Congratulations!
Back to New Mexico - Archery elk this time
- Thread starter seeth07
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seeth07
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Photos from that trail cam. Lots of different wildlife.
seeth07
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Been busy and also slacking. Time to wrap up day 1.
Back at camp from that first morning hike we both feel asleep right away for a nap and after waking up, there was no doubt we were out of shape. Stiff, sore and overall just out of energy for the day. We eat something and decide to head to plan b spot. It's about a 30 min drive over there and we get to the marked trailhead and it's empty - pretty common theme on this trip for the most part.
At this location there was a marked drinker not too far in and on a ledge before it dove off into a deep ravine. Up the steep other inside and down in the next gentle valley was supposed to be another drinker.
Doesn't take long and we get to the first drinker and it's full with some elk tracks around it. Just like the first waterhole we found, this one had a camera on it. In fact, exact same one, maybe same guy that thinks just like me on where elk could be? We press on and right after is the steep slopes down. No, it's not a slope down, it's really more like a cliff. With great regret and protest, my wife follows me down. In the bottom, we are greeted with an incredible view up and down the creek bottom with a large amount of flowing water through carved rock faces.
Two problems. First, there wasn't an immediate place to cross and second the cliffs on the other side were worse and basically impossible. After some review of map and judgements I could make by reading the landscape and trees down stream, we make our way and get across, and get back up on top.
Unfortunately, the next drinker down in the next valley was empty but we continued on making a big loop up and down many small finger ridges and eventually making our way down back to the truck with having to cross the creek drainage again. The elk sign in this spot was just as decent as the first location, no doubt there are some elk in there but not massive herds.
Back to camp and excited because my cousin was going to be arriving in a few hours. He is 10 times more experienced elk hunting than I am having lived in the Grand Junction area all his life so I knew that our chances were about to significantly go up!
Back at camp from that first morning hike we both feel asleep right away for a nap and after waking up, there was no doubt we were out of shape. Stiff, sore and overall just out of energy for the day. We eat something and decide to head to plan b spot. It's about a 30 min drive over there and we get to the marked trailhead and it's empty - pretty common theme on this trip for the most part.
At this location there was a marked drinker not too far in and on a ledge before it dove off into a deep ravine. Up the steep other inside and down in the next gentle valley was supposed to be another drinker.
Doesn't take long and we get to the first drinker and it's full with some elk tracks around it. Just like the first waterhole we found, this one had a camera on it. In fact, exact same one, maybe same guy that thinks just like me on where elk could be? We press on and right after is the steep slopes down. No, it's not a slope down, it's really more like a cliff. With great regret and protest, my wife follows me down. In the bottom, we are greeted with an incredible view up and down the creek bottom with a large amount of flowing water through carved rock faces.
Two problems. First, there wasn't an immediate place to cross and second the cliffs on the other side were worse and basically impossible. After some review of map and judgements I could make by reading the landscape and trees down stream, we make our way and get across, and get back up on top.
Unfortunately, the next drinker down in the next valley was empty but we continued on making a big loop up and down many small finger ridges and eventually making our way down back to the truck with having to cross the creek drainage again. The elk sign in this spot was just as decent as the first location, no doubt there are some elk in there but not massive herds.
Back to camp and excited because my cousin was going to be arriving in a few hours. He is 10 times more experienced elk hunting than I am having lived in the Grand Junction area all his life so I knew that our chances were about to significantly go up!
seeth07
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Massive photo dump
seeth07
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seeth07
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seeth07
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seeth07
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burmk
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congrats!
seeth07
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I'm such a slacker. With all the photos posted, just gonna be a mass of text finishing up my story for those of you who care to read.
Picking it back up, from the end of the first hunting day.
It was quite late when my cousin and his girlfriend showed up, we didn't even hear them pull into camp. When the early alarm went off, I went to knock on their door and see if they were game to join us - they were.
My plan was to head back into the area we got into some elk but come in from way north and just make a direct hike past that area and continue to stay up top down back towards our camp. We head out stuffed in one truck and although it was only 6 miles as the crow flies to where I wanted to park and hike in from, it was more like a 40 mile drive around a canyon and back up the other side and took about an hour which we didn't account for.
