Dear Ted
I would like to thank you personally for all the help you have given me over the last couple of years with traditional archery. As you know I have been on a Bow Quest for big game, and started out with no skill what so ever.
Last week I was able to accomplish my goal on the first day of my season: I got an Elk. The arrows you made not only did the job they flew straight and look great. The colors you chose for me were easy to find and the broad head was very deadly. I drove into elk camp and met up with a friend got ready and made a plan which had changed with the super hot and dry conditions. I figured the elk would be like me looking for water and a cool spot in the woods. So I found a small creek and walked right up the middle of it to avoid sounding like I was walking on potato chips. I hiked up the creek for an hour or so until I found myself in the middle of a large wet meadow with a little used wallow. With day-light waning I found a place to sit at the top of the meadow and got comfortable. Sitting there against the stump, I noched an arrow the arrow that had ELK written all over it and waited. Somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes the sounds of elk feet could be heard way off to my left. As exciting as that was it was not the direction that I needed to put an elk in my range as they would run smack into my downwind smell. Pulling my cow call out I let one fly and was answered by a bugle somewhere off to my right, calling again the heard to my left called back. This was exciting for sure but with all my elk skill I didn’t know what was going to happen next, not to mention the light was fading fast. If I had 30 minutes of daylight left I was lucky so it had to start happening soon. With my head turned to the left waiting on the heard to bust me I heard a couple of branches pop just behind me to my right. Leaning my head back I rolled slowly over until my right eye could pick up a cow walking in. She was looking everything over and smelling for a trap. Everything looked and smelled good so she gave the head nod to move in and a calf came running by her and stopped 6 yards in front of me. She was a good sized cow I thought at least until a huge cow stepped into sight behind the first 2 elk. At this time they were all about 6 yards and feeding their way out of the woods, all three of their heads were in a crack nibbling on little greens. The first cow was the best shot so I moved a bit to take the shot but was busted by the huge cow – she bolted and rushed by the other 2 elk and stopped at 10 yards quartering away. She now moved up on the hit list. I don’t remember pulling back on the string, or getting the green light to send the arrow. What I do remember was at about 5 yards picking up the arrow sailing right into the cow. She took the hit and took off down the meadow with a couple of cow calls from me I rolled over on to my knees and watched the other 2 elk walk up hill confused. Shaking like crazy I looked at the time 7:49, could I wait for an hour before I looked for the big girl? 7:52 still shaking I heard a crash not far from me and I knew she was down. I stood up pulled some tape and walked to where she was standing. 10 yards followed the huge blood trail 50-60 yards and found that beautiful girl piled up.
Without your help and friendship over the last couple of years I would not have been able to achieve my Bow Quest. The bow I made in your shop performed very well thank you for helping me through the issues in making it. Sitting there after the shot a name came to me for my bow: Long Shadow
Thank you again for everything,
SS
Topic: Letter To Ted Fry @ Raptor Archery - First Big Game Down. (Read 676 times)
