2012 Elk Hunt - "Horror" Story?...you decide

[Coastal_native]

I've been trying to avoid telling the story of my first archery elk hunting experience, but  I figured my story might help educate new archers, help me move on, and even generate some interesting conversation...good, bad, and/or ugly.
 
As most hunters who've had a little success tend to do, I was looking for ways to make things more challenging last year, especially considering I've been fortunate enough to hunt elk in the rut, with a rifle, with very little hunting pressure and/or competition.  Needless to say, it has not been difficult to be successful.  It is a good thing, in that we have a realistic opportunity to harvest an elk.  Unfortunately, at least from my perspective, modern technology (guns and trucks) has tilted the odds so heavily in the favor of the "hunter" that I'm finding it more and more difficult to truly feel satisfied as a hunter in the full physical and spiritual sense of the word (although true satisfaction can only be measured by the amount of meat I have stored away when December roles around).

Last November (2011), I made the decision that I was going to take up archery, and at the advice of Collockumelk, I found a "smoking deal" on a brand new Diamond Iceman.  Over the next 9 months I practiced like crazy.  I could feel myself starting to turn into a "Bow-nerd".  My physics and engineering background found me obsessively trying to achieve the optimum combination of arrow length/weight/spine, speed, KE, and tune.  I shot, shot, shot...tuned, tuned, tuned, and after several hundred dollar’s worth of arrows, targets, and fence boards  , I felt very confident that I was ready to kill elk inside 40 yds. 

The first several days of my hunt were amazing.  I didn't need to change my tactics much because I'd always preferred to take elk at close range with a rifle and always tried to steer clear of clear-cuts and roads anyway.  I had numerous opportunities to shoot young bulls (2-4 yrs old) and had danced with a handful of early herd bulls.  I was getting everything I wanted out of the experience and felt confident that It'd all come together eventually, and it did...

I finally got in close with a small (dozen) group of cows with a mature bull tending them.  It was in a tight stand of 25-30 yr old Doug Fir with a fairly open understory and I could faintly see the cows scattered out and milling around at about 50 - 80 yards.  I'd already been in a calling session with the herd for an hour and had slowly worked my way in.  After a little studying of my surroundings, I started to coax the bull in with a series of estrus wines...it wasn't hard.  I knew my only shot attempt would be inside 20 yds, so I drew back when the bull was at about 40 yds.  I immediately noticed the difficulty in aligning my sights under low light conditions (tight canopy).  I could see my pins fine, but I could barely make out the contrast between my peep and front site.  I knew at close range a slight misalignment would not be too substantial, so I steadied and waited.  The bull came straight at me, and at about 15 yds, with a tree directly between us, he turned a hard 90 and took a few steps and stopped.  He was perfectly broadside with a 10" tree splitting his body right down the middle, leaving the lung shot wide open.  I picked my spot and let her fly...thwack, he turned and bolted through the timber.

Initially I felt great about the shot.  I was pretty sure I watched my arrow disappear into the shoulder, slightly high and slightly forward.  I figured I probably subconsciously over compensated for the tree and under compensated for the fact that the bull was so close.  In either case, after waiting for about 15 minutes I walked up to spot the elk was standing and immediately found quarter sized drops of bright red blood and my arrow laying not too far away covered in blood up to the fletching.  After another half hour of waiting, I started my track.  The blood was good for about 50 yds, but then it completely dried up.  I got a little worried at that point and marked my trail and backed out to give it some more time.  It was about 11am at that point so I waited another 3 hours and headed back in. 

When I got back to the last place I’d found blood, I took my pack off and set my bow down and started to branch out a little further trying to follow the bulls tracks amidst all the cow tracks.  Sure enough, not 100 yds further from where I’d lost blood I happened upon an upright bull with a little blood streaking down high on his shoulder on the opposite side of where I shot him.  At that point I knew I made a huge rookie mistake (as many have told me) by leaving my bow behind.  I slowly backed out to get my bow, but when I returned the bull was nowhere to be found (arguably another huge mistake).  I could see where he’d been bedded down with small drops of blood coming from both sides of his body (from what I could tell).  After another day and a half of searching I couldn’t find the bull or another drop of blood beyond where he’d been bedded. 

Over the course of 4 hours of waiting the bull did not bleed out or run out of air, so I can only assume that I made a bad shot.  For the next week and a half I questioned over and over again what I’d done wrong, but the only question that really mattered to me was whether or not I was going to let it ruin me...and the answer for me was no.  I’d already invested too much energy, money, and time away from my family to give up, and walk away without putting meat in the freezer.  So, I grabbed my bow and headed back out.

My next encounter with a bull proved to be the one that pushed me over the edge.  The short of the story is…I got caught standing in a wide open prairie with a mature herd bull (with a short stout 6x7 rack) standing perfectly broadside at 30 yds…with no arrow nocked.   The bull and the rest of the herd spooked before I had a chance to react.  Frustrated and confused, I hiked back out to my car and called a friend and asked him to bring me a rifle and be prepared to help me pack out an elk.  With rifle in hand, I hiked back in.  I immediately found a satellite bull that snuck off with a few cows and reluctantly pulled the trigger.

I was happy and grateful to have the meat in the freezer and ready to get back to spending time with my wife and 2 year old boy, but I ended the season feeling slightly unsatisfied and disappointed in my lack of resolve.  I still love shooting the bow, but it’ll be very difficult to get over having lost the first animal I ever loosed an arrow at.

[slim9300]

This will be helpful for bowhunting. It may seem funny that I suggest this info to an experienced hunter but my old man has killed over 40 elk in his lifetime and this thread completely changed his opinion on shot placement. He is not the only convert to BB's thinking.

http://forums.bowsite.com/TF/bgforums/thread.cfm?threadid=338909&forum=5

In my opinion you shot the elk in one of the worst spots possible for a bow (while seeming like a decent hit). I have had the exact same result on a cow a few years back. However, I'm also confident that the same shot with your rifle would have resulted in a short track. The above thread has really helped me to pick a spot and understand the vitals / bone structure of an elk. This is coming from someone that his killed his fair-share of elk too.

Hunting with a rifle makes this info much less critical IMHO. As a bowhunter I feel that making a "good" shot with my archery tackle is much more complicated than my rifle.


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[et1702]

Take a look at the attached file.  It shows an elks anatomy.  Based on your description of shot placement, it sound like you missed all vitals, missed the spine (i.e., shot over top of spine) and shot thru the meat of the brisket or neck.  Also, I'm sure the elk was hurting and sore, but will likely live to see another season as long as no infection set in.

Would have much rather you stuck w/the archery gear, as I've been primarily archery hunting for last 34 years and have loved every season (successful or not).

ET

[Elkpiss]

I read your story and having had several scenarios both being the caller and shooter the best advice I can give you after shooting an elk is if your NOT 100% sure you hit heart or "DOUBLE  LUNGS" give it 4-6 hours minimum.. go back to camp have a bite to eat, yes there are variables that differ that , rain, heat ect but if you can give the animal 4-6hrs and at worse it well be dead or down and not be able to get up right there unless you hit it in the shoulder or Hollow or leg or somewhere its not fatal lol.. Once you spook an elk and get him up out of his bed i would say 90% of the time bye bye elk, the adrenaline alone the elk picks up from being spooked they can go miles!...  And if the elk is gut shot, minimum 6hrs and he well be if not dead he well be down for the count probably within 150 yards from where you shot the elk... so moral of the story is if your not positive of your shot even the slightest questioning "time time and more time" let the elk die and not pressured..!..   And everyone has there own deal i suppose but I guarantee your recovery rate well go up big time by giving the animal efficient amount of time to expire.. 

[kentrek]

every one will loose an animal eventually,where hunting some pretty dang tough animals..i wouldn't beat your self up too bad



i must ask tho..did you draw a rut rifle hunt and choose to hunt with a bow ? confused on the rifle back up

 

[bow-n-head]

Thats tough man, sadly I know exactly how you feel. Except after I hit my bull this past season he took about 4 steps and stopped for a second steep quartering away shot. I thought I got him good with the second arrow also. I didn't even have a blood trail to get started with I have taken 15 elk with my bow, saw several fall within seconds of the shot. I am still wondering what the heck happened. Second guessing everything. Thinking of changing my whole set up, but it has worked so well in the past.

[Fullabull]

I have read stories like this before. There is a small space where an arrow can go above the vitals that will miss everything and just pass through the elk. This is why I always aim for a lower hit. I have missed low because of it but I am ok with that. We have all made mistakes in the field and learn our lessons. I wouldn't give up on archery because of this. You will regret not sticking with the bow and the excitement it brings to your experience. Stick with it!!

[greenhead_killer]

This will be helpful for bowhunting. It may seem funny that I suggest this info to an experienced hunter but my old man has killed over 40 elk in his lifetime and this thread completely changed his opinion on shot placement. He is not the only convert to BB's thinking.

http://forums.bowsite.com/TF/bgforums/thread.cfm?threadid=338909&forum=5

In my opinion you shot the elk in one of the worst spots possible for a bow (while seeming like a decent hit). I have had the exact same result on a cow a few years back. However, I'm also confident that the same shot with your rifle would have resulted in a short track. The above thread has really helped me to pick a spot and understand the vitals / bone structure of an elk. This is coming from someone that his killed his fair-share of elk too.

Hunting with a rifle makes this info much less critical IMHO. As a bowhunter I feel that making a "good" shot with my archery tackle is much more complicated than my rifle.


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that whole thread was awesome. took a bit to get thru it all, but wow, what an eye opener. shows me i need to be studying even more now than i have been. thanks for the link

[trophyhunt]

every one will loose an animal eventually,where hunting some pretty dang tough animals..i wouldn't beat your self up too bad



i must ask tho..did you draw a rut rifle hunt and choose to hunt with a bow ? confused on the rifle back up

 

He's a native indian I believe.

[trophyhunt]

Lot's of elk get lost every year to bow hunters, some hunters loose more than one. I wouldn't beat myself up over it too much, it happens. Man it would be nice to have your options though.

[kentrek]

every one will loose an animal eventually,where hunting some pretty dang tough animals..i wouldn't beat your self up too bad



i must ask tho..did you draw a rut rifle hunt and choose to hunt with a bow ? confused on the rifle back up

 

He's a native indian I believe.

ohhh okay..i understand the "no challenge" part now..it would be nice to hunt em with a rifle but i can see the authors pov..


back to the main post,

 pick your bow up an get back to the range..id trade 4 rifle bulls for one of my archery bulls..they just dont compare in memories 

[slim9300]

This will be helpful for bowhunting. It may seem funny that I suggest this info to an experienced hunter but my old man has killed over 40 elk in his lifetime and this thread completely changed his opinion on shot placement. He is not the only convert to BB's thinking.

http://forums.bowsite.com/TF/bgforums/thread.cfm?threadid=338909&forum=5

In my opinion you shot the elk in one of the worst spots possible for a bow (while seeming like a decent hit). I have had the exact same result on a cow a few years back. However, I'm also confident that the same shot with your rifle would have resulted in a short track. The above thread has really helped me to pick a spot and understand the vitals / bone structure of an elk. This is coming from someone that his killed his fair-share of elk too.

Hunting with a rifle makes this info much less critical IMHO. As a bowhunter I feel that making a "good" shot with my archery tackle is much more complicated than my rifle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

that whole thread was awesome. took a bit to get thru it all, but wow, what an eye opener. shows me i need to be studying even more now than i have been. thanks for the link

You are welcome. Good luck this year!


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[Coastal_native]

This will be helpful for bowhunting. It may seem funny that I suggest this info to an experienced hunter but my old man has killed over 40 elk in his lifetime and this thread completely changed his opinion on shot placement. He is not the only convert to BB's thinking.

http://forums.bowsite.com/TF/bgforums/thread.cfm?threadid=338909&forum=5

In my opinion you shot the elk in one of the worst spots possible for a bow (while seeming like a decent hit). I have had the exact same result on a cow a few years back. However, I'm also confident that the same shot with your rifle would have resulted in a short track. The above thread has really helped me to pick a spot and understand the vitals / bone structure of an elk. This is coming from someone that his killed his fair-share of elk too.

Hunting with a rifle makes this info much less critical IMHO. As a bowhunter I feel that making a "good" shot with my archery tackle is much more complicated than my rifle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

that whole thread was awesome. took a bit to get thru it all, but wow, what an eye opener. shows me i need to be studying even more now than i have been. thanks for the link

I agree.  Great reference.  Thanks for sharing.

[fly4fish]

One thing I have learned when recovering an animal that you did not see die in sight, is to go in like he is till alive: stealthy with an arrow knocked.

I got a decent mule deer this year that walked very weakly out of site about 50 yards from where I arrowed him.  Had a very good kick and sounded great, so I thought it would not last long.  I waited half an hour as it was getting dark on the last day.  Walked in stealthy and saw his antlers sticking above the grass not more than 75 yards from where I hit him.  Had to go in for another shot, which put him down for good.  The first shot clipped bottom of lungs.  If I'd given more time, he'd probably died right there, but being the last day, I had to go in for the kill. 

Watch for the video that I plan to release with a product here in a couple months.

[erk444]

What type of broadhead?