I had posted in the middle of my 7w archery cow elk hunt on another site with a question on how to close the last 20 yards I needed for a shot. I was constitently at 80 yards and could not get closer. (probably 10-12 times at that point).
I went back up to the unit and got into a herd the next morning. I saw a cow towards the back of the herd.....checked my wind....all good there.....and proceeded to put on the stalk. I followed this herd very slowly and very quietly for about 45 minutes while consistently gaining ground. Finally, I was about 80 yards out.....still closing.......ooh man I was actually getting somewhere here! I kept glassing looking for those other eyes in the herd that might bust me........nothing .....so far ......so good.
I put a clump of pines between me and the herd and quickly gained 20 more yards. I was thinking......man, this did it.....I'm getting the shot. So I slowly peer out from behind the trees..........the herds not right there! What the heck? I looked over to my left (past the tree) and there they are! Dangit!!!!!! still 80 yards away! They fed away from me during my sprint to the clump!
OK.....here we go again. I thought to myself, "forget it....I'm crawling"! Got down on my hands and knees/belly with bow in hand. Carfefully crawling while keeping my bow safe was quite the challenge. I stuck a big, sharp rock right in my elbow joint! Man, I almost yelled out loud, but was able to just silently curse numerous times in my head! Ok....I kept crawling really slow .........lifted my head and YES! there they are about 50yards off! OH the adrenaline was flowing in rivers! I calmed myself in about 10 seconds, nocked my arrow and proceeded to lift out of the grass like a wraith.........so slow.....didn't want to spook em.........slowly......slowly.....Draw my bow.........YES I'm up....Good clean shot field........hear something off to my right.......glance over with the corner of my eye......OH CRAP!!!!!! A beatiful 5x5 staring me down at about 40 yards! I quickly put my eyes back on target........was just pulling the trigger of my release and.......BARK.......BARK.....man about 3 or 4 elk all busted me all at once! BAM....there goes the herd at a dead run in all directions! I was in shock.. ...oh..oh...I was looking in all directions in about 2 seconds for any shot! Nothing. Oh man I was so close!
Well the rest of the hunt was still awesome. I got into herds every day, but was still stuck at the 80 yards.
What a great time I had. I had bulls bugling at me, 3 bulls offering shots within 30 yards, cows answering my calls, turkeys within 20 yards numerous times and about 15 buck sightings! I had a bull bugling about 30 yards from my camper quite a few times in the dead of the night. Woke me up 3 different nights, and I sleep like the dead!!
I hope you all had as great a time as I did on your hunts, or just your outings. I didn't tag out, but there is always next year. I sure can't complain about my first ever elk hunt. What a complete blast!
I went back up to the unit and got into a herd the next morning. I saw a cow towards the back of the herd.....checked my wind....all good there.....and proceeded to put on the stalk. I followed this herd very slowly and very quietly for about 45 minutes while consistently gaining ground. Finally, I was about 80 yards out.....still closing.......ooh man I was actually getting somewhere here! I kept glassing looking for those other eyes in the herd that might bust me........nothing .....so far ......so good.
I put a clump of pines between me and the herd and quickly gained 20 more yards. I was thinking......man, this did it.....I'm getting the shot. So I slowly peer out from behind the trees..........the herds not right there! What the heck? I looked over to my left (past the tree) and there they are! Dangit!!!!!! still 80 yards away! They fed away from me during my sprint to the clump!
OK.....here we go again. I thought to myself, "forget it....I'm crawling"! Got down on my hands and knees/belly with bow in hand. Carfefully crawling while keeping my bow safe was quite the challenge. I stuck a big, sharp rock right in my elbow joint! Man, I almost yelled out loud, but was able to just silently curse numerous times in my head! Ok....I kept crawling really slow .........lifted my head and YES! there they are about 50yards off! OH the adrenaline was flowing in rivers! I calmed myself in about 10 seconds, nocked my arrow and proceeded to lift out of the grass like a wraith.........so slow.....didn't want to spook em.........slowly......slowly.....Draw my bow.........YES I'm up....Good clean shot field........hear something off to my right.......glance over with the corner of my eye......OH CRAP!!!!!! A beatiful 5x5 staring me down at about 40 yards! I quickly put my eyes back on target........was just pulling the trigger of my release and.......BARK.......BARK.....man about 3 or 4 elk all busted me all at once! BAM....there goes the herd at a dead run in all directions! I was in shock.. ...oh..oh...I was looking in all directions in about 2 seconds for any shot! Nothing. Oh man I was so close!
Well the rest of the hunt was still awesome. I got into herds every day, but was still stuck at the 80 yards.
What a great time I had. I had bulls bugling at me, 3 bulls offering shots within 30 yards, cows answering my calls, turkeys within 20 yards numerous times and about 15 buck sightings! I had a bull bugling about 30 yards from my camper quite a few times in the dead of the night. Woke me up 3 different nights, and I sleep like the dead!!
I hope you all had as great a time as I did on your hunts, or just your outings. I didn't tag out, but there is always next year. I sure can't complain about my first ever elk hunt. What a complete blast!
