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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: highPlains on November 21, 2011, 07:07:00 PM

Title: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: highPlains on November 21, 2011, 07:07:00 PM
I am going to share some pictures of my brother's great season with you guys. I have all of these stories written up on our blog  http://rmsgear.com/blog.htm , but I am going to transfer most of it over to here as well. I have tons and tons of pictures on the blog so I won't be able to transfer them all to TradGang, but I'll get all the good ones.

Danny should have had a great whitetail to add to this. He got a deflection on a monster and his arrow sailed well over the deer. I wish he would have got it to top off the year.

Please allow me some time.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P10201411.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020295.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1120254.jpg)
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: pauljr on November 21, 2011, 07:08:00 PM
Wow is about all i can come up with. Congratulations!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: swifty99 on November 21, 2011, 07:18:00 PM
That is amazing.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Wiley Coyote on November 21, 2011, 07:21:00 PM
Awesome!!! I am having trouble getting a shot at a whitetail this year...........Good for him!!!

 :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: highPlains on November 21, 2011, 07:25:00 PM
We'll start with the deer.

Danny wrestled with a guy in college who grew up on one of the biggest cattle ranches in Utah. Nice connection to have eh!? The last two years Danny has gone out to hunt with his buddy. He has some serious primo deer hunting out there. The guys would glass deer in the mornings from several vantage points and keep tabs on them until they bedded down. Then the hunt began.

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ufR6f8HmbL0/TlfQMoSY7oI/AAAAAAAAUsA/fMUxNkvFqjM/s640/P1020170.JPG)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZVtuWSPQMhI/TlfP2LK3g3I/AAAAAAAAUqo/fV6zBC077A8/s640/P1020148.JPG)

It took him a few days to find the deer because the country is so vast, but once he did he was on a stalk as often as he wanted to be.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-cYRraP2hHs0/TlfWPSL4ECI/AAAAAAAAUuA/kqsOH7YxJ_w/s640/IMAG0443.jpg)

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UrKGHNQgbog/TlfXv-KmABI/AAAAAAAAU1Q/vD6p7mYuafw/s640/IMAG0563.jpg)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KKiU7BkEl9Y/TlfW7uHJadI/AAAAAAAAUxQ/0TkVv4-khdI/s640/IMAG0463-1.jpg)

On this stalk Danny was making his move on a buck feeding up a sage draw. He got positioned ahead of the deer. The buck was just about to clear the last bush in order to give Danny a shot, and like so many hunting situations when something is working out perfectly, he beds down behind that very bush. Danny had to sit him out. With the hours winding down and the winds getting a little squirrely Danny made a move. He chucked a huge rock down the draw and started drawing his bow with the rock in the air. When the buck stood up to look at the noise Danny was waiting for him at full draw.

A phone picture of the final moments of the stalk. The deer is bedded just behind the close bush.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GoL1qwcfQzo/TlfW8cdTe6I/AAAAAAAAUxU/_4aCffCc12k/s640/IMAG0495.jpg)

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AYCbZWunND0/TlfPqX6N1SI/AAAAAAAAUqA/YjL0zN_hzOU/s640/P1020139.JPG)
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: doug77 on November 21, 2011, 07:25:00 PM
Sweet, but the elk is a hog.

doug77
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: RobinHood1389 on November 21, 2011, 07:28:00 PM
That is a Beautiful T/D curve. I love all the wood grains! Please do tell what make/model it is.

Also not to change the topic here....Fantastic bucks!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: steadman on November 21, 2011, 07:39:00 PM
That is a GREAT year!! But that elk would make my LIFE!!! Congrats!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: highPlains on November 21, 2011, 07:39:00 PM
This year Danny drew a good elk tag. We basically grew up in this unit, which can be very hard to hunt. But we have intimate knowledge of the terrain and the elk behavior. Without the knowledge of what elk do on this particular ridge Danny wouldn't have shot this elk. But we've been riding on our Dad's shoulders in these hills long before we could hunt ourselves.

