C-Lublinkhof
10-06-2017, 09:30 PM
Well I figured i would get around to posting on here eventually. I enjoy reading everyone's posts and thought I may as well write one. Back on Sept. 8th i got out to sniff around an area I have spent alot of time in, and where i knew there was a good population of cows. I had never seen a bull in the area but at times in November, there had been upwards of 80 cows. I figured even though I hadn't seen a bull there yet or on my cameras, they had to show eventually as I knew the rut was heating up. I hiked in about 4Km to where I had seen lots of sign previously, and just as I arrived the bugles started up. They were wild and I could hear multiple bulls bugling and chuckling.
I started to cow call at them, but they didn't seem to be moving. So i started to sneak along through a thin strip of trees that seperated my cutblock from there's. Suddenly to my left i heard a crack and saw a three point bull staring at me. We had a short stare down, and as soon as i moved he was gone and took the rest of them with him.
I was feeling a little bummed afterwards but still on cloud nine at having been able to listen to these bulls going wild. I headed out back to my truck as it was already 10:00 and the elk had all gone silent.
I was busy the next morning, but did make it out on the saturday night. The only thing i saw was a fox though and some chickens. On the way out I ran into two other hunters sitting a cut block close to the road where I had parked. We had a friendly chat and i discovered that two days before they had run into them to, and had missed low on a 5x5 bull. We said our goodbyes and wished each other luck and I decided I would let them have the area to themselves the next morning as it was their last day.
On the Monday morning it was miserable, drizzling and 2C. But i had a feeling it was perfect weather to keep them moving. I made my way the 4km into the area 45min before sunrise and watched the sun come up over the cutblocks. Things were quiet so I decided to do some cow calling while i slowly moved from block to block. Approx 8:30 I heard a bugle about a mile off and I knew it was game on. I bugled back to get a fix on his location and he answered right away! I started hustling to get around downwind and knew i was going to have to bushwack to get into a favourable postion. I slowly worked my way through the bush with him still bugling occasionly. Then finally i could see a secluded cutblock coming into view and the distinctive sight of elk bums.
I slowly worked my way in to 5 yards away from the treeline and leaned against a poplar. A short willow in front of me provided the perfect screen and the wind was directly in my face. I let out a cow call and he screamed as soon as i finished, I could see him turn towards me. I slowly brought up the binos to have a look and knew right away he was legal. I started cow calling to try to lure him away from his six cows. It didn't take much convincing before i could see him trotting my way with head up and bugling every 40-50 yards. I readied my bow when he got to forty yards and drew at thirty. He kept coming towards me and stopped slightly quarted towards me at fifteen. Sides heaving and head high, he looked around for where he knew his cow should be and i let fly. I heard the thwack that meant I had hit him. He shrugged it off like he hadn't felt it and took another five steps then looked back at me. We locked eyes as I slowly reached for another arrow. Suddenly blood was running out of both sides as he looked and me and his legs started to get shaky. He slowly stumbled and then keeled over backwards only a few yards from where I had hit him.
I was ecstatic, and i slowly walked out to look at my trophy. He is not big by any means but he is a trophy to me, and it was an amazing experience to harvest my first animal with the bow. It was also funny realizing it was the same 5x5 the other fellow had missed low.
That was when the work began. Having only shot whitetails before this, it was