wolfpup
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2015
- Messages
- 479
I have licked my wounds and am ready to tell the story .. I think. Most bowhunters have had a circumstance like this at least that's what everybody tells me but it still doesn't make it better. Anyway, I was only able to squeeze in 4 days of actual hunting which is not enough for me but it is what it is. My dad had a cow muzzle tag and I had and either sex archery tag so we made a plan for the opening weekend and to hunt Monday and Tuesday and I wanted to be home for my daughters volleyball game Wednesday. Check my usual spots Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Only heard one bugle Monday so Tuesday made a plan to head in deeper. Tuesday morning at 8:30 I finally got in on some bugles. This bull would chime off every 10-15 minutes and was moving so I held tight near a wallow. An hour in I get a response closer so I pack up and chase after. I close the distance enough to see heads and feet walking away in the trees (thick) not spooked but I also not going to win this race. The rain starts coming down so I hunker under a tree for 2 hours. Off and on I am cow calling while I still have bull #1 still bugling to keep location on him. I hear crashing behind me and 3 spikes come into range at 62 yards. 4 point unit but a fun experience. Ok so rain stops and I get after this bull. Thought its either a bull with cows or a hunter because it doesn't seem to want to come to me so either way I need to find out. Deeper I go and still have the bugles and the last one was headed away from me so I put it in high gear to get closer only to be halted in my tracks 50 yards from 3 cows grazing. I freeze and sit on my heels undetected. I knock an arrow and get ready.... the bull is still going off and what I found is I stumbled upon the herd of 20 or so. Now a cow has me locked down and I think the gig is up... so I just freeze. My feet are numb waiting and I know I am going to have to move.... finally she goes back to grazing and I can get blood circulating again. The cows keep coming into sight and was super fun to watch but I need to see this bull. There is a collared cow and I thought it would be really cool to tag her if the opportunity arose so I could get the data but I keep watching and finally see the rack... a monster 6. I am shaking at this point! A smart man would have taken the cows grazing casually at 40 yards and be happy but I have never been this close to a giant herd bull and I want it. So time passes and the bull is rutting his gals an keeping them close. I decide i want to take a video. As soon as the camera is rolling wouldn't you know the bull comes into picture. I toss my phone down and draw as the window is open soon. He doesn't walk into the slot i have and I peek around the tree and he has eyes locked on me. I decide a side step or 2 will do the trick so I start. At that time a cow jumps and the bull goes to round her up. Since I was holding the draw for a minute or 2 my letdown is less than impressive and for whatever reason I tough the release trigger and send an arrow 5 feet over the bull. They don't spook but they also don't stay put. I follow them for the next hour and get a lot of almost shots. I finally decide to let the herd settle in and I will try again. Well as I am cow calling to keep tabs, a much younger narrow and thin 5x5 waltzes in an gets to 45 yards I thought is what I ranged on the tree. Now I don't have good cover and I got flustered and this is where the mind starts working against you. I have a bull at a very comfortable shot broadside but I rush the shot and didn't range where he stopped and the list goes on... I shot right over him. He does not bolt and instead has a hard quartering away shot. I say ok at 30 yards I can slip one right in there and still hit vitals. This is my last arrow with a broadhead since i carry a grouse getter point on the 4th arrow. I draw and fire only to shoot low this time and to the right. I hit him in the rear leg muscle. I see half the arrow sticking out the back so i know it wasn't a through and through. He bolts. I am dumbfounded at what just happen so I mark the spot and wait 30 minutes. I realize I only have my grouse getter so i better go look for the arrow I sailed over his back. I found it by luck. Stuck right through an old down log. I get on the trail of this elk for 200 yards with zero blood. I mean zero. I have a sold foot trail so no mistakes for the first 200 yards. After that, he crosses paths with the herd that went through and I cannot determine his vs. any other. I have no blood and no trail so I just head straight down the drainage and up and down 2 drainages for the next 4 hours making sure he didn't lay down or stop somewhere I could get an arrow in him. As I go up and down the drainages I stumble upon the herd again and think perfect I bet that bull joined the herd. No luck. An hour of daylight left and I call it to hike out. I felt sick and can't believe what has happened. I relive and beat myself up pretty good. Most every bow hunter I have spoken with all have a story similar and all think that bull was sore for a few days and went about his business. I truly don't think it was a fatal hit but am disgusted with my shooting. Should have been a chip shot but bull fever got the best of me. This was 2 weeks ago and just now feel the parts that I was lucky to be that close to elk that long and all that. It was a great trip with my dad and realize these trips are numbered but so close to that wall hanger we all dream about.
