Six point bull elk!!!!!

[yorec]

Went out this morning on a bow hunt with my wife looking for elk. About 8:00 a.m. we located a group coming up a wooded draw right toward us. We couldn't see them, but the bull was bugling and talking constantly as he hearded his harem. We took apropriate ambush positions and waited.
I saw six cows pass through a ten yard clear section about 50 yards away, headed up hill. They were headed to a trail that passed within 10 yards of my wife. Then the bull who was pushing them also made his appearance, but only so briefly that we couldn't see just how big he was. I could tell that he was big though.
The wife was in a position to intercept them if they kept going so I just waited. But pretty soon here came two cows back by us again headed down the hill. I thought that for some reason they were nervous of continuing. We were using cover scent, cow elk in heat urine, and the wind was in our favor so I'm not sure what spooked them. we had to do something, so I signaled my wife to cow talk. She did and the bull threw a fit. He marched his cows down the hill and kept calling to us, but it didn't look like he was willing to come back, so I bugled. He really threw a fit then, especially when a couple of his cows came back up the hill to check out the new bull.

Pretty soon I could see him coming straght at us through the open space and could count all six points on each side easily. He was huge - the kind of monster you see hanging in sporting goods stores. I got real excited, but put a lid on it as quick as I could. The bull stopped at about 35 yards and turned broadside, well within my range. I drew my bow, 70 lb PSE with 125 gr satelite tipped carbon arrows, and settled on the vital area. I drew as he bugled another challenge. Just as I started to put preasure on the trigger the bull turned his butt toward me and followed his cows. AAAGGHHHH!! I never got another opportunity for a clean shot before he disappeared.

We followed the heard for a while, but never caught sight of the bull again. I hate to think that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and that I'll never get another chance, but what more could I have done?

We'll be headed out again in the morning............ :)

[BadMedicine]

That's awesome. When we lived in Idaho, we'd get out in the summer, and do some scouting. It's always fun to see animals up close, even if you can't shoot them. We'd go out in the early spring, and take a small folding saw. We were hunting shed antlers, but also took the antlers off any winter killed deer. Kinda seemes like a waste when you find 10-20 carcesses in a valley we're they starved in the winter. But I guess that's nature. We're headed back out moose hunting this weekend. I hope you find that big bull tomorrow, Good luck ;)

[Turk]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by yorec:
I hate to think that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and that I'll never get another chance, but what more could I have done? [/quote]

yorec,

You did what what a true sportsman would do you didn't take a shot they you we're sure of.

There are a lot of people that would of taken that shot regardless and end up with a cripple.

Good Hunt and I wish I could of been there.

Turk

[yorec]

Badmedicine, what do you use the sheds for? We get a lot around here - nearby wintering ground, but I've never come up with a use for them. I haven't been able to bring myself to sell them yet either.

Thanks Turk, but don't think I wasn't tempted! I'm back already, the high country has three inches of snow with slick mud beneath. I takes chains, 4 wheel drive and a good winch to get around up there. Elk weren't bugling today anyhow. :(

[LoneStar]

REALLY beats the crap out of what I did yesterday morning (work)

Thanks for sharing, and best of luck.
-LoneStar

PS, If you end up with more backstrap than you can handle, well just lemme know

[BadMedicine]

We don't really use them for anything. We have a rack along our back fence that collects antlers and animal skulls or whatever that we've found. If I lived in the states I suppose I'd make me a pair of nice rattleing antlers, but I don't. Some asians will buy them, for medicine, or potion, or whatever they make, but you'll have to find somebody that'll pay ya for them, ours just sit around looking 'neat.' :D

[SnakeLover]

Sounds like a heck of a day! Good luck tomorrow and the day after for as long as is required. My brother is bow hunting elk this weekend in WY too, so hopefully one of you will get one and share the experience. I miss getting out, so hope you won't mind my living vicariously through you!!

[Dogger]

Lawd, ain't hunting great!!! Wish I was there. I appreciate your good sportsmanship. Lesser hunters would have been tempted to rush the shot.

[Field-dressed]

Wow! Sounds like you and your wife did everything just right. Lotsa times its just plain old bad luck that interferes. Thanks for the story. He's wishing a little of the good luck your way. ;)

[yorec]

The mountain that bull is on won't see people for a while. It's still snowing outside. He'll be safe from me at least 'til the weather breaks...

Still the memory will stay with me forever. That bull was bugling to us. He was talking directly to me, telling me all about what it was to be an elk and that I didn't have it. He was right. Boy, was he right! It's memories like that that make it OK to hunt your guts out and never harvet an animal. I don't get skunked often (and the year ain't over yet) but If I could do that every time, I wouldn't mind it at all. Well, maybe eventually I'd get frustrated... :)

Badmedicine, that's what we do with the sheds I pick up too. Heard of a rock garden? Well, we have an antler garden!

[BadMedicine]

:D We're headed out to hunt/camp for moose for three days, leaving tomorrow, at first light. Couldn't head out tonight like we liked too, cuz I had classes until ten, (they got out a little early) but still not early enough, it's a four hour drive from here, where we're hunting. I guess we'll road hunt some of the way too. On the way home from class I saw a cow and about a 6 month old calf. It's awesome to see them right in the city. All I could see was about 1500lbs of fresh liver and onions, and backstrap :D I love moose meat. It is soooo lean that if you want to make hamburgers out of it, you have to add beef fat to get it to stick together :) they're delicious. You think an animal that big would have tough meat, they're all muscle, but the meat is tender. More so than deer. I think it's because they hardly ever run. They spend their whole lives walking from place to place. Hope we get one :) And good luck elk hunting.

[Ron Ankeny]

You did the right thing. I can tell you that 35 yards is on the extreme edge of my effective range and I wouldn't feel real cozy even taking the broadside shot. However, I have killed 3 elk at 40 yards with my bow.

At less than 10 yards I would have taken the facing away shot assuming it was early morning, open country, and a 350 or better bull. There is no doubt I would recover the animal. Go ahead, turn on the flames.