Absolutely Sickening EDIT: Bull Was Found

[turkeyfeather]

I am glad you found him, even with the meat spoiled.  Im impressed you stopped hunting.   That's what I'd expect of myself if not others, but know many blow it off and go shoot another.   I look forward to seeing your trophy when its cleaned up a bit.   

     I don't want to misrepresent what happened or what I did. Originally, I was certain that I had made a good shot and killed that bull. However, after speaking with dozens and dozens of people and describing the situation and the type of blood, I was convinced by the vast majority that I hit either high or low and the bull was running around just fine and none worse for wear. I went back to look Friday to make sure, but was fully expecting to either see that same bull running around or see him on one of my cameras. Consequently, I did not stop hunting. In fact, I was in a calling set up about 150 yards from where I shot him when I got a whiff of something dead. Until that moment, I had become completely convinced that he was just fine. We had planned to hunt our way through the area and give it one last final  look, but I felt like we had covered it so thoroughly already that if he was dead, we would have found him. Admittedly, I was obviously wrong on this point.
     I guess my point is that I don't want to give a dishonest impression and wouldn't feel right soaking in praise or admiration for assumed ethical behavior that is based on a false premise, even in an online forum.  I consider myself to be an ethical hunter and an honest man, so it should be known that the truth is that after doing everything I possibly could to find the animal, I did not stop hunting.
     That being said, when I go back after it is possible to get close enough, I will be tagging it and bringing the antlers home.

Also- it's a fine bull, but not the big one from my cameras that I thought it could be.

As far as you knew to the best of your knowledge and the advice you had gotten from others that bull was still alive. I would've continued hunting as well. Makes no sense to me to notch a tag for an animal you believe to be alive. Your good in my book. 

[CAMPMEAT]

Stuff happens, so don't beat yourself up. You did what you did and it's over. It's a new day today.

[Simcoe hunter]

IMHO you are a stand up guy.  You are welcome in my camp.  Not to make excuses, but we are human.  We will make mistakes, and mother nature may even plot against us.  But you went above and beyond in your attempts to find the animal.  Thank you for that and for sharing the whole story. 

[huntnphool]

if it were me, I'd tie my tag on that bull's antlers and bring the head home.

+1, why would it have been left and planned on a return in a couple weeks? If the plan is to keep the head then just do it now, waiting is only going to complicate matters. Go back in today while the season is still open, notch the tag and bring it home.

[turkeyfeather]

if it were me, I'd tie my tag on that bull's antlers and bring the head home.

+1, why would it have been left and planned on a return in a couple weeks? If the plan is to keep the head then just do it now, waiting is only going to complicate matters. Go back in today while the season is still open, notch the tag and bring it home.

I think the wait was due to it being infested with bees. 

[Bill W]

You've done one thing I've never done yet.  Found an animal after you declared it lost.    I've lost three animals over the years.  One was a deer that was shikabobbed with an arrow in 1964.  I saw about 5 inches of the arrow sticking out on the other side of the deer.  The two others were a deer and a bear with a rifle.

All three had the same issue.  The hunter wasn't well versed in tracking.  In my defense not finding the bear had to do with having an eager youngster along who was cautioned "do not walk on the blood trail.  we may need to reconstruct things".

Later on I learned to be more patient and found a archery deer that travelled a whole 200 yards and took 2 hours to find.   Another was on another hunter shot with a bow.  Deer travelled on a trail, came to an obstruction he couldn't get past, doubled back on the trail and then took another trail that branched off.  That deer took 4 hours to find and entailed crawling the length of the trail on hands and knees examining suspicious leaves and such.  Once we discovered the deer doubled back (blood trail ended there) and went back a ways to go off on a side trail it was only about another 30 minutes to find it.

At one time the archery store down by the airport taught an archery class and also a simulated tracking exercise out behind the shop.  This was the family that helped found Pope & Young.

Patience and attention to little details aid best in tracking jobs.  It's not fun and definitely not easy.

[huntnphool]

if it were me, I'd tie my tag on that bull's antlers and bring the head home.

+1, why would it have been left and planned on a return in a couple weeks? If the plan is to keep the head then just do it now, waiting is only going to complicate matters. Go back in today while the season is still open, notch the tag and bring it home.

I think the wait was due to it being infested with bees. 

Take a couple cans in with you.

[turkeyfeather]

if it were me, I'd tie my tag on that bull's antlers and bring the head home.

+1, why would it have been left and planned on a return in a couple weeks? If the plan is to keep the head then just do it now, waiting is only going to complicate matters. Go back in today while the season is still open, notch the tag and bring it home.

I think the wait was due to it being infested with bees. 

Take a couple cans in with you.

Yeah if your not worried about the meat that would probably do the trick.

[Jonathan_S]

I would do it tonight while it's still open.  I'd go in around 10 pm and wear thick heavy clothing and a face mask and glove and chop that suckers head off, bag it with a garbage bag and electrical tape.  Then get the heck out of there until next year.

I would not really want to get after the season.

[huntnphool]

if it were me, I'd tie my tag on that bull's antlers and bring the head home.

+1, why would it have been left and planned on a return in a couple weeks? If the plan is to keep the head then just do it now, waiting is only going to complicate matters. Go back in today while the season is still open, notch the tag and bring it home.

I think the wait was due to it being infested with bees. 

Take a couple cans in with you.

Yeah if your not worried about the meat that would probably do the trick.

All he needs to pack out is the head and saw at this point.

[6haase6]

Yea I would get it before season to avoid conflict with gameys. Sounds to me like you did everything you could. I would have done the same thing. You were confident in your shot so why not take it? Sounds to me like there was enough practice done to know your limits. Now go get that bull and show us some pics. Yea crappy deal but why not be proud of what you have learned form this and what sounds like a great trophy!

[Kuduman]

I'm not  fan of stinging insects especially yellow jackets that can become very protective of a food source that there on. a few weeks ago I found pile of yellow jackets feeding on a dead mouse that my cat had discarded. seeing as i never pass up an opportunity to kill a bunch of yellow jackets I quickly grabbed a can of wasp spray and took aim. before the spry could reach the 20-30 yellow jackets they were off the carcass and headed my way. they finally gave up chase about 75 feet away and I was lucky not to get stung. THAT WAS A MOUSE.............I would say this situation is X 1000 

My advise would be if practical go in late in the evening or very early in the morning and saw off the head and tag it.

It sucks you lost the meat but it would suck even more if you received 100's of yellow jacket stings recovering the antlers.

good luck 

[sled]

  I'd Go Up And Tie That Head Off To A Tree With A Good Rope So A Bear Doesn't Wander Off With it

[boneaddict]

Not sure if its been mentioned, but DONT FORGET the Ivories!     Can be a little gross with maggots crawling on your hands when prying them out, but worth it

[huntnphool]

I'm not  fan of stinging insects especially yellow jackets that can become very protective of a food source that there on. a few weeks ago I found pile of yellow jackets feeding on a dead mouse that my cat had discarded. seeing as i never pass up an opportunity to kill a bunch of yellow jackets I quickly grabbed a can of wasp spray and took aim. before the spry could reach the 20-30 yellow jackets they were off the carcass and headed my way. they finally gave up chase about 75 feet away and I was lucky not to get stung. THAT WAS A MOUSE.............I would say this situation is X 1000 

My advise would be if practical go in late in the evening or very early in the morning and saw off the head and tag it.

It sucks you lost the meat but it would suck even more if you received 100's of yellow jacket stings recovering the antlers.

good luck

Go buy the spray, pack a gamebag, water, your tag and send me a pm. Ill meet you tonight and hike in with you to get it. Im in Tacoma so allow for travel time but i'm willing to help tonight if you're serious.