LAST EDITED ON Oct-28-13 AT 11:53AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Oct-28-13 AT 10:53?AM (MST)
This is a long story... but for those who want the short one....
THis was my very first archery season and very first elk hunting season. This was a utah general archery elk tag, unlimited over the counter tag. The bull was a rag 5 point killed 4 miles into the national forest on the wasatch extended via a backpack hunt. I took a steep 70 yard quartering away shot and put the bull down in 70 yards.
If you want the full story read on...
This is my first season archery hunting, however, I have hunted mule deer all of my life with a rifle. I have been feeling the archery bug for sometime now and decided in March that I would convert over.
Fortunately, I did not draw the rifle deer tag that I had put in for in the drawing so I was able to purchase an otc archery deer tag. Since I was going to be hunting in a general bull elk unit I decided what the heck... I will get an archery elk tag as well. I have never hunted elk before.
So I set off trying to scout some good elk and deer locations all summer long. I was seeing good amounts of elk and deer all preseason. I also tried to learn up on elk hunting. I had read several books on the subject of archery elk hunting and even practiced my calling throughout the summer. I frequently read elk hunting magazine articles and Internet forums. I dedicated my summer to learning about elk. Despite all the learning, as the season got closer I found myself focusing more on deer however. Just cuz deer hunting is in my blood.
Well after a few close calls with some good bucks and a couple of missed shots due to wind and animal movement I still hadnt filled my deer tag. It was the middle of september by now. I was frustrated and was looking for a change of pace.
Then, I remembered that I had an archery elk tag in my pocket. So, once the extended rolled around I decided to make a wholesale change and focus strictly on elk.
I was getting frustrated because I was always one step behind on the elk. I would find tons of fresh sign but no elk. I even had friends tell me the elk are going off at x location and I would head up there to find no elk, but tons of sign.
I had spent probably 8 to 10 hunting days up in the wasatch throughout the end of Sept and October without seeing a single elk and had covered well over 100 miles of trail.
Well all of that changed for me and I finally was able to catch a break last week. I was finally able to locate a pocket of elk and to my great amazement they were still rutting.
So I put the sneak on them again and again only to be busted by hidden cows on the periphery. After every time they would stamped off but stay in the same general area, the wind was always with me and they would only see or hear me in thick areas so they never were quite sure what I was. Early that evening I heard the bulls bugle again from about a mile out... So I set off to put the sneak on them one more time. Well this time I was able to get in without getting busted and I was able to get close. Finally, I was going to get to call in a bull (I practiced calling all summer for this moment). Well sure enough, I started singing cow lullabies and was immediately getting responses. We were in close enough that my buddy started aggressively bugling. We were beating/racking trees and the works and really got the bulls fired up. My buddy got a shot at a 300+ bull but was unable to connect on a very difficult shot. This startled the herd but I was able to bring them back in my direction (I was about 150 yards down hill from my buddy) with some more sweet cow chirps.
My goal going into this season was a branched bull. Considering this was my first archery season and I had never hunted elk before I figured this would be a lofty goal in itself. So when we got in on the herd, I told myself that whatever branched bull comes in first would be mine. Well, the 300+ bull took off but a few other satellites and the herd bull were still in the area. The more we called and bugled the more we got the remaining bulls fired up. At this point the herd bull would not leave his cow but he was so fired up. He was literally growling and barking at us. We had estimated him to be about a 350 bull. He didnt budge.
Well sure enough one of the other satellites decided to come and investigate and came down the ridge and stopped about 70 yards from me. I cautiously adjusted my sight and drew my bow and fired.... and thwack... I hit a branch.... GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! This was a very thick area and I fired from good cover. I had the wind with me so he had no idea I was there. The bull walked off... but didnt run! I was very lucky. He walked along a trail paralleling the ridge and I slowly followed at the base. I got a little a head of him and found a small opening that I could maybe sneak off another shot.
I pulled up the cow call and tried to get him into the clearing. he was getting close when my buddy started bugling and racking the trees again (we were out of sight from one another). The bull immediately wanted to go investigate and I knew I would only have one more chance at him. So I improvised and got adjusted in a somewhat standing/somewhat crouched position (very difficult position to shoot from while curling around a bush) and waited for the bull to cross a different smaller opening. Well he did cross the path and presented me with a quartering away shot. He was at 70 yards but was up on the steep hillside so I put my 60 yard pin on him. I released and BAMMMM!
He took off running and we heard him tumble down the slope not 2 minute after I shot. I was able to quickly find him not more than 70 yards from where I had shot him. The blood trail was absolutely massive. The slick trick standard did its job and caused massive hemorrhaging.
THis is what I had worked so hard for!
He is a rag 5 point but was much better than i was hoping for, for my first bull elk.
I am absolutely thrilled to have killed a five point on my very first archery bull elk hunt. The tag I did it with is an unlimited archery over the counter tag. The country is on public land, STEEP and there is a ton of hunting pressure. I had hunted 90% of the time solo in this area, but my good friend Bryce was able to come with me this time! I am thrilled to have shared such a spectacular day with him.
I want to thank my wife, my buddy Bryce, and my buddy Mark for all the help with the pack out. Also, big thanks to Travis.
I thought I might add that I am now coverted to elk hunting. I am abandoning my deer points and starting to build elk points! This was the most exciting hunt I have ever been on in my life. The 30 minutes we spent in close and talking with these elk was one of the coolest experiences of my life!
