D
Deleted member 18333
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Wrapped up another general season archery elk hunt in Wyoming. Spent 3 days trying to get a shot. Lots of bulls talking, had some close encounters but nothing I felt comfortable taking. No other hunters, seems like they are all up above treeline looking for deer. On Tuesday evening a bull gave me a shot at 40 yds and I took it.
As soon as the arrow left the bow the bull took a step forward and I made an absolutely horrible shot in the guts. The bull ran to 115 yds and stood there for about 5 minutes. I could see a small portion of intestine sticking out. He then walked into the timber. I went to where he was standing and heard some timber breaking further down the slope. I went down to that spot, marked it and then heard more branches breaking further down the slope. I went to that spot and marked it as well. By this time it was close to 8 pm, I had found no blood, and could no longer see so I felt backing out was the right decision.
Next morning at 7:00 am I was back to the spot where I took the shot. I found the back half of the arrow. I found no blood around the area.
I then went to the spot he stood after the shot. There i was able to find two small drops of blood but nothing else. The spot where he stood and the two spots where I marked sounds from the night before made a straight line from the top of the slope to the bottom so I searched a line between them. I found no signs of blood. That slope was recently burned and was loaded with elk so even tracking was a mess. After finishing this line, I moved down the drainage 25 yds and made another parallel line up the slope. Found nothing. I kept repeating this in 25 yd increments. After 3 hours and finding nothing since the two drops at the top of the slope I had assumed I was not going to find this bull and that he was going to die from an infection days, if not weeks, later. I figured I would just keep at it for the rest of the day with little hope of success but felt it was the right thing to do.
About 100 yds away down the drainage I saw a raven fly up from the bottom to the top of a tree where he started calling. I figured it was worth a look. I worked my way to where he flew up from and about 10 yds away I saw the butt of the bull sticking out from some trees.
This pic shows just how crappy the shot was. I figure the bull most likely died that morning while I was looking for it. There was almost no rigor in its legs. I was easily able to fold them under for pics.
Spent the rest of the day packing him out and then cutting him up on Thursday morning. All the meat seemed fine to me. No sour smell or weird colors. I had none that I thought should be left. I did find this in his back strap.
Just happened to cut into it as i was sectioning off chunks of back strap. There was not discoloration, no hardened mass around it, nothing to indicate it was there. Looks like someone else made a crappy shot on this bull at least a year earlier.
Pissed at myself for the horrible shot but pleased that I was able to find him with no waste. Now to try to find a bull for my wife this weekend.
As soon as the arrow left the bow the bull took a step forward and I made an absolutely horrible shot in the guts. The bull ran to 115 yds and stood there for about 5 minutes. I could see a small portion of intestine sticking out. He then walked into the timber. I went to where he was standing and heard some timber breaking further down the slope. I went down to that spot, marked it and then heard more branches breaking further down the slope. I went to that spot and marked it as well. By this time it was close to 8 pm, I had found no blood, and could no longer see so I felt backing out was the right decision.
Next morning at 7:00 am I was back to the spot where I took the shot. I found the back half of the arrow. I found no blood around the area.
I then went to the spot he stood after the shot. There i was able to find two small drops of blood but nothing else. The spot where he stood and the two spots where I marked sounds from the night before made a straight line from the top of the slope to the bottom so I searched a line between them. I found no signs of blood. That slope was recently burned and was loaded with elk so even tracking was a mess. After finishing this line, I moved down the drainage 25 yds and made another parallel line up the slope. Found nothing. I kept repeating this in 25 yd increments. After 3 hours and finding nothing since the two drops at the top of the slope I had assumed I was not going to find this bull and that he was going to die from an infection days, if not weeks, later. I figured I would just keep at it for the rest of the day with little hope of success but felt it was the right thing to do.
About 100 yds away down the drainage I saw a raven fly up from the bottom to the top of a tree where he started calling. I figured it was worth a look. I worked my way to where he flew up from and about 10 yds away I saw the butt of the bull sticking out from some trees.
This pic shows just how crappy the shot was. I figure the bull most likely died that morning while I was looking for it. There was almost no rigor in its legs. I was easily able to fold them under for pics.
Spent the rest of the day packing him out and then cutting him up on Thursday morning. All the meat seemed fine to me. No sour smell or weird colors. I had none that I thought should be left. I did find this in his back strap.
Just happened to cut into it as i was sectioning off chunks of back strap. There was not discoloration, no hardened mass around it, nothing to indicate it was there. Looks like someone else made a crappy shot on this bull at least a year earlier.
Pissed at myself for the horrible shot but pleased that I was able to find him with no waste. Now to try to find a bull for my wife this weekend.
