in front and down a little lower. Called him up to what was probably 150 yards with some cow calling and probably should have cut him off with a bugle when he let that one go then but I didn’t due to nerves and not being sure what exactly to do. Next bugle was moving away from me and never heard him again after that as I waited a good 45 minutes for the thermals to switch so I could creep down in. I’m sure someone with experience would have punched their tag on him. As it is, that’s the only bull I’ve heard and still have yet to see an elk this trip or find smoking fresh sign; either been a few days to a week old or just sporadic. Covering ground in elevations from sage/oak brush country at 7000’ to meadows and timber at 10200’. 2 more days to find one, whether a cow or bull.

 

[ZDR]

Just got home from my hunt - 13 days in the one of the best units in NM and I blew it.
FIrst 4 days was rainy, lots of elk but no shooting opptys. It quits raining and started getting warm. Elk encounters go way down. Finally we have a bugling bull...my friend goes one way and I work down around him. Bump into 6 mule deer but dont spook them. Then 3 spikes walk out in front of me at 30 yards, I watch them feed and work their way uphill. As I am watching them, a 5x5 walks out at 50 and I was not ready. He slips into the trees and is gone.
2 days later, I am high on a ridge and there is bugling below me. I thought it was a couple of guys I saw walking on a ridge about a half mile away. I decided to cow call and the bugling starts getting closer. A little buck walks right up to me and I caught him on video. He finally bounds off and I start cow calling again. Bugles directly below me now. I start getting ready and I hear a really funny sounding grunt. The bull comes up directly behind a small tree. If he turns left or right I have him at 50 yards. Suddenly all hell breaks loose behind me and a bunch of cows go flying off in all directions. Busted...the bull (6x6) is gone. I never saw the cows come up and I kick myself for not paying more attention to what was going on around me. Last good encounter of the hunt. It started getting really hot and dry and the elk moved out to an adjacent unit where there was more water. that was it...

 

[Jermh]

Me and two buddies went on our first diy backpack elk hunt about a week ago. I feel like we did a lot right, we doubled I killed a bull and buddy killed a cow, but learned that I have a lot to learn. My major takeaways on lessons learned are:

1. Be smart about camp location. If you're in rough terrain and you're about to chase elk that are a long ways off, take camp with you. It'll take longer but it beats 'sleeping' on the side of the mountain freezing your ass off with no food.

2. Getting deep, getting up high, and getting away from people can get you in the elk but the walk out is further and tougher than you think it is. Plan for it. And be sure your plan for getting meat out is realistic for the timeline you are dealing with.

3. Good boots are worth it. My buddy wore some Danner Pronghorns (that he took the time to break in ahead of time) and he battled blisters the whole week.

4. Have realistic plans for water. Not everything you see on OnX that looks like it should have water actually does and that can really end up dictating how your day rolls.

Learned a lot more but those are the big ones. We worked hard and found success, but we definitely made mistakes.

 

[jmez]

I learned to not always trust my equipment. Snuck up on a cow in a creek, ranged her routes she would pop up as I was coming from above her. She jumped out of the creek and ran a few feet up the hill, I cow called to stop her perfectly broadside and held my 40 pin a hair high on her vitals. Let the arrow go and looked like it hit perfect. High lung but with the downward trajectory looked like it would come out good. I see her take off up the hill and stop about 100 yards away. Pull my binos out and the arrow looks like it only had 5-6 inches or so of penetration. She had blood pouring out of her and her whole side was bloody. Gave her 2 hours and started tracking. Steady blood with multiple big puddles for 600 yards. Blood trail ended with a puddle and then blood disappeared. Spent the next 2 days scowering the hillside for her with no success finding any other sign. Don't know why the arrow didn't do its job, wondering if it smacked a rib perfectly and angled upwards or something. Newer hoyt at 74 lb draw weight shooting a gold tip kinetic pierce and slick trick 100 grain standard. I would think it would've had plenty of punch to easily go through both sides of a rib cage. Super bummed and replay the shot in my head hundreds of times a day. wish I would've aimed a hair lower thinking that may have had a different outcome.

