Jrz210
Member
It was day 7 of a 7 day Elk Archery hunt for myself and good friend, this was our first Archery Elk hunt and we had low expectations, other than to learn a lot and get experience and enjoy the hunt and adventure.
Conditions: Hot and windy conditions for our last morning hunt.
We positioned ourselves on a ridge where we had seen Elk feeding the day before but on this morning with the wind the Elk were nowhere in sight. We started to move down the mountain and glass when we spotted two satellite bulls together, we decided to make a play on them and get the wind in our favor, as we rounded a corner we were busted by one of the bulls coming up the ridge we were circling around on. My buddy who was leading was looking left when I spotted the bull to our right, he took two steps the bull spotted us and was gone. 70 yards away, we were bummed we let this happen.
We decided to drop into a drainage and cow call from where we had heard some bugling, we got a bull to respond so we kept cow calling back, he would not come closer but we decided to hang tight. Shortly after, we heard a cow call and sure enough the bull was with a cow and calf. After a few minutes we saw the cow and calf heading up the mountain and then we finally saw the bull. So we decided to back out and circle around to cut them off in the drainage they were in. By the time we circled around and got to the drainage they were nowhere in sight. It was 9:00 am and the bugling had stopped and it was getting warm out. We thought the morning hunt may be over but my buddy suggested I give one more cow call. As soon as I called the bull bugled in the drainage below us, so we knew he was there we just had to find him in his bed. After several calls and responses we located him 225 yards away under a pine tree bedded with his cow and calf. At that point we both started cow calling and we got the bull responding and fired up, eventually he stood up then went over to his cow and calf and kept bugling back. We kept at it until finally he decided to come; we got set up with my buddy behind me with range finder in hand. The bull came in on a rope straight at us until 70 yards away he started to do the circle dance. I could see the tips of his antlers so I knew he was coming, my buddy could not see him but I told him he was coming to our left. As I saw more antler I went to full draw and as the bull crested and came to a stop ¾ broadsided, I had my 30 yard pin on him, I asked my buddy what yardage he said 40 and I put my 40 yard pin on him and let it rip. My buddy immediately said I hit him as we could see the arrow in him as he ran down the mountain eventually he started to slow and at 70 yards away he tipped over. At that point my buddy said “You just killed a big @#$% bull” and all I could say was “What just happened!!”.
I take two things away from this hunt
1. Always keep hunting, you never know when it will come together
2. Blind squirrels sometimes do find a nut!!!!
Conditions: Hot and windy conditions for our last morning hunt.
We positioned ourselves on a ridge where we had seen Elk feeding the day before but on this morning with the wind the Elk were nowhere in sight. We started to move down the mountain and glass when we spotted two satellite bulls together, we decided to make a play on them and get the wind in our favor, as we rounded a corner we were busted by one of the bulls coming up the ridge we were circling around on. My buddy who was leading was looking left when I spotted the bull to our right, he took two steps the bull spotted us and was gone. 70 yards away, we were bummed we let this happen.
We decided to drop into a drainage and cow call from where we had heard some bugling, we got a bull to respond so we kept cow calling back, he would not come closer but we decided to hang tight. Shortly after, we heard a cow call and sure enough the bull was with a cow and calf. After a few minutes we saw the cow and calf heading up the mountain and then we finally saw the bull. So we decided to back out and circle around to cut them off in the drainage they were in. By the time we circled around and got to the drainage they were nowhere in sight. It was 9:00 am and the bugling had stopped and it was getting warm out. We thought the morning hunt may be over but my buddy suggested I give one more cow call. As soon as I called the bull bugled in the drainage below us, so we knew he was there we just had to find him in his bed. After several calls and responses we located him 225 yards away under a pine tree bedded with his cow and calf. At that point we both started cow calling and we got the bull responding and fired up, eventually he stood up then went over to his cow and calf and kept bugling back. We kept at it until finally he decided to come; we got set up with my buddy behind me with range finder in hand. The bull came in on a rope straight at us until 70 yards away he started to do the circle dance. I could see the tips of his antlers so I knew he was coming, my buddy could not see him but I told him he was coming to our left. As I saw more antler I went to full draw and as the bull crested and came to a stop ¾ broadsided, I had my 30 yard pin on him, I asked my buddy what yardage he said 40 and I put my 40 yard pin on him and let it rip. My buddy immediately said I hit him as we could see the arrow in him as he ran down the mountain eventually he started to slow and at 70 yards away he tipped over. At that point my buddy said “You just killed a big @#$% bull” and all I could say was “What just happened!!”.
I take two things away from this hunt
1. Always keep hunting, you never know when it will come together
2. Blind squirrels sometimes do find a nut!!!!