We arrive just as it was getting light so we had to hustle down the canyon to get into the edge of the big park in the bottom. It was already too late as we started to hear a few bugles heading back up into the timber on the other side towards where we wanted to be. We were too late, the elk beat us there.
We chased anyways as we did have some favorable winds to work with. We got back up to the water hole with my camera and checked it to find some elk had used the water hole, three different times and twice during shooting hours which gave me some high hopes.
We got back into the area where we got into the elk and followed that elevation back around to above our camp without hearing any bugles or running into elk. There was sporadic good fresh sign but not like we ever ran into an area where there was an entire herd. My wife shot a grouse and missed two with her bow on this hike.
Back to camp a bit after 1pm and nap time after some food. Wake up an hour later and I got the prime rib from the deer my wife hit before the trip ready to go. Fire created and we got that thing buried in the ground and covered in coals.
My cousin joined us for the evening hunt in plan C spot while his girlfriend offered to stay back and get the rest of supper ready for us for when we return.
Plan C was back up towards where the truck was parked from the morning. We stopped and grabbed it and reparked it where we would hike out to. Made a few mile drive around to begin our hike. It was a total bust. We didn't realize that two roads ran through that area that are apparently legal to drive on because we ran into two people camping off unmarked forest two tracks and we didn't hardly see any elk sign.
Back to camp well after dark to a great meal and ready to go back after it the next day.
Picking it back up, from the end of the first hunting day.
It was quite late when my cousin and his girlfriend showed up, we didn't even hear them pull into camp. When the early alarm went off, I went to knock on their door and see if they were game to join us - they were.
My plan was to head back into the area we got into some elk but come in from way north and just make a direct hike past that area and continue to stay up top down back towards our camp. We head out stuffed in one truck and although it was only 6 miles as the crow flies to where I wanted to park and hike in from, it was more like a 40 mile drive around a canyon and back up the other side and took about an hour which we didn't account for.
We arrive just as it was getting light so we had to hustle down the canyon to get into the edge of the big park in the bottom. It was already too late as we started to hear a few bugles heading back up into the timber on the other side towards where we wanted to be. We were too late, the elk beat us there.
We chased anyways as we did have some favorable winds to work with. We got back up to the water hole with my camera and checked it to find some elk had used the water hole, three different times and twice during shooting hours which gave me some high hopes.
We got back into the area where we got into the elk and followed that elevation back around to above our camp without hearing any bugles or running into elk. There was sporadic good fresh sign but not like we ever ran into an area where there was an entire herd. My wife shot a grouse and missed two with her bow on this hike.
Back to camp a bit after 1pm and nap time after some food. Wake up an hour later and I got the prime rib from the deer my wife hit before the trip ready to go. Fire created and we got that thing buried in the ground and covered in coals.
My cousin joined us for the evening hunt in plan C spot while his girlfriend offered to stay back and get the rest of supper ready for us for when we return.
Plan C was back up towards where the truck was parked from the morning. We stopped and grabbed it and reparked it where we would hike out to. Made a few mile drive around to begin our hike. It was a total bust. We didn't realize that two roads ran through that area that are apparently legal to drive on because we ran into two people camping off unmarked forest two tracks and we didn't hardly see any elk sign.
Back to camp well after dark to a great meal and ready to go back after it the next day.
seeth07
Well-known member
It is pretty normal for us when we go on these adventures, it takes us 2 to 4 days to figure things out and then not long after we are satisfied with the experience and we meet our conclusion with the firing of an arrow or a bullet.
This trip was no different.
Morning of day three, the plan was to head to plan D. It was the only spot we figured we may have a chance to do some glassing and the thought was if we can't hear em bugling, maybe we could spot some elk.
On the way up to the spot, we got close to the spot and saw a headlight from a guy working his way down a finger ridge. This would be the only hunter on our whole trip that impacted any plans we had - wish it was always like that.
