Trad Gang
Topic Archives => Memorable Hunts => Topic started by: steadman on September 24, 2007, 12:45:00 PM
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Well, Dad and I got back on Sun. What a trip, with all the highs and lows associated with elk hunting. We were hunting in eastern ID on a DIY hunt. I'd been to the place about five years ago and had a real good time.
A little explanation on my curse. I have been elk hunting with a bow for 18 years now, the last 12 with trad gear. I have never brought home an elk.I have had my chances, but something always seems to go wrong. Don't get me wrong I am not complaining, I know how lucky and blessed I am and I will keep hunting elk until I can't anymore, whether or not I ever bring one home. But DANG, those elk taste great!!
Back to the story, Dad and I left on the 12th for ID. Going north, we decided to stop in Evanston WY for lunch. As Dad put his truck into park, we heard a loud squeel followed by the truck dying.
Man what a way to start a trip, pulling a trailer and having a tranny freeze up!! Now, since this has happened to me this year, it shouldn't happen to anyone else :rolleyes: A few phjone calls later we were being towed to Woodruff UT. Now for the truly amazing part... we got a new transmission, the next day installed and were on the road 24 hrs after the truck broke down!!! That was unreal. We still lost a day of hunting, but it could have been way worse.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0350.jpg)
Here is dad glassing the goat(antelope) herd across the road from our first camp.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0351.jpg)
Here is a sunset from the first camp.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0362.jpg)
Here is apic of the goats. Not elk, but at least something to look at. There was a nice buck in the group as well.
I've got to go for a while this will be an ongoing thing, we were there for ten days, so thanks for tagging along.
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Oh the blue ford is not dad's, his was in the shop at the time of the pic.
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Bring on the pics and stories!
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Ok we got there thurs safe and got camp put together. It was still early enough so we went up a trail I had never been on, up about 2 miles. While waiting to catch our breath, from the timber comes the first bugle of the season. Next to my sons laugh, the bugle of a bull elk is the most magical and moving sound I hear.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0371.jpg)
I move down into the valley below where the bull bugled from. My Dad starts cow calling, another bull responds! This one sounds bigger. My dad then continues his chorus of cow calls. The bull is enraged that the "cows" won't come to him, and he continues to make it known to anything within ear shot. I look up and Dad is signaling that a cow was coming. She comes out at 50 yards, way too far to shoot, but a great sight. She moves up toward the bull. I was hoping to see a bull following her, but to no avail. The wind was not right to move in on the bugling bull so we eased out ready to come back in the morning.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0374.jpg)
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Come on Steadman! I've got to jump a plane shortly and can't wait to hear if you got one!
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Steadman,
I have been looking forward to this one. Keep it coming.
Nathan
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Ok I'm back. Sat the 15th went back up to where we heard the bulls the night before. I split up from Dad and went up towards the middle of the pines. On the way up I heard a weak bugle about 300 yards away. I slowly eased towards the bull to see him feeding on the adlacent hillside. He was a small 6 but plenty big enough for me. He was alone, so I thought mabey a cow call would bring him in. I gave a soft call, he looked at where he thought he heard a cow. He then turned and walked away. That was kind of weird, you would think he'd be more interested in cows then his gut. I waited for him to move out and as he crossed the ridge a thunderous bugle came from in front of him. That's why he didn't want a cow, he didn't want to mess with the man. I hustled up to the ridge and slowly crept over the top behind a small pine. I couldn't see any elk, I looked down in the bottom of the draw, and there it was, The Wallow! Sweet, I thought. I'd just gotten over a cold, and a weak cough escaped. As that happened the man turned toward me. He was there on the ridge across the valley the whole time. He was a stud, about a 320-330 class bull. And he walked away right out of my life. I never saw him again.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0372.jpg)
The wallow is kind of hard to see, but it was good and was being used. There are a lot of moose in the area and on the way out I ran into this guy.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0369.jpg)
I decide later to hike back in with a treestand and try my old buddy Bill's method. I hung and sat the stand that evening. At about 4 I heard a noise behind me and turned just in time to wave off a hawk that thought I was the world's biggest squirrel! He flared then landed in a tree next to me.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0378.jpg)
Sorry for the quality of this one, I think I was still shaking a little. I heard a couple more bugles and had a calf elk come down and feed in the valley. I think she was lost because she would mew after every bite.
