My son and I hunted yesterday on Montana's opener. It was starting to look like the morning was a bust with only one spike seen. At about 11:15 we decided to take a break in an area that we had seen elk in last year. We had eaten a late morning snack, so we were planning to eat a late lunch. We decided this would just be a short break before we hiked to another ridge where we would nap during the day and wait for the evening hunt.
I kept an arrow nocked while we sat relaxing on a fallen tree and threw out a few cow calls. I had made Isaac move his bow closer but he did not have an arrow nocked. We had been sitting there for about 15 minutes not paying much attention when I looked up and saw a spike coming our way. I then noticed a second spike that was actually closer and the first in line. I could see a third elk but couldn't tell what it was. As the first spike walked past at 48 yards, I noticed a fourth elk that was also a spike. As soon as the closer spike walked past, Isaac began reaching for his bow but had to wait for the second in line to pass. As this spike passed we noticed the third elk was a cow and Isaac had already decided that a cow was fair game.
As the second spikes head went behind a tree, Isaac picked up his bow and began knocking an arrow. The cow decided to alter her course and headed much closer just as Isaac got his arrow nocked. I don't know how she didn't see all the commotion but we weren't complaining. I told him to draw as soon as her head went behind the tree and whispered 20 yards. Isaac drew when her head was hidden but she stopped. When she stopped she offered a broadside shot quartered to us just a hair. Isaac's arrow was on the way, but I did not see the impact. The cow exploded at the shot and at the same time I asked where did you hit her I could see the arrow protruding low just at the knuckle on the front leg. I was concerned about how low it was, but felt sure the penetration was good.
We gave her the standard 1/2 hour wait before looking for the arrow to see how the penetration looked and see what initial blood there was. The arrow was laying 30 yards into the trail and was missing the front 6", but another foot or so of blood was covering the remaining shaft. We gave it a few more minutes and started easing along the sparse blood trail. We had heard her run for a good distance, but the third spike was running with here so we weren't sure if she had stopped.
The blood was difficult to follow because of the typical lodge pole ground cover, dry, rocky, and mostly pine needles and dirt. I was however able to follow the tracks. Isaac was doing a good job of spotting the tiny specs on rocks and sticks while I stayed on the tracks ahead of him to keep him in line for the blood trailing. We took our time to make sure we were on her running tracks and not the spike's. After 150 to 200 yards, we found what were looking for, a big blotch of foamy blood where she had stopped and the tracks began to stagger around instead of run. The blood picked up a lot at that point and we found her after another 50 yards. The tracking took us approximately 1 hour
We hurriedly started breaking her down to get her cooling. The pack out was 2 miles or so. We arrived at the truck with all the meat at 8:50 PM.
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I kept an arrow nocked while we sat relaxing on a fallen tree and threw out a few cow calls. I had made Isaac move his bow closer but he did not have an arrow nocked. We had been sitting there for about 15 minutes not paying much attention when I looked up and saw a spike coming our way. I then noticed a second spike that was actually closer and the first in line. I could see a third elk but couldn't tell what it was. As the first spike walked past at 48 yards, I noticed a fourth elk that was also a spike. As soon as the closer spike walked past, Isaac began reaching for his bow but had to wait for the second in line to pass. As this spike passed we noticed the third elk was a cow and Isaac had already decided that a cow was fair game.
As the second spikes head went behind a tree, Isaac picked up his bow and began knocking an arrow. The cow decided to alter her course and headed much closer just as Isaac got his arrow nocked. I don't know how she didn't see all the commotion but we weren't complaining. I told him to draw as soon as her head went behind the tree and whispered 20 yards. Isaac drew when her head was hidden but she stopped. When she stopped she offered a broadside shot quartered to us just a hair. Isaac's arrow was on the way, but I did not see the impact. The cow exploded at the shot and at the same time I asked where did you hit her I could see the arrow protruding low just at the knuckle on the front leg. I was concerned about how low it was, but felt sure the penetration was good.
We gave her the standard 1/2 hour wait before looking for the arrow to see how the penetration looked and see what initial blood there was. The arrow was laying 30 yards into the trail and was missing the front 6", but another foot or so of blood was covering the remaining shaft. We gave it a few more minutes and started easing along the sparse blood trail. We had heard her run for a good distance, but the third spike was running with here so we weren't sure if she had stopped.
The blood was difficult to follow because of the typical lodge pole ground cover, dry, rocky, and mostly pine needles and dirt. I was however able to follow the tracks. Isaac was doing a good job of spotting the tiny specs on rocks and sticks while I stayed on the tracks ahead of him to keep him in line for the blood trailing. We took our time to make sure we were on her running tracks and not the spike's. After 150 to 200 yards, we found what were looking for, a big blotch of foamy blood where she had stopped and the tracks began to stagger around instead of run. The blood picked up a lot at that point and we found her after another 50 yards. The tracking took us approximately 1 hour
We hurriedly started breaking her down to get her cooling. The pack out was 2 miles or so. We arrived at the truck with all the meat at 8:50 PM.
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