All public land.

Danny boy really worked his butt off this elk season. He spent a ton of time scouting this summer. Exploring some rugged new country, and of course checking in on some old haunts. Danny did some fine hunting to get this bull, being his older brother it can be hard to admit that he's better than me at anything. I will say this, he is a better elk hunter.

Danny covered more ground this season than I could do in two. The way he shot this bull amazes me (this is an older brother talking here). It was something I would have never done. I simply wouldn't have had the confidence in the plan, or in my sneakability.

Danny has a handful of good but not great bulls under his belt. He is not a trophy hunter by any means, but with all of the great bulls he was seeing this year he was hoping for something with 6 points. Opening weekend Danny passed up on a few nice 5 points, bulls he would have shot in a heart beat any other season. Throughout the year Danny was at full draw on a few other nice 6 point bulls, but the shot just wasn't there, so he never let go of the string.

Late on the evening of Sept. 15th Danny got on the edge of a big herd of elk that were out feeding in a thick willow bog. He got to within 50 yards of the herd bull that night. Because of thick cover he never got a clear look at the bull's rack, just enough to know it was a true monster. His bugle, though, was unmistakable. It was the nastiest bugle Danny has heard in his 16 years of elk hunting.

The next morning, Friday the 16th, Danny was back in that same vicinity hoping that the elk were still going to be there. As the sun was gaining height, with neither sight or sound of elk, Danny was about to dive off of this steep ridge and climb the next three ridges to the North looking for something.

Right before he started off he heard it. The bugle of bugles. The kind that makes your stomach turn over and your mouth hang open. It was the same bull. He knew where the bull was, and he knew it was likely the bull would come his way. Waiting a few minutes confirmed his hunch, the bull bugled again, closer. And then again, closer yet.

It was a very windy day, with the elk coming his way he decided not to call. Instead he got on the back side of the ridge he was on, opposite the elk. Herd bulls usually round up the back of the herd. Danny knew that if he stayed on the same side of the ridge as the elk he would be inundated with cows any moment. With strong swirly winds, and that many eyes, his chance of getting a shot at the bull would be very slim. There were too many cows. By getting on the back side of the hill, out of sight of the elk, he planned on using his ears to parallel the herd. He knew, after years of seeing the elk move along this ridge, that the elk would eventually pop on to his side where the shade was better.

Danny learned this trick from our Dad, who did the same thing with him when Danny was 14 years old - different ridge, same trick. It produced a shot on a monster bull. That was back before Dad was a deadeye (by his own admission).

So Danny sat and listened. Then he heard it. The pop of a branch that he was waiting for. He started paralleling the herd. Thinking that he was ahead of the elk he angled towards the top of the hill. All of the sudden Danny saw antlers, it was a nice 6 point satellite, but not the herd bull. The elk were moving too quick, and Danny had fallen behind. No shot presented itself on the satellite bull so Danny dropped back down his side of the ridge and quickly moved forward to get even with the main herd.  As he got to where he thought he was close to the elk the big bull bugled a mere thirty yards away. The elk had popped the ridge and were now on his side!

Now he really slowed down. Take a step... look.... listen.

After a few minutes of this a cow rang out with a few whiny mews.  Branches popped to his left and then he saw her trotting right towards him. A second later he caught a glimpse of the 4th tine of the big bull and his massive body right on her heels. It takes a certain amount of luck to get a shot at an animal like this, no matter how well your plan comes together. Danny got that luck.

Now he's got an arrow nocked, bow pointing right where the elk are headed.

Here she comes, perfect, 8 yards right through a beautiful shooting lane. Any moment now and the bull will follow her. But he doesn't, of course. Instead of taking a few steps around a gnarled mess of trees the big bull walks right through them. Now he's through the opening and Danny has to improvise. With the bull at 15 yards Danny crouched down to his knees, his bow horizontal to, and about 6 inches off of the ground. The kind of shot you take at the range just for fun, but Danny had to do it to shoot underneath some branches that were covering the bull's vitals. He drew his bow, reached full draw, picked a spot, and loosed the arrow.

