19 Days to Kill - Live!!! New Mexico, East Tx, North Tx, Illinois

[Gumbo Man]

My hats off to ya for passing on the 6x6. Not many could do that hunting with a sharp stick. I know I wouldn’t be able to. Good luck today.

[Bryan11]

good luck!

[Gumbo Man]

This morning was my first ever elk hunt, and boys it did me right! I’ve been wanting to elk hunt for as long as I can remember.

I headed out with my guide and we drove about 20 mins from town. Once we got out of the truck it didn’t take long to get one screaming at us. Short while later we got eyes on him and my guide said he’s pretty nice bull!

He would bugle at us, but was hung up whooping a tree so we made a dash towards him. I got setup good and my guy bugled and went to raking a tree and here he came!

As he was coming into bow range, my guide called me off and said to just practice on him. If he wouldn’t have I would have taken a 20 yard shot on a big wide 5x5!

While we practiced on the 5x5 another bull sounded off down a ways so we got back in the truck to go and try and make a play at him.

After a pretty good climb up the mountain we got setup and he proceeded to call him in. This bull came to less than five yards! He was a decent 6x6 but not a first day bull.

We left him and headed back to the truck. We made our way around to the other side of the mountain to a big area he called Taco Canyon.

We had two bulls on opposite mountain sides sounding off. We got eyes on the first one way up on the top of a dyke. He was very nice but one of his swords was completely gone so we didn’t make a move on him.

We worked our way up a bit and laid eyes on the other bull. As we glassed him he picked his head up and we both said for sure shooter! He had a few cows with him and was about 3/4 of the way up the mountain side.

My guy said we will try and get close enough to see if we can make a move and worst case if wind is wrong we will back out and come hunt the water in the canyon this evening.

As we got within a few hundred yards of the bull, we kept checking on his location and the wind and he said man this might just work!

We made our way up towards them and got setup. He bugled and raked him in to 43 yards. My heart was beating through my chest and I could see him clear as day but just little brush between my bow and his vitals.

He finally seen me and ran over the top and down. We didn’t know that during all this a smaller bull come and took his cows!

We made our way up to the very top where he went over and tried to spot him with no luck. We spotted the bull that took his cows and he let out a bugle and it got the big bull talking again.

Knowing that he didn’t have cows my guide start to cow call him. I got setup and found and opening that he should take. I ranged it at 62 yards and got ready. Sure enough he came right there, but as I was drawing my bow I somehow bumped my release on my binos and my arrow went sailing no where near the bull.

My heart sank and I felt like an idiot! My guide assured me it happens and to not get down on myself. We headed down the way he ran to but couldn’t see him. As we slowly made our way towards him calling some he would bugle a bit but was a couple draws up at this point.

We were trying to catch up to him and headed down the next draw when I spotted him charging down the hill towards us! I told my guide and we setup right there. The opening we anticipated him using was 66 yards away. I turned my double pin spot hog to where the top was at 60 and the bottom was roughly 72.

He went silent on us and it felt like an eternity for him to come in, but I finally heard him busting through the brush and when he popped out he let out a loud scream! Of course my heart went back to rabbit mode as he was closing the distance.

As he came in he took the trail we thought but he never slowed down in the opening. He pushed towards me and stopped at about 40-45 yards. I was fully drawn but he was facing me and locked in on me. My guide tried to rake and get his intention but he never gave in. I held at full draw for 1 min 22 seconds and he finally bolted. I let down and headed back the way he came. He let out another monster bugle and stopped in the shade at 74 yards. I settled well and held my second pin on him and let her fly!

I felt good when the arrow released and in my mind I thought good hit, but I was second guessing myself. The guide couldn’t see the shot he just seen the arrow flying through. I told him man I THINK it’s ok and my quick glimpse of him made me think he was hurt!

We sat down right there to give him a bit. I said a prayer right there that my bull was already on the ground.

After only 15 mins my guide said let’s go look at the shot location. I was nervous and hesitant but hey he’s the guide! We got to where I shot him and could see blood spraying almost on impact.

We followed a massive blood trail for 125 yards or so and found my bull! I cannot describe that feeling in that moment and that weight lifted off my shoulder. Turns out I centered that deadly V and the grim reaper at him up!

The emotions set in and we celebrated. I had pulled off my best shot of my bowhunting career on a dream animal and we were only two hours into my hunt!

Tomorrow I’ll be running cam for my good buddy! I’m excited!!


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Great write up and what a dream hunt it is for your first one. Your life has changed now forever knowing how that kind of excitement will get in your blood. Great job Justin and congrats. Pressures off now have some real fun.

[ShawnG]

Congrats Justin. Good luck today!!

[Rigging Cooks]

Congrats on a stud bull, super nice.

[Hsbtgarcia]

Got a good bull located. Bout to make a move on him.

[Hsbtgarcia]

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[texan16]

Congrats on a stud of a bull !! You boys are living the dream, best of luck today !!!

[sling shot]

Congratulations Justin, can't wait for updates.

[lanceodom]

attaboy!!! I told you to practice at distance....

[Quackerbox]

Dude goes on first elk hunt and is passing bulls at 5 yards within an hour or sunrise. Id buy lotto tickets

incredible

[Bone Thug]

Got a good bull located. Bout to make a move on him.

Get him!!!

[roberts]

Thanks for taking us along for the ride. Congrats on the bull. Good luck to the hunter.

[Bowhunter004]

Just got caught up! Good luck Heath!

[TildenHunter]

Good luck boys and congrats again Justin!