Absolutely Sickening EDIT: Bull Was Found

[Sliverslinger]

This is exactly why most "successful" hunters don't post here.have fun whinning dummies.....

 

How did I go from asking for input, feedback, or advice to being called a dummy?

[CamoDup]

This is exactly why most "successful" hunters don't post here.have fun whinning dummies.....

 

[huntnphool]

After calling everyone we could come up with to call that late at night, we came up with only one person who was willing to come out and help look.

It never occurred to any of you to post up a help request for search volunteers on this site?

I'd be willing to bet that you could have had a dozen of us that would have laced up the boots and been there first thing in the morning, I would have.

[chukar58]

Keep looking the birds will let you know where he is at.  This is a fact of all methods of hunting that someday you will loose an animal period.   Elk are incredibly tough animals and it could survive.  It will get a fever from the shot and head for a creek or wallow to rest and heal and then he will return and gather his cows.   If it died nature does not waste and this bull will be food for all creatures who find it.  I am sorry to hear of your loss and you have work so very hard to do what is right.

[Jellymon]

My guess would be a high hit. You'd be surprised how much empty space there is in the top quarter of an elks body. Besides the spine.

If this is the case, is it possibly or even perhaps likely that he survived? Would a wound to that area really bleed bright red like that do you think?

It's possible if you missed lung or major arteries that he could survive. Never hit just muscle so I cant give advice on blood color for that hit. Next time you quarter an elk look at how much the vertebrae stick up above the spinal cord, its a good 6" or so. Add to that the 3" spine and the maybe 2" of "no mans land" below the spine, and your looking at almost 7-10" of non vital area above the lungs. A low hit on an elk is much better than high. Good luck.

[shrek]

How many times have people posted, " look for the birds"? That's it, at least you have your "trophy "...... Congrats

[bowhunterwa87]

at least im not alone..i just stuck a toad of a bear this morning at 40 and couldnt find him even went back with help..complete pass through watched noctournal work for the first time was the only plus..

[huntingfool7]

What unit is this in?  I think you should go back with a dog.

[Eli346]

 A friend of mine did the same thing a few years ago and thought 'for sure' he had a mortally wounded bull. He looked for a couple of days to no avail but the following weekend he came across the same bull walking strong just 30 yds from him. He finished the deal this time. His first hit was above the lungs but below the spine and artery. The description of the hit and the blood trail are very similiar to his so keep your head up and keep trying to find him. He may be in better shape than you believe.

[turkeyfeather]

First off I would just ignore shrek. The pot stiring seems to be his m.o. As far as your elk I think you keep looking until your satisfied with what you have done to find him. And don't worry what others say. I do think there's a chance you might see him another day though. Good Luck, it happens to us all regardless of weapon choice. 

[shrek]

And you guys will wonder why the antis will go after archery first? Lol

[Jonathan_S]

And you guys will wonder why the antis will go after archery first? Lol

Nope, I don't wonder.  It's easy to understand.  Antis divide and conquer just like any progressives do.  Archery is less popular than modern firearms and it's easy to make a "primitive" and "inhumane" selling point to non-hunters. 

It's also easy to convince Weekend Warrior Walmart deer hunters to make a push against archery hunters so that gun hunters can take a bigger slice of woods time.

[bowhunterwa87]

love when ppl post trash talk when theyre so unsuccessful at hunting that they cant post an avatar with even a coyote...priceless.

[BOWHUNTER45]

And you guys will wonder why the antis will go after archery first? Lol

Dude ...you have issues  I was trying to stay calm and not say anything but your a little off ...Many animals get shot and wounded by rifle and muzzleloaders and yes arrows too ...its hunting ....a lot of things can go wrong ...hit a twig ...buck fever ...not waiting long enough before tracking and on and on ... I hunted my whole life with a bow and killed many critters but I have lost one deer in my 30 yrs of hunting with a bow ...knock on wood for that ...its hard to say what caused him to loose that bull but for you to pick on bowhunters is just ignorant ...I have watched more animals flop over before my eyes when hit correctly with an arrow than I have watched run off and get away ...and with a little 85 gr broadhead ...tiny little killing machine   

[AKBowman]

Ive had this exact me thing happen on a bull my partner shot a few years ago. Almost exactly as you described post shot with the dark red blood and arrow recovered shortly covered from stern to bow with bright red thick blood. We trailed that bull with blood on both sides of the trail for about 300 yards...so much blood my pants were pretty well soaked in it from the thighs down. We caught up to the bull and found him running off a satellite bull and herding his cows then laying down every 20 minutes or so to roll on his brisket and heal up the wound. He ended up rounding his cows up a few hrs later and headed down the hill. We discovered it was a brisket shot and from the sounds of your story that's what you hit.  My guess is your Bull more than likely survived, their mains mat up and clog brisket wounds like someone stuffing a shirt into the hole.