16 years of waiting for and dreaming of a shot like this. A monster bull at 15 yards, lip curling and grunting at the cow that just brought him over. The arrow is on it's way, no...NO! It barely nicked the bottom of a branch, the branch that he was trying to shoot under, and dove under nearth the bull's massive chest. Devastation doesn't begin to describe the feeling. How can that be, how can that happen? Thousands of arrows shot at the practice range in preparation for THIS MOMENT! NOOO!

But the wind was howling that day. The bull didn't have any idea that he'd been shot at he just stood there curling his upper lip. The desperation of the moment made taking out a second arrow pure reaction. It was on the string but the bull was moving again. This is a densely timbered hill side, he's behind a lot of trees now. Danny had to move. With the big herd close by it was risky, but he was able to go five or six steps. The bull is at 32 yards now, the exact distance that Danny has been shooting in the back yard. Hundreds and hundreds of arrows this summer at this distance. He doesn't even think twice. The shot opening was small. The elk's chest was framed between two trees, with limbs above his back.

The second arrow was on it's way. The shot was perfect, to the exact hair that Danny was aiming at. The bull was slightly quartered away, the arrow entered just above the elbow. Penetration was good, looked like it parked in the far shoulder (confirmed later).

The bull blasted across the mountain. The remainder of the herd jumped, but quickly calmed back down as Danny called to try and stop the big bull. Danny knew the shot was lethal, and he knew the bull would be piled up not very far away. He wanted so badly to go and find him but all of the cows were just standing around. So he waited.  An hour later all of the cows had meandered away.

I sure would have loved to be with Danny when he killed this bull. But at least I got to be apart of the cleaning and the pack out. The pack out wasn't too horrible.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020295.jpg)

Danny and I with his bull.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P10203161.jpg)

We did some pretty careful cleaning knowing that the dangerous end of the arrow was still somewhere inside the cavity. After removing the heart and lungs we still didn't see it. Peeling apart the lungs finally exposed the arrow, just like this.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020347.jpg)

The head and cape topped the scales right at 85 lbs. Not horrible, but walking through the brush was difficult. How elk remain silent when moving through the trees with this kind of headgear is beyond me.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020360.jpg)

Danny shot this elk with a Rampart recurve and a Grizzly broadhead. The bloodtrail was profuse and easy to follow. But with an arrow in the heart that would be expected. He is shooting a 225 grain broadhead and 630 grains of total arrow weight.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020365.jpg)
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Gentry on November 21, 2011, 07:41:00 PM
I want to hear about that monster of a elk!!!!!!!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: highPlains on November 21, 2011, 07:42:00 PM
I'll try to get the moose tonight.

RobinHood, he shot the deer and elk with a Rampart Recurve. Desert camo dymondwood riser, bamboo limbs. His bow is 49#, his arrows are 630gr. He shot the deer with a VPA Terminator and the elk with a Grizzly broadhead.

He shoots the moose with a Hawk Recurve, he gets two arrows in the moose, the first a Grizzly broadhead, and the second a VPA Terminator. The second arrow was totally unnecessary, but if you can, why not? I'll share that one as soon as I can.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Gentry on November 21, 2011, 07:52:00 PM
Nice story on the elk.... good for him....
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Over&Under on November 21, 2011, 07:59:00 PM
Unbelieveable season!!!!  Hats off to him!

