54 replies to this topic

[Guide Girl]

I'm glad you documented your adventure with pictures.

[grndhntr]

Yeah, since a picture's worth a thousand words, I figure I've got more than a 14,000 word story going so far.

Edited by grndhntr, 21 May 2009 - 08:59 PM.

[grndhntr]

[SIZE="3"]So, It's now early Thursday morning . I'm lying in bed trying to talk myself into getting up. I almost went back to sleep but finally decided to "sleep after the season". With a 12 day season, you gotta use every day wisely. I arrived at the 23 acres much earlier than before. It was still quite dark out. My goal was to get into my makeshift blind as quietly as possible before it got light to cut off any bulls that were in the meadow before they made it up the hill and off the property. I was able to do that, but as the light came, so did the realization that there were no new tracks around and it looked like a repeat of yesterday with no elk spending the night in the area. When it got fully light, I decided to cirle the property to make sure I didn't miss any tracks. The property is fairly open through most of it and it was easy to cover. I was pretty confident that I hadn't missed anything, but right before I made it back to the car, I thought about the one corner of the property, covered in aspen trees, that I walked through earlier in the dark. I maybe could have missed seeing tracks there in the dark. I had just gotten into the aspen grove when I saw some fresh elk tracks. It wasn't long into following them that I noticed antlers through the trees. A little farther and I realized that there were 3 nice bulls about 100 yds. in front of me. I was unsure about how to procede. Right then, the wind was good, coming from my left, but it was swirling around and I was sure it would change soon. I decided to go right at the bulls, quietly but quickly, before the wind changed. When I was at about 70 yds., I felt the wind on the back of my neck and knew it was all over. The bulls jumped to their feet, but they didn't run. Instead, they just milled around nervously. It appeared that they didn't want to leave their bedding area if they didn't have to. I decided to try a tactic that has worked for me in the past. I started walking slowly to the side as if to pass around them, getting closer, but trying not to act threatening toward them. This allowed them to see what they were smelling. They were still nervous and started moving off, but not too quickly. I thought, "this would work if I just had more room", but we were all moving toward the border of the property. Even though they weren't running, they were keeping just out of range for me. Just before they got to the fence, I decided to at least get a picture of them. I reached for the pocket on the side of my backpack where my camera normally is...it wasn't there. I was stopped now, fumbling with my backpack to find my camera. Now that I wasn't moving, the elk didn't feel threatened and stopped as well. "Maybe there was a chance", I said to myself. I waited for them to turn away, quickly walked a bit closer, raised up the crossbow and shot, a miss, I shot under the closest bull. I noticed him limping a bit so I knew that I had hit his leg. I quickly cocked and reloaded, took a few steps closer, held a bit higher and shot again. This time the arrow flew true and center-punched him, right behind the front leg. I figured the shot at about 45 yards, a long shot for me.

Edited by grndhntr, 21 May 2009 - 09:06 PM.

[cingold]

grndhntr said:

I then went back to the property (about 180 acres)where I got my deer yesterday. I noticed that the ravens were cleaning up the carcass already. Speaking of carcasses, I then found another one on another part of the property. The ranch manager on this piece of land had shot a cow elk recently. I laid my crossbow bolt down on it for reference. You can see that the ribs are big on an elk and I figure you have a 1/3 chance of hitting one. That's why I shoot heavy arrows for elk.

That's a nice example why I also believe in rather heavy fixed blade broadheads. Thanks for posting!!

[grndhntr]

I walked to where the bull was standing and saw this:

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•  P1010260.JPG   65.68K   6 downloads
•  P1010260.JPG   65.68K   6 downloads

[grndhntr]

That picture was of the blood on the right side of the tracks (you can see the tracks to the left side of the picture). There was just about the same amount of blood on the left side, so I knew that the broadhead had made it through to the other side. I couldn't find my arrow though so I figured it probably hadn't completely made it through. I found out later that it had hung up on the fletching and stayed in the bull. I gave him some time (and me some time to settle down) and returned home to get my camera.

[grndhntr]

An hour later I made it back to the blood trail. It was a quick tracking job in the fresh snow and I found him about 200 yds. later. It took me several hours wrestling him by myself to get the cape and meat off of him. I was barely able to fit him in my hunting "truck".

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•  P1010266.JPG   105.18K   5 downloads

[grndhntr]

I had always dreamed of taking a bull like this but I am not normally a trophy hunter and would have been happy with a much smaller bull.

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•  IMG_2790.JPG   137.34K   2 downloads

[Lscha]

wow.

[grndhntr]

I just got him back from the taxidermist this last year, Dec. '08. My boys helped me get him on the wall. He was a nice Christmas present!

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•  Bull mount back.JPG   172.04K   96 downloads
•  Bull mount back.JPG   172.04K   96 downloads

[grndhntr]

...and another picture of him on the wall.

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•  Abe on the wall.JPG   146.08K   104 downloads
•  Abe on the wall.JPG   146.08K   104 downloads

[grndhntr]

Thanks for following along on my hunt. Hope ya'll enjoyed it.

[Guide Girl]

I did enjoy it! I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I saw him stuffed in the back of the car. Been there, done that, but with a Cadillac and a huge hog.
I understand trying to hang those big beasts too. It's always more than a one person job for sure. Just retrieving the ladder and setting it up will wear you out! Good story. Glad you shared.

[TRG3]

Thanks for sharing that very interesting story. A few years back, my son needed my truck for a couple of weeks while he was away at college, so I used his car while deer hunting. Taking a nice buck, I wrestled it into the trunk, a job that really brought out the sweat in me. After getting home a couple of hours later and the picture session was over, I tried to get him out of the trunk only to find that he had stiffened up and was really wedged in there. It took several of us tugging and pulling to finally pry him out. Think that's why they used to strap them across the hood? Tom

[Hunter2]

Nice Elk. Hunter2

[Capo]

Thanks for sharing your adventure with us. Interesting thing for me is that you got this bull with second shot.
Keep posting your experiences.

[grndhntr]

Yeah, I practice reloading and getting a second shot off fast for that purpose. Funny thing is I don't even remember reloading. I think I was watching the bull the whole time and did it by feel.

[skyking]

Great story and great hunt! I've rifle hunted in Co. several times and envy you living there. I have good friends that live in the Alamosa and Monte Vista area. Again thanks for posting.

[hunterfisher]

Thanks so much for sharing your successful elk hunt. It's a far off dream of mine to one day go elk hunting. Even if I got a cow, I would consider it a trophy. Thanks again.

Kenny

[Foghorn]

Thank you for sharing with us. I enjoyed it.