Several years in the making, I finally connected on an elk of any sex or size and I landed on a beautiful cow that dwarfs many of the bulls I've seen in WA and OR. An absolutely fantastic WA state DIY slightly back-country hunt.
The week started out on the opener spotting two bulls in a clear cut while driving to the parking spot! That never worked out but it was one heck of a way to start the week. We hunted for the next three days with periodic sightings but nothing close enough or in spots where we could make a play on them. Spotting from a distance and then planning a stalk seemed to be the best bet. Saturday morning 9/6/14 we put to bed a herd with two bulls and several cows and left until the evening. That evening we road our bikes into the area and we split up with me taking the southeast corner of the clear cut and my friend taking the northwest corner to cover the area visually and to let the other know of elk movement if any. I made a decision to check out a few spur roads after stowing my mtn bike in the brush and heard a few moving in the deep reprod but as you all know that is not an area for any hunter to travel and try to actually hunt! I then made a move to the top of the logging road toward the area where the elk had bedded in the morning. I heard a few twigs breaking and then some more... I took about five steps, listened again and heard that the steps were moving closer. I realized that the elk were on the move toward the top of the road I was on which was about 75yds up the hill from me. I took ten more large steps quietly creeping along with my bow at the ready and arrow nocked. I then saw and ear then a head of the biggest cow I had seen to date. She had with her two others but as we know, hunting in WA state, if you get a chance at a legal animal it is best to take it as waiting is typically waiting for nothing to happen.
She stepped out and I froze... I had the sun at my back which I think made the difference here but the wind was blowing directly at them. She then made the move to cross the road... I drew my bow quickly at that point and as she crested the opposite side next to a stump I had ranged at 45yds I know I could make the shot. She slowed slightly and I released the arrow... it arced oh so beautifully and landed directly in the middle of her chest "thwack!" Giddie up! I about fell down after seeing the arrow pass through her. The cow following her moved into the same spot quickly followed by a 4x4 bull who's body was about 20% smaller than the cow I had just shot. Admittedly, I would like to have had the antlers but you can't eat them! It was 7:02 PM.
I radioed my friend and he came down and across and then back up the road I was on to help with the tracking job. I was shaking in my boots and hands were trembling to say the least. I video taped myself giving some sort of "interview" and am afraid to view it for fear of severe embarrassment! Upon my friend's arrival I tried to settle down and got to tracking.
I found my arrow which had passed through and found lung blood on it which I saw with relief. we then picked up on two small drops of blood about three feet from the arrow entry location. Then, in another three feet a few more drops... not much. She then ran uphill... not a good sign to me nor to my friend. She ran through the deepest, darkest forest she could have found but we were able to find drops of blood along the way as she ran. At approximately 50yds I lost the trail... then after a bit of searching we found hoof marks and then as she crested a small rise we saw two larger 'clots' of sorts which were 3x3" each. Then, I lifted my head as I entered a clearing it seemed like angels began to sing... you guessed it, a beautiful cow elk lay dead in front of me just 60yds from point of impact.
The work began and this being my first "back country" trip via mtn bike for elk we had a plan to travel with half of the elk on my bike and the other half on my friend's as he has done before and I wanted to learn. After prepping the meat for removal we dragged it out and began to carefully place the halves on the bikes.
Works like a charm! We walked the .6miles to the bottom and then four miles down a rambling logging road to our truck awaiting our arrival at 1 AM. We drove back to camp and then cleaned the meat further, skinned the halves and ensured that they would cool until the AM when we could take it to the cooler.
Things I learned:
1) Elk are everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
2) Beating the brush, while making one feel manly, only moves the elk into other peoples hunting areas.
3) Being patient pays off!
4) Shoot your bow every day to make the shot automatic... I do not remember anything about the shot except for drawing, placing the pin where I wanted it and seeing the arrow connect.
5) Good friends at camp and during the hunt make all the difference in the world when feeling down about not connecting yet. see #3.
An absolutely incredible experience and one that I just had to share. Now, two more tags to fill this fall and a new freezer to purchase
Erik
