Six years later I finally arrowed my first elk.

On Friday night my buddies packed their camp up to our spot high in the mountains and I was planning on meeting them Saturday morning for a 3.5 day hunt. I left the trailhead at 7:15a and made the 2 mile hike to camp by 8:45. Bulls were bugling on the ridge above us as I set up my tent and pulled all the camp gear out of my pack.

Once free of all the excess gear, the three of us headed up the mountain to try and cross paths with the elk. 300 yds from camp we busted some elk in the timber but never saw them. We tried calling but didn't get any response so we hiked a bit farther up the hill. While taking a break to catch some air I saw an elk walk through an opening below us right where we had just called. My buddy walked off behind two of us and began calling again. After 20 minutes or so I saw a cow and a calf walking right at me. They made it to about 25 yds without offering me a shot through the timber due to the thick trees. I had a small opening the cow was heading for and as she made it there she acted like she smelled us so I began to draw my bow for the shot. As soon as I put tension on my bowstring, she saw me and turned inside out and tore off through the trees, calf in tow. I was really upset at this point because these were the first elk I ever had a reasonable chance to shoot at.

We continued up the hill and over the other side to work the west facing slope. The air was filled with the sweet stink of elk and the ground was torn up with tracks. I set up to call a small patch of trees with my friend in front of me. After only a few minutes, he motioned that he heard something below us. I stood to gain a better shooting position, and not 30 seconds later a cow came up the hill gasping for air. Her mouth was wide open and nostrils flared. She stopped 20 yds in front of me broadside, but began to turn away as I drew my bow. I kissed lightly to make her stop and it worked like a charm. She froze motionless, trying to figure out what the sound was, but it was too late. The arrow was on its way. She was quartering away and the arrow entered near the last rib and angled towards the offside shoulder sinking to the feathers. I knew it was a great shot as she tore off across the hill and crashed down a rock slide. My friend came over to me and said he thought it was a great shot as well.

We waited 45 min before taking the trail, not wanting to risk pushing her at all. All of us took this time to dry our socks and eat some snacks. We started on the trail and found little blood initially, but her tracks were easy to follow. Once we got to the rocks I found the back of my arrow and a healthy blood trail. Not 75 yards later we looked below us and found her dead. I was thrilled!! A Rampart #55 longbow shot a CX heritage 250 with a 175 gr VPA deep into the opposite shoulder of this animal and made a quick kill.
Blood trail

Seeing her below

That's great congrats.

Way to go!!        

COOL!! Great job and nice cow!!

Good deal,some great eatin there,Congrats.
     

nice job!  

Super, way to go on the elk.

Nice work.

Congrats!!
homebru

Great job, story and pics.... Congrats!!!!!

BIG cow! Congratulations!

Beautiful elk, beautiful country, congrats!!

Great story........Congrats!
I'm anxious, we leave soon

That is a great looking cow! Congrats man. Beautiful country. You wont be buying much beef this winter. Thanks for sharing.

Awesome story and great elk!  Congrats!!!

Good deal, congrats!

Man that's a big ole gal! Congrats to ya!