eelgrass
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My brothers daughter sent me this e-mail yesterday about her first hunt with a bow. She recently married a fine young man from Oregon, who is teaching her how to hunt. With her permission, I thought you might enjoy what she wrote.
Labor Day Weekend 2005
Brian and I headed out Saturday morning for our first bow hunting adventure. We decided to go to Eastern Oregon where Brian usually rifle hunts for elk. Brian had a deer bow tag and I had my deer and elk bow tags. We were looking for some action...
We reached our hunting destination around five o'clock, found a place to camp and we were off. We didn't have enough time to make a hunt that night, so we decided to drive around to see what we could see and maybe call for some elk. Brian spotted a buck, a little fork by spike muley, he tried to get into a good spot but couldn't get a good shot off so he decided to let him go...
Saturday morning we got up before sunrise and decided to make a hunt up on a ridge that is "guaranteed" to have elk, or at least some sign. We snuck for about three hours when Brian spotted elk. We were in the perfect spot. We hid, and Brian started calling, I was getting nervous and my mind was racing (would I shoot if it were a spike, or wait for something bigger? how far away is that tree, is he in range if he comes in over there? which way is the wind coming from? Ah, focus Melissa and quit shaking...you know what you are doing, pull the bow back and make the shot, you've practiced hundreds of times, you can do it) Just then we hear a bugle, I can see horns...it's a bull! It's a spike and a cow, she's mewing...and he's heading straight for me. Is he going to stop?
Back step: I was set up in front of a tree beside a road with about 40 yards of opening just in front of me with a few stumps and little trees. Brian was off to my left in some bushes and could only see the upper left part of the clearing.
The spike came into the clearing, milling around looking very curious. He looked at me and looked away (alright my scentlok camo is working!) and kept coming towards me. He got to the road that I was beside and stopped. He turned and headed back up the clearing about 30 yards. (Brian's thinking, are you gonna shot!) Just as the spike looked away I drew back, he's broad side, perfect shot and distance. I release, flying arrow...right over his back. Oh man, I missed, what's he going to do? He milled around some more and got about 40 yards, broad side again. Okay Melissa, here's your last chance, shoot the darn thing. Pulled back, 40 yard pin right on the vitals and release. Flying arrow...looks good, looks good...crap, right over his back again. And then they took off.
I looked at Brian, he came out of his bush not seeing what had gone on, thinking that I nailed him and nothing. I was MAD! We started looking for my arrows, we found the first, but where is the second? Could I have hit him? As we looked for my arrows, Brian spotted another bull just up the hill. What, he came back? Then we hid and Brian started calling again, nothing.
We waited about an hour, just incase I did hit him, to go back into the woods to see what we could see. Brian had the idea that I would go up and old skid road and wait to see if anything came out of where we just were and I could get a second, or third chance, at him if he came through. Brian would push through the woods and look for any type of blood trail. I got to my spot and waited, replaying why I didn't hit that stinking elk. Soon I hear a rumble...where is it coming from...stampede! Just in front of me about 5 yards runs out a cow elk and her calf, then to my left comes a spike and about five cows...
Back step: Just before I started off to the top of the hill, Brian told me not to shoot anything in case I wounded the other spike, I said okay...it's only good ethics.
So here is this spike and cows standing broad side less then 10 yards from me staring at me. I looked at the spike's side, no arrow, good he wasn't injured. But I still hear more elk coming. I looked about 20 yards up and here comes more cows, calves and another spike then another and then a HUGE branched bull. Oh my gosh! Then another spike then more cows. Then they were gone.
I waited for Brian to come through the woods. I thought I heard him when a five point bull came through the brush about 60 yards down the hill. I watched him go around me to the top of the ridge, turn around and come back down towards me. Do I shoot him is he comes in range? Ah Yeah, I tell myself, I know I didn't hit the spike, I just saw him. Just then I can see Brian come my way. I tried to motion to him that the elk was just beyond the timber, I couldn't see him, but I knew he could see me. I tried to motion to Brian the five point was just a few yards away. I tried to sneak up to Brian so we could figure out a plan. The five point saw me and took off...end of story.
After hours of deliberation the jury decided that had a range finder been in use at the initial point of the first shot Melissa would have taken her first elk on the first day of her bowhuntig career. You see, shooting up hill is very deceiving, things seem further then they appear. Lesson learned, never go bow hunting without a range finder. So we chalk it up to experience...and go out hunting again, never to make the same mistake twice!