Did he put a tape on that elk, bet it scores pretty high!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: maxwell on November 21, 2011, 08:02:00 PM
Thats very cool, thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: jeanpaul3006 on November 21, 2011, 08:16:00 PM
Definitely a season to remember!!! Just one of those animals would have made my season.Congrats!!!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Fritz on November 21, 2011, 08:38:00 PM
Wow!!! What a yr! Congrats on all the critters.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Big Sneaky on November 21, 2011, 08:42:00 PM
All I can say is WOW!  That is a monster elk.  Way to go!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: wooddamon1 on November 21, 2011, 08:43:00 PM
WOW! That is a whopper of a bull! Nice mulie too!
Can't wait for the moose story...
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: NBK on November 21, 2011, 09:15:00 PM
I regret that I have nothing more profound to say than, "WOW!!!"
A huge congratulations on some great hunts.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: buckeye_hunter on November 21, 2011, 09:27:00 PM
That's a lifetime in one year!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: owlbait on November 21, 2011, 09:37:00 PM
Great animals, great year. Don't ever let go of those memories, especially when you get to share them with your brother. Who makes Rampart bows? You young fellows resemble South Cox some! Maybe its just the great looking bows and huge animals?  :D
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Earl Jeff on November 21, 2011, 09:43:00 PM
Fantastic. Make ya want to keep going in the bad years.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: KentuckyTJ on November 21, 2011, 09:46:00 PM
Ahhhhhh yeah.  :eek:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: on November 21, 2011, 09:53:00 PM
AWESOME!!!!!!

Congrats!

Bisch
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Smithhammer on November 21, 2011, 10:22:00 PM
Absolutely inspirational. Way to go, you guys!

 (http://www.free-dc.org/forum/images/smilies/cheers.gif)
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: dragonheart on November 21, 2011, 10:23:00 PM
WOW!  What a season.  Alot of meat there.  Just awesome.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: MTArrowLauncher on November 21, 2011, 10:33:00 PM
Your brother is a blessed man to experiance a season like that, although i bet there was a little luck involved in it, it looks like the outcome only someone who is skilled can create

great pics, great story, and great job to the both of you
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: yth-mnstr on November 21, 2011, 10:53:00 PM
Fantastic!!!  Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: rastaman on November 21, 2011, 10:53:00 PM
Awesome animals..   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: FerretWYO on November 21, 2011, 10:57:00 PM
Even though I am lucky enough to hear about these things and Super lucky enough to hear the stories a few weeks ago from Tommy I never get tired of seeing those pics of reading the stories.  Tommy and Danny let me know when he will be in the shop I really really really wanna see the elk and the moose and the deer. Congrats Danny
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Longbowlogan on November 21, 2011, 11:07:00 PM
Lucky guy, I would love to live out west!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: scedvm on November 21, 2011, 11:21:00 PM
Very impressive!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: far rider on November 21, 2011, 11:29:00 PM
Wow....I meant to say....uh, WOW! The word incredible comes to mind, but I'm not sure that really does it.

TS
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Robhood23 on November 22, 2011, 12:28:00 AM
Wow! Tell him congrats!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Shedrock on November 22, 2011, 12:34:00 AM
Mighty fine animals! Nice job!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Thumper Dunker on November 22, 2011, 12:37:00 AM
Awsome . That mulie looks like a horse. Wow.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: GRINCH on November 22, 2011, 01:24:00 AM
Fantastic Season,congrats.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: kibok&ko on November 22, 2011, 03:05:00 AM
super fantastic !
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: cacciatore on November 22, 2011, 03:32:00 AM
Congrats Danny for your incredible season and for your skills,you look to be a though hunter,hat off.  :notworthy:  
Tommy,thanks for sharing the pics and stories with us,I am sure you are that good too.  :clapper:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: tradtusker on November 22, 2011, 06:52:00 AM
Outstanding! Congrats on some beautiful animals.
Quite a year indeed !
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: briarsdad on November 22, 2011, 07:29:00 AM
Awesome!!! That is all I can say, I would love the chance at an elk or a mule deer with my longbow.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Pat B. on November 22, 2011, 07:38:00 AM
Stunning elk!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: silvertip73 on November 22, 2011, 07:56:00 AM
A season that dreams are made of!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: KentuckyTJ on November 22, 2011, 08:00:00 AM
You guys really don't want to shoot that many great critters can you image what his taxidermy bill will be.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: NormanDale33 on November 22, 2011, 10:31:00 AM
That bull on public land with a recurve...WOW! Hard work pays off. Great story.

