13' Elk Harvest Pics
- Thread starter vcb
- Start date
Rucker61
WKR
Is that 13' at the shoulder? That's a lot of elk.
Tag stew
Lil-Rokslider
Congrats! How bout some details if you have not posted a story yet?
MileHighOutlaw
FNG
Great bull VCB!
Another beautiful bull, nice work!
manbearpig
FNG
That's a big bodied hog. Congratulations!
squeekieslayer
WKR
Haha. Nice. How many trips to get a 13 foot elk out 3 miles?
Jk.. I'm just jealous. Nice bull.
Joe
- Thread Starter
- #10
Here's the story Tag,
Season opened here in CO this Last Saturday Aug. 31st. I packed in on Friday the 30th with 6 days of provisions on my back. The bulls were bugling right off and were the most vocal this early as long as I can remember. I chased elk Sat. and Sunday but never got a shot. Monday morning I was back in the bottom of the basin 15 minutes before first light. Once the light came up I sent out 5-6 soft cow calls. A quick response came from the ridge line to my left. A good bull stood at the top of the ridge 500 yds away staring down into the bowl looking for the source of the sexy girl. He rolled over the top of ridge and stopped about 300 yds away to casually feed. I again soft cow called into my closed fist maybe 2-3 times and the game was on.
He snapped his head in my direction and started to trot down to me. I readied my bow and clipped on my release. I didn't call anymore. He was on a string and I like the bull to play the "come find me game". He slowed to a walk and moved from my left to my right closing distance with every step. 55, 50, 45...He was 45yds in front of me but I couldn't make a move. I had one chance to draw my bow undetected when his head briefly went behind a small pine tree. I drew and found my anchor as he stepped in the clear. A little Chip from my diagram and he stood motionless. My 40yds pin danced on his high lung and I started to go through my back tension release sequence...a second later the bow jumped and the arrow effortlessly passed right through him. He immediately bolted up the hill to my right just as I started to see blood spilling from his side.
At first I doubted my shot...the bow fired really quick and I thought I might have made a marginal shot. I started to scold myself that I rushed the shot and should have taken more time. I wanted to give the bull at least an hour or two so he would have time to expire. The bull ran off in the direction of my camp that was a 15 minute walk from where I shot him so I decided to start following his blood trail. At first I was cocky and went 50yds ahead confident I would find his blood that I saw spilling from his side. I looked and looked and could not find ANY blood. Ok, back to basics I told myself and started from the place I shot him. The arrow looked good completely covered in dark red blood. I now patiently followed the light blood trail for about 100yds until it came to a open grassy hillside. I had my eyes to the ground moving back and forth trying to figure out which direction he might have gone. I swear I was there for about 5 minuted moving back and forth until I lifted my head and realize he was lying dead directly to my right downhill about 15yds away.
There I was 3miles back, alone with my hands above my head celebrating my accomplishment. It was short lived...the sun was already climbing overhead and I realized quickly that I had to get to carving and get this bull cooled down.
I said a quick prayer, thanked the bull for his life and promised him he would provide a full chest freezer of food for my family this winter. I spend the next 3 hours quartering the bull, pulling the straps, neck meat and rib meat. I put all the meat in a set of caribou game bags and hung it in the shade off a pine tree. I also capped the bull from behind the front legs to the base of the neck and cut off the mount. Once the bull was all taken care of I hiked back to my camp and packed up.
The next day I brought 4 buddies in and we all packed out my bull. Today he went to the local processor and for the first time I decided to take my bull to the taxidermist. I have been saving a place on the wall in our home for him. I look forward to getting him back and reliving the memories burned in my mind when I watched this majestic elk walk in front of me looking for the girl.
Season opened here in CO this Last Saturday Aug. 31st. I packed in on Friday the 30th with 6 days of provisions on my back. The bulls were bugling right off and were the most vocal this early as long as I can remember. I chased elk Sat. and Sunday but never got a shot. Monday morning I was back in the bottom of the basin 15 minutes before first light. Once the light came up I sent out 5-6 soft cow calls. A quick response came from the ridge line to my left. A good bull stood at the top of the ridge 500 yds away staring down into the bowl looking for the source of the sexy girl. He rolled over the top of ridge and stopped about 300 yds away to casually feed. I again soft cow called into my closed fist maybe 2-3 times and the game was on.
He snapped his head in my direction and started to trot down to me. I readied my bow and clipped on my release. I didn't call anymore. He was on a string and I like the bull to play the "come find me game". He slowed to a walk and moved from my left to my right closing distance with every step. 55, 50, 45...He was 45yds in front of me but I couldn't make a move. I had one chance to draw my bow undetected when his head briefly went behind a small pine tree. I drew and found my anchor as he stepped in the clear. A little Chip from my diagram and he stood motionless. My 40yds pin danced on his high lung and I started to go through my back tension release sequence...a second later the bow jumped and the arrow effortlessly passed right through him. He immediately bolted up the hill to my right just as I started to see blood spilling from his side.
At first I doubted my shot...the bow fired really quick and I thought I might have made a marginal shot. I started to scold myself that I rushed the shot and should have taken more time. I wanted to give the bull at least an hour or two so he would have time to expire. The bull ran off in the direction of my camp that was a 15 minute walk from where I shot him so I decided to start following his blood trail. At first I was cocky and went 50yds ahead confident I would find his blood that I saw spilling from his side. I looked and looked and could not find ANY blood. Ok, back to basics I told myself and started from the place I shot him. The arrow looked good completely covered in dark red blood. I now patiently followed the light blood trail for about 100yds until it came to a open grassy hillside. I had my eyes to the ground moving back and forth trying to figure out which direction he might have gone. I swear I was there for about 5 minuted moving back and forth until I lifted my head and realize he was lying dead directly to my right downhill about 15yds away.
There I was 3miles back, alone with my hands above my head celebrating my accomplishment. It was short lived...the sun was already climbing overhead and I realized quickly that I had to get to carving and get this bull cooled down.
I said a quick prayer, thanked the bull for his life and promised him he would provide a full chest freezer of food for my family this winter. I spend the next 3 hours quartering the bull, pulling the straps, neck meat and rib meat. I put all the meat in a set of caribou game bags and hung it in the shade off a pine tree. I also capped the bull from behind the front legs to the base of the neck and cut off the mount. Once the bull was all taken care of I hiked back to my camp and packed up.
The next day I brought 4 buddies in and we all packed out my bull. Today he went to the local processor and for the first time I decided to take my bull to the taxidermist. I have been saving a place on the wall in our home for him. I look forward to getting him back and reliving the memories burned in my mind when I watched this majestic elk walk in front of me looking for the girl.
armyjoe
Super Moderator
Aron and I just smacked two bulls in two hours. Pics and story when we manager to get these and our camp out 3.5 miles hahaha
Great story
Congratulations
Congratulations
Nice two bulls you guys should get one hell of a work out
dreamingbig
WKR
Great story!
Army joe - good luck to you guys... Maybe you should phone infor reinforcements!
Army joe - good luck to you guys... Maybe you should phone infor reinforcements!
Tag stew
Lil-Rokslider
vcb, thanks for sharing! Great story.
Armyjoe, congrats, and look forward to hearing from you guy's.
Armyjoe, congrats, and look forward to hearing from you guy's.
bz_711
WKR
- Joined
- May 7, 2012
- Messages
- 678
Congrats - sounds fantastic...thanks for sharing!
jpratt
FNG
vcb- what a great bull! thanks for taking us along through your story! Congrats!!
big10hunter
WKR
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2012
- Messages
- 717
Great Bull! Looks awesome.
So I am trying to learn how to judge Elk on the hoof. What does a Bull like this score?
So I am trying to learn how to judge Elk on the hoof. What does a Bull like this score?
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