Thanks guys!
If I don't see an elk till next year it will be to soon.
I went up Tuesday afternoon to my elk spot and after setting up camp, went into an area that I know always holds elk. Well, I got there and up in the trees were three bulls. Beside those bulls (maybe 300 yds) was a group of cows and a bull running the show. The bugles were going and I figured I needed to get between the three bulls and the cows. It never happened. I had a serious hill to climb and the bulls all moved that way before I could reach them. That is all but one. I climbed up and bang, a nice bull is looking at me! He's about 30yds up hill and staring. I had my favorite came on (which consists of a brown t-shirt and some came pants) and slowly fell to my knees. The bull was still looking so I grabbed the brush around me and started to tear it off with my hands like another elk and he bought it. I closed the gap on him to about 25 yds and finally got a shot, and well lets just say I missed!
Next morning coming into the same area, I see a nice bull in the timber just ahead of me. I close the gap to about a solid 25yds and things are looking good. There is some brush between us and this is the only thing keeping me from shooting. He then turns and walks under me going down slope in the wide open at about 30 yds. I wanted to shoot, but decided against it. He finally saw me and was out of there.
The bulls were going off below me in a park, so I went down. By the time I got down most of the bulls had fed out of there. I heard one bull and cow called and bugled at him. He gave me a weak response, but it was already 10 AM and I was beat, and I'm sure he was too. I sat down in the park, in a good shady spot so if something decided to walk by, I'd be able to shoot. Not 10 minutes later I see a bull walking towards me. He then goes up the hill and around me, but I know where he's headed. At least I think I do....
I can hear him breaking brush and hurry to get around him (its flat where I was)and sure enough, that boy had a bit of a rough night and was headed for a very cold spring with some water. I gave him about 3 or 4 minutes to get in there to test the air, and settle down. I then started up towards him. I could hear him splashing in the water and kept on going. When I crested a small hill, there he was, facing away kicking the water. I could only move about another 4 yds and moved to get ready for the shot. The bull then laid down in the water and was looking my way. He couldn't see me (thanks to my brown long john top) but I was afraid the wind was going to get me. It was already late in the AM and the winds were getting sloppy. I then moved to position my feet and crack! I stepped on a stick. That got his attention. I couldn't believe I got all that way without making a sound and right there 25ish yds away, I step on a stick. Then, the saving grace, a small pine squirrel jumped down not feet from me and ran off. He then rolled around a bit more and I got my feet set. Not a few seconds later, he got up and started to move off when I drew back and picked a spot. I could see his shoulder blade was back and clearly visible and when it went forward, I let the arrow go. I thought I had hit him low, and I got another arrow out. The bull moved off and his near side leg to me was either broke or immobile. He then ran right into a wall of dirt and fell. He got back up and was having a hard time standing. I knew he was heart shot or something else was hit hard. I could still see him, so I decided to step to the side a few yds and sent another at him from about 35 yds. The arrow hit just behind his shoulder area and buried to the fletch. The bull fell and I knew it would be over quick but decided to walk away and let the arrow do its work. I don’t know how far the first arrow penetrated, because he snapped it off. I’d say by looking at the broken arrow, maybe 16 inches. However, the second arrow went to the fletching. I didn’t get back to camp that night until dark and had to go back for another very heavy load in the AM. I was all alone and hunting public land here in Colorado. I’ve never really let terrain dictate where I kill animals, but I might need to reconsider.
Here is a picture of the last load I brought out which consisted of one boned out hind quarter, the two boned out front quarters and the whole head for CWD testing our state offers. Elk hunting is very demanding and when I sit back and think about how far back I killed that bull and the huge hill I had to climb before I could even begin the 1.5 hour walk down hill to my tent, you have to wonder!
Topic: Wensel Woodsmans and elk Re-Revisted (Read 5301 times)
