Painful Lesson Learned

[Ctitus25]

This was my first year having a good shot at getting an elk, my first time really actually hunting archer elk and not just walking around the woods. I drew a really good NM tag, had a great guide and trained for months. I had several opportunities,but in the end my inexperience got me. I blew an opportunity on two elk because I couldn't get the timing right. The first I drew too soon and the elk hung up. My arm eventually gave out and the elk spooked. When he came back he made a wide circle and winded us. The second bull was right after and I was understandably paranoid about drawing too soon. That bull came in so quick that I wasn't able to pull by bow back before he closed to 1 foot from me "cool but nerve wracking being that close to an angry bull". On the morning of the final day I took a quartering to shot on an elk at 30 yds and he ran off, taking ten inches of my arrow with him and only 4 drops of blood. I felt good about the shot, but since we couldn't verify how bad the elk was hit, in fact we grid searched a large area just to find the 4 drops that we did, I notched my tag and walked off the mountain heart broken.
It was a hell of an adventure and the lessons I learned were hard, but I feel like I really learned a lot.

 

[Bcon]

Sounds like some tough luck and a good reason to go again! Keep your head up!

 

[Broomd]

Congrats on the adventure, if not the meat.

And good on you for notching that tag, many guys wash, rinse and repeat on unretreived game and that is shameful.

 

[Wrench]

You had two opportunities.... that's awesome for a first year. I would write down every last detail that you can recall....the wind, temp, time of day, moon phase, elevation.....EVERYTHING.

I've watched the same bull walk the same ridge on September 19th 3 years running. I called it the night before and didn't follow my own judgment to cut him off this year.

Journal every detail about everything you can remember......then reference it and compare to other people's experiences.

 

[Ctitus25]

You had two opportunities.... that's awesome for a first year. I would write down every last detail that you can recall....the wind, temp, time of day, moon phase, elevation.....EVERYTHING.

I've watched the same bull walk the same ridge on September 19th 3 years running. I called it the night before and didn't follow my own judgment to cut him off this year.

Journal every detail about everything you can remember......then reference it and compare to other people's experiences.

I certainly will remember a lot. Lord knows how long it will be before I ever draw that tag again though.

 

[5MilesBack]

There's a reason why most guys recommend NOT taking quartering to you archery shots on elk.

 

[Ctitus25]

There's a reason why most guys recommend NOT taking quartering to you archery shots on elk.

Indeed

 

[PredatorX]

You had two opportunities.... that's awesome for a first year. I would write down every last detail that you can recall....the wind, temp, time of day, moon phase, elevation.....EVERYTHING.

I've watched the same bull walk the same ridge on September 19th 3 years running. I called it the night before and didn't follow my own judgment to cut him off this year.

Journal every detail about everything you can remember......then reference it and compare to other people's experiences.

+1

This my bertheren is money.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[PredatorX]

I will tell you what. This is the second post I saw where a guy laid it all out there. The good with the bad. You know how I know you will be a good elk hunter?
Because you laid it all bare in an effort to humble yourself and learn. Who throws their mistakes out into the public for digestion? A desparate elk hunter that's who.

I returned from another meatless elk hunt. But this year was more valuable to me than the harvest of a 360" bull. I ran into bear, a red fox, elk, moose and an elk hunting veteran of 30 years. Shared his knowlege of life and elk hunting the area and we had a couple memorable hunts together.

God I love elk hunting.





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[mavinwa2]

your guide did his job...

 

[VirginiaBeach]

Sounds like an awesome hunt despite the heartbreak. We learn a lot more from failure than success. Keep at it and you will be successful. Thanks for sharing!

 

[trophyhill]

Congrats on the adventure, if not the meat.

And good on you for notching that tag, many guys wash, rinse and repeat on unretreived game and that is shameful.

many outfitters stipulate if you draw blood, hunt over.

 

[Ctitus25]

your guide did his job...

My guide was amazing, I learned a lot and hope to apply those lessons moving forward.

 

[Short Track]

Archery is tough, for that reason I keep my archery for Deer. Many Elk become bear food.

 

[CAElkhunter]

Good for you notching your tag. It shows really good ethics.

 

[Ctitus25]

Good for you notching your tag. It shows really good ethics.

Thanks, would have been one thing if I knew the bull was OK, but we found the back half of the arrow showing that he's carrying about 10in in him and had no idea where we ran to due to lack of good blood so it was the ethical decision.

 

[ElkNut1]

Were you aiming behind the shoulder or in front of the shoulder?

ElkNut

 

[Ctitus25]

Were you aiming behind the shoulder or in front of the shoulder?

ElkNut

In Front, didn't want to gut shot him. Figure he's probably fine, only found 4 drops of blood, but you never know.

 

[t-tacker]

Thanks for sharing

 

[DavePwns]

This was my first year having a good shot at getting an elk, my first time really actually hunting archer elk and not just walking around the woods. I drew a really good NM tag, had a great guide and trained for months. I had several opportunities,but in the end my inexperience got me. I blew an opportunity on two elk because I couldn't get the timing right. The first I drew too soon and the elk hung up. My arm eventually gave out and the elk spooked. When he came back he made a wide circle and winded us. The second bull was right after and I was understandably paranoid about drawing too soon. That bull came in so quick that I wasn't able to pull by bow back before he closed to 1 foot from me "cool but nerve wracking being that close to an angry bull". On the morning of the final day I took a quartering to shot on an elk at 30 yds and he ran off, taking ten inches of my arrow with him and only 4 drops of blood. I felt good about the shot, but since we couldn't verify how bad the elk was hit, in fact we grid searched a large area just to find the 4 drops that we did, I notched my tag and walked off the mountain heart broken.
It was a hell of an adventure and the lessons I learned were hard, but I feel like I really learned a lot.

Props for putting yourself out there, you never know, maybe you will help another hunter in the future not make the same mistakes archery hunting is addicting because of the highs and lows, the reality of your decisions is brutal, it forces you to become a better hunter because it deeply hurts being that close to success, it's in our nature to
and achieve the goals we set for ourselves. Bow hunting is just good for the soul.