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That looks like liver.

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[idahomuleys]

That looks like liver.

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About 95% sure it's not. From what I can recollect, and it is just a memory with adrenaline pumping, the arrow was 4ish inches back from the shoulder blade on a broadside shot. When I seen her run off and stop for 10 seconds the arrow coming out looked like where I had aimed and not further back. Slightly high yes but not further back. Keep in mind the picture is from over 2 hours after she stood in this specific spot so the blood was dry and starting to harden into a jello so likely the color of blood had changed in that amount of time.

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[Elkohalic]

Called a 4pt in to 30 yards but no shot with a cow right behind where the arrow would exit. By the time she cleared away the bull moved and not shot... aAAHHHHHHHH!

 

[DAVIDE1333]

Building a house. Don’t build a house and expect to hunt. Or hint well. They’re not compatible. Try to make the most of it last 10 days


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This is my story. Been re-siding all summer because I get to it when I can. Now, I may be able to get out the week of Oct 4. At least the work I put into my house looks good.

 

[PaBone]

Just got back from Montana were my two son's and I backpacked in for ten days. My one son took a nice 5X5 and I could write a book on some failed attempts my other son had. The one that will sting for awhile we were slowly walking an elk trail through the timber calling when a bull answers from sixty yards or so. My son hurries into position and I try to drop back a little but I look and this giant 6X6 bull is right there standing above us looking toward me. It was thick and he couldn't see me so I gave a soft bugle away from him and he cuts me off with a screaming bugle and starts over the hill. I know my son is right there somewhere when I hear a shot and the sound of an arrow deflecting off some limbs. Yep one limb he didn't see ended that encounter. The nice thing was my son that shot the bull made a video of his brother on his cell phone. Shows the screaming bull and his brother drawing his bow and the sound of the arrow hitting the limb, nice reminder to keep you motivated until next year.

 

[swamphunter]

Short and sweet. Always have a spare pair of kicks in your truck. Just got done clammering all over the mountain with 550 cord holding my boots together. They looked perfect when I left for the trip. Started falling apart by noon on the first day of my hunt. Made it work but will never be in that situation again!

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[bluetick78]

Left early Thursday morning for my 2nd trip of the season. Got packed in by 10 am, I was setting up my tent and noticed I felt a little light headed. Got camp finished, hiked up to my glassing spot slowly feeling really winded. Sat down to glass and ended up falling asleep for about an hour. Woke up feeling clammy and feverish. Hiked back to camp feeling worse by the minute. Rested a while, then I decided to pack up and head out because I didn't know what was wrong. I didn't want to get stuck 4 miles in with no cell reception without knowing why I felt like garbage. Took 6 hours to go 4 downhill miles to the truck. When I finally got to cell reception I called my wife to tell her I was headed home. My job requires me to test for Covid weekly, but I hadn't checked my results for the current week yet. When I checked, I was surprised to see I'd tested positive! I've avoided it for nearly 2 years, give or take, and now I've got it. Biggest elk hunting fail of my life.

 

[DIYer]

Left early Thursday morning for my 2nd trip of the season. Got packed in by 10 am, I was setting up my tent and noticed I felt a little light headed. Got camp finished, hiked up to my glassing spot slowly feeling really winded. Sat down to glass and ended up falling asleep for about an hour. Woke up feeling clammy and feverish. Hiked back to camp feeling worse by the minute. Rested a while, then I decided to pack up and head out because I didn't know what was wrong. I didn't want to get stuck 4 miles in with no cell reception without knowing why I felt like garbage. Took 6 hours to go 4 downhill miles to the truck. When I finally got to cell reception I called my wife to tell her I was headed home. My job requires me to test for Covid weekly, but I hadn't checked my results for the current week yet. When I checked, I was surprised to see I'd tested positive! I've avoided it for nearly 2 years, give or take, and now I've got it. Biggest elk hunting fail of my life.

Could also be a success that you made it off the mountain! I haven't had covid thankfully but I bet that 4 miles out was miserable.