This is a long story... but for those who want the short one....
THis was my very first archery season and very first elk hunting season. This was a utah general archery elk tag, unlimited over the counter tag. The bull was a rag 5 point killed 4 miles into the national forest on the wasatch extended via a backpack hunt. I took a steep 70 yard quartering away shot and put the bull down in 70 yards.
If you want the full story read on...
This is my first season archery hunting, however, I have hunted mule deer all of my life with a rifle. I have been feeling the archery bug for sometime now and decided in March that I would convert over.
Fortunately, I did not draw the rifle deer tag that I had put in for in the drawing so I was able to purchase an otc archery deer tag. Since I was going to be hunting in a general bull elk unit I decided what the heck... I will get an archery elk tag as well. I have never hunted elk before.
So I set off trying to scout some good elk and deer locations all summer long. I was seeing good amounts of elk and deer all preseason. I also tried to learn up on elk hunting. I had read several books on the subject of archery elk hunting and even practiced my calling throughout the summer. I frequently read elk hunting magazine articles and Internet forums. I dedicated my summer to learning about elk. Despite all the learning, as the season got closer I found myself focusing more on deer however. Just cuz deer hunting is in my blood.
Well after a few close calls with some good bucks and a couple of missed shots due to wind and animal movement I still hadnt filled my deer tag. It was the middle of september by now. I was frustrated and was looking for a change of pace.
Then, I remembered that I had an archery elk tag in my pocket. So, once the extended rolled around I decided to make a wholesale change and focus strictly on elk.
I was getting frustrated because I was always one step behind on the elk. I would find tons of fresh sign but no elk. I even had friends tell me the elk are going off at x location and I would head up there to find no elk, but tons of sign.
I had spent probably 8 to 10 hunting days up in the wasatch throughout the end of Sept and October without seeing a single elk and had covered well over 100 miles of trail.
Well all of that changed for me and I finally was able to catch a break last week. I was finally able to locate a pocket of elk and to my great amazement they were still rutting.
So I put the sneak on them again and again only to be busted by hidden cows on the periphery. After every time they would stamped off but stay in the same general area, the wind was always with me and they would only see or hear me in thick areas so they never were quite sure what I was. Early that evening I heard the bulls bugle again from about a mile out... So I set off to put the sneak on them one more time. Well this time I was able to get in without getting busted and I was able to get close. Finally, I was going to get to call in a bull (I practiced calling all summer for this moment). Well sure enough, I started singing cow lullabies and was immediately getting responses. We were in close enough that my buddy started aggressively bugling. We were beating/racking trees and the works and really got the bulls fired up. My buddy got a shot at a 300+ bull but was unable to connect on a very difficult shot. This startled the herd but I was able to bring them back in my direction (I was about 150 yards down hill from my buddy) with some more sweet cow chirps.
My goal going into this season was a branched bull. Considering this was my first archery season and I had never hunted elk before I figured this would be a lofty goal in itself. So when we got in on the herd, I told myself that whatever branched bull comes in first would be mine. Well, the 300+ bull took off but a few other satellites and the herd bull were still in the area. The more we called and bugled the more we got the remaining bulls fired up. At this point the herd bull would not leave his cow but he was so fired up. He was literally growling and barking at us. We had estimated him to be about a 350 bull. He didnt budge.
Well sure enough one of the other satellites decided to come and investigate and came down the ridge and stopped about 70 yards from me. I cautiously adjusted my sight and drew my bow and fired.... and thwack... I hit a branch.... GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! This was a very thick area and I fired from good cover. I had the wind with me so he had no idea I was there. The bull walked off... but didnt run! I was very lucky. He walked along a trail paralleling the ridge and I slowly followed at the base. I got a little a head of him and found a small opening that I could maybe sneak off another shot.
I pulled up the cow call and tried to get him into the clearing. he was getting close when my buddy started bugling and racking the trees again (we were out of sight from one another). The bull immediately wanted to go investigate and I knew I would only have one more chance at him. So I improvised and got adjusted in a somewhat standing/somewhat crouched position (very difficult position to shoot from while curling around a bush) and waited for the bull to cross a different smaller opening. Well he did cross the path and presented me with a quartering away shot. He was at 70 yards but was up on the steep hillside so I put my 60 yard pin on him. I released and BAMMMM!
He took off running and we heard him tumble down the slope not 2 minute after I shot. I was able to quickly find him not more than 70 yards from where I had shot him. The blood trail was absolutely massive. The slick trick standard did its job and caused massive hemorrhaging.
THis is what I had worked so hard for!
He is a rag 5 point but was much better than i was hoping for, for my first bull elk.
I am absolutely thrilled to have killed a five point on my very first archery bull elk hunt. The tag I did it with is an unlimited archery over the counter tag. The country is on public land, STEEP and there is a ton of hunting pressure. I had hunted 90% of the time solo in this area, but my good friend Bryce was able to come with me this time! I am thrilled to have shared such a spectacular day with him.
I want to thank my wife, my buddy Bryce, and my buddy Mark for all the help with the pack out. Also, big thanks to Travis.
I thought I might add that I am now coverted to elk hunting. I am abandoning my deer points and starting to build elk points! This was the most exciting hunt I have ever been on in my life. The 30 minutes we spent in close and talking with these elk was one of the coolest experiences of my life!