We get a little bit further around the corner and past this guy and skylined on the next ridge over I spot an elk about 300 yards away. We stop and we can immediately see it's a bull, a massive bull, a massive beautiful bull that is screaming his face off.
We finish the last 600 yards we needed to go to where we wanted to go and find just barely a spot to park off the step edges from this rough road.
We can hear this bull still screaming and there are more - in every direction!
We get a bit to an edge and it's pretty dark but can see the bull we first saw about 500 yards and working down the valley between the ridge we saw him on and the ridge the other hunter was on. We decide that the hunter is in a way better position than us since he is below the bull and the bull is headed right to him so we just watch him for a bit before deciding what to do. He is a great bull, easily a bull I'd be stoked to have on any hunt.
We decide to have my wife and my cousins gf stay up top and glass while my cousin and I head down into the next valley and go after 1 of the three different bulls we can hear down in there.
Unfortunately by the time we got down in there and below where they all were, they stopped bugling except one bull way further down the valley. We sat there and did just a couple light cow calls for 30 minutes with nothing happening. Since that other bull was still going we decide to just chase after him.
We get below him and we can tell he is bedded based on the way he is bugling. At 200 yards or so, we get into sneak mode and my cousin drops back just so he can see me. Plan is to have him light cow call and hopefully the bull stands up and makes a slight swing our way to either check it out or get behind his cows to push them away.
I get to 40 yards and see a cow and she is staring right my direction. Busted. They trot off and I never get a look at the bull.
We had service so we were thankful of that to tell the girls to drive down and pick us up. Back to camp we go. We wanted to break down camp and move over to this general area. It was over an hour drive this morning and given all the bulls we heard this morning, it was a no brainer to move closer.
This trip was no different.
Morning of day three, the plan was to head to plan D. It was the only spot we figured we may have a chance to do some glassing and the thought was if we can't hear em bugling, maybe we could spot some elk.
On the way up to the spot, we got close to the spot and saw a headlight from a guy working his way down a finger ridge. This would be the only hunter on our whole trip that impacted any plans we had - wish it was always like that.
We get a little bit further around the corner and past this guy and skylined on the next ridge over I spot an elk about 300 yards away. We stop and we can immediately see it's a bull, a massive bull, a massive beautiful bull that is screaming his face off.
We finish the last 600 yards we needed to go to where we wanted to go and find just barely a spot to park off the step edges from this rough road.
We can hear this bull still screaming and there are more - in every direction!
We get a bit to an edge and it's pretty dark but can see the bull we first saw about 500 yards and working down the valley between the ridge we saw him on and the ridge the other hunter was on. We decide that the hunter is in a way better position than us since he is below the bull and the bull is headed right to him so we just watch him for a bit before deciding what to do. He is a great bull, easily a bull I'd be stoked to have on any hunt.
We decide to have my wife and my cousins gf stay up top and glass while my cousin and I head down into the next valley and go after 1 of the three different bulls we can hear down in there.
Unfortunately by the time we got down in there and below where they all were, they stopped bugling except one bull way further down the valley. We sat there and did just a couple light cow calls for 30 minutes with nothing happening. Since that other bull was still going we decide to just chase after him.
We get below him and we can tell he is bedded based on the way he is bugling. At 200 yards or so, we get into sneak mode and my cousin drops back just so he can see me. Plan is to have him light cow call and hopefully the bull stands up and makes a slight swing our way to either check it out or get behind his cows to push them away.
I get to 40 yards and see a cow and she is staring right my direction. Busted. They trot off and I never get a look at the bull.
We had service so we were thankful of that to tell the girls to drive down and pick us up. Back to camp we go. We wanted to break down camp and move over to this general area. It was over an hour drive this morning and given all the bulls we heard this morning, it was a no brainer to move closer.
seeth07
Well-known member
After the move and some food, again my cousins gf decided to just hang out at camp and the rest of us headed back up to the morning glassing spot the two girls found that morning.
We knew we were super early and we were just hanging out talking when all of a sudden this bull comes running into us and up over our ridge. We got some photos of him and made no move on him, he was a really big 5x5 and I just wasn't ready to try to punch my tag on that kind of bull just yet.
Evening comes and we hear a few far off bugles but nothing that really got us too excite to dive off the cliff. We made a slight move to the other side of the mountain top to see what was happening on the other side. We get over there and hear three different bulls in the dark timber on the opposite side of the main valley. One of them sounds knarly and we can tell he is working his way from the top and downwards. Off we go...straight down sliding off the cliff over 1000 feet to the bottom.
Once we get down there in the bottom, it became impossible to hear the bulls anymore straight above us in the timber. There wasn't a whole lot we could really do other than gain a bit of elevation and wait it out. So we did and called a bit and it got dark on us before we finally heard a bugle. They just didn't come down in time.
We were just barely able to send a text to my wife to see of she could drive all the way around and pick us up at the bottom of the valley we were in 3 miles down. The 3 mile flat walk seemed like a way better idea than the 1000 foot plus hike back straight up.
About half way back on our walk, she calls complaining that where we told her to go, there isn't a road like it says on the map. It's dark and she can't see but we think she is crazy because on the map, it's a very clear and defined motor vehicle use road. After 30 mintues of her struggling and us trying to help her, she finally finds a way slightly off roading it and getting to a point on the satellite map where we could easily see the road. She makes it to us frustrated and angry but we were super grateful she saved us a lot of work getting out of there.
Turns out that the road was sort of hidden where it connects to the other road and a camper had it blocked off (likely on purpose?).
We knew we were super early and we were just hanging out talking when all of a sudden this bull comes running into us and up over our ridge. We got some photos of him and made no move on him, he was a really big 5x5 and I just wasn't ready to try to punch my tag on that kind of bull just yet.
Evening comes and we hear a few far off bugles but nothing that really got us too excite to dive off the cliff. We made a slight move to the other side of the mountain top to see what was happening on the other side. We get over there and hear three different bulls in the dark timber on the opposite side of the main valley. One of them sounds knarly and we can tell he is working his way from the top and downwards. Off we go...straight down sliding off the cliff over 1000 feet to the bottom.
Once we get down there in the bottom, it became impossible to hear the bulls anymore straight above us in the timber. There wasn't a whole lot we could really do other than gain a bit of elevation and wait it out. So we did and called a bit and it got dark on us before we finally heard a bugle. They just didn't come down in time.
We were just barely able to send a text to my wife to see of she could drive all the way around and pick us up at the bottom of the valley we were in 3 miles down. The 3 mile flat walk seemed like a way better idea than the 1000 foot plus hike back straight up.
About half way back on our walk, she calls complaining that where we told her to go, there isn't a road like it says on the map. It's dark and she can't see but we think she is crazy because on the map, it's a very clear and defined motor vehicle use road. After 30 mintues of her struggling and us trying to help her, she finally finds a way slightly off roading it and getting to a point on the satellite map where we could easily see the road. She makes it to us frustrated and angry but we were super grateful she saved us a lot of work getting out of there.
Turns out that the road was sort of hidden where it connects to the other road and a camper had it blocked off (likely on purpose?).
seeth07
Well-known member
Morning 4 was a very similar game plan to the morning before but with my cousin and I instead of coming from above we would hike up from below to the glassing spot where the girls would be.
Our mistake this morning was not being patient enough. We get to the spot up the finger ridge the big bull came down the morning before and we wait about an hour and only hear a few light bugles off from the other side of the valley to the right which is the same spot we tried to get into the bulls from the day before. We got impatient waiting for the herd to come to us and make a move across to the other side only to be greatly disappointed when once we get there, we hear bugles and see elk, including the big bull playing the script perfectly. Had we just waited 30 mins longer, they would have walked right into us with perfect down thermals in our favor.
We continue back up just a bit more on our side and a decent 6x6 bull almost runs us over. He gets to 40 yards and is confused by what we are and trots off. We call and nothing immediately happens. Again, patience screws us. After a few mintues, we venture onward thinking this bull is long gone when here he comes running into us, spoking for good this time at about 60 yards.
The sign in this area is fantastic, no doubt we have found a great spot and there are still bulls bugling in every direction but where we need to go. We make our way slowly up and back to the girls. They told us that the big bull was with a big herd including several other bulls in the same spot as the morning before and walked down the exact same path on that finger ridge...yes we were aware. They were disappointed that we screwed up.
Our mistake this morning was not being patient enough. We get to the spot up the finger ridge the big bull came down the morning before and we wait about an hour and only hear a few light bugles off from the other side of the valley to the right which is the same spot we tried to get into the bulls from the day before. We got impatient waiting for the herd to come to us and make a move across to the other side only to be greatly disappointed when once we get there, we hear bugles and see elk, including the big bull playing the script perfectly. Had we just waited 30 mins longer, they would have walked right into us with perfect down thermals in our favor.
We continue back up just a bit more on our side and a decent 6x6 bull almost runs us over. He gets to 40 yards and is confused by what we are and trots off. We call and nothing immediately happens. Again, patience screws us. After a few mintues, we venture onward thinking this bull is long gone when here he comes running into us, spoking for good this time at about 60 yards.
The sign in this area is fantastic, no doubt we have found a great spot and there are still bulls bugling in every direction but where we need to go. We make our way slowly up and back to the girls. They told us that the big bull was with a big herd including several other bulls in the same spot as the morning before and walked down the exact same path on that finger ridge...yes we were aware. They were disappointed that we screwed up.
seeth07
Well-known member
It is so funny how some times when hunting, plans can very quickly change. Like when a massive tree falls down across the road you were just on that morning and is blocking your access to where you want to hunt.
We headed down that road my wife took to pick us up the evening before and we were going to hike up that valley and try and get into those elk in that dark timber. 1 mile from where we needed to go, there was a downed tree and no way around or cutting it with how huge it was. So scratch that plan and we go all the way around and back up to the top of the mountain.
My wife the night before was glassing while we went off the cliff and she said she found two herds feeding before dark off in a direction we hadn't went to yet. So we got in that general direction and decided we would just listen until we heard something to chase.
It took all of 5 minutes to start hearing bugles and off down after them we went. Right away we bumped a small bull that was on his own. Then just barely through the timber we were able to glass up a good bull pushing some cows along about 200 yards in front of us. We chased after them across the face they were on and after crossing a small cut on that face, we came up thr other side to be face to face with a decent bull and 4 cows coming up from below. We were busted by them and could only watch them trot back to where they came from.
The group we were chasing had moved into the next small valley where we already were hearing two other bulls bugling. We get down into the valley and they had moved up on rhe other open clear face and were feeding a few hundreds in front of us - an entire big herd.
All that was between us and the herd was 100 yards of wide open timber and then a young patch of aspens. I snuck up alone and I was shocked that they didn't spoke from me getting up there to the aspens.
At this point, I'm shaking with adrenaline flowing full bore. Three bulls are screaming at each other, hundred yards in front of me with at least 20 more elk. The one I know is huge but my focus is just simply on getting closer. I creep on my knees slowly through these young aspen until I run put of them. I can see about half of the herd in front of me with the other half up and over the top of this face. I range the closest cow and spike and they are 38 yards. It was getting dark and not much I could do but wait. My cousin must have realized time was running out because he starts to sound big. He starts bugling and breaking sticks and smacking rhem against a tree. It somewhat works because the big big gets over our way to check it out and I can see him coming, tines only at first then all of him. He is a beauty, 7x7, maybe an 8th on the one side. A bit over 50 yards and he hangs up. Can't see the bull making the noise. He starts pushing cows away from us and I can no longer see my pin.
So close yet not close enough for my limit with my bow. I'm not disappointed though. I tell my wife and my cousin that I'm done, I'm satistified. That was so close, so exiting. Trip worth it
We headed down that road my wife took to pick us up the evening before and we were going to hike up that valley and try and get into those elk in that dark timber. 1 mile from where we needed to go, there was a downed tree and no way around or cutting it with how huge it was. So scratch that plan and we go all the way around and back up to the top of the mountain.
