First day hunting elk

wybighorn

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Where to begin!?!? My son played football over the Labor Day weekend so our annual bow hunt was put on hold. He begged me to go because this would be his first elk hunt. I was very reluctant due to fuel costs (4.19 for Diesel! Wow!), distance to my hunting spot, and most especially time. However, I'm a hunting junkie and by early Monday morning my son and I were hiking in the dark to our favorite spot. A mile or so into our hike we glassed up a small herd of elk with two bulls, velvet covered spikes. We carefully made our stalk and closed the distance to about 100 yards. We set up and started calling. With in about 5 minutes one of the spikes was headed our way. He stood broadside at 14 yards and somehow (I have no idea how) he missed!!!! Needless to say, Austin (my son) was devastated. It was his first chance at a bull elk and the spike walked away completely unaware of what had just happened.
After a short talk, a good laugh (By me? :) how can you miss at that distance?!), and a disappointed young man. We continued hunting. We put a few more miles in and were soon calling again. A bull elk soon responded and within minutes I
could see the sway of antlers through the pines. I remember thinking WOW! That's one of those bigger six points we've seen! Austin settled in and anchored the bull at 50 yds. His shot was perfect, a double lung pass through! I was ecstatic! This was my son?s first day hunting elk and he shot at two bulls and killed a six point that most men (including me) only dream of! This 300-class bull was shot on public land (National Forest) on an over the counter tag by a13 year-old! Congrats bud! I'm proud of you! Sometimes it's good to miss!

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Wow that was easy. I think every body need to get a general tag . That is great!! Now take him down to vegas !That kid is a good luck charm .
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-06-12 AT 03:36PM (MST)[p]Cool. Good luck with the next week or so at school. If I was him I'd have a pocket full of pictures and wouldn't be worth a crap until second semester. : ).


"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"
 
Congrats on your first elk. That would make any dad proud. Great story.
 
Sometimes missing is just one of those unanswered prayers. Congrats to Austin and dad also. Nice bull!
 
Congrat's Austin on a great archery elk. Missing a shot happens to everyone sooner or later. Never get down on yourself for missing a close shot... They always say things happen for a reason....and missing that spike in so close was just your destiny. It was just a warm up practice shot for that bad boy you just harvested. That is one fine first archery elk. There are a lot of hunters that hunt for years and they never get a fine Bull Elk like yours. Great shoot'n ...you make your Dad proud. So what will you do now Austin for the rest of the season? Are you going to take Dad out and guide him to a Bull ? :)

Thanks for sharing the story and Pics
Good luck playing football and win a bunch of games.
))))------->
 
Austin:

Me thinks you're hooked on bowhunting elk now --- heck of a 1st bull! Way to learn from that first opportunity ...

Lv2hnt

"Every man dies --- not every man really lives."
 
Absolutely awesome!!!! Huge congrats from me for being able to get right back in the saddle and work it out......a feat plenty of us grownups might struggle with.
 
That some good stuff there buddy.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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That is flat out Awesome! I am an old man and that is a better bull than I have ever killed! Way to go Austin and good luck on topping it before you get my age.
Oh and be sure not to rub it in too bad with your Dad. He is already very proud of you.
 
Creating memories with your son that will last a life time, Priceless. Good shooting Austin, and thanks for sharing the story and the pics.
 
Wybighorn is truly one of the best fathers I know. He takes his kids out with him every chance he gets. When his youngest one could barely talk he was already hooked. He couldn't say much, but he could say "BUCK! BUCK!, when he spotted one. And he did know how to spot them. Most the time before anyone else would. We would go out spotting and this little guy would pack a BB gun around like he was the Great White Hunter. We're heading back up next weekend and hopefully Wybighorn will get a chance at a big bull. He's earned it. A big congratulations to both Austin and Wy.
 

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