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Amazing elk hunt, heartbreaking ending.

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    Amazing elk hunt, heartbreaking ending.

    Long read here but special…

    Well just got out of the elk woods here in Colorado. Was in from the 2nd till today. Backpacked in with camp and food on my back. (First shower in 8 days felt amazing) Hiked a total of 77 miles in 8 days. Basically hunted sun up to sun down each day slowly moving and taking naps under trees. This was my first year going after elk. Moved here in January and been researching and trying to learn as much as I could over the last year about the species. Spoke to a few guys when I got here about it but for the most part it was all online learning as I knew they’d be different than whitetail. Day one started with a 900ft climb and that evening saw my first black bear at 300yds. Had a bear tag along with my elk tag. Stalked up to about 80yds before he dumped into a drainage. Over the next 6 days just saw muleys and other small game. They weren’t bugling yet so felt like I was hunting ghost. Went early season to try and avoid the rut crowds to learn as much as I could as this was my first season and went to it with 0 expectations other than to try and learn these amazing animals. On day 7 I spotted an elk about 60yds up ahead through the timber, couldn’t see the head. I got set, cow called softy, and it came in right at 30yds…it was a 3x2, not a legal bull. I smiled as this first encounter was awesome to me and a sense of pride came over, little did I know what day 8 would bring. This next evening I was completely gassed and exhausted. I noticed a meadow near an atv trail where hunters would park and enter the woods hadn’t had anybody there in 3 days. A month earlier I had seen a cow there when I was scouting. I thought maybe the scent had died and something might pop out before dark. I set up on the tree line on the top left corner of the meadow, I knew the mountain thermals would be bringing my wind down so if anything came out, I wouldn’t get busted. Falling asleep sitting awkwardly on this rock I was on about 15 minutes left of daylight I hear a cow call right behind me. I freeze and use my eyes to look left and a cow steps out of the trees about 9ft from me. She’s staring into my soul. I stare back trying to control my breathing and chest movement. Right in front of her is a shrub brush about 3 ft tall and I know if she doesn’t bust me, she’ll cross behind it and step out into the open meadow for about a 10yd shot. After about a minute she finally makes the move. As she crosses the shrub brush I go full draw. The minute she gets into the clearing I look through my peep to settle on her, then she looks back and I hear mayhem in the tree line. Holding full draw 5 more cows come pouring out to her with a giant 5x5 bull… my heart goes into my throat, the pounding in my chest feels like a drum solo at a concert. The bull runs out into the meadow with the cows a bit, he’s right in the middle, and I have no shot. Holding draw for about 35 seconds at this point with 3 of the cows looking straight at me sitting on this rock under a tree branch, couldn’t move a muscle, couldn’t stand. The cows keep the bull concealed for another 15 seconds or so. My forearms starts to tremble and cramp due to fatigue and holding draw. The cows finally scoot off about another 40 yards down the meadow out of bow range leaving the bull by himself. He’s facing directly away from me. Felt like I held draw for another 20 seconds… lights fading very fast. He finally takes a step to the right and looks directly at me with a quartering away shot. I know I have about 10 seconds before he goes after his cows. I had to guess the range, I knew the clearing was 77 yds across but nothing to judge before that and wasn’t able to move to get the range finder at any point. I look through my peep in the dark cover of the tree… can’t see my pins hardly at all, I’m shaking due to holding draw for over a full minute and yes… the adrenaline and bull fever are hitting hard. The largest animal Iv ever drawn back on is starting directly at me. I look away from the peep and back in. Feeling like I find my 30yd pin I settle and let it fly… I watch as the arrow sinks and goes right under his vitals and hits the dirt…(should of used the 40 pin) my heart sinks to the bottom of my stomach as I watch the bull take off across the meadow with his cows and into the tree line…. I would be lying to you if I wasn’t mad, upset, disappointed, and feeling like I was a total failure in the moment. Missing an animal to me always feels worse than a breakup. After Iv had the day to sit on it a lot comes to mind about what hunting is and what it means. Number one, we all miss. It’s part of the game and never easy. I look back on these 8 days feeling very proud of myself, my first year and I had to amazing encounters with these incredible creatures who I have the utmost respect for. To me it was a successful “hunt” and a unsuccessful “kill.” I remind my self if the years growing up hunting in Texas with my father at places where if even a doe came out we were ecstatic. And now years later still young at 27 I’m out hunting in the western mountains with my bow having the time of my life. Hundreds of people would kill just for this opportunity. I’m grateful and thank the lord everyday. The important lessons I took from this hunt, or should I say reminders are these…

    Always remember there is a difference between hunting and killing.