Labor Day Weekend 2005
Brian and I headed out Saturday morning for our first bow hunting adventure. We decided to go to Eastern Oregon where Brian usually rifle hunts for elk. Brian had a deer bow tag and I had my deer and elk bow tags. We were looking for some action...
We reached our hunting destination around five o'clock, found a place to camp and we were off. We didn't have enough time to make a hunt that night, so we decided to drive around to see what we could see and maybe call for some elk. Brian spotted a buck, a little fork by spike muley, he tried to get into a good spot but couldn't get a good shot off so he decided to let him go...
Saturday morning we got up before sunrise and decided to make a hunt up on a ridge that is "guaranteed" to have elk, or at least some sign. We snuck for about three hours when Brian spotted elk. We were in the perfect spot. We hid, and Brian started calling, I was getting nervous and my mind was racing (would I shoot if it were a spike, or wait for something bigger? how far away is that tree, is he in range if he comes in over there? which way is the wind coming from? Ah, focus Melissa and quit shaking...you know what you are doing, pull the bow back and make the shot, you've practiced hundreds of times, you can do it) Just then we hear a bugle, I can see horns...it's a bull! It's a spike and a cow, she's mewing...and he's heading straight for me. Is he going to stop?
Back step: I was set up in front of a tree beside a road with about 40 yards of opening just in front of me with a few stumps and little trees. Brian was off to my left in some bushes and could only see the upper left part of the clearing.
The spike came into the clearing, milling around looking very curious. He looked at me and looked away (alright my scentlok camo is working!) and kept coming towards me. He got to the road that I was beside and stopped. He turned and headed back up the clearing about 30 yards. (Brian's thinking, are you gonna shot!) Just as the spike looked away I drew back, he's broad side, perfect shot and distance. I release, flying arrow...right over his back. Oh man, I missed, what's he going to do? He milled around some more and got about 40 yards, broad side again. Okay Melissa, here's your last chance, shoot the darn thing. Pulled back, 40 yard pin right on the vitals and release. Flying arrow...looks good, looks good...crap, right over his back again. And then they took off.
I looked at Brian, he came out of his bush not seeing what had gone on, thinking that I nailed him and nothing. I was MAD! We started looking for my arrows, we found the first, but where is the second? Could I have hit him? As we looked for my arrows, Brian spotted another bull just up the hill. What, he came back? Then we hid and Brian started calling again, nothing.
We waited about an hour, just incase I did hit him, to go back into the woods to see what we could see. Brian had the idea that I would go up and old skid road and wait to see if anything came out of where we just were and I could get a second, or third chance, at him if he came through. Brian would push through the woods and look for any type of blood trail. I got to my spot and waited, replaying why I didn't hit that stinking elk. Soon I hear a rumble...where is it coming from...stampede! Just in front of me about 5 yards runs out a cow elk and her calf, then to my left comes a spike and about five cows...
Back step: Just before I started off to the top of the hill, Brian told me not to shoot anything in case I wounded the other spike, I said okay...it's only good ethics.
So here is this spike and cows standing broad side less then 10 yards from me staring at me. I looked at the spike's side, no arrow, good he wasn't injured. But I still hear more elk coming. I looked about 20 yards up and here comes more cows, calves and another spike then another and then a HUGE branched bull. Oh my gosh! Then another spike then more cows. Then they were gone.
I waited for Brian to come through the woods. I thought I heard him when a five point bull came through the brush about 60 yards down the hill. I watched him go around me to the top of the ridge, turn around and come back down towards me. Do I shoot him is he comes in range? Ah Yeah, I tell myself, I know I didn't hit the spike, I just saw him. Just then I can see Brian come my way. I tried to motion to him that the elk was just beyond the timber, I couldn't see him, but I knew he could see me. I tried to motion to Brian the five point was just a few yards away. I tried to sneak up to Brian so we could figure out a plan. The five point saw me and took off...end of story.
After hours of deliberation the jury decided that had a range finder been in use at the initial point of the first shot Melissa would have taken her first elk on the first day of her bowhuntig career. You see, shooting up hill is very deceiving, things seem further then they appear. Lesson learned, never go bow hunting without a range finder. So we chalk it up to experience...and go out hunting again, never to make the same mistake twice!
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