A WY adventure...and a bloody arrow

[wapiti792]

Well I just got back from hunting cow elk and mule deer in the Laramie Peaks area of WY. This is going to be a long post that is pic heavy. Hope you guys don't mind...

I found a great opportunity to hunt on some private ground that bordered a ton of acres of BLM. For a very reasonable price I had a small cabin to sleep in and evening meals provided. I was given a map of the area and turned loose. This ranch had once been used by an outfitter, but due to financial reasons, and lack of elk hunters drawing Unit 7 tags, it folded. They started the trespass fee thing a year ago, and I was their first trad bow hunter ever. The landowner was a kind gentleman, in his mid-70's, and sort of had a quizzed look on his face when he saw my two bows.

The country is stunning to look at. I had killed a mulie a few years ago with another weapon, and I knew some of the features. However, this ranch was something to behold. A giant bowl of mountains with the valley being a rich hay meadow. The rocks up top looked liked a mountain fortress from below.
 

 

I really didn't know how to act in this part of the world. I had been used to doing a solo hunt in rough backcountry on public ground. Having a roof over my head and supper cooked was new to me. My "little house" had a heater and a bed. Enough for me. The good news was that I had the entire ranch (10,000 acres) and BLM (15,000 acres) to roam. I also was the only hunter in camp for the first 3 days.
 

 

[Bill Turner]

Oh Boy! This looks like a good one. Can't wait for "the rest of the story".  

[Terry Green]

   

[Duckbutt]

Bring it!

[wapiti792]

I had planned on hunting with my Stalker recurve from South Cox. Right before I left I tried to string it and it felt funny. During the process I think I twisted the limb. I was sick! I was able to straighten it no problem but felt nervous taking it along. I called South and being the stand up guy he is, he offered to overnight me another bow to WY. I sent him my bow, and although it is something I inflicted on the limbs (and they were fine), I recieved one of South's "try out" bows at the ranch.
 
 

I also had along my "back-up". A Great Plains longbow that I shoot like it was made for me, even though I picked it up used from a fellow Tradganger. It took me a few days to get used to the new recurve, so for the first 3 days of the hunt it was the longbow in my hands.

 
 I took a self pic for my wife, and she said I looked like an Apache laying in wait with my face-paint on. I took that as a compliment and wanted to add it here to show it was serious bidness  
 

So days 1-3 with a cow elk tag and a mule deer tag (buck only) my longbow and I started to hunt. Saw plenty of these little guys, and not one made it to the stew pot. I was after something bigger!
 
My first night I busted 4 elk and found a small group of mulie bucks while glassing. No stalks though, but ended the night high on the mountain listening to the bulls sort out the herd.
 

[Whip]

Hurry up Mike, I'm leaving in the morning!!  I need to know how this one turns out!      

[rastaman]

Awesome country!

[wapiti792]

I'm on it Whip! Thanks guys...

OK so I spent 2 days chasing elk around. Getting close to a few but nothing in my range. I also managed to stalk within several mulies. As it turned out there were no horns to be found and the group of bucks seemed to vanish. I was seeing animals, LOTS of animals, and that made the hunt already worth it! I pulled some close stalks on some mulie does and learned the country.
 
 

On the third evening I climbed to the top of the mountain that had held the mulie bucks. As soon as I got there I busted a giant 5by5 mulie    That sent my spirits into the dumps. After kicking myself for going too fast and pouting a little I picked up my binocs and a group of elk jumped out to me from the next ridge. GAME ON!!!
 

[wapiti792]

After glassing them for a few minutes to determine which way they were headed and to get a wind direction I could stalk with I started to make my way to them. The wind started to swirl and I could hear a bull buggling, heading for the girls. This made me quite nervous, as I thought they would either wind me or he would push 'em away. I had to drop over the backside of the ridge and lose some elevation to get into a stalkable wind. I lost sight of them for a moment and thought it was over    

After regaining some elevation I rounded a rock into an open piece of sageflat. I felt as exposed as a vampire at high noon and looked for a rock to get to. I had a baaad felling the elk were close. Sure enough I no sooner had hit the little open spot when the first cow rounded the corner. I ate some dirt (and cactus, and sage, and elk crap) and crawled a few feet toward them. I finally felt like I could go no farther and had to leave it up to the Man Upstairs to do the rest. I had no cover, but I had an arrow nocked and radar lock on the nearest cow. It was a few yards out of my range, and it looked to be over for me. Suddenly, a bull appeared and "pushed" the nearest cow a few yards closer... Right into the red zone for me! Divine Intervention at it's finest in the likes of a little 5 by 5 that thought he was a herd bull!

[Smallwood]

[wapiti792]

Just like that I had a shot. No cover, but the right wind, and a cow that was a little distacted by the bull pushing her...laying on my right side I rose up to one knee, came to full draw and sent the arrow on it's way. The shot looked a little lower than I wanted but good enough. The arrow had broke off and flew into the air. The big cow whirled and ran 20 yards and stopped. All the other elk stopped too. Time stood still. All at once the cow got weak-legged and hit the ground. I had my elk! 27 yard shot 27 yard recovery. Just the way I like it    

 

[Smallwood]

   

[wapiti792]

The funny thing is the rest of the elk did not know what to think. They just stood there. The bull barked to tell the cow to come on. My cover was enough I think. I pulled my camera from my pocket and snapped a few photos of the little band of elk minus a cow.
 
 

After about 5 minutes they simply just walked away. I got one last pic of the bull as he led his cows away with something else on his mind than the clump of sage that downed one of his cows.

 

[John3]

Great for you..!  Loved the story and the beautiful pics.  Thanks for taking us along and congrats on the Elk.

How many pounds of meat from the cow?


John III

[Scrub_buck]

Great adventure!!!

Divine intervention is something else ... isn't it!  Thank God for His intervention.

[chopx2]

Cha-Ching!
 

[wapiti792]

I jumped up after the band left and walked to my elk. My first elk with a traditional bow...it was overwhelming for me. I cried and laughed at the same time and looked directly to heaven to thank God for the opportunity. I also looked at the mountains and the elevation...looks like Afganistan and my brother is there now fighting for the very freedom I enjoyed this trip. I couldn't control my emotions and was greatful only the mountains were there to see it. I finally composed myself enough to touch my elk. Stroke it's mane, pat it's fat side. I thanked her for her life, and sat in awe of such a creature slightly sad but mostly overjoyed.
 

[Dave Thaxton]

Fantastic read and a beautiful place. Congrats on the shot and cow, too!!

[wapiti792]

I finally got to work on the cow. I debone everything and have it down pretty well. I did an autopsy to see what (I think I knew) vital organ I hit. The next image is a little graffic so look no further if blood bothers you...I had nicked the elbow a little which slowed the arrow down. It ended up not mattering. The arrow lodged in the offside shoulder. I put part of the shaft through the heart to show the direction of travel. There was another piece of the arrow which was somewhere in the cavity.

 

[rastaman]

Awesome shot!  Thanks for taking us along!