September once again found me headed west with visions of elk dancing in my head. My long time hunting partner has some back and leg problems that had us looking for a less physical hunt this year. We ended up booking a hunt with an outfitter that has private land in relatively low elevations.
The area we hunted was not large, but it did hold elk. We just had to be very careful not to pressure it hard or we could have easily run the elk off and been out of luck for the rest of the hunt. Contrary to what we had hoped for by booking the last week of the season, temperatures during the week were in the mid to upper 80's during the day. Elk activity was pretty much limited to the first hour or two in the mornings and after sunset in the evenings. We saw elk every day, but getting close before they bedded down was difficult.
The evening of our second to last day we had located a nice herd of elk high up above us. A very nice herd bull along with 3 satellites and a group of cows fed in an opening for two hours prior to dark. We felt the safest plan was to set up directly below them and hope they would make their way down as the sun set. Once again, the warm temperatures seemed to slow the normal movement patterns, and the entire herd stayed just out of reach above us until after shooting light disappeared. As I snuck out under the cover of darkness one of the satellite bulls followed just a couple of minutes behind me bugling all the way. Frustrating!
The title says "Last day". That last paragraph got us to the day before...
:campfire:
:thumbsup: This is gonna be good. I've seen the results. Been waiting on this one.
The final morning of the hunt my partner and I hiked to the top of a sheer cliff to class the flats below. Shortly after sun up I spotted two bulls far to our north. They were on the opposite side of a large draw and we figured they were probably headed up that side hill. The wind was strong in our face and I wasn't even sure they could hear a call. But with nothing to lose I gave a couple of lost cow calls. An immediate bugle from the larger of the two bulls told us he could hear us just fine!
We backtracked and scrambled to a lower bench and I gave a few more cow calls. Again, immediate bugles rang back and we could see him far below headed our direction! We had to make another move to find spots with good shooting lanes. We seperated by about 100 yards to cover two likely routes he might take up the mountain.
Just as I reached the end of the bench the bull let out another bugle and this one was close! I nocked an arrow and dropped my pack to the ground just as I saw antlers coming up the hill toward me. The path he was taking would bring him right past me at 15 yards, but at 25 yards he froze quartering toward me. For the next twenty minutes that is where he stayed. Fortunately, I was in a good solid stance and was able to remain motionless.
Finally, he moved a little further up toward me, turned broadside, and dropped his head to feed. I drew in ultra slow motion. That type of draw is difficult for me, and I will use it as the excuse for the poor shot I made. The arrow hit high and too far back, and as the bull crashed off below me my heart sank. I had blown a perfect opportunity.
After waiting six hours to give him plenty of time we took up the track. Blood was good at first but quickly slowed to tiny drops. I've been on plenty of tracks that looked like that and knew what that generally meant. I was sick. But as we neared the bottom of the slope I spotted stick that looked out of place. A look through my binoculars reveled that the stick was actually an antler tine attached to a very dead bull.
I've been using Bill Dunn's new Grizzly Instinct 3 blade broadheads and am convinced that they really helped to turn a bad shot into a good one. The large cutting surfaces maximized damage on the way through. The head did its part even though I didn't quite do mine.
I took this picture a couple of days prior not knowing that it would end up being a great overview of where the final action would take place. I first saw the bull a few hundred yards to the left on this picture and he followed that ridge down and across the draw up to the spot marked "Shot".
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/COElk2014003-001.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Jlasch/media/COElk2014003-001.jpg.html)
I look happy, and of course I was, but to be honest it was more relief than anything.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y80/Jlasch/20140928_150306.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Jlasch/media/20140928_150306.jpg.html)
Thanks for not teasing us all day Joe. Awesome bull congrats Brother!
Congrats bud :thumbsup:
Fantastic Joe! Relief,happiness it's all the same when you get to put your hands on an animal :) So...backstrap medallions in a port wine reduction when we meet at Klintworth? :campfire: :D
Congratulations Joe!!!
Wow, congrats Joe.
Beautiful animal. Great photo. Congrats. :thumbsup:
Congrats! :clapper:
Good job Whip, very nice congrats, beautiful cape on that animal for this time of year.
That's the way you do it!!
Way to go Brother!!!
Great looking bull, congrats!!
Glad it all worked out Whip. Congrats on a fine looking animal.
Way to go Awesome bull great job on the recovery
Congratulations Joe. Nice bull.
Congrats Whip!Super nice Bull and a great hunt. :clapper:
That's awesome Whip!
Congrats,
Bisch
Very nice! Congratulations. Thanks for the story.
Well, I am jealous! But in a good way. Congratulations,
Gary
Nice job Joe. Did you do and autopsy to determine the shot? Liver? Just curious because elk are so big that they are deceiving. Thanks for any input Joe and congrats on a fine elk.
Congrats Joe. I have my name in for some 175 grain instincts. Not sure when they will be available, but looks like a great head
EXCELLENT Joe!!! Sweet bull!
You know, you may be disappointed in your shot placement, but it happens to anyone who spends a serious amount of time bowhunting...
The fact that you followed through with the Knowledge and Woodsmanship it takes to know when to let it ride out for hours before pursuing (after marking your shot), as well as tracking it down & taking care of business, gives you full license to be ear-to-ear proud, Buddy...and I see no reason for any apologies...
Fantastic!!!!!
Wow, great job, nice bull!
Nice Bull Joe! I will be eating Elk Tag Soup myself! LOL
Way to stick with it!
Harry
Joe, when you start building on to your house to accommodate the trophies you're piling up, let me know...I'll bring a nail gun and some ladders!
:biglaugh: :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
Always more relief - congrats!
Very nicely told and it's always sweet to see success after good effort!
:thumbsup:
Awesome job Joe!!! :thumbsup:
Congrats on a good bull!
way to go Whip!! You haven't lost that horse shoe yet!!
