Outdoordan
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,142
I shot this bull last weekend. I had 2 other backpack trips into the area previously, and decided on this trip I would pack a saw and chair so that I could sit a wallow. After getting to the trail head Friday Night and packing up for the hike in, I ended up chasing a big 6x on the slope that night only 3-400 yards from my truck. I got close, but light faded on me with him coming to me. I stayed right there, but he was gone the next morning. So, I resumed my trip to the wallow which was about 2.5 miles up in a drainage at about 9200'.
I got up there about 10ish in the morning, and set up camp, shot my bow at some stumps, and went down to get some water at the nearby stream. I thought I heard a bugle, or was that just from the jet flying overhead? I had just convinced myself it was the jet and went back to camp with the water. Once there, now I definitely heard a bugle coming from the wallow about 200 yards up from me. I grabbed my bow and snuck up, getting within 30-35 yards of several feeding cows. Turns out there were about 20 cows, but I could only see about 5 of them. I moved slowly up a couple more yards and heard a screaming bugle coming from my left, here he comes up towards me. As he crosses at 20-25 yards, I misjudge the distance and shoot over him! Damn! He trots up into the trees above me, and after a couple of minutes the cows settle back in to grazing. Now, I must say that my worst fear was the wind as it was erratic to say the least, but I never got winded! The bull, being the possessive type, comes back down the hill, this time at 40 yards and this time I was not going to miss! I sent one into his ribcage and he hop/bucks and heads downhill where I can't see him. I creep forward to try and see him and get busted by one of the cows. I remain motionless and she resumes feeding. I sit down for about 15 minutes watching the cows feed around me, finally something spooks them and they all take off. After going back to camp and retrieving some flagging tape and knives, etc. I head back over to start looking for arrow one and possibly number two as it looked like a pass through. Now the elapsed time has been an hour or more, and I walk to the edge to look around. Only 30 yards from the wallow, I see him laying there! 40 yards from the hit!
I got up there about 10ish in the morning, and set up camp, shot my bow at some stumps, and went down to get some water at the nearby stream. I thought I heard a bugle, or was that just from the jet flying overhead? I had just convinced myself it was the jet and went back to camp with the water. Once there, now I definitely heard a bugle coming from the wallow about 200 yards up from me. I grabbed my bow and snuck up, getting within 30-35 yards of several feeding cows. Turns out there were about 20 cows, but I could only see about 5 of them. I moved slowly up a couple more yards and heard a screaming bugle coming from my left, here he comes up towards me. As he crosses at 20-25 yards, I misjudge the distance and shoot over him! Damn! He trots up into the trees above me, and after a couple of minutes the cows settle back in to grazing. Now, I must say that my worst fear was the wind as it was erratic to say the least, but I never got winded! The bull, being the possessive type, comes back down the hill, this time at 40 yards and this time I was not going to miss! I sent one into his ribcage and he hop/bucks and heads downhill where I can't see him. I creep forward to try and see him and get busted by one of the cows. I remain motionless and she resumes feeding. I sit down for about 15 minutes watching the cows feed around me, finally something spooks them and they all take off. After going back to camp and retrieving some flagging tape and knives, etc. I head back over to start looking for arrow one and possibly number two as it looked like a pass through. Now the elapsed time has been an hour or more, and I walk to the edge to look around. Only 30 yards from the wallow, I see him laying there! 40 yards from the hit!