    An experience that ends in “failure” is always an amazing experience that you were fortunate to of had.

    Slow down, enjoy the moment of chasing whatever game you’re after.

    Be grateful to be in the woods, as many others are not near as fortunate.

    I’m beyond grateful to of had that encounter with that bull and the cows. Staring into the eyes of something like that at 9ft is kind of a spiritual thing to me. I think back to how the Indians must of chased these things with stick bows. So as my successful hunt with and unsuccessful kill is over I’m beyond grateful and hope some of you read this entire thing and got a little entertainment from it. I still have two weekends left of archery season and a cow tag for rifle. My fire is lit hot and I can’t wait to get back out there. I hope you all have a safe and fun season, we only get so many hunting seasons on our lives, cherish them. God bless and shoot straight.

    -Heston

    #2
    Great read. Thanks for sharing

    Comment


      #3
      Man, what an experience. Hopefully you can get back after them soon.

      Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

      Comment


        #4
        Great read

        Sounds to me like you had a great hunt even though you came home without an elk you had some awesome experiences

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          #5
          Great read, lot of respect for your dedication and hard work!

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            #6
            Definitely on the right trail.Good luck in the future.Happy hunting.

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              #7
              A great story and learning experience, I to have had the pleasure of hunting this wonderful game species with a bow.

              What I have learned in my limited hunts!

              They say;
              The first year you make a mistake
              The second year you make a bad shot
              The third year you will have success

              I personally on my first year made a mistake. Had a nice 5x5 come to water and as it first looked what I thought was away from me, I found they have great prorifery vision and it saw my draw. What I learned. Be patient and let the elk come to ease with its setting before you think about drawing the bow.

              Second year. I was not going to make a bad shot as per the saying. I practiced every week of the year. Focused on minimal draw movement and technique. Results in second year, harvested a nice 5x5. What my practice gave me - accuracy, minimal draw movement, and most important a calm draw with what I call an instinctual peep and sight pin shot placement. Join a local archery range as it is your best investment. It gives you variable shooting experiences and friendship mentors who all have the love to learn and archery hunt elk.

              Third year results. Just got home tonight with another successful bull elk harvest and experience. I AM HOOKED ON ARCHERY ELK HUNTING.

              Tomorrow the meat processing starts and a game dinner planned with our group. We will all tell our stories again and share what we learned on this trip.

              Waiting for next year already

              Good hunting to all

              TD

              Comment


                #8
                Great read for a great hunt!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Great story on an awesome hunt.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I've been there brother. Missed one due to a crappy tree stand in NM and then couldn't see through my peep as a 370ish bull stood staring at me right at dark in the Gila NF. But it's better than sitting at home watching netflix. Keep after 'em.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Chew View Post
                      I've been there brother. Missed one due to a crappy tree stand in NM and then couldn't see through my peep as a 370ish bull stood staring at me right at dark in the Gila NF. But it's better than sitting at home watching netflix. Keep after 'em.
                      Chew, I can only imagine that pain. But yet an experience you’ll never forget. Going to be putting in for New Mexico as well over the upcoming years

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                        #12
                        Glad you had an adventure. Sorry you missed the shot but as you said it happens…. Far more often than most of us admit

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                          #13
                          Great write up.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Awesome story and read! Sounds like you are wise beyond your years. Thanks for sharing you awesome experience.

                            Where in Colorado did you move to? Might be retiring soon and looking to possibly find a summer refuge from the Texas heat.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Thats a great write up and thanks for sharing

                              Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk

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