Where in CO did your brother wrestle? I went to Mines and had buddies from high school that wrestled in the RMAC.

I can't wait to hunt CO again.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Altiman94 on November 22, 2011, 10:52:00 AM
That looks like a great season.  That elk is a monster!  I'd like to see his trophy room!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Mark Baker on November 22, 2011, 12:06:00 PM
Just an incredible year is right!  Congrats to your brother!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: highPlains on November 22, 2011, 12:09:00 PM
Thanks guys, I am going to work on getting the moose pictures loaded up here in a minute.

QuoteOriginally posted by NormanDale33:
Where in CO did your brother wrestle? I went to Mines and had buddies from high school that wrestled in the RMAC.
He met this guy wrestling at the University of Wyoming, but Danny finished his career at the University of Wisconsin.

QuoteOriginally posted by owlbait:
Who makes Rampart bows?
A gentlemen named John Gottshalk out of Colorado. Around here they are well known. John is under the radar and doesn't mind it that way.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Wickles on November 22, 2011, 12:16:00 PM
Unreal, congrats!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: highPlains on November 22, 2011, 12:31:00 PM
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1120251.jpg)

Now on to the moose hunt.

We have been to this place twice before. Wine Lake Camp near Parrault Falls in Ontario. A few years ago Herb, owner of Wine Lake, was in our store to buy some archery supplies. Herb is a traditional archer who lives in Nederland, CO during the winters. Herb overheard Tom talking about moose hunting and told him about his camp.

Wine Lake is mostly a fishing camp, but Herb gets a few bear and moose tags a year. At the time he was sold out on bull moose tags, but we have been able to go on two cow hunts in the past four years. We are on the list for bull tags in 2013.

This year we got lucky, Herb called because he had a cancellation from one of his bull hunters. He asked if we would like the tag, which we jumped on! Herb offers the fairest price moose hunts that I have ever heard of. Party hunting is legal in Ontario, so Danny and I bought calf tags and Dad had the bull tag. We were all hunting for a bull though, we could kill one, and it was going to be a team effort. None of us care who gets the shot.

Herb told us that in Ontario, a non-resident moose hunter must be accommodated, he cannot go moose hunting on his own. A guide does not have to accompany the hunter in the field, but the hunter must purchase the license through a camp and sleep there.  We were able to hunt on our own which we like. Herb gave us excellent advice on moose hunting strategy and also where he sees the most moose action.

Wine Lake Camp is a two hour boat drive from the nearest road. There are no roads for about ten miles in any direction from this camp. This makes for some excellent undisturbed fishing and hunting.  

On the way in Herb showed us some rocks with some old Native paintings on them.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020384.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1120217.jpg)

The water in Wine Lake is crystal clear

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1120222.jpg)

The first night out provided some excellent sights, but we heard no moose.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020400.jpg)
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: highPlains on November 22, 2011, 12:34:00 PM
There was a lot of moose activity around one of the rivers connecting a few lakes. We spent the majority of our time listening from the boat. We heard a cow or two bawling almost every time we went out. We would locate ourselves on shore according to the wind and either call close to the water, or try to make our way through the dense forest to get in better calling position.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/winelake.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020406.jpg)

The fog on this morning made us feel like we were floating in heaven. The soft pinks and blues with the mist coming off the water. We should have pulled the camera out sooner because by the time this picture was taken a lot of the color was starting to fade away. I will never, in my life, forget this morning.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020418.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020421.jpg)

Mr Lucky pretty much controlled the boat the whole time.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/IMG_0300.jpg)
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: highPlains on November 22, 2011, 12:37:00 PM
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020467.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020489.jpg)

