Post by deadeye on Oct 29, 2019 22:33:53 GMT -5
this was my 26th yr & spent the whole archery season + a few days before opening & after season closed on the mountaintop.
arriving after some truck troubles we arrive & set up camp in our usual spot-it was hot & infested with mosquitos,flies & bees,the bees were very bad as I got stung on the arm & a bud got stung while swallowing his pop-not good but all were ok. we took down some trees at camp that threatened our tent due to beetlekill in the last 10-15yrs for safety. trees this yr were crashing down everywhere at a moments notice. at least 4 were near our tent in approx. 1 acre area. we only hunted mornings in the first 2 weeks due to bugs & the heat,flies ,bees & mosquitos were buzzing at daybreak & we kept a smoking firepit fire to quench the bugs down some.
opening day I got on a 6x6 small herd(75yds) bull but could not get on him as they were moving off the meadows very early heading for bedding grounds. the bulls before we got there were already cowed up & had been for at least 3 weeks according to a local that made some pre season scout trips-he was spot on.
day 4 or 5 got back on this same bull as they liked this one small patch of grass-this time approx. 90-100yds...they were already showing signs of pressure due to many other hunting/bumping them in the same approx. area which was basically a 3 mile circle .
elk were not responding to calls at all & the sightings got slim for a week or so but saw a few solo cows,spikes & calves here & there.
approx. 2 weeks in temps cooled some but we were seeing 55 deg temp swings from light to mid day so we went to our deep honey hole many times with elk bugling & traveling quickly after approx. 30 min after daybreak.
I called in a huge 7x7 with 2 cows & he was approaching me head-on @ approx. 35-40yds,had no time to kneel & saw 2 pines branches approx. 1" apart & I knew this would be the only opportunity so I elected to draw-he caught my movement approx. last 1/2 of the bow drawing motion-let it fly but caught that damn pine branch/my bud was to my left approx. 40 yds & after all this excitement we discussed the situation- HE WAS IN SUCH AWE HE FORGOT TO DRAW! this bull was the 3rd largest bull ive seen in 26yrs & we both guessed he would have been a 370 bull chocolate with at least 6-8" white tips on all tines & a massive body- a true herd bull-just seeing this bull that close just for 10 seconds or less made my whole trip-WOW.
so we were on a few elk here & there the rest of they way.
next to last day of season we discussed our strategy & we decided to go for broke-we figured the elk were just after the rut & this day was windy but winds were consistent in direction for the most part.
before daybreak we were moving in on a bull but they disappeared & we did not bust them-so back down to the deep honey hole we went.
a couple days before we ran into a couple of gents & were discussing that deep hole-they said we would like to meet anyone that dares go into there-my reply-you have just met em say a dozen or so times in years past-should have seen the look on their faces!
so later in the am. I got a bull to respond approx. 2/3mile away-told my bud I think this bull is gonna come in-while moving down the mountain we stumbled into approx. 6 bedded elk that did not let out any response & flushed high.
not only this long distant bull but another joined in & game was on-just like old days.
me and my bud were approx. 50yds apart-one bull circled high above us approx. 100yds then disappeared-not his 1st rodeo! bull # 2 was below me approx. 100yds then everything went silent,after approx. 2 mins I caught movement which was my bud drawing his bow,i pivoted slowly & caught a glimpse of him coming directly at me from above which was approx. 40yds.
as I heard my buds arrow hit the bull-he bolted directly at me full charge & it was all I could do to get out of the way-damn near needed charmin as this bull just missed me by approx. 5 feet.
tracking-his bull was hit well head on & I watched this bull stumble approx. 100yds in his run. we gave him 30 minutes & started trailing-one mile in we lost blood as the bull came across a open area-searched approx. 1 hr for blood,dry tracks etc so we were almost gave up. elk are just plain strong. the program we used was ONX which was awesome.
decided to go up this draw & we came across blood again- 1 more mile in we found him on a steep hill toppled over. we quartered him & hung him up & made it back to camp just before dark.
up @ 4am back at 7.30pm 12 miles in all-we were both exhausted & cramping due to not enough liquids.
went back next morning to pack him out & winds picked up to approx. 50-60mph,had one hell of a time getting him out with trees crashing down-we counted at least 9 in approx. 10 acre circle.
just a little insight on what really goes on during elk season- as we say if you are not hurting-you are not elk hunting!
there was so much more but hope you enjoyed just a part of our hunt!
de
