Early Archery Elk Season - WA State - 2022
On morning of the 3rd day of archery elk, I ran into some very fresh droppings in an area I'm pretty familiar with. It was around 10 am, so after determining their direction of travel, I felt pretty sure I knew (generally) where they were going to bed. I decided to eat some lunch and wait until early or mid-afternoon before making a move.
About 11am a couple guys started target shooting at a nearby quarry. It didn’t concern me too much as I didn’t anticipate it would bother the elk. My only hope was that they didn’t stay too long.
Around 1pm, a major headache rolled in that would last for the next several hours. It was a constant dull throb with waves of nausea, stabbing eye-stars and dry heaving. I tried to wait it out – thought about leaving, but couldn’t pass up the opportunity; and by 2pm, it was time to go.
Within 30 min I had reached my calling point, but unfortunately, the guys were still shooting. I was hoping to avoid calling with them around to avoid piquing their interest in elk, but I didn’t want to wait any longer. I started calling, knowing they could easily hear me. Over the next 2+ hrs, I called, but got no response. Around 4:30, the shooting stopped, but I didn’t hear any vehicles leave. By around 5, I was starting to doubt that the elk were even there and was considering leaving, when I suddenly got the faintest reply. Excitement surged knowing it wasn’t a wasted day and my hunch had been correct. I continued calling for a little while - hoping to bring them to me - knowing that I had little chance of approaching them in the PNW woods.
After 20-30 min, I reluctantly accepted that they weren’t going to come to me so I’d have to move. I had my decoy with me and thought it might give me a chance. I closed about ½ of estimated distance fairly quickly, then slowed to a crawl. My head was still killing me, and it became even more frustrating when I tried to use my binos. The 10x magnification quickly exposed the tiny shakes in my hands caused by the throbbing. The whole forest seemed to vibrate.
One or two steps at a time, I slowly made my way down, eventually finding a tore up trail that indicated their travel route. I continued until coming to a 30” diameter tree laying across the trail. The tingly senses told me I was very close and the little voice in my head said, “as soon as you step over that tree, it’s game over.” So there I am, crouched behind the fallen tree and behind my decoy – searching, looking, squinting – seeing nothing. Give the binos another try – damn it – freaking useless! SOB.
What do I do now? As I’m contemplating my next move, the forest is quiet, my brain is very reluctant to participate in thought processes – then, <BANG>. The crack of a gun reverberates through the forest from my front, right. It startles the crap out of me – it was really close (maybe 60 yards) and I obviously had no idea anyone was that close. I’m freaking out – I have a damn elk decoy in front of me. I slam it to the ground, duck down behind the tree and search for the source. I can’t see anyone; try the binos – of course it’s useless. Start eyeballing every tree, stump, brush clump, etc that is big enough to hide a person – nothing. Dammit.
It quickly becomes clear that the target shooters from earlier have made their way over after hearing my elk calls and that explains why I never heard a vehicle leave. I’d completely forgot about them as my focus was totally on the stalk. Thinking about the shot, I didn’t hear the round hit near me or go whizzing past me so apparently they weren’t shooting at me, but that knowledge was of little comfort. Knowing I was hidden behind a decoy for the past 45 min, while a person with a gun was moving in from the other side is a very sobering – no terrifying – realization.
I spent the next 15 min trying to decide what to do while dealing with a flood of emotions – terror, gratefulness, anger, frustration, pain, more anger. Where are they? Why can’t I see them? I know they’re really close. Why? Why did they shoot? Were they trying to scare me off? Were they frustrated? They had to cross a creek so they were probably wet and uncomfortable. But still, why shoot? Why? Can they see me? What’s their plan? What’s their motive?
Lots of questions and no answers, but my only real option was to back out. Advancing with the decoy now was a big no-go. And without it success was pretty much 0%. Not to mention, advancing with a person who’s already fired a shot and who’s intentions are unclear would be really dumb. So I grabbed my stuff and got the heck out of there. I tried to catch them, but I had to make a 4 mile loop and they slipped out before I got to the road they were on. In hindsight, that was probably better for all involved. I reported the incident to Fish and Wildlife, but without a vehicle description, it’s just a report.
I’m incredibly thankful they didn’t just blast away when they saw an “elk” moving through the woods.
What a day….unsuccessful, thwarted, and yet so very, very fortunate.
On morning of the 3rd day of archery elk, I ran into some very fresh droppings in an area I'm pretty familiar with. It was around 10 am, so after determining their direction of travel, I felt pretty sure I knew (generally) where they were going to bed. I decided to eat some lunch and wait until early or mid-afternoon before making a move.
About 11am a couple guys started target shooting at a nearby quarry. It didn’t concern me too much as I didn’t anticipate it would bother the elk. My only hope was that they didn’t stay too long.
Around 1pm, a major headache rolled in that would last for the next several hours. It was a constant dull throb with waves of nausea, stabbing eye-stars and dry heaving. I tried to wait it out – thought about leaving, but couldn’t pass up the opportunity; and by 2pm, it was time to go.
Within 30 min I had reached my calling point, but unfortunately, the guys were still shooting. I was hoping to avoid calling with them around to avoid piquing their interest in elk, but I didn’t want to wait any longer. I started calling, knowing they could easily hear me. Over the next 2+ hrs, I called, but got no response. Around 4:30, the shooting stopped, but I didn’t hear any vehicles leave. By around 5, I was starting to doubt that the elk were even there and was considering leaving, when I suddenly got the faintest reply. Excitement surged knowing it wasn’t a wasted day and my hunch had been correct. I continued calling for a little while - hoping to bring them to me - knowing that I had little chance of approaching them in the PNW woods.
After 20-30 min, I reluctantly accepted that they weren’t going to come to me so I’d have to move. I had my decoy with me and thought it might give me a chance. I closed about ½ of estimated distance fairly quickly, then slowed to a crawl. My head was still killing me, and it became even more frustrating when I tried to use my binos. The 10x magnification quickly exposed the tiny shakes in my hands caused by the throbbing. The whole forest seemed to vibrate.
One or two steps at a time, I slowly made my way down, eventually finding a tore up trail that indicated their travel route. I continued until coming to a 30” diameter tree laying across the trail. The tingly senses told me I was very close and the little voice in my head said, “as soon as you step over that tree, it’s game over.” So there I am, crouched behind the fallen tree and behind my decoy – searching, looking, squinting – seeing nothing. Give the binos another try – damn it – freaking useless! SOB.
What do I do now? As I’m contemplating my next move, the forest is quiet, my brain is very reluctant to participate in thought processes – then, <BANG>. The crack of a gun reverberates through the forest from my front, right. It startles the crap out of me – it was really close (maybe 60 yards) and I obviously had no idea anyone was that close. I’m freaking out – I have a damn elk decoy in front of me. I slam it to the ground, duck down behind the tree and search for the source. I can’t see anyone; try the binos – of course it’s useless. Start eyeballing every tree, stump, brush clump, etc that is big enough to hide a person – nothing. Dammit.
It quickly becomes clear that the target shooters from earlier have made their way over after hearing my elk calls and that explains why I never heard a vehicle leave. I’d completely forgot about them as my focus was totally on the stalk. Thinking about the shot, I didn’t hear the round hit near me or go whizzing past me so apparently they weren’t shooting at me, but that knowledge was of little comfort. Knowing I was hidden behind a decoy for the past 45 min, while a person with a gun was moving in from the other side is a very sobering – no terrifying – realization.
I spent the next 15 min trying to decide what to do while dealing with a flood of emotions – terror, gratefulness, anger, frustration, pain, more anger. Where are they? Why can’t I see them? I know they’re really close. Why? Why did they shoot? Were they trying to scare me off? Were they frustrated? They had to cross a creek so they were probably wet and uncomfortable. But still, why shoot? Why? Can they see me? What’s their plan? What’s their motive?
Lots of questions and no answers, but my only real option was to back out. Advancing with the decoy now was a big no-go. And without it success was pretty much 0%. Not to mention, advancing with a person who’s already fired a shot and who’s intentions are unclear would be really dumb. So I grabbed my stuff and got the heck out of there. I tried to catch them, but I had to make a 4 mile loop and they slipped out before I got to the road they were on. In hindsight, that was probably better for all involved. I reported the incident to Fish and Wildlife, but without a vehicle description, it’s just a report.
I’m incredibly thankful they didn’t just blast away when they saw an “elk” moving through the woods.
What a day….unsuccessful, thwarted, and yet so very, very fortunate.