My wife the night before was glassing while we went off the cliff and she said she found two herds feeding before dark off in a direction we hadn't went to yet. So we got in that general direction and decided we would just listen until we heard something to chase.
It took all of 5 minutes to start hearing bugles and off down after them we went. Right away we bumped a small bull that was on his own. Then just barely through the timber we were able to glass up a good bull pushing some cows along about 200 yards in front of us. We chased after them across the face they were on and after crossing a small cut on that face, we came up thr other side to be face to face with a decent bull and 4 cows coming up from below. We were busted by them and could only watch them trot back to where they came from.
The group we were chasing had moved into the next small valley where we already were hearing two other bulls bugling. We get down into the valley and they had moved up on rhe other open clear face and were feeding a few hundreds in front of us - an entire big herd.
All that was between us and the herd was 100 yards of wide open timber and then a young patch of aspens. I snuck up alone and I was shocked that they didn't spoke from me getting up there to the aspens.
At this point, I'm shaking with adrenaline flowing full bore. Three bulls are screaming at each other, hundred yards in front of me with at least 20 more elk. The one I know is huge but my focus is just simply on getting closer. I creep on my knees slowly through these young aspen until I run put of them. I can see about half of the herd in front of me with the other half up and over the top of this face. I range the closest cow and spike and they are 38 yards. It was getting dark and not much I could do but wait. My cousin must have realized time was running out because he starts to sound big. He starts bugling and breaking sticks and smacking rhem against a tree. It somewhat works because the big big gets over our way to check it out and I can see him coming, tines only at first then all of him. He is a beauty, 7x7, maybe an 8th on the one side. A bit over 50 yards and he hangs up. Can't see the bull making the noise. He starts pushing cows away from us and I can no longer see my pin.
So close yet not close enough for my limit with my bow. I'm not disappointed though. I tell my wife and my cousin that I'm done, I'm satistified. That was so close, so exiting. Trip worth it
seeth07
Well-known member
For the next morning, I really didn't know what I wanted to do. My cousin had to leave by noon so his gf stayed back to pack up camp and I knew I needed a reset so I was going to head to that water hole, get my camera and sit there for the evening.
The morning before we heard some bugles further away in an area we hadn't checked out yet and we eventually decided to venture into new territory and leave what bulls we had been working alone for a day. Due to the downed tree, we had to take a super long haul around to get where we wanted to go and once again, we were a bit late but worked out great as we immediate had a bull to chase as he was bugling. Unfortunately, he didn't bugle much and after an hour and half of getting closer, all we saw were two mule deer and he never bugled again.
Defeated, we decided to head back out rather than push forward and instead check out the opposite side of this knob. We get over there and start glassing a bit from the sxs and hear a bugle - close and just up hill likely on top of this ridge.
Remember, it's so funny how hunting plans and what happens can change so quick.
We take off with wind in our favor and get to where we felt he should be and he isn't making a sound. My cousin is softly cow calling and we got nothing but I continue to sneak forward. It's thick and super nasty stuff. Only place we ever got into thick stuff this whole time but it sucks and it's a slow go and hard to be quiet. 50 yards further and I hear him bugle - at least 400 yards away. Wtf I think. I stand there figuring out what to do and it's maybe a minute later and he bugles again, way closer this time. Then again, closer yet. I realize I need to get ready because it sounds like he coming. It's thick and I can't see much but I see a cow stand up. Then another, and another. Then I can see his tines coming, he is 40 yards away, no shot because all I see are glimpses of him.
The chase is now on. He has come back to collect his cows and move them away from us.
45 legit mintues of cat and mouse. I chased this bull and his herd which didn't really want to go anywhere. I kept catching up to the cows and would see them feeding and slowly walking along to have the bull nudge them and keep them moving. When he would circle back to the cows falling behind is when I'd be able to get a chance, 3 times total and once I was at full draw - he was inside 30 but never got a good shot. What I did get was a lot of great images in my mind and memory of what a monster bull looks like screaming right in your face.
