Post by: saylean on September 10, 2009, 08:55:34 PM
One guy in our camp scored opening day with a spike.
Opening day I was in my blind, but only had a shooter (true spike) and a 2X1 and a cow come in...no luck, they winded me before they got past the brush.
I did score on this grouse with a Judo tip at 24.5 yards....landed in a tree by the blind and landed by me.
He tasted great with a little garlic salt back at camp. ;)
I was in my blind the second day, I was losing hope, as I normally only see action in the morning and it was gettin on in the morning...
Then a hear a ruckus...crashing, bugling, screaming, chirping...here they come!
a herd of about 200 or so passed, it took literally about 20 minutes for them to pass by. The noise was incredible.
They were splitting past my blind...to low down the gully to hit, to high on the hill to get a clear shot...
I make a break for the upper part (40 yard dash), spot a spike, but just as he gets into shot range a 5 pt blocks the shot...I ease off the bow.
Another spike comes up...up the hill..I estimate the distance...over shoot by a mile, clean miss (elk fever/adrenaline big time)...they are startled, but not panicked...off some go, more are coming.
I look down the hill...a spike is going right by my blind, within 15 ft or so...I go down the hill about 40 yards to get a shot...he is blocked by a tree...I move a bit, pull back...some more stuff in the way...He moves, I move...he bolts...no shot...I relax the bow. If I just would have stayed in my blind! :bash:
Here comes anothe spike with two cows...the two cows go between two trees and the spike follows...pauses for the shot..30 yards...
Did you ever see Pulp Fiction where Sam Jackson and Travolta should have been dead (bullets were in the wall where they were standing)...?
Thats what happened here. I missed. I dont know if i shot low or high (couldnt find the arrow)...I had him dead to rights...the only thing I can figure as I replay it in my head...I dont remember looking throught the peep sight..
He jogged off for about 20ft...stopped in some brush ( I could see his sides...no arrow or blood), he stood for about 15 seconds and walked off....I checked his path for blood, by the bush, 100% sure of a clean miss.
Now it is just stragglers following the main herd...
As I look for the arrow, I hear a cow cough and look up...100 yards down the trail I am standing on, here come two cows...
I move one step up the hill off the trail..keep in mind, Im in plain view. They pass right by me...within arms lenght. The first cow decides to piss right where I am standing...almost on my boot.
Off they go...I shake my head and go back to the blind, sleep for a few a bit.
I decide to follow the herd, since they arent spooked...who knows where they stopped. I get to a bowl and decide to take a leak,....a doe busts me and she notices a spike bull getting up about 70 yards behind me, about the time I hear him.
I then move on just a bit into the bowl..and blow the old cow call...some chirping...chirping everywhere, I am surrounded in a clear cut and trees by elk.
I dont have a bugle, so I blow on the coyote call with a high pitched call...bulls respond from everywhere, bugling right back, thrashing about, you wouldnt believe it.
I end up playing cat and mouse with they guys for about 4 hours...being surrounded, using my cow call to cover my sounds. I was within 20 ft to I dont know how many elk. I got to watch a cow elk chase a deer around for about 5 minutes, a very cool thing to see.
Here are some pics...not of any elk...I didnt want to spoil any shots for a shot and I often ditched my back pack and hiked without it..
Post by: cabin308 on September 10, 2009, 09:00:43 PM
Post by: TeacherMan on September 10, 2009, 09:08:17 PM
Post by: lamar_hunter on September 10, 2009, 09:09:12 PM
Post by: mulehunter on September 10, 2009, 09:09:24 PM
Mulehunter 8)
Post by: MagKarl on September 10, 2009, 09:14:19 PM
Post by: bankwalker on September 10, 2009, 09:33:03 PM
man sounds like a great hunt. i know i had a day like that last year. had this spike within bow range 5 or 6 times but never had a clear shot. ended up missing a cow twice about 3 minutes after the run in with the spike.
it sure gets your blood going with elk all around you.
Post by: bowhunterforever on September 10, 2009, 10:00:04 PM
Post by: saylean on September 11, 2009, 06:59:47 AM
Pinch points can be a bear.
Post by: zackmioli on September 11, 2009, 09:02:25 AM
Post by: GreenHunter on September 11, 2009, 09:37:09 AM
That must have been amazing to be surrounded by so many and really frustrating to have no success.
Post by: KimberRich on September 11, 2009, 09:51:41 AM
Post by: saylean on September 11, 2009, 10:03:38 AM
You might want to buy a rangefinder. Did you check your sight when you got back to camp?
That must have been amazing to be surrounded by so many and really frustrating to have no success.
I have a Nikon range finder (hence the connection with the grouse)...I shot the range on the second elk, didnt have time on the first shot, hence my surprise on how I missed. I didnt shoot when I got to camp, as the previous day smacking a grouse at 24.5 yards was no problem.
I have been practicing judging distance...walking around, judging then shooting and confirming with the range finder...I seem to be over guessing by ten yards constantly.
Practice makes perfect I guess.
Post by: Hornseeker on September 11, 2009, 11:10:32 AM
Keep after them! :IBCOOL:
Post by: LongTatLaw on September 11, 2009, 01:05:08 PM
Post by: Wea300mag on September 11, 2009, 04:33:51 PM
Post by: saylean on September 11, 2009, 11:04:33 PM
I am confident I can make it happen...besides,...I want the meat!