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wow... those are some great pics.... :thumbsup: i love idaho.... :archer:
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I made a decision a few years back not ot hunt on Sundays, it gives me time to recoup, and now time to take pictures. Dad and I went down to a wallow we had heard about and saw that it was being used. We set his stand, then I hiked back up the ridge to see what was around. As i was standing by a pine, this little feller came up a proceeded to ruin an otherwise quiet evening.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0389.jpg)
Now I hate squirrels when I am elk hunting. They are noisey. It never ceases to amaze me that an animal that only ways a few ounces can make as much noise as a 900 lb. bull elk.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0384.jpg)
This wallow is so low, I took a picture of Star Valley.(Which is the MOST Beautiful plavce on earth) After the tree rat left, i looked down the ridge where the cattle were feeding and saw a cow that looked out of plce. I threw up my binos to see it was a cow, elk. I figured where there was a cow, there'd be a bull, sure enough, out popped another 6 pt. They went down over the hill towards Dad, but he never saw them. It was a great evening and I was anxiously waiting for the morning.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0391.jpg)
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Nice pics Steadman keep um coming!!!
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Where in Idaho were you hunting, Beautiful country.
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Mon the 17th, we took a trail just outside of samp where we gained 1500 feet of elevation inabout 3/4 mile. It was a hike. We reaches a knoll and started to glass the oppisite hillside. It was an old burn, and now had 6-10 spruce growing in patches. First we saw a cow and calf moose. Then we heard the bull moose grunts and he popped out 10 minutes later. He was a toad, we were 600 yards away so I didn't get any pics of him, but he was around 45-50". Big Shiras. As we were watching him, a cow elk emerged followed by four other cows and calves. Then another nice 6 pt came out following and bugling. The winds were terrible and the country was too open to make a move, so we watched them bed and headed back down. we figure if they remain unpressured we can work on them later.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0395.jpg)
Can you see the elk? it's pretty easy to see.
That afternoon I headed back to my stand and met some guys from Indiana. They were real nice, and I got to know them pretty well. As I headed up to my stand I decided to stay low to make it easier. As I was headed up through a little valley, I rounded a big pine and came face to face with a bull moose! He jumped up letting out a displeasing grunt, while I stared back peddaling and looking for the nearest climbing tree. I was no more than a longbow length from this bull. What a rush.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0398.jpg)
I circled him and noticed he kept his head down and was drooling. There was something wrong with this moose. He stood there for a moment, staggered, then went down like he'd been shot. I studied him from about 30 yrds with my binos to see if I could see any blood. Nothing.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0399.jpg)
I headed up to my stand for the rest of the night. I didn't see or hear anything. I left before dark to see if the moose was still there, he was, but he didn't get up. I figured if I went in the next day he would be dead, and I would notify the F&G. The good news is I never saw him again.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0404.jpg)
Here is a cool red bird I saw at the wallow that night. Does anyone know what kind of bird this is?
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Tues the 18th. Dad and I hiked up a trail to a canyon that I know holds elk. This canyon is about 2 -3 miles back in. Getting an elk out would be tough. But the guys from IN had horses and told us they would pack anything out if we got one. That opened a lot of possibilities. We split up and I went high and Dad stayed low. When I got to the top, I saw Dad about half mile away on same ridge. I also could hera bugling across the canyon. I headed down to tell Dad of my plan to go chase the bulls that were bugling. When I c augh tup to him, he was crouched down. I glassed him from 100 yrds. He saw me and motioned for me to join him. He told me he had gotten frustrated, so he decide to cow call. When he did, a 5 pt bull came out right towards him. The problem was that my Dad was out in the open and not ready. The bull saw him, spun and headed back into the timber. A lesson to anyone who elk hunts or is thinking about going. If you blow a call you better be ready. You never know where a responsive elk might be. This blunder cost Dad his only opportunity at a bull on the hunt.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0383.jpg)
I headed ver to where the bull was bugling adn played cat and mouse with him for about an hour. I had him coming to my cow call at one time, he was about 100 yards away when the wind swirled. He didn't blow out of there but he headed out with his cows. I went up to my stand again, nothing. And nothing has been hitting it. There has been a lot of guys going up that canyon and I think it pushed the elk out.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0426.jpg)
Here's a view from my stand
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0423.jpg)
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Wed 19th we hiked back up to where the 6pt was. We were a half hour late. This cost us. When we got up to the knoll, the hills came alive with elk. We watched as two seperate herd bulls screamed at each other from 100 yards apart. I heard countless bugles that morning. We headed up to try to cut off the one bull as we knew where he would be going. We got a couple hundred yards from where we wanted to be when we heard elk, and they were close. I set up and Dad went up the hill. I could hear them no more than 30 yards away, but could not see them. At this time the bugling stopped. This is some of the thickest country I have ever hunted. After the elk went by we heard voices. We continued to hike to the top. I looked back and there were 2 guys gutting an elk. We found out later they had shot a small 4 pt that was with one of the herds. We stayed on top all day then circled around to try to hear anything. We didn't hear or see anything. I did shoot a blue grouse but forgot to take picture :banghead:
Here are a couple pics from the top
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0430.jpg)
Dad glassing
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0440.jpg)
Dad and I on top according to hid GPS we were at 7686 feet.
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awesome looking forward to the rest :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Thurs 20th an incredible morning!! I went to the same canyon I did a couple days ago. I committed myself to be below the bull at first light. The elk here were not bugling until later in the morning. I arrived, caught my breath just in time to hear the scream of the bull I was chasing a couple of days earlier. He was only 2-300 yards up the slope. I gace a soft cow call to see if I could get a response. Nothing, I thought I'd blown it. Until a bugle came from up the canyon, the herd bull screamed his displeasure at the intruder. The bull up the canyon bugled back. What a place to be!! In between an irrate herd bull and a sattelite bull that does not back down. I moved in closer toward the sounds of the bull above while listening to the two combatants exchange threats. This time I kept the wind in my face and continued to work in on the bull. He was furious. He would scream, chuckle, glunk, everything he could do to intimidate the sat. bull. The other bull woould not back down and must have encouraged another to chime in.I worked into the bull for about 45 min. I was about 40 yards from the screamer and moving closer when I snapped a coule branches. An immediate scream came from the thick willos 30 yards in front of me. He thinks I am another bull sneaking in to steal one of his cows. I nocked an arrow, as the satelite bulls continued their threats. The herd bull then starts to thrash a willow, I can see the top of the shrub waving violently. I take this moment to sneak a couple yards closer to find a shooting lane or two. I grab a willow and shake it imitating a bull in response. i hear crashing and a scream that I could almost feel! He is only 20 yards away, and I still can't see him! I wait and listen knowing that he is going to come any minute. The satelites are still sounding off and closing. I wait for 5 min. then hear elk sounds about 60 yards off, I figure the bull has moved off with his cows. I take one step, crack a branch, and thought the world was coming to an end. The bull rushes in another 5 yards and screams. I jumped thinking I was about to get run over. It felt like I was in the turbine of a jet enjine. Here is a bull no more than 15 yards away, and I still couldn't see him! I can see the willow tops where he is pushing through, but no piece of the bull. I waited, he was close enough, he just had to show himself. The satelite bull bugles from behind me about 150 yards. The next sound I hear from the herd bull is another challege about 60 yards away. Dang!! So close.
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Those big bulls don't get big by being careless. I think his cows got a little too far away from him for his comfort and he just slipped back. I started up the mountain toward where I thought the satelite might come out. As I'm heading up I look up just in time to see a 6pt look down at me. Dang again. 1 minute earlier I would have been in place for this bull to walk by me at 15-20 yards. As he spooked, another 5pt above him took off as well. I sat there listening to them bugle back and forth for another 15 minutes before all went quiet. What a morning!! This was one of the most memorable and exciting mornings of elk hunting I've had in 18 years. It was Incredible. I sat my stand that afternoon and heard a couple bugles, but nothing came in.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0417.jpg)
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0413.jpg)
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Enjoying this a lot Ryan!! :thumbsup:
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Great story telling Ryan. Beautiful pics too, curious what camera were you using.
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Exciting stuff, Steadman! Very enjoyable read. :thumbsup: The red bird you asked about is a pine grosbeak.
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Thanks for the info on the bird Woody. JC I got a canon powershot S3IS this year. I love it. It is a little bulky, but I am not at the point of taking pictures before I try to shoot animals so it is perfect.
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Fri 21st Back in the same canyon to have a go with "my" bull. I told Dad I was going to kill him today. We started out in the bottom again at first light. We then heard his bugle, this time down the canyon a ways. I told Dad I'm going after him if he wanted to come he was more than welcome. Again the bull bugled off and on for about an hour as we worked through the thick willows under the pines. We got to about 150 yards of his bugles, when I saw an elk on the opposite ridge about 100 yards away and closing. He was a 4x5 and kept coming at an angle to our right. I signaled to dad to back up so one of us might get a shot. The wind was right and I the bull crossed our ridge I could see bits and pieces about 20 yards away. He then turned towards us and I got ready for whatlooked to be a 5 yard shot. I sat and waited, and waited, AND WAITED! The bull then made an about face at about ten yards and went back the way he came. The wind was right, I figured he just didn't feel right. The bull came out at 50 yards and stood in the open slightly quartering away. Man the bad luck, He couldn't be 20 yards closer. He then went over the ridge he appeared on and disappeared towards the herd bull. I told Dad we needed to get over there, and fast! We cut down the hill to get some more of the wind and got on top of the ridge the raghorn had just dissappeared over. The herd bull was just on the other side and let out a thunderous bugle. I started a soft cow call series to see if he would respond. He didn't, but his cows started going nuts! They were squeeling and calling back at the "lost" cow. Down the valley about 80 yards away I could see elk starting to filter out of the pines. All I could see were cows and calves. The bull voiced his outrage at his ladies leaving him. Ilooked up the ridge to see another elk coming towards me. I couldn't tell what it was but thought it might be a satelite coming in to see what all the commotion was about. I looked back and starteled a calf that had come right towards us. She was about ten feet away trying to find the cow she knew was up there. She bolted and headed toward the other elk up the ridge. I continued to call, the bull was screaming. I happened to look up and there about 20 yards away I could see antlers through the willows. I called one more time and came to full draw.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0447.jpg)
The 4 pt bull stepped out into the opening broadside slightly uphill. The string slipped from my fingers and a ball of white feathers dissappeared into the sid e of the bull!! Holy cow, I think I just did it, the shot was a little high and a little back, but I was sure I hit liver. I cow called, then heard a crash below me. This has got to be good!! I called some more and tried not to throw up. I signaled to my Dad to come up. He said he saw a 4 pt walk through the trees but couldn't see any blood. We figured it was a different bull. We waited about an hour and a half. We walked up to where the bull was standing.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0455.jpg)
Good sign, my arrow and some blood. We started tracking and had a little blood for about 100 yards. Then it stopped. I couldn't believe it. No not this time, I made a good shot. We started doing the circle around the last blood. Nothing! I asked Dad wher he had seen the bull walk through, we went there and there it was, more blood. My hopes skyrocketed as we had been making circle for about 2 hours. The blod was good for another 50 yards then stopped. I again circled the area, for about a half mile. I then came back and did a grid search evry 10-20 yards for a mile. Nothing. By about 4 I was heart broken, it was so thick I'd almost have to step on him to find him, and yet there was no blood. Now I really had to try to not throw up. I continued a search til dark but to no avail. My bad luck streak on elk continued.
The reason for putting this part of the story in is not to say" look at me I hit an elk!" I am still sick and wonder what I could have done different. Looking back at the shot, it was high but under the spine. Since the bull was on an uphill angle it exited even higher. I think that I missed everything. On similar hits where all you hit is muscle the blood trail looked the same, decent blood for a couple hundred yards then nothing. I am still heart broken, and like anyone else that has done this wished I could have it back. I hope that no one is offended by this. The next day on Sat. I pretty much went hiking and looking for grouse. I did find some on Sat evening and managed to pick a spot and connect on a small ruffed.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0465.jpg)
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Thanks for tagging along, I sure wished I would have had a bit more luck on my side. I practice every day and am a decent shot out to 30 yards. I made the cardinal sin on shooting an animal and didn't pick a spot. I resolve to work on that part of my shooting even more this year. Again I hope this doesn't offend anyone, I have replayed this shot a million time in my head and am still sick over it. This will haunt me for the rest of my life. I only hope to learn from my mistakes and pray that the bull didn't suffer. The hunt was a ball and I look forward to next year.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0467.jpg)
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0459.jpg)
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0469.jpg)
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Thanks for sharing...Great photos! A first class story from start to finish, despite the rough ending.
I'm sure you'll find that most of the folks on this site have been in your shoes or will eventually, if they hunt long enough. We all have a few shots and decisions in our past we'd like to forget. Hopefully we all learn from our mistakes and the good shots out way the bad ones.
Elk hunting with your Dad!.... Wow! That alone is a blessing I hope to one day enjoy with my son!
Tim
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Originally posted by steadman:
I called some more and tried not to throw up. I signaled to my Dad to come up.
Now that's funny right thar, I don't care who ya are! LOL, I sympathise 100% with that feeling right there :readit:
Not making fun of your plight at all...I just know that feeling bro. Sorry you didn't find him; rest up, recoup, practice some more and get back out there after em.
Thanks for sharing, great story and beautiful photos.
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Nice story telling! That middle pic of the mountains is my newest desktop wallpaper.
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Man it happens, it is a shame but I would almost bet money he is still walkin and probably well on his way to being healed up. I messed up like that on a doe (back in wheelie days) couldn't find her, no good bllod and I knocked her down when it hit. Like you I was sick! but then she was killed during gun season apparently doin fine. A friend showed me part of the arrow that stayed with her, said it was lodged inbetween front shoulders.
Hate for your luck but, it happens, you learned, all is well.
Lader
J
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Thanks for the well wishes, it does happen unfortunately. I have been calling this my elk curse, but I was wrong about that as well. There is no curse as long as I can chase those wonderful animals up and down the most beautiful country in the world. I now call it just old fashioned bad luck ;)
One of these years I will get lucky and it WILL all come together.
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Love the lines on your bow at brace! CK
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Steadman,
I enjoyed you taking me along...one of these days, I'll be chasing elk myself. As for the outcome...well, that's the only way we really learn anything.
homebru
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Thanks again for the kind words, it does help some. Thanks for the compliment on the bow Curtis, I made it earlier this year. Thanks to everyone and good luck to everyone this year
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Ryan,
Great story, and great hunt. Those magical mornings when the elk are on fire make the hot, cold, sweat, fatigue, frustration, etc. all worth it. Don't beat yourself up too bad, as already mentioned it has or will happen to all of us at some time, but yeah I am sure it hurts. Maybe we can find them in the extended area, they should be bugling.
Nathan
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Great pic's!! what kind of camera were you using??
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Great photos and story. It's great that you spent the time and effort to allow everyone to be a part of your hunt. It was great.
Sorry about losing the bull. I had the same thing happen about 10 years ago so I know how you feel.
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Great story Steadman, Nice pictures by the way.
There is something special about elk hunting and elk camp, It's hard to describe until you have been there and done it. Thanks for the story :thumbsup:
Tracy
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Great story!
I am sorry to hear about the bull. Gives us a good reason to get together a bunch and shoot.
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Steadman: Hang in there bud! You had a wonderful hunt...just some tough luck.
Thanks for taking us all along with a great story.
Good to see another Utah trad-guy out there in the
mountains after elk. Olebow
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Don't sweat it brother. You were an inch away from a trophy of a lifetime. That bull is up on the slopes chasing cows as we speak. It's all part of the hunt and you should not carry any extra burden. Good hunt, I only wish I could of been as good as you and had a close encounter like yours.
Tim
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Excellent pictures and tale. Thanks for sharing them with us.
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I would like to echo what everyone else has said. Truly a blessing to bunt with your dad, and am truly sorry for the ending. I can sympathize 100%. Best wishes to the rest of your season and to a good rebound next season.
Jake
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Steadman, I am somewhat of an expert on blood trails that look great and then dry up, so I sure know what it is like. Had that happen on a black bear a couple of weeks ago with a high shot. It all comes down to putting the arrow in the right place. You are not alone man!
RayMO
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That was a very good read and I wouldn't worry to much about that elk. They can take a licking and keep on ticking. Joseph
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It was a great story with great pics despite the disappointing ending. Even the best of hunters end up with similar conclusions from time to time. :confused: It sounds like you did all you could to recover the animal.
"Picking a spot" at the moment of truth is a weakness of mine :knothead: as it is for many hunters. If anyone has a foolproof remedy, please share it with all of us.
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If anyone has a remedy I too would love to hear. I even go so far as when watching hunting videos, to try and pick a spot on the animal the whole time. Thanks so much for all the great comments, as you know on other sites I would have been blasted, but this site is different and I can't express my thanks enough to the folks who do such a great job here. Thanks again to all.
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Many of us; me included--have been there, that's part of bowhunting. Great story and my compliments to you in not glossing over the details for the sake of some extra editing.
Great story and pics. Congrats on a good hunt.
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Great story Ryan,glad to see you are doing well.
You know every one of us who has been Bowhunting for many years has had a similar experience. As far as a cure, not sure I want one, when I don't get the heart pounding and sweaty palms being that close to an animal of that magnitude they better be throwing dirt in my face.
Take care, Pat