Wapiti Warrior
New member
So I was up in the mountains this past weekend, doing a little elk hunting. We decided one evening to walk in about 3 miles to a distant ridge and see if we could hear or see any elk. Up to this point we had not seen an elk or much sign. So around 6pm we hiked in to about where we wanted to be and decided to do a little calling and see if any elk would respond. I made 2 cow calls when a bugle echoed up out of draw about ¼ of a mile away. I looked at Bill and said lets work that way and see if we can get him to come into us. With the ground being so dry we knew we couldn’t sneak in on any animal with out them hearing us. So we went another 200 yards and called, again he bugled from the same spot. We decided to go another 100 yards where we could see the trees were thinning. It would be a good place to set up and see if he will come to us. I called again and this time he bugled and grunted a little more enthusiastically. To this point I had done mostly cow calls with a few wimpy bugles. It didn’t sound like he was willing to come up to us. So I thought let’s let him have it. I let out a deep growling bugle followed with some grunts and he screamed back at us. I then just let out some grunts and he came right back with deeper grunts. Now I know I have his interest. So I cow called again and waited for him to respond, nothing. I motioned to Bill to move farther down wind of me and get set up. Usually when a bull gets quiet they are sneaking in. He just got behind a small tree when he could see the bull below us. Bill motioned to me he could see the elk, so I let out a real quiet cow call, and here he comes. The bull gets about 100 yards from me and turns trying to circle down wind. Bill is set up down wind about 50 yards from my location. I now can see this nice 6 x 6 bull walking through the timber. Bill is ready and the bull is still circle down wind of us. I see Bill draw, but cannot see the elk. Suddenly Bill releases an arrow and I can hear crashing down below him. Holy crap he might have got him. Bill turns and looks at me and shakes his head no, bummer. I quickly cow call and the bulls stops where we first saw him, looking up at us. He acts like he wants to come back. After several more minutes he decides he has had enough and walks away up the ridge bugling as he is going. I walk down to Bill to see what happened and he said the bull went behind a tree so he drew and when the bull stepped out he put his pin on him and let the arrow fly. It went right over his back, clean miss. At this point it is starting to get dark so we go find his arrow, no blood, and start working our way back to the truck.
I haven’t bow hunted in the mountains in years, but that was as fun as actually getting an elk! I think I will try it again next year. :hump:
John
I haven’t bow hunted in the mountains in years, but that was as fun as actually getting an elk! I think I will try it again next year. :hump:
John
