All I wanted to do was shot a cow Elk this year do to time constraints.
Sat. evening about 6:00pm I am sitting in my tree stand {not my normal mo for Elk but due to my shortened season I figure this will give me my best chance at putting meat in the frezzer} minding my own bussiness when a bull bugles from on top the ridge.
So I cow call. 5 minutes goes by and I hear some sticks breaking, Elk can be noisy when they are relaxed. I look to the creast of the ridge and to my horror :scared: I see a BIG back fork silhouette. Disgusted at my luck I set my feet for a shot even though he is still 100 yards up the hill. I see even more horns emrege from the brush parralleing the ridge, and as he gets to the game trail that leads to my stand he turns to his right. Now I have seen his entire main beam and the width as he faces me now. I must confess I cussed outloud.
I am pretty good at scoring bulls, on the hoof as well. I can tell a 280ish bull, 300, 330 is getting out of my league much bigger than that I start reaching. Atleast it's an educated reach, I do have a 358" bull {that I found on the same ridge a few years ago} on my wall.
With that said he starts swaggering down the hill looking for this cow he heard. Instead of coming straight down the trail, which is very steep, he switch backs his way down occasionaly stopping to survey the scene. Of course my heart is hammering out of my chest, the only thing keeping it in is my safety harness I am sure. After about a full minute of watching him he is about 50 yards out and I deceide I can't put a number to the bone on his head, he is a true toad.
Well he eventually makes it to the bench that I am on right back on the game trail and I tell myself it is go time. I am settled down to do the deed, and believe it or not I am, no more looking at the horns. He hits my shooting lane, 18 yards broadside and stops on cue.
I am burning a hole behind his shoulder......I start easing the bow back dead calm............He apparently puts his head down to nibble on something and bends his neck towards me, I didn't notice until his vitals become obscured by his rack I am about half drawn. No problem I let down and wait. He picks his head up and his vitals are clear again. Sooooooo I pullerbackandletergoasfastasIcan. NOOOOOO right over his back I never even looked where I was shooting! :eek:
Oh the agony! All I wanted to do was shoot a cow now I have the image of Godzilla burned in my mind and a terrible bit of shooting to boot.
Any cure? Does it get easier with time?
I am by no means a trophy hunter but it sure would have been nice. :biglaugh:
Get back after him! Heck, yer blessed to get the opportunity in my estimation. If ya ain't missed one you ain't shot at many!
Great story telling! As for "Does it get easier with time?",,Nope! Sorry! but you could kill a hundred of them and the ones that stick out the clearest in your mind are the shots you missed on the biggins! Congrats on the memory and good luck on the rest of the season. :thumbsup:
It's things like this that make them teeth marks appear on your bow limbs! :bigsmyl:
HOW IS THE BOW.STILL IN ONE OR TWO PIECES I HOPE. :bigsmyl:
OH! for the opportunity!
You beat him at his game and in his back yard. You win the match...you just didn't get to take home the prize!
Pat
Thanks for listening, I almost slept last night.
4-fletch, it was the first time in the woods for my new Dye bow, my hunting partner asked the same thing. I told him it wasn't the planes fault, it was pilot error. :)
Sorry for your agony. I felt like I was sittin' beside ya. Get back out there and stick him...
Hey, two of you have signatures that include, "Pick a spot"
Are you guys busting my chops or what? :)
Ouch! :banghead:
Well...better to have had the opportunity than not.....but,ouch! :banghead:
Get 'em next time! :jumper: