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!
If anyone knows some tricks for gaining that last 20 yards when you are hunting alone, I would appreciate any tips for next years hunt.
Some hunt, don't need to kill anything with all that going on. Wish I could help but I'm not a bow hunter.
been there and done that for the last 3 cow hunts,if i would of had bull tags i would be 3 for 3.cows are smart,seem to be much more wary than a bull.even if you dont move much the cows will be tentative.getting in front and let them come to you seems to be better than chasing them.it definately isnt easy and never a sure thing.this past cow hunt in sept. i was in elk evry day but never got a shot off-i will get my turn eventually. there is nothing like it ,the closer you get the harder your heart beats :shock:
One of the easiest ways I know to get close enough to fill an elk tag you already touched on. Hunt the other sex. If you have a cow tag hunt bulls, and the cows will be tripping all over you. If you have a bull tag hunt cows. With the next elk tag I acquire I am going to search out someone with a cow tag and hunt with them. We will either fill our tags within minutes opening morning or see nothing the entire time. I dont know which but am willing to take the chance just to see if it works. Other then that, I have only hunted archery elk once on my own so I dont know how much help this will be. Either get in front of them by glassing and heading them off. Calf calling. A calf in distress might bring a bunch of them in to whip up on you. One of the only things I do know about feeding elk. If they are movign you are not going to catch them easily. They travel fast and possibly far. Of course most of the folks I know who draw tags every year :x either hunt from their trucks, or treestands over walt or water.