Archery Success 2020

[Ac338]

Well really late on this story but I've been busy whitetail hunting since I got home. Headed out to Colorado from Michigan on September 17th and met up at my parents house in Castlerock, I lived in CO for 10 or so years before movingback to Michigan. . My dad was going to join me on this hunt as a spectator. Spent Saturday packing everything up and getting the tire plugged from a nail I apparently picked up pulling into their neighborhood(new construction). Headed out to our unit on Sunday and on our way while exiting for breakfast in Silverthorne my front left brakes on my truck started smoking. Left it at an autoshop with a note on it telling them the problem. Loaded all my gear into my dads truck and headed back out. Ended up hiking in to the area I wanted to hunt at about 1600 and pitched my Silex on the only flattish area I could find. Decided to drop into a creek bottom and try a set the last hour of light let out one bugle and instantly had a bull cut me off roughly 150 yards away. I moved up 30 yards quick and knocked an arrow within a minute a nice 6x6 came into 25 yards but no shot with all the thick brush I set up in eventually was winded when winds were pulling down by the creek. Next morning within 30 minutes had a bull respond below his bugles and chuckles sounded angry but I believe he winded me as he went silent and never laid eyes on him. Later in the morning had 3 different bulls bugling away from me from a low grassy area up to bedding, never could get in front or turn them. After 1200 the rest of my day was dead except one bugle last 10 minutes of last light but to steep to drop in on him. Next morning 9/22 had 3 to 4 bulls responding from the same grassy patch with wallows but couldn't bring them in and never layed eyes on them around 1030 they would respond but I could tell they were moving away up the opposite slope to bed in the timber so I decided to shut up and wait for a consistent wind. At 1200 I moved through the grassland and started up the slope when looking back a huge black bear was moving through the grass 80 yards away it was pretty cool to watch. Got up to 11000 feet which was a few hundred yards from where I thought they would bed and bugled with 2 bulls responding instantly. Went after the closest one and was moving in and going back and forth for about 40 minutes but couldn't find him or bring him in and eventually he went silent. Sat down for a snack when I got an inreach text with the quote for my truck which was outrageous compared to what I would pay here but said do it, put me in a bad mood but that was about to change. The second bull piped off and chuckled above and to my left and sounded pissed and close. I let out the angrier bugle I could moved up and left 50 quick yards knocked an arrow and starting ranging objects. I start hearing rocks falling down the mountain up and left of me getting closer and louder until I see the 6x6 antlers come into view, then stops straight above me and starts raking a pine tree I previously ranged at 32 yards . Its very steep and I try to get my footing and then I drew and just couldn't seem to get a good anchor or footing, almost let down when my foot slipped into a rock and helped lock me in and I was able to anchor and settle my pins and let it fly. I knew I hit him but shot looked high and back(it was). Cow called watch him run uphill 50 yards get wobbly then run downhill crashing 20 yards later with one of his tines sticking into a tree which is why I couldn't turn his head for the picture. All said and done from shot to him expiring was about a minute which I was thankful for. Still don't know what I hit back there to cause so much blood and such a quick death without much penetration but you guys will see the arrow in the picture. Pack out was 3 trips 30 miles total between two of us. Never again will I hunt that far haha my left foot still tingles and doesn't have much feeling. Long story but hope you enjoyed it. Awesome feeling though and to me he was a great bull (first bull also so started off a solid 1/1) and a trip spent with my dad that I'll never forget.

 

[4rcgoat]

Hey nice write up and great bull!! Congrats man,nicely done.

 

[poppa bear0062]

Great story congrats!!


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[roosiebull]

beautiful!!! good read, i like long hunting stories.

i'm guessing you hit the big artery right under the spine (maybe called the abdominal aorta)

congrats, sometimes things don't work out and get lucky anyways.... it's an awesome thing, we get to learn the hard lessons without paying the consequences.

congrats!!

 

[7raptor]

So COOL! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Hoosker Doo]

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than skilled haha. That's awesome he went down so fast. Great bull!

 

[Disco14]

Congrats and thanks for sharing the story

 

[Ac338]

Thanks to everyone for the comments.

 

[wildtrader]

Well really late on this story but I've been busy whitetail hunting since I got home. Headed out to Colorado from Michigan on September 17th and met up at my parents house in Castlerock, I lived in CO for 10 or so years before movingback to Michigan. . My dad was going to join me on this hunt as a spectator. Spent Saturday packing everything up and getting the tire plugged from a nail I apparently picked up pulling into their neighborhood(new construction). Headed out to our unit on Sunday and on our way while exiting for breakfast in Silverthorne my front left brakes on my truck started smoking. Left it at an autoshop with a note on it telling them the problem. Loaded all my gear into my dads truck and headed back out. Ended up hiking in to the area I wanted to hunt at about 1600 and pitched my Silex on the only flattish area I could find. Decided to drop into a creek bottom and try a set the last hour of light let out one bugle and instantly had a bull cut me off roughly 150 yards away. I moved up 30 yards quick and knocked an arrow within a minute a nice 6x6 came into 25 yards but no shot with all the thick brush I set up in eventually was winded when winds were pulling down by the creek. Next morning within 30 minutes had a bull respond below his bugles and chuckles sounded angry but I believe he winded me as he went silent and never laid eyes on him. Later in the morning had 3 different bulls bugling away from me from a low grassy area up to bedding, never could get in front or turn them. After 1200 the rest of my day was dead except one bugle last 10 minutes of last light but to steep to drop in on him. Next morning 9/22 had 3 to 4 bulls responding from the same grassy patch with wallows but couldn't bring them in and never layed eyes on them around 1030 they would respond but I could tell they were moving away up the opposite slope to bed in the timber so I decided to shut up and wait for a consistent wind. At 1200 I moved through the grassland and started up the slope when looking back a huge black bear was moving through the grass 80 yards away it was pretty cool to watch. Got up to 11000 feet which was a few hundred yards from where I thought they would bed and bugled with 2 bulls responding instantly. Went after the closest one and was moving in and going back and forth for about 40 minutes but couldn't find him or bring him in and eventually he went silent. Sat down for a snack when I got an inreach text with the quote for my truck which was outrageous compared to what I would pay here but said do it, put me in a bad mood but that was about to change. The second bull piped off and chuckled above and to my left and sounded pissed and close. I let out the angrier bugle I could moved up and left 50 quick yards knocked an arrow and starting ranging objects. I start hearing rocks falling down the mountain up and left of me getting closer and louder until I see the 6x6 antlers come into view, then stops straight above me and starts raking a pine tree I previously ranged at 32 yards . Its very steep and I try to get my footing and then I drew and just couldn't seem to get a good anchor or footing, almost let down when my foot slipped into a rock and helped lock me in and I was able to anchor and settle my pins and let it fly. I knew I hit him but shot looked high and back(it was). Cow called watch him run uphill 50 yards get wobbly then run downhill crashing 20 yards later with one of his tines sticking into a tree which is why I couldn't turn his head for the picture. All said and done from shot to him expiring was about a minute which I was thankful for. Still don't know what I hit back there to cause so much blood and such a quick death without much penetration but you guys will see the arrow in the picture. Pack out was 3 trips 30 miles total between two of us. Never again will I hunt that far haha my left foot still tingles and doesn't have much feeling. Long story but hope you enjoyed it. Awesome feeling though and to me he was a great bull (first bull also so started off a solid 1/1) and a trip spent with my dad that I'll never forget.

 

[MNElk33]

Love these detailed stories thanks for sharing and congrats.

 

[Andy Ivy]

Nice! congrats

 

[Derk1890]

Sweet hunt. Congrats!