We would hunt in the morning and evening, and fish all afternoon. What can beat that!? I am not going to include any of the fishing pictures here except this one, but I have a lot up on our blog.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zlMfip6Tt9s/TouRvsTJJfI/AAAAAAAAYos/JNlhmZgDa8U/s640/P1020500.JPG)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020508.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020529.jpg)
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: highPlains on November 22, 2011, 12:40:00 PM
The moose action was pretty good. Like I said, we heard cows bawling on almost every outing. I called in a bull to Dad and Danny on the third day of the hunt. He was only 25 yards away from those two, with me another 20yds behind them. I don't like admitting the mistake I made, but it's too stupid not to share. I did not know the bull was only a few steps away from providing one of those two a shot. Between grunts a small black fly flew in to my mouth and hit the hangy ball thing. I tried to muffle my cough but it wasn't enough. When I coughed the bull turned on a dime and went back from where he came. Unreal. I'm sure they were a little annoyed with me, but they never said it.

The last evening of our hunt we slipped in to a bay where Herb heard a bull grunting that morning. We only had an hour of light left. I gave off two soft grunts and got an immediate reply. We drew straws to determine who the shooter would be every day. Danny was up. Dad and I sent him down the shore line 75 yards while we stayed back and called. When the bull wasn't grunting it sounded like he was tearing down the forest. He was hot!

I would give a few grunts and the bull would immediately respond every single time. When he was working towards us I stayed quiet. When he would stop I would grunt or Dad would rake a tree. It did not take long before we figured the bull was right on top of Danny. We could see him but we could not see the bull.

We watched as Danny came to full draw. Oh the thoughts that run through your head at those times! "It's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. What's going on? Why isn't he shooting? Is it too far? Should I grunt or would that screw him up? What's he doing? He's going to have to let down soon..." Danny sat there at full draw for no less than 15 seconds! We didn't know what to do, we just stood there watching through our binos for an eternity.

We did not know it, but the bull was only SIX YARDS from Danny. Danny had to draw his bow at the time he did because once the bull emerged from behind some trees there would be no other time for him to draw. Of course the bull stopped with his vitals covered and his head sticking out. The bull just stood there making soft grunts and smacking his big lips together.

Danny said he never even felt the weight of his bow. He didn't know if, or when the bull was going to walk out from those trees. Danny leaned out, just a little bit, so that he could get an arrow past the brush and in to the bulls vitals. Danny is a fine shot, but I think anybody can hit a moose at six yards. He shot.

From my perspective I could see Danny shoot but I still had no idea how far the shot was. In an instant the bull came crashing out of the brush, his head down. It looked to me like he ran right over the top of Danny (he missed him by four steps!). The bull ran out in to the middle of the lake. I'm looking at the bull now, I don't see an arrow and I don't see any blood. I bring up my binoculars to look and then I remember Danny. Oh crap, it had to have run him over. I look back to Danny and see him moving around. Okay good, he's alright. I look back to the bull, and as my eyes move from Danny to the bull a white streak practically follows their same path.

I heard the arrow in flight as much as I saw it. Zzzzzzzzzzzp, WHACK! "Nice!" I thought. If he missed him the first time that one was perfect. The second shot was about 50 yards, and Danny hit him as good as could be.

The bull's back legs buckled almost immediately as the second arrow hit him. Then I knew that the first shot was also right on the money. The sight that unfolded in the next 45 seconds was both the saddest, and most utterly spectacular thing I have ever seen. The bull died in the water but not without demonstrating a ferocious will to survive. The power of this moose, his head flying up, his legs kicking, the water and blood flying absolutely everywhere...I will have a crisp and clear memory of that sight for the rest of my life. I've never seen so much blood. It was not fun watching that moose die. After the water stopped flying and the moose lay motionless nobody moved, nobody looked at each other, nobody said anything - we all just stood there with our jaws open.

