Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: sneakyjake on January 06, 2013, 10:20:01 AM

Title: Lessons from a bowhunter
Post by: sneakyjake on January 06, 2013, 10:20:01 AM: While you girls were arguing over the effects of the word crap, I decided to go out and shoot something. Just kidding. Filled my winston tag, no hoof rot. She was healthy, but not a lot of fat on her. Getting chased around
all fall will probably do that. Hunted three days. Not used to using a rifle. I read about people shooting the wrong animals and finding dead ones that were mistakenly shot. Archery is very intimate. You spend a little time watching the animals at a close distance before you shoot. This rifle hunting has a lot of room for error. More then once I was trying to acquire an animal in the dark woods. Not being able to identify the spike, antlers, or lack of them seemed to be a problem. It would be very easy to take a hasty shot, which I am glad I did not, and have to walk away from a dead elk.

I saw this herd moving across the hillside and climbed the hill to get in position for the shot. As I was moving in I noticed two people stalking the herd on the hill. I stayed out of sight from the animals and tried to give the couple a chance at the animals without busting their hunt. After some time without a shot I figured the elk were way out of their range because they were moving away from them in the first place. I moved into place for a shot and caught the herd before it moved into a woodlot. I aimed at the lead animal and after a second realized it was a bull. Then it donned on me that there could very easily be spikes in the group. At a distance of 220 or so, I can definitely say it was grueling trying to pick the spikes out from the cows. I let the herd go and moved to a new postion, found a stump and looked real hard. I'm not sure how you guys do it. Even though I picked out a cow, I was still panicked as I walked up the the elk. Not a good feeling. A buddy came and helped a few hours into the dressing. Took about 5 hours.

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Title: Re: Lessons from a bowhunter
Post by: ellensburgpo on January 06, 2013, 10:22:08 AM: Nice pictures, congrats on the elk.
Title: Re: Lessons from a bowhunter
Post by: kenzmad on January 06, 2013, 12:27:09 PM: Nice looking cow. I hear you on the spikes though. Some of the spikes we seen had 3-4" spikes. Hard to see those in the early morning or late afternoon. Glad you got one without hoof rot, not too many did.
Title: Re: Lessons from a bowhunter
Post by: HuntNFish on January 06, 2013, 05:13:56 PM: Nice job man. I will be over soon to get some steaks :drool:
Title: Re: Lessons from a bowhunter
Post by: buck man on January 06, 2013, 05:28:18 PM: Nice job! :tup:
Title: Re: Lessons from a bowhunter
Post by: BullMagnet76 on January 06, 2013, 05:56:56 PM: Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Lessons from a bowhunter
Post by: sneakyjake on January 07, 2013, 09:21:18 AM: Had some of the tastiest tenders I have had in a long time last night. I forgot how big they are on an elk. Meats hanging in the garage, let you know when the steaks are ready Brian. Saw Kenz camped out on the corner, hooted at you guys as I drove by friday night after I got done getting the elk out. Looked like you were enjoying a nice big campfire. I may have to buy a rifle after this year, it seems to be putting meat on the table.