Edaniels97
FNG
Maybe a long story but this hunt was pretty special to me. Last paragraph is the action if you care to read.
I am not a new hunter nor am I new to elk hunting. In fact this was my 8th elk season. I started bow hunting elk a few years after high school in 2012 or 2013. No knowledge aside from watching elk hunting movies and tagging along with my brother once or twice. After a few years of learning and a few blown opportunities it all came together (I thought). In 2017 I called in a great 5x5 Roosevelt right into exactly where I wanted him. Dream scenario I played in my head a thousand times. Bugled back and forth a couple times, cow called and watched him come pounding in. At full draw I stopped him at 40 yards, quartering to me with his front leg back and vitals wide open I punched it and watched my arrow bury in his chest exactly where I wanted it. After excitement settled I walked up to where he was standing only to find my arrow laying there with a few small chunks of meat and some light hair. After 2 “sick” days from work I recovered nothing but a few small specks of blood and an absolute sick feeling. To the point I quit elk hunting. The whole thing haunts me to this day.
Fast forward 6 years, a buddy talked me into rifle hunting. Thanks to him I found a new area, pounded the hills, froze my ass off, ate a couple tags but found tons of rut sign. This year I decided I’m putting full effort in, got a muzzleloader and took the week off.
For 5 days straight I hiked 10-15 miles a day, I saw zero animals, hearing nothing and found very little new sign but enough to know there were a handful of cows and at least 2 bulls in in the area that I seemed to constantly be a day behind. The feeling of defeat ate at me and I decided to take a break Thursday morning and go with my son on a field trip then come back for the evening. On my way back I kept thinking about calling it quits, packing up camp and coming home but the thought of my 3 year old asking me “daddy did you get a big elk?” Stayed in my head and I didn’t want to say no knowing I had a day left.
Friday morning I got back after it, hiked 3 miles up the hill before light going further than I had gone all week. I found a couple fresh cow tracks from the night before and started down the drainage cow calling here and there bugling a couple times but got no responses. About 8 miles into loop I ended up bumping a lone cow off her bed behind a big log about 30 yards from me. I immediately thought it was a bull and thought, great there he goes. I realized it was just a cow so I cow/calf called a couple times hoping to calm her down. She stopped running but still continued down the hill. A few minutes later I thought there’s no way she’s down here alone for no reason and there has to be more near by so I cow/calf called a few times and let out a bugle. After a little bit I continued following in her direction and all of a sudden I heard a loud snap of a branch 150+ yards above me and immediately knew there was no way she circled around and above me that fast. I dropped to my knees next to a tree and cow called a couple times. Maybe 30 seconds layered I saw a flash of a white body moving quickly down the hill in my direction and knew it was a bull. I rested my gun against the tree and watched him come straight at me. He stopped at around 125 yards looking around so directed behind me I gave a slightly whiny calf call and he started moving at me again really quickly. I got one good glimpse of antlers and knew he was no doubt a legal bull so the safety went off and I waited for a shot. He disappeared behind a few trees that were about 50-60 yards from me but after a couple seconds he didn’t come out so I slowly tilted my head and saw his antlers poking out behind the trees. At this point I had no idea what the wind was doing but all I needed was 2 steps either direction so I pressed my mouth against my arm and gave out the quietest cow call I could. He toil those to steps moving to my right and was perfectly broadside at 40 yards so I squeezed the trigger but nothing happened, I freaked out inside, turned my safety on and back off and squeezed again. Still nothing. He got behind another few trees out of sight and I whipped behind the tree I was by and re-cocked my gun which made a pretty loud “ting” noise. Slowly I moved to the other side of the tree ready to shoot and saw he was stopped at 25 yards with his vitals and head out of sight but not looking in my direction. After a second or two and a quick prayer he finally stepped out again and BOOM! He disappeared in the cloud of smoke, I shakingly reloaded my gun and I watched him run off. Not knowing where he went and not hearing anything I finished put on another primer and slowly crept to where he was standing when I shot and started following his tracks, seeing no blood yet I started having flashbacks and panic set in. I walked about another 10 feet and looked forward and there he was, my first bull, the 6x6 I have dreamt about forever, laying not 30 yards from where I shot. The best, relieving and most grateful feeling I have felt since the birth of my two boys. I could not be happier with how it went. By myself, a mental and physical grind to the end with a notched tag.
If you bothered to read my rambling, thanks.
I am not a new hunter nor am I new to elk hunting. In fact this was my 8th elk season. I started bow hunting elk a few years after high school in 2012 or 2013. No knowledge aside from watching elk hunting movies and tagging along with my brother once or twice. After a few years of learning and a few blown opportunities it all came together (I thought). In 2017 I called in a great 5x5 Roosevelt right into exactly where I wanted him. Dream scenario I played in my head a thousand times. Bugled back and forth a couple times, cow called and watched him come pounding in. At full draw I stopped him at 40 yards, quartering to me with his front leg back and vitals wide open I punched it and watched my arrow bury in his chest exactly where I wanted it. After excitement settled I walked up to where he was standing only to find my arrow laying there with a few small chunks of meat and some light hair. After 2 “sick” days from work I recovered nothing but a few small specks of blood and an absolute sick feeling. To the point I quit elk hunting. The whole thing haunts me to this day.
Fast forward 6 years, a buddy talked me into rifle hunting. Thanks to him I found a new area, pounded the hills, froze my ass off, ate a couple tags but found tons of rut sign. This year I decided I’m putting full effort in, got a muzzleloader and took the week off.
For 5 days straight I hiked 10-15 miles a day, I saw zero animals, hearing nothing and found very little new sign but enough to know there were a handful of cows and at least 2 bulls in in the area that I seemed to constantly be a day behind. The feeling of defeat ate at me and I decided to take a break Thursday morning and go with my son on a field trip then come back for the evening. On my way back I kept thinking about calling it quits, packing up camp and coming home but the thought of my 3 year old asking me “daddy did you get a big elk?” Stayed in my head and I didn’t want to say no knowing I had a day left.
Friday morning I got back after it, hiked 3 miles up the hill before light going further than I had gone all week. I found a couple fresh cow tracks from the night before and started down the drainage cow calling here and there bugling a couple times but got no responses. About 8 miles into loop I ended up bumping a lone cow off her bed behind a big log about 30 yards from me. I immediately thought it was a bull and thought, great there he goes. I realized it was just a cow so I cow/calf called a couple times hoping to calm her down. She stopped running but still continued down the hill. A few minutes later I thought there’s no way she’s down here alone for no reason and there has to be more near by so I cow/calf called a few times and let out a bugle. After a little bit I continued following in her direction and all of a sudden I heard a loud snap of a branch 150+ yards above me and immediately knew there was no way she circled around and above me that fast. I dropped to my knees next to a tree and cow called a couple times. Maybe 30 seconds layered I saw a flash of a white body moving quickly down the hill in my direction and knew it was a bull. I rested my gun against the tree and watched him come straight at me. He stopped at around 125 yards looking around so directed behind me I gave a slightly whiny calf call and he started moving at me again really quickly. I got one good glimpse of antlers and knew he was no doubt a legal bull so the safety went off and I waited for a shot. He disappeared behind a few trees that were about 50-60 yards from me but after a couple seconds he didn’t come out so I slowly tilted my head and saw his antlers poking out behind the trees. At this point I had no idea what the wind was doing but all I needed was 2 steps either direction so I pressed my mouth against my arm and gave out the quietest cow call I could. He toil those to steps moving to my right and was perfectly broadside at 40 yards so I squeezed the trigger but nothing happened, I freaked out inside, turned my safety on and back off and squeezed again. Still nothing. He got behind another few trees out of sight and I whipped behind the tree I was by and re-cocked my gun which made a pretty loud “ting” noise. Slowly I moved to the other side of the tree ready to shoot and saw he was stopped at 25 yards with his vitals and head out of sight but not looking in my direction. After a second or two and a quick prayer he finally stepped out again and BOOM! He disappeared in the cloud of smoke, I shakingly reloaded my gun and I watched him run off. Not knowing where he went and not hearing anything I finished put on another primer and slowly crept to where he was standing when I shot and started following his tracks, seeing no blood yet I started having flashbacks and panic set in. I walked about another 10 feet and looked forward and there he was, my first bull, the 6x6 I have dreamt about forever, laying not 30 yards from where I shot. The best, relieving and most grateful feeling I have felt since the birth of my two boys. I could not be happier with how it went. By myself, a mental and physical grind to the end with a notched tag.
If you bothered to read my rambling, thanks.
well done 