Then the emotion of what just happened flooded over us. Dad and I ran 75 yards over to Danny and Danny lifted me up in the air. We couldn't believe what just happened. Danny was trembling, "Did you see that thing?! Tell me you saw that! He was RIGHT HERE!" Danny said, pointing basically to his feet.

We recapped what had just happened and what we were thinking from our various view points. We all looked out in to the lake. What the heck are we going to do now!?

This was the second arrow. 50 yards is a conservative guess, it could not have been better!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020562.jpg)

Danny when we first went over to the bull.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1020563.jpg)

Rigging up the come-a-longs...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1120243.jpg)

It was actually not as hard as I thought it would be.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1120240.jpg)
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: centaur on November 22, 2011, 12:40:00 PM
Mein Gott! Some truly amazing critters! I'll be down in a couple of days and maybe you will have some more pictures. Awesome year for Danny.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: highPlains on November 22, 2011, 12:41:00 PM
Danny used a Hawk recurve on this hunt. His first shot was with a Grizzly broadhead. He hit the moose directly above the leg and centered a big rib. The broadhead split the rib into three pieces and the arrow lodged in the far shoulder. The second arrow was tipped with a VPA Terminator broadhead. This arrow slipped between the ribs and also parked in the far shoulder. Neither arrow produced an exit hole but they both penetrated the entire cavity. Since the bull ran right in to a lake there was no blood trail. But I watched the blood coming out of the moose's sides and mouth, if we did have to trail this moose it would have been a bloodtrail to match all bloodtrails.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1120254.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1120265.jpg)

The boat ride out was cold and wet, but we were smiling the whole way!!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/tlclum/P1120312.jpg)

We go back to Wine Lake in 2013 with two bull tags in our pockets. I cannot wait. It is one of the most pristine and beautiful places I have ever been.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: NormanDale33 on November 22, 2011, 02:44:00 PM
I don't know which of the hunts was the coolest. That is awesome, and to do it with your brother and old man, even cooler. Where is your archery shop? When I am back home I would like to stop by and check it out.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: insanedeerhunter on November 22, 2011, 02:52:00 PM
wow thats awesome congratulations
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Tutanka on November 22, 2011, 03:02:00 PM
The guys at RMSG are some of the finest and most knowledgeable hunters that I have ever met.  This post is a prime example of that, congrats Danny.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: swp on November 22, 2011, 03:05:00 PM
What a season!! Congrats!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: bohuntr on November 22, 2011, 03:32:00 PM
WOW, I just don't know what else to say but WOW!!! Fantastic season for your brother! Thanks for sharing this with us!!!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Shortlongbow on November 22, 2011, 03:50:00 PM
Congratulations on an incredible season. Absolutely fantastic. I would consider that three hunts of a lifetime.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: ozzyshane on November 22, 2011, 04:40:00 PM
That must be way to cool having you and your dad there for what must have been a great moment that will never be forgot Thanks Shane
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Guru on November 22, 2011, 05:52:00 PM
:notworthy:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: J-dog on November 22, 2011, 06:21:00 PM
WOW - period. Lucky yes, blessed yes, sounds like alot of hard work and dedication involved as well.

 :notworthy:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: kennym on November 22, 2011, 06:23:00 PM
Excellent!!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: RickE on November 22, 2011, 06:39:00 PM
That is just great.  I'm most impressed by the elk.  Thanks for sharing the pictures and story!  Rick.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: LONGSTYKES on November 22, 2011, 07:45:00 PM
Very, Very awesome year of hunting. Congrats guys on some great memories.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Cari-bow on November 22, 2011, 08:08:00 PM
That's an incredible season CONGRATS!!!  :clapper:    :clapper:    :clapper:  
Abe  :pray:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: D.T. on November 22, 2011, 09:34:00 PM
That is just AWESOME!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: SimpleMan on November 22, 2011, 09:40:00 PM
Fantastic!

