Post by: bohuntr on October 01, 2006, 11:03:00 AM
When we found out that we drew the tags Tom and I each had a little different goal in mind. While Tom obviously wanted to shoot a nice bull he really wanted to get his first elk with a bow no matter what the size of the elk. I felt like this might be one of my best chances to shoot a good bull and I resolved not to shoot a small elk even if it meant going back elkless. We had an absolutely awesome hunt getting into elk almost every day. I had over a dozen opportunities on cows and smaller bulls.We met some great local guys who were elk hunting nuts and had them hunt with us when they did not have to work. Tom ended up shooting a spike after about 14 or 15 days of hunting. Needless to say we were both jacked up when Tom got his spike. Tom had to go back to work leaving me to hunt on my own for most of the next week. So lets fast forward to the day in question.Monday September 25th. I arrived at my hunting spot about 45 minutes before sunrise. I had barely gotten out of the truck and gotten organized when I heard one of the deepest growling bugles I have ever heard. I slowly worked my way towards the bugle waiting for shooting light before trying any calling. The tempeture was 26 degrees and there was a layer of crunchy snow on the ground. When it finally got light enough to shoot I let out a series of cow calls. The bull screamed back and I could hear him running towards my position in the crunchy snow. He was in bow range almost immeadiately and it was then that I discovered that instead of elkzilla he was a raghorn 5 point. In the places we have hunted in Colorado this little guy would have been a herd bull and I would have definitely shot him but this was not Colorado. I let the 5 point walk and started heading up the ridge toward another bugle that sounded just as big. I tried cow calling again in a little while and the same 5 point came back into bow range again. After finally getiing away from the 5 point I moved in as close as I dared on the other bull. It was obvious the other bull was working himself up into a frenzy. When I felt I couldn't get any closer I looked for a place to set up and call. I could see a trail that looked like an obvious way for the bull to come if he responded to my calling. I got about 25 yds upwind of the trail and let out a series of cow calls and then immeadiately snuck downwind to a spot where I would have a 15 yd shot if the bull came down the trail like I hoped. The bull responded immeadiatley with a booming growl of a bugle. I could tell from the breaking of branches and the crunching of snow that he was charging straight in. It was lucky that I moved downwind after calling or he would have come straight in on me giving me no shot at all. Unfortunately he was not coming down the trail that would give me an unobstructed 15 yd shot. Instead the bull was coming in at a stiff trot 25 yds away in a spot with thick vegetation. As he was coming in the bull was laying back his rack and shaking it back and forth. I suppose he was posturing to let the cows know what a good looking bull he was and to let any rivals know that he was one bad dude!!! All I can say is it was an amazing sight and something I will remember the rest of my life. I had been kneeling but I knew I was going to have to stand in order to get a clear shot. I also knew I was going to have to try to stop him in the one small opening which he was fast approaching. When the bull went behind a tree I stood up and brought my Robertson recurve to half draw. Just as he was entering the small opening I made a cow call with my voice. The bull put on the brakes and turned to look for the cow. At the release of the arrow the bull took a half step forward but the arrow still buried to the fletch in the vitals. After the shot the bull took off running ... it was easy to follow his progress by the crunching snow and breaking branches. Within 7 or 8 seconds I heard a loud crash and then nothing. Up until that point I had been remarkably calm and focused. When I realized that I had just killed a nice 6x6 bull with my recurve I was overcome with emotion. What should have been any easy track job did not turn out to be even though the bull only ended up 100 yds from where I shot him ... but that is another story all together. The bottom line is I found him and I got the meat and the cape out. He is not the biggest bull I saw in my 20 days of hunting but you better believe he was more than big enough for me. I cannot wait until I can get him back from the taxidermist so I can look up at him everyday and relive that incredible experience. I am not computer savy enough to post any pictures with this thread. If someone else is and is willing to post some for me let me know where I can e-mail a couple of pictures to be included with this thread. Thanks for listening to my story.Dan
Post by: Charlie Lamb on October 01, 2006, 11:08:00 AM
Post by: vermonster13 on October 01, 2006, 11:11:00 AM
If you go here http://photobucket.com/ you can set-up an account for free and post pictures to your heart's content. Need help with the actual posting and I'll walk you through it if you like, pretty easy and a good skill to have for here.
Post by: IB on October 01, 2006, 11:11:00 AM
Post by: kennym on October 01, 2006, 11:20:00 AM
Post by: razorsharptokill on October 01, 2006, 11:27:00 AM
Post by: bohuntr on October 01, 2006, 11:55:00 AM
Post by: Got2strum on October 01, 2006, 11:59:00 AM
Post by: denny on October 01, 2006, 12:09:00 PM
Post by: Jason R. Wesbrock on October 01, 2006, 12:32:00 PM
Post by: Guru on October 01, 2006, 07:20:00 PM
Not a better feeling in the world....
Post by: Pinecone on October 01, 2006, 07:53:00 PM
Claudia
Post by: just_a_hunter on October 01, 2006, 08:02:00 PM
Todd
Post by: kennym on October 01, 2006, 08:18:00 PM
You have a PM
Post by: AZStickman on October 01, 2006, 08:44:00 PM
Post by: cdi3d on October 01, 2006, 08:50:00 PM
Mike
Post by: bohuntr on October 02, 2006, 03:21:00 PM
Post by: the Ferret on October 02, 2006, 03:24:00 PM
Post by: the Ferret on October 02, 2006, 03:48:00 PM
Post by: the Ferret on October 02, 2006, 03:52:00 PM
Post by: the Ferret on October 02, 2006, 03:54:00 PM
Post by: the Ferret on October 02, 2006, 03:57:00 PM
Elk are one majestic creature who live in a magical place, are they not?
Post by: Jeff Holchin on October 02, 2006, 04:01:00 PM
Post by: Littlefeather on October 02, 2006, 04:14:00 PM
Post by: bohuntr on October 02, 2006, 04:39:00 PM
Post by: JEFF B on October 02, 2006, 04:59:00 PM
Post by: bbassi on October 02, 2006, 05:00:00 PM
Post by: Whip on October 02, 2006, 05:13:00 PM
Post by: Jeff Holchin on October 02, 2006, 08:28:00 PM
That bull is gonna look good in your den!
Post by: Alex.B on October 02, 2006, 09:42:00 PM
Alex
Post by: fireman_3311 on October 02, 2006, 09:54:00 PM
Post by: Terry Green on October 02, 2006, 09:57:00 PM
Post by: Two Arrows on October 02, 2006, 11:48:00 PM
Post by: cjones on October 03, 2006, 12:51:00 AM
Post by: Brian Krebs on October 03, 2006, 03:28:00 AM
I hope everyone that wants to elk hunt reads and rereads the hunt Dan posted. It shows a lot of things that you have to do too kill an elk.
First thing was setting a goal; can't kill the big ones if you shoot the small ones.
But more important; Dan called in one bull; and then again; and MOVED to a better position- that most people would not have done.
He cow called; and it worked; and he stuck with it; and did not bugle- that eliminates a lot of peoples actions ( mine on several hundred encounters).
Then he recognised how close he was and - that it was time to set up.
Then he set up and got ready- and when the bull came in on a different path; he adjusted to that.
He made the shot. It hit a little back- but there are a lot of people that just plain don't shoot- even with a perfect chance like Dan had- they get all discombobulated and wait for a spot to appear: telling them where to shoot.
He drew back far enough for the arrow to leave the bow. OK laugh; but until you have been there- you just dont know!! I had a bull stare me down for over an hour; and when I had an easy shot- I could not pull back my bow at all... :campfire: :archer:
Post by: bohuntr on October 03, 2006, 03:12:00 PM
bbassi I was North and West of Deerfield Lake. I was hunting at about 7,000 feet which is pretty high for the Hills. I don't suppose that I was more the 10 miles or so from the Wyoming border.
denny if I had to guess I would say I was about 100yds give or take from the bull when I started cow calling. The cover was nice and thick which allowed me to get that close without busting him out of there.
