westbranch
Well-known member
Can't believe I got it done so fast. Barely hunted two days and got a bull Sunday morning. I had 9 days to hunt and was planning on being out all week. Spent a lot of time scouting, but only hunted 2 days last year. So just wanted to get some time in the woods and hoped to see a bull this week. Hunting Panhandle A tag in the thick brush of north ID.
Hunted during the day Saturday and bumped some cows, saw tons of fresh sign and some giant rubs. A couple bugles 1 hr before sunset. Then there was bugling all night and I started out at 5:30 am Sunday morning and bumped into some elk 200 yards from camp. Never saw them but slowly followed the direction they went trying to softly call. There was bugling in multiple directions, pretty sure only one was another hunter that I heard park his pickup. Followed the cows through the brush thinking a bull should be nearby. They never seemed to run real far ahead. Got down to a 15+ yr old clearcut and minutes later cows were cutting across it and I saw antlers in the brush behind them. Moved to a shooting lane and had what should have been a layup of a shot, just over 30 yards broadside. The bull stopped when I made a soft call. Arrow was way to the right, and I assumed a miss. But the bull started to stumble and took off down hill, I saw an antler up in the air and heard a crash.
I assumed I hit the front leg and was kicking myself, but thought it was possible the bull would bleed out. I waiting a while and then it started to rain, went down to look for the arrow and blood, but found nothing. Started to downpour and I headed back to camp to regroup and my wife was reading a book in the tent. Ate some breakfast and got her back out with me. We looked for blood and the arrow again, but found nothing. Headed down to where it crashed and I could see the antler! The arrow went through the throat and it bled out quickly. So lucky, still can't believe that bad shot turned out. See entrance wound below. <1/2 mile and 400 ft of elevation change, not too far... but plenty of thick brush.
Thanks to all out there that have shared various tips and tricks. Can't believe it all happened so quick in an OTC unit that gets so much pressure. No way next year can be this easy, but I plan to keep scouting and putting in time.
As it laid.
Trophy shot.
Thinking about how I am going to start quartering this thing. Last animal I cut up was a bear in 2016, and a deer in 2013 before that. Under 7 hrs from starting to getting it all out. Managed it in 2 trips each of boned out meat.
Hunted during the day Saturday and bumped some cows, saw tons of fresh sign and some giant rubs. A couple bugles 1 hr before sunset. Then there was bugling all night and I started out at 5:30 am Sunday morning and bumped into some elk 200 yards from camp. Never saw them but slowly followed the direction they went trying to softly call. There was bugling in multiple directions, pretty sure only one was another hunter that I heard park his pickup. Followed the cows through the brush thinking a bull should be nearby. They never seemed to run real far ahead. Got down to a 15+ yr old clearcut and minutes later cows were cutting across it and I saw antlers in the brush behind them. Moved to a shooting lane and had what should have been a layup of a shot, just over 30 yards broadside. The bull stopped when I made a soft call. Arrow was way to the right, and I assumed a miss. But the bull started to stumble and took off down hill, I saw an antler up in the air and heard a crash.
I assumed I hit the front leg and was kicking myself, but thought it was possible the bull would bleed out. I waiting a while and then it started to rain, went down to look for the arrow and blood, but found nothing. Started to downpour and I headed back to camp to regroup and my wife was reading a book in the tent. Ate some breakfast and got her back out with me. We looked for blood and the arrow again, but found nothing. Headed down to where it crashed and I could see the antler! The arrow went through the throat and it bled out quickly. So lucky, still can't believe that bad shot turned out. See entrance wound below. <1/2 mile and 400 ft of elevation change, not too far... but plenty of thick brush.
Thanks to all out there that have shared various tips and tricks. Can't believe it all happened so quick in an OTC unit that gets so much pressure. No way next year can be this easy, but I plan to keep scouting and putting in time.
As it laid.
Trophy shot.
Thinking about how I am going to start quartering this thing. Last animal I cut up was a bear in 2016, and a deer in 2013 before that. Under 7 hrs from starting to getting it all out. Managed it in 2 trips each of boned out meat.
