I Drew my first Wyoming general elk tag for the fall of 2021. after spending a few days prior to season scouting and looking around at different units, i was not liking what i was seeing due the inability to get away from other hunting pressure due to all of the roads/atv trails. so the day before the season, using a sandwich shop's wifi, i scoured onx on my phone and decided that a unit(s) about 2-1/2 hours down the road looked more like it. so i finished my sandwich and headed that way.
over the course of the next 12 days of hunting i took a ride on quite the elk rollercoaster. i was feeling very good when i was immediately on elk opening morning. the next few days kept spirits high as i was able to find and get close to nice bulls every day, just no shot opportunities. then on labor day i called in a 6 point to 43 yards and made, what looked like, a great shot, the arrow entering just behind the right shoulder on a slightly quartering away, down ridge shot. i had, what looked to be lung blood, right away. after waiting an hour i took up the track, easily following blood for over 350 yards. after that it dried up and i spent the next 8 hours and as many milers scouring the area for any sign of the bull but was unable to recover him. i made the 4 mile walk back to the truck exhausted, disappointed, bewildered, and feeling about as bad as a bow hunter can feel.
i slept in a bit the next morning then forced myself to get my ass out of bed and get back at it, nothing else to do but keep going.
over the course of the next 7 days i called in 4 more bulls, even a couple big ones, to bow range. one as close as 8 yards with nothing between us but a couple small saplings, bugling right in my face, the kind of experience you dream of and see on youtube videos. i also had a few days of seeing/hearing nothing and wondering if i was in the right place, doing the right things, and every other doubt and second guess you can have when things aren't going the way you want.
finally on my 12th day of hunting things came together. after a close call with a great bull in the morning i finally connected with a 5 point at 18 yards around 11 am. he was down in less than 50 yards. i could hardly believe it when i walked up on him after being unsuccessful the previous 4 years. after sitting there in awe for a while, also wondering what the hell i had just gotten myself in to alone and 4 miles from my truck, i got to work.
late the next afternoon i got back to the truck with the rack and the last load of meat, wrapping up my 2021 wyoming elk hunt. my first elk and a hunt ill never forget.
FYI - for the photos, i taped my phone to one of my trekking poles and used the timer selfie feature...a surprising amount of people have asked about that.
over the course of the next 12 days of hunting i took a ride on quite the elk rollercoaster. i was feeling very good when i was immediately on elk opening morning. the next few days kept spirits high as i was able to find and get close to nice bulls every day, just no shot opportunities. then on labor day i called in a 6 point to 43 yards and made, what looked like, a great shot, the arrow entering just behind the right shoulder on a slightly quartering away, down ridge shot. i had, what looked to be lung blood, right away. after waiting an hour i took up the track, easily following blood for over 350 yards. after that it dried up and i spent the next 8 hours and as many milers scouring the area for any sign of the bull but was unable to recover him. i made the 4 mile walk back to the truck exhausted, disappointed, bewildered, and feeling about as bad as a bow hunter can feel.
i slept in a bit the next morning then forced myself to get my ass out of bed and get back at it, nothing else to do but keep going.
over the course of the next 7 days i called in 4 more bulls, even a couple big ones, to bow range. one as close as 8 yards with nothing between us but a couple small saplings, bugling right in my face, the kind of experience you dream of and see on youtube videos. i also had a few days of seeing/hearing nothing and wondering if i was in the right place, doing the right things, and every other doubt and second guess you can have when things aren't going the way you want.
finally on my 12th day of hunting things came together. after a close call with a great bull in the morning i finally connected with a 5 point at 18 yards around 11 am. he was down in less than 50 yards. i could hardly believe it when i walked up on him after being unsuccessful the previous 4 years. after sitting there in awe for a while, also wondering what the hell i had just gotten myself in to alone and 4 miles from my truck, i got to work.
late the next afternoon i got back to the truck with the rack and the last load of meat, wrapping up my 2021 wyoming elk hunt. my first elk and a hunt ill never forget.
FYI - for the photos, i taped my phone to one of my trekking poles and used the timer selfie feature...a surprising amount of people have asked about that.
