Cow #212 Down

[Antlershed]

Well, she picked a bad day to be curious....

Got to the gate before daylight and started my hike in. I had planned to hike in to a clearcut and then hunt a huge basin back to the truck. Got almost all the way in, and just as it is getting light, a guy catches up to me who is riding a mountain bike. I start with "hi, how's it going" and he responds by telling me he is going to the clearcut I was headed to. I didn't have high hopes for the clearcut since they were logging in it yesterday, so I just said "ok" and we were both on our way. He didn't make it 100 yards past me, and the hillside below came alive. The elk were far enough over the hill and it was still dark enough, that I couldn't see them, but the guy on the mountain bike apparently didn't even hear them because he just kept on riding. I walked a little farther and there was a spur road that cut back to where I heard the elk. I slowly made my way down that, and by this time it is getting light. I was looking around trying to find where they crossed and I looked down and there was a giant wet spot in the road and the leaves were wet. Looked to my left and saw the highway they were traveling. I slowly eased into the timber staying on the top of the ridge, and I could hear the elk over the hillside just milling around. I let out a couple cow calls with my Phelps open reed call, and I thought I had one coming in but never saw it, so I eased on a little further still on their trail. I could tell I was getting close, but they were still over the hill from me. I let out a couple more cow calls and took a few more steps (at this point I had an arrow knocked). I looked up and there was a cow standing broadside at what I guessed was 45-50 yards. The only thing not covered up by the trees was her head and neck. I froze next to a tree and she looked right at me. It was still dark enough in the timber that she wasn't sure what I was. She started to move to my left but quickly moved behind some more trees. When she came back to my right I was at full draw, but she stopped two steps short of the opening I needed her to be in. I held it at full draw for what seemed like forever. When I couldn't hold it any longer, I leaned to my left so I could let down without her seeing me. About ten second passed and she turned to go back to the left, and I drew again. She walked right out into an opening that I guessed at 40 yards, but she wasn't stopping. Normally I have a reed in my mouth, but today I didn't. With my mind racing, I let out a whitetail bleat like you see on tv. She immediately froze, and at that time it was too late for her...with my 40 pin already settled where it needed to be, I let it fly, and she wheeled around and took off down hill (along with the rest of the herd that was still over the edge). I gave her a few minutes and then walked to where she was standing. About 10 yards away I found the vane half of my arrow snapped off with blood on it. Not a pass-thru, but a decent amount of blood around it. I walked to the edge, and another 30 yards down the hill she was piled up. I ranged the tree she was standing next to after the shot and it was 39 yards, so she was at 37-38 yards. Arrow went in a tad high, but still took out both lungs and she was dead within minutes. Got her quartered, and with the help of my dad and his buddies got her packed back to the truck. Now I gotta call WDFW in the morning and find out the info and what I need to do with the ear tag and radio collar.  Of course I forgot my camera, so I had to settle for cell phone pics...

[Dan-o]

Cool.   I wonder if the bio's will give you any info on her since she's wearing a collar?   


Nice work.

[CamoDup]

  nice job!

[archery288]

Congrats Brent!! Elk meat!

[iRem]

That's awesome!

[blindpig]

Great story, congrats!

[Huntbear]

Awesome story!   That cow will eat good this winter..  Congrats!

[Jason]

Congrats on filling the freezer!

[hogsniper]

Awesome Brent!  Congrats on the cow!  Any bow kill is a good one!

[bobcat]

Good story, and very nice, healthy looking cow.   

[SniperDanWA]

Excellent.  If they give you tracking info on her, post it (no coordinates) so we can see what she's been up to.  Nice story and congratulations.

[Skyvalhunter]

Congrats!!

[ShaneTyTrey]

Good shot, better story, congrats!!!

[Antlershed]

Thanks guys. Gonna call them first thing in the morning and see what kind of info they give me. I will definitely post up what i find out.

[oldleclercrd]