Great stories like this make my non-season a little easier to bear.  Thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: snakebit40 on November 22, 2011, 11:40:00 PM
:eek:    :thumbsup:   Thanks for sharing!    :campfire:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: durp on November 22, 2011, 11:47:00 PM
awsome for danny but dad must be very proud of both of his sons...

tks for sharing
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: COLongbow on November 23, 2011, 11:27:00 PM
Way to go Danny!

For those of you that don't know the Clums are a great trad hunting family, with the best trad shop in the west.

If you're ever in the Denver area stop in and shoot some of the hundreds of bows on their wall and visit a spell. Oh and spend some money too!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: **DONOTDELETE** on November 23, 2011, 11:42:00 PM
Great stories!  That is definately my dream hunt is thumping a Bullwinkle.  Nice job guys.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: RUSTY1 on November 24, 2011, 01:47:00 PM
Great job!!!!!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: imhntn on November 24, 2011, 11:38:00 PM
Great read!  Thanks for sharing the hunt and pics!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: sheephunter on November 25, 2011, 12:16:00 AM
Great read and great animals! Awesome! Congrats! Im jealous!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: kennyb on November 25, 2011, 10:08:00 AM
Congrats to Danny! Wow, what a great story and pics! Thanks for sharing.

Kenny   :clapper:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: wooddamon1 on November 25, 2011, 11:30:00 AM
Awesome stories and great photography! I'm actually wearing one of my RMSgear t-shirts right now! lol   :campfire:
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: S C Mercer on November 25, 2011, 12:11:00 PM
Amazing year! Your ability to put these hunts into words equals the exceptional season your brother had.  I enjoyed the narratives as much as the great pictures.  Thanks for taking the time to share this.  Give your brother a big congratulations from me!  ~Steve
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Tracks on November 25, 2011, 12:53:00 PM
Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to share the great stories and photos.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: amicus on November 25, 2011, 01:25:00 PM
Thats AWESOME!!!

Thanks for sharing.

Gilbert
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: troutremble on November 25, 2011, 03:42:00 PM
Danny, as I said before at the shop, congrats!!! UNBELIEVABLE!
To everyone else on tradgang, these guys at RMSG are awesome. Tommy, Danny, and their dad Tom Clum have been instrumental in my journey as a traditional bow hunter. (also sold me many bows and made every arrow I have shot) Thanks Clum family for everything!
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: knobby on November 25, 2011, 10:35:00 PM
Danny does deserve the congratulations here, but so does the rest of his family. What a great life style to share with family members. And their business is a great place to check out if you're ever in the area.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Lonala on November 26, 2011, 05:48:00 AM
Awesome season Brother congrats...
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: blazelefty7 on November 26, 2011, 10:17:00 AM
Just an amazing seen...What I'd do for just one of those animals...
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: J-F on November 26, 2011, 02:24:00 PM
Awesome season!!!

And nice pictures too!
Thanks for sharing,
Cheers
J-F
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: 2treks on November 26, 2011, 02:36:00 PM
Very cool. Well done fellas.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: joevan125 on January 11, 2012, 08:50:00 AM
WOW what a year and to think he almost added a huge whitetail to the list, incredible.
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: Manitoba Stickflinger on January 11, 2012, 10:41:00 AM
Guess I was perched in a tree while this thread came up.....glad it's back! WOW!!!

Congrats to the hunting party and especially Danny! Can't wait for the 2013 moose hunt stories. Thanks for sharing this...Ryan
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: jhg on January 11, 2012, 12:27:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by highPlains:
...he never got a clear look at the bull's rack, just enough to know it was a true monster. His bugle, though, was unmistakable. It was the nastiest bugle Danny has heard in his 16 years of elk hunting...

Goose bumps!


Joshua
Title: Re: My Brother's Fantastic Year
Post by: RUSTY1 on January 11, 2012, 02:43:00 PM
Just don't get tired of coming back to this thread!!!  :thumbsup: