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.
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.
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.
Topic: Back from ID elk W/pics (Read 1282 times)