QuoteOriginally posted by Dirtybird:
Nice job Joe. Did you do and autopsy to determine the shot? Liver? Just curious because elk are so big that they are deceiving. Thanks for any input Joe and congrats on a fine elk.
The arrow hit the last rib on the right side, caught a bit of the near lung, then back through liver and out on the offside hip. I swore that he was broadside at the shot, so am thinking the rib deflected the arrow back. Lots of blood inside, but the high hit didn't let much out to hit the ground.
Nice job Joe. Glad you got him!
Congrats to you brother.
Congrats on a fine bull
A movie could never be made about Joe..... John Wayne is dead and Eastwood is too old now.
Whipster = "The Man"
Congrats! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congrats Whip ... you are one heck of a hunter, great short story and that is a beauty of a bull.
As I like to say, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, but I think your both !
Awesome! What state were you hunting in, Joe?
Good going Joe!
Congrats joe, well done
That's awesome Joe! What a nice trophy! Congratulations on a hunt that turned out spectacular. Nice pictures also! :clapper:
Bernie
Beautiful animal. I know that sinking feeling in your gut of a less than optimal shot, must have been torture for 6 hours. The end result is what's important though and you're knowledge of the need / willingness to back out more than likely "saved the day" on this one. Congrats!
Matt, I guess I left that part out - we were hunting south central Colorado. We were with Colorado Mountains and Plains Outfitters. It is a very small operation with just the two partners and no other guides.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Glad that somebody is getting an elk. Way to go!
Thanks for sharing Joe. Pictures are great. Four times Ms. wind chased bulls away for us.Nice to see one down
Excellent job Whip! Congrats!
Steve
Congratulations!!!!! :thumbsup:
:archer:
Too cool!
Great job on tracking Joe. Persistence and patients is two very important task when tracking any animal. Congrats again!!!!
Excellent Joe!! Thanks for the story!! :archer:
Outstanding Joe!
Thanks for sharing your story.
Dandy bull Joe! Congratulations on a good bull and a very good story!
:clapper: :clapper:
Congrats Joe! Good story and very nice bull! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Nice Bull...!....Thanks for sharing the story.
Very nice. Congrat's on a fine bull.
Reading of your successes always brings a smile to my face Joe. Kudos again!!!
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Great Job
That's awesome, well done sir, glad it worked out. My brother my self and my father will be chasing th for the first time next September love to read these story's, so excited!!
Congrats Joe!!! Beautiful animal!
Congrats Joe!!! Beautiful animal!
congratz.....I think alot of the time the animals moves slightly before the arrow gets there and we have a not so perfect arrow in the animal...
I shot a pronghorn a few years ago that was broadside and when the arrow got there it went through his hip and into the chest caviry ..so the antelope had turned ...it happened so fast I didnt see it till I saw the antelope running away and doing the autopsy..
glad it worked out and great animal...some fine eatin there too
Congrats Joe. Pretty soon with your success, you will need a bigger wall ;) :thumbsup:
Great job Whip! Glad to hear things worked out for you!
Glad it turned out so well for you! Congrats on a very nice bull!
congrats Joe
Congrats Whip on another dandy bull!
Nice work! Thanks for sharing. I love the overview pic; it adds a new level of learning for the readers.
Congratulations!
dandy bull!
Way to go , Joe! :clapper:
Congratulations. Very nice bull!
Great job! Congrats!
Whip, good sir, well done!
You always seem to find a way to get it done....congrats again brother!!
Nice Bull :thumbsup:
Congrats Joe. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
That is beautiful and congrats!
YOu know, I have always liked hunting "animals" of all kinds, but elk always has taken a back seat to moose for me...but this year, I was close!!! to several bulls including one super thumper. Can't say as I would rather hunt elk than moose, but I can now see the alure. Already working on next years elk hunt.
My "Big" brother and my nephew were actually more excited than I was. That did me good as this was there first big game travel adventure.
bigjim
:thumbsup: Well done Joe! Maybe you best take up knife building - you gotta alot of handle material. I'm sure your better half is looking to see you find another use for all those racks.
REAL GOOD!
Really good bull! Major congrats to ya.
Joe, as always you make it happen. Thanks for taking us along.
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
I apologize for being late to see this, but really want to say congratulations Joe! You're the kind of bowhunter (and man) I'll always bet on to do the job and do it with style! Enjoy the steaks my friend.
Thats awesome brother...congrats my friend! :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Way to go Joe. I hope to blood my Grizzly Instincts on some fall whitetail.
Congrats!
:bigsmyl:
Awesome animal! Way to go Joe! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congratulations on a beautiful elk!
Way to go Whip! Congrats on a fine bull!!
Kenny :clapper: :clapper:
Nice job Joe!
Chris
P.S. I need to talk to you about next year!
That shot is difficult because of the time spent motionless. Congratulations on your success and a fine bull.
Well done Joe, congratulations! :thumbsup:
Wow! Great job Joe! You are giving Bill's new Broad heads a work out!
Had to read it again.
Congratulations Brother, well done. I'm planning to go on my first elk hunt next year. Gotta get myself in shape first thing. Always wanted to, but never have decided to do it. At 58 years old I think it's time before I look up and I'm 68, lol....
Charlie
Excellent point Charlie, and one that I preach to people all the time. Read my tag line below - it's one of my favorite quotes and one that I try to follow faithfully. :D
Waiting that 6 hours felt like about 3 days i'll bet.... But if more guys would do that on questionable shots, they would have a hell of a lot better chance of finding them.
Congrats Brutha! Good looking bull. :thumbsup:
Great bull congrats.
Well done in every aspect, congrats on a fine bull!
:jumper: :jumper: :jumper:
Thanks for sharing Joe!!!