Well I couldn't see anything from where the Bull had been bedded, so I walked up the hill to where I thought I had got the shot. YES-- I found the tree and the tracks where he took off on a dead run. I search the area in the snow. NOTHING---NOTHING-- I find 2 neck hairs but knew I had yellow hair when I pulled the trigger. I radio my Dad and tell him I missed, no blood, no hair, nothing. My glimmer of hope had just died. I had blown my chance at a bull that anyone would love to get. I figured I might as well get on the tracks and see if I could track him down and maybe stick a hole in him. I followed the tracks sidehill for about 80 yds when I here the bull take off on a dead run down the hill. I get on the radio and tell my Dad to be ready because he is coming down. ( we had discussed earlier when thinking about trying a drive from above that this bull would probably not cross a road as he didn't get big by crossing roads he would most likely turn left and head into the thick cover ) Instead of following the sound I stayed on the tracks so not to loose him. Next I come across where he had bedded?
WHAT! This seems strange.
I stayed on the tracks going down the hill and then turning left going sidehill into the thick brush. BUT as I followed the tracks I find a small pin head size drop of blood
At least it was blood. I went another 50 yds before I found another drop about the size of a dime. Good red blood. But not much. I had a million things going through my head. I could see that he was dragging the left hind leg in the snow, but not much blood so it must have hit the lower leg. I then get the brilliant idea that I need to push him harder--you know to break the leg and the jagged bone cut the artery. HEY it sounded good.
I kept tracking and finding a bit more blood, I was feeling a little better than earlier, when all the sudden I can smell him, he is close, but I can't see him. He leads me back through my tracks and back and forth till I loose the track in the maze of tracks. I have to get the GPS out and go back to find where I had been as this had gone on for a couple hundred yds. He had ditched me by going between a brushy fir tree and stump, but now I was back on him and he was headed up the hill. He went right back to his original bed and bedded down.
?? I didn't know what to think. I found where he snuck out up the hill. I followed the tracks for another 50 yds when all the sudden the bull takes off right below me
I needed to get a hole in him. BOOM--BOOM And that's when I remembered -- YOU ONLY HAD TWO SHELLS
the bull stops and looks at me at 20 yds
I get on the radio and tell my Dad--You are not going to believe this--I'm standing here looking at this bull at 20 yds and I am out of ammo.
do I hit him over the head with my gun or get my knife out and stick him???I guess I will come down and get my other gun AND SOME MORE AMMO!!!! I marked the spot on the GPS headed up the hill over and back down to the rig to regroup. I told my Dad this has got to be the stupidest hunt ever. No one will ever believe it.
