Interesting year

Just kinda cool I ended up harvesting each animal I had pictures of on the trail cam. The deer was right there at the camera site, but the elk was 2 miles away with 30 cows. I knew it was him just by that 3rd point, it ended up being 24". Kind of adds more story to the season.

Congratulations love it when a plan comes together

Awesome season!

Awesome!

That's cool. You should take more pictures

Thanks, truth is I never really had a plan. I put my cameras out and never checked them all summer, which is unusual for me. I got a late start hiking in and stopped to check my trail camera and was sitting on the side hill at 9:50 looking at my pictures when I saw deer legs coming down the trail towards me. My release was in my pocket, rangefinder in my pack and bow sling was on my bow. So I put my release on, took my bow sling off and by that time him and a three point were there getting a drink. The wind was perfect but I still had to get a arrow on and draw. I figured there was no way I could get away with that much movement but I had to try. I guessed 30 yards and took the shot, he never knew what happened. I actually never figured I would see that elk again. So I hiked in three more miles from that spot to setup camp and elk hunt. I heard elk bugling all night long, got up the next morning and walked 100 yards out of camp and could hear elk in the trees in front of me. The wind was perfect so I decided to wait and see what happened. Sure enough within fifteen minutes I had a cow 7 yards right in front of me . She stopped feeding several times to stare right through me, but she never barked. Soon ther were at least twenty cows all around right in front of me. Then a doe and two fawns came right to me and jumped of the rock embankment I was sitting on and went down the canyon straight downwind she didn't blow and never went crazy, really? So now I see the bull coming behind me following a cow with his head down at 12 steps away I decide to draw, he stops with a tree in the way and turns and follows her right back up the hill, no shot. I held my bow as long as I could but had to let down the arrow jumps out of my rest and "ting" right into the riser. So the cow right in front of me turns and watches me for two minutes, then finally goes back to feeding and moves off. I fixed my arrow and thought can this really be happening? Then I see the white tips coming toward me on the same path the deer came past me on. He stepped out of the trees and stopped smelling and huffing the air, I knew it was the big thirds bull then. So when he went to go by I drew, he stopped when he saw movement but it was too late. He only made it fifty yards. The cows heard my bow but they only ran about ten yards and watched him until he tipped over. Then they ran about eighty yards up the other side hill. They fed for about twenty minutes then gathered up and went back throught the same patch of trees just above the bull with their nose into the wind. I don't think they really ever knew what happened. It's still unbelievable to me. Hunting is about right place right time, then it just seems like everything goes right.

Congratulations ! Always good to have luck be with you !

Shrek you are right! My luck was great this year and I'm very thankful, usually I feel like a Murphy's law representative.

Very cool, congrats!

dang!!

Damn, you were surrounded. Some countries would of just surrendered to them elk, but you made us proud. Have you ever thought about the lottery, it sounds like you would win a couple of times before they disqualify you.

By the way, thanks for taking that bull out. With a 3rd like that, it was going to poke an eye out.

awesome

That's pretty cool

Very cool and congrats on a great season!

Sounds like some fun hunting!

As it turns out I wasn't the only one hunting this year. Something tells me they had a successful season too. I can go back for the cougar and coyotes, but the bear is safe, not a hunt able population yet. To be continued...

Congrats on the hunt! I have been in you position before with elk all round a mere few yards away, the whole time thinking it's done I'm busted but nothing happens. Lol that's the reason I love elk hunting.

Really cool. Congrats on the animals!!

Now this cat is just having fun messing with me.

One coyote takes a dirt nap.
Going to need more snow to be able to track and try to call in that lion.