2017 Elk opener
- Thread starter mfllood3800
- Start date
- Thread Starter
- #22
OP
mfllood3800
WKR
just emptied it- thx
- Thread Starter
- #23
OP
mfllood3800
WKR
My 2017 LE Bull Elk archery hunt in Utah is over and I am thankful the Lord blessed me early on.
I hunted 2 days, (didn't even get to eat all my yummy snacks and home made dehydrated meals) , when I found this guy up on a ridge raking a tree, then bouncing around like a saddle bronc just before he ran straight down the hill to me.
I thought I had the camera on for the shot, but didn't. It happened pretty quick. From when I first saw his horns in the trees on top of the ridge, to the time he trotted down to me was less than 45 seconds. He had me at full draw for almost a minute before he came past the tree I was hiding behind where he stopped and knew something was up, he may have winded where I was just seconds ago on the trail. I kept wind checking the whole hike up to this ridge and knew I was ok if I stayed to the right of the area and kept the wind in my favor.
I had been practicing at 80-90 yards all year, and he walked past me at 12 yards. I never got a clear view of him until he stepped out from the tree between me and him, I was focusing on my first pin, and trying to asses his horns at the same time.
Happy with the quality of this guy and he made me earn every pound of him. The processing/pack out took me a total of 6 hrs, and 4 trips. I loaded my Tahr up with a hind Qtr and a back straps, then the other hind, and neck meat, then both frt qtrs.- one in pack and the other in my hand - I didn't have the desire to go back in one more time. This solo hunting is every bit a mind discipline as it is a physical one.
Kind of creepy breaking down an animal this size , late night in the mountains... I would occasionally pan the area looking for bears and a couple times I saw a set of eyes, probably a coyote. I hung the meat as high as I could get it in the trees around, carried the head out that night and came back early the next day and made several trips in/out getting all of the meat.
Next is the Idaho Bull Elk Archery hunt- if my back heals up quick enough.
Here are some pics after the shot. I wanted to get more pics, but rain came in, darkness settled and I knew I had hours ahead of me with this guy.
Solo hunting is my favorite, but it is an incredible amount of work, mentally and physically- as some of you know.
I spent all spring testing gear and not one piece of my gear failed me, even in heavy rains.
I hunted 2 days, (didn't even get to eat all my yummy snacks and home made dehydrated meals) , when I found this guy up on a ridge raking a tree, then bouncing around like a saddle bronc just before he ran straight down the hill to me.
I thought I had the camera on for the shot, but didn't. It happened pretty quick. From when I first saw his horns in the trees on top of the ridge, to the time he trotted down to me was less than 45 seconds. He had me at full draw for almost a minute before he came past the tree I was hiding behind where he stopped and knew something was up, he may have winded where I was just seconds ago on the trail. I kept wind checking the whole hike up to this ridge and knew I was ok if I stayed to the right of the area and kept the wind in my favor.
I had been practicing at 80-90 yards all year, and he walked past me at 12 yards. I never got a clear view of him until he stepped out from the tree between me and him, I was focusing on my first pin, and trying to asses his horns at the same time.
Happy with the quality of this guy and he made me earn every pound of him. The processing/pack out took me a total of 6 hrs, and 4 trips. I loaded my Tahr up with a hind Qtr and a back straps, then the other hind, and neck meat, then both frt qtrs.- one in pack and the other in my hand - I didn't have the desire to go back in one more time. This solo hunting is every bit a mind discipline as it is a physical one.
Kind of creepy breaking down an animal this size , late night in the mountains... I would occasionally pan the area looking for bears and a couple times I saw a set of eyes, probably a coyote. I hung the meat as high as I could get it in the trees around, carried the head out that night and came back early the next day and made several trips in/out getting all of the meat.
Next is the Idaho Bull Elk Archery hunt- if my back heals up quick enough.
Here are some pics after the shot. I wanted to get more pics, but rain came in, darkness settled and I knew I had hours ahead of me with this guy.
Solo hunting is my favorite, but it is an incredible amount of work, mentally and physically- as some of you know.
I spent all spring testing gear and not one piece of my gear failed me, even in heavy rains.
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Ridge Ghost
WKR
Nice bull, congrats!
wind gypsy
WKR
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2014
- Messages
- 8,357
She's a beaut!
Elkoholic87
WKR
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2014
- Messages
- 1,396
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Congrats very nice bull
CONGRATULATIONS mf. Great Bull, Definitely an adventure to be remembered!
archer wapiti
WKR
Wow! Congrats!
Great!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
BrentLaBere
Lil-Rokslider
Congrats on the hunt. Nice bull
bz_711
WKR
- Joined
- May 7, 2012
- Messages
- 675
Well done...nice bull...thanks for sharing!
danarnold
WKR
Hell ya! congrats on the nice bull
I don't know about you guys but this got me even more fired up!!
I don't know about you guys but this got me even more fired up!!
- Thread Starter
- #40
OP
mfllood3800
WKR
Thx guys
I had a lot of questions in my mind going into the hunt. When I saw him raking the tree, I didn't remember a single question from pre hunt , All I thought was "hide immediately, nock arrow, verify range, view horns and decide and then shoot." I was actually locating the pin/peep on lungs as I was also trying get visual on horns as he stepped out from behind the tree. He saw me when I saw him and in a split second I released the shot, just as he was bolting out of there. I caught enough of the lungs where he didn't go far.
Kind of sad I only hunted 2 days, but I couldn't pass him up. Plus I now have the Idaho archery Elk hunt, 2 Utah Deer hunts, a Utah cow elk and an Ariz archery deer. So it is best to let my old body heal up.
And now I get to watch on here for all of your great stories and pictures.
What I love about Rokslide is how We all get to live through each others adventures.
I am looking forward to your stories and pics.
I had a lot of questions in my mind going into the hunt. When I saw him raking the tree, I didn't remember a single question from pre hunt , All I thought was "hide immediately, nock arrow, verify range, view horns and decide and then shoot." I was actually locating the pin/peep on lungs as I was also trying get visual on horns as he stepped out from behind the tree. He saw me when I saw him and in a split second I released the shot, just as he was bolting out of there. I caught enough of the lungs where he didn't go far.
Kind of sad I only hunted 2 days, but I couldn't pass him up. Plus I now have the Idaho archery Elk hunt, 2 Utah Deer hunts, a Utah cow elk and an Ariz archery deer. So it is best to let my old body heal up.
And now I get to watch on here for all of your great stories and pictures.
What I love about Rokslide is how We all get to live through each others adventures.
I am looking forward to your stories and pics.
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