At that 45 minute mark, it was probably more like minute 43, the herd and I bumped another group of elk. I didn't see them but could hear them crashing and I actually thought it was the group I was chasing. I for the first time let out a few cow calls just in case I could settle them down and I was immediately cut off by the big bull - who was straight in front and to the right of me - not to the left where I heard the crashing. 100 yards in front of me I can see a few elk but hear something off to my left and in front - it's an elk coming to me. I duck down and quickly realize this bull is on a beeline to run me over.
I remember saying in my head "remember to aim, please aim, don't just fling a arrow". I draw still down. When he comes broadside at 5 yards, I get up above the low brush I was behind and he is confused but has no time to react, the arrow is already in him.
He goes downhill maybe 30 yards and my cow call gets him to stop and he looks at me. I knock another arrow, thinking in disbelief that I could have missed. I draw back and as I'm aiming, I see blood squirting out and he is getting shaky. He tumbles and it's over.
It wasn't until that moment that I realized how powerful adreline can be. I was dead beat exhausted, no water and I crashed to the ground. I could barely call my wife to tell her it was over and was begging her to hurry and bring me water. I laid there a good 15 minutes to recoup before even going to look at the bull.
The morning before we heard some bugles further away in an area we hadn't checked out yet and we eventually decided to venture into new territory and leave what bulls we had been working alone for a day. Due to the downed tree, we had to take a super long haul around to get where we wanted to go and once again, we were a bit late but worked out great as we immediate had a bull to chase as he was bugling. Unfortunately, he didn't bugle much and after an hour and half of getting closer, all we saw were two mule deer and he never bugled again.
Defeated, we decided to head back out rather than push forward and instead check out the opposite side of this knob. We get over there and start glassing a bit from the sxs and hear a bugle - close and just up hill likely on top of this ridge.
Remember, it's so funny how hunting plans and what happens can change so quick.
We take off with wind in our favor and get to where we felt he should be and he isn't making a sound. My cousin is softly cow calling and we got nothing but I continue to sneak forward. It's thick and super nasty stuff. Only place we ever got into thick stuff this whole time but it sucks and it's a slow go and hard to be quiet. 50 yards further and I hear him bugle - at least 400 yards away. Wtf I think. I stand there figuring out what to do and it's maybe a minute later and he bugles again, way closer this time. Then again, closer yet. I realize I need to get ready because it sounds like he coming. It's thick and I can't see much but I see a cow stand up. Then another, and another. Then I can see his tines coming, he is 40 yards away, no shot because all I see are glimpses of him.
The chase is now on. He has come back to collect his cows and move them away from us.
45 legit mintues of cat and mouse. I chased this bull and his herd which didn't really want to go anywhere. I kept catching up to the cows and would see them feeding and slowly walking along to have the bull nudge them and keep them moving. When he would circle back to the cows falling behind is when I'd be able to get a chance, 3 times total and once I was at full draw - he was inside 30 but never got a good shot. What I did get was a lot of great images in my mind and memory of what a monster bull looks like screaming right in your face.
At that 45 minute mark, it was probably more like minute 43, the herd and I bumped another group of elk. I didn't see them but could hear them crashing and I actually thought it was the group I was chasing. I for the first time let out a few cow calls just in case I could settle them down and I was immediately cut off by the big bull - who was straight in front and to the right of me - not to the left where I heard the crashing. 100 yards in front of me I can see a few elk but hear something off to my left and in front - it's an elk coming to me. I duck down and quickly realize this bull is on a beeline to run me over.
I remember saying in my head "remember to aim, please aim, don't just fling a arrow". I draw still down. When he comes broadside at 5 yards, I get up above the low brush I was behind and he is confused but has no time to react, the arrow is already in him.
He goes downhill maybe 30 yards and my cow call gets him to stop and he looks at me. I knock another arrow, thinking in disbelief that I could have missed. I draw back and as I'm aiming, I see blood squirting out and he is getting shaky. He tumbles and it's over.
It wasn't until that moment that I realized how powerful adreline can be. I was dead beat exhausted, no water and I crashed to the ground. I could barely call my wife to tell her it was over and was begging her to hurry and bring me water. I laid there a good 15 minutes to recoup before even going to look at the bull.
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