Doug (Two Arrows) if you get back this way stop by my office and I will show you the rack or the shoulder mount if it is done by then. Good luck with those Nebraska deer!
Thank you to everyone for the compliments. I guarantee this is one experience that I will never forget! I hope you all have a safe and productive fall!!! Dan
Post by: Lewis Smith on October 03, 2006, 08:37:00 PM
Post by: bohuntr on October 12, 2006, 06:44:00 PM
Post by: bohuntr on October 12, 2006, 06:46:00 PM
Post by: bohuntr on October 12, 2006, 06:51:00 PM
Post by: outdoor_matt on October 12, 2006, 08:43:00 PM
Post by: houseman on October 12, 2006, 09:00:00 PM
Post by: Ray Hammond on October 12, 2006, 09:27:00 PM
!["[laffsmyl]"]("graemlins/laffsmyl.gif" "\"\"")
Post by: Bill Kissner on October 12, 2006, 09:47:00 PM
Post by: bohuntr on October 13, 2006, 01:58:00 PM
Post by: TexMex on October 13, 2006, 02:52:00 PM
Post by: Orion on October 13, 2006, 10:16:00 PM
Post by: Chortdraw on October 13, 2006, 10:29:00 PM
Chort
Post by: Randy Morin on October 14, 2006, 09:01:00 AM
Post by: Wallcrawler on October 14, 2006, 06:33:00 PM
Post by: Killdeer on October 15, 2006, 05:20:00 PM
Killdeer :archer:
Post by: Missouri Sherpa on October 15, 2006, 08:25:00 PM
Post by: bohuntr on October 16, 2006, 09:33:00 AM
If one of the moderators reads this could you let me know whether or not it would be ok for me to post a couple pics of my hunting buddy and his elk. I asked this question earlier on this thread but apparently no one saw the question. The reason I ask is that Tom was using a compound and it would be in the pictures. I would suspect that in general that might be against the forum rules but he was certainly a big part of my hunt. Thanks. Dan (http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m174/bohuntr77/2006ElkHunt029.jpg)
Post by: bohuntr on October 16, 2006, 09:35:00 AM
Post by: bohuntr on February 07, 2007, 05:15:00 PM
Post by: Kingstaken on February 07, 2007, 05:28:00 PM
Post by: wifishkiller on February 07, 2007, 05:34:00 PM
Post by: Goose on February 07, 2007, 05:41:00 PM
Goose
Post by: njstykbow on February 07, 2007, 05:57:00 PM
Joe
Post by: 9 Mile Archer on February 07, 2007, 06:25:00 PM
Post by: Ray Hammond on February 07, 2007, 08:27:00 PM
Beautiful mount, Dan....thats a keeper! It's amazing how you look at your animal and get transported back not only to the sights but the sounds and smells...every time I look at my Gila bull I hear the wind in the Ponderosas up on the continental divide, the smells of the junipers, the clean crisp air in the morning, the pungent smell of 'barnyard' that a rutting bull gives off...man, is it tag application time yet???????
(http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e322/rayhammond123/elkmnt.jpg)
Post by: Guru on February 08, 2007, 05:48:00 AM
Post by: bohuntr on February 08, 2007, 09:03:00 AM
Joe I am with Ray you definitely have to check in to that situation. Hopefully you will get it back soon with out any problems but I would definitely be doing some checking.
Ray I know what you mean! Having the mount here is so new that I am looking at all day long and reliving all the aspects of last years hunt. That in turn gets me really fired up for this fall. The Wyoming app has been sent with several more to follow shortly!!! Dan
Post by: Gib on February 08, 2007, 02:34:00 PM
Post by: Steelhead on February 08, 2007, 03:22:00 PM
Post by: Ray Hammond on February 08, 2007, 03:29:00 PM
Post by: LITTLEBIGMAN on February 08, 2007, 03:37:00 PM
Post by: Ray Lyon on February 08, 2007, 04:40:00 PM
I'm surprised I didn't see this earlier. Great story Dan and congratulations on a super animal that you stuck to your goal with. That's quite an accomplishment. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: