# My general archery elk hunt.



## 10yearquest (Oct 15, 2009)

I had a good hunt this year. I will touch on the high points. Opening morning me and franklin went into an area I have hunted before but with a totally different approach, where most guys going in here take the small road to the top and hunt from there, usually up, we started down at the bottom and about half a mile from the road. This was good as about 300 yards in we still hunted within bow range of a coyote. He ran away however before Either of us got a small game arrow out. We sat down and I did a couple sets of cow calls and then some kissing squeels. I am trying to get the yote back to us. It worked. Too bad he came in behind us!! We got up to continue hunting deer and elk and got a big suprise as we came to an opening in the trees about 70 yards across. Here comes three elk. One cow, a calf, and a small 4piontish bull. I guess the cow calls got their attention. We freeze and they stop at the edge.. I cow call one more time and, Uh oh! mama has seen this before and isnt buying it.. Off they go. We bumped them later and also saw two deer and one more coyote. No shots were taken but it was a good opener. 
Next we went into an area where I have seen many deer and a few elk in. The heat and lack of rain have made the forest really dry so we were going very slow. Walk a little stop alot. Not slow enough though, the few deer we saw, one nice buck and a small herd of does, they know we are coming and move away before we can get within 50 yards. No elk today. 
One night we go to a waterhole way up high in the same basin we were in for the opener and after sitting for a bit I do a couple cow calls and spook the deer thats coming in from behind us and to the left. A small three point. He runs aways and stops at 54 yards. I draw back settle the pin and let it go. He was gone when it got there. spooky little bugger!! I go get my arrow and hear something coming down the rocky hill above us. We hurry into position and wait but Whatever it was never came down, likely got wind of us. The wind at this waterhole always swirls. Its late so we get up to leave and barely make it fourty yards when frank tells me to freeze "I saw movement up ahead." I am looking and then out steps a cow elk. There's three of them and they are fifty yards ahead of us. The smallest of the three stays put while the other two circle towards the waterhole. Right into our scent. They turn and start trotting away, back toward the other one, right in front of us, and I let out a cow call. Franklins got his bow up and drawn but she stopped with a tree in the way. Then she takes off and the third one is nearing the same opening cow call again and she stops wide open. Frank lets the arrow fly.. Right over its back!
Its now the last saturday. My brother in law "Tates" has joined us. Still hot and dry. That night Tates and Frank go sit on a couple good wallows and I go sit the same waterhole. I should have slowed down cause by the time I get there I am sweating. I get set up and the shadows draw long. Between the shifting breeze and the sweat I am soon shivering in the trees. That sunshine on the grass there sure looks nice. Just a few minutes and then I'll sit tight till dark. I am laying there next to the waters edge with my head on a rock and the warm sun shining on me. Somewhere behind me on the other side of the water a squirrel is making a bunch of racket and throwing crap out of the tree or so I think. I turn over and look to see a small bull walking away from the waterhole about 60 yards out. Crap!! He ignores my cow calls.
Later that week. Tates last day up so we stick together and are going to try to get him an elk by calling. We have heard some bugles at dusk and its gotten a little cooler. We go way up high and head in on a trail that goes very far into the wilderness. I have hunted here before and most guys go in on horses and go far. We go in about 2 miles and start up into the pines moving slow and looking for fresh sign. Stopping often to listen for any elk like noises. About halfway up the hill we stop and here something to our left. We set up in a jagged line about 15 yards apart with me as the caller. I call a little and wait. Nothing, nothing, then very faintly a cow call, then a couple more I call back and get a few more back. They are coming from our right. Crap! I was supposed to be the caller! Two cows come into view.Headed right to me. Closer Closer now really close I pull my bow up she glances for a split second then takes another step while I draw my bow. I aim for the heart and wack!! I see my fletching sticking out of her as she runs. She goes about 40 yards and lays down. Shes groaning. Tates can see them good and he decides to try and shoot the other one. He hits a tree and they both take off running. I am not worried yet as I am sure I hit good. We get back together and all agree it was a good hit. We head up to where she was and start following. She lays down a good patch of dark semi foamy blood and a good puddle of bright red stuff near where she layed down. I then cant seem to find another drop!! We search and search and finnally find more. Its not alot and its dark Uhoh!! time to wait This time I get out my GPS and time it Thirty minutes. We follow and wait and follow and wait again. On and on the blood trail leads. Then I come around some trees and there she lays. Three quarters of a mile By GPS from where I shot her in the heart. Of course things arent always what they seem. I did not hit the heart. Nor the lungs. Not much of the liver either. That front leg must have been back when I shot cause I was too far back. I consider myself quite lucky and thank god that I was able to recover this elk. Next time I am going for a for the lungs they are much easier to hit!! [attachment=0:ni5eytpq]Archery elk 2010.jpg[/attachment:ni5eytpq]


----------



## Briar Patch (Feb 1, 2010)

Nice to hear you had a good hunt, and you're heading home with somethin for the freezer.


----------



## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

Nice cow there.in joy those steaks.


----------



## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

good job! did you intentionally pull her tongue out that far?


----------



## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Good story. Enjoy the meat!


----------



## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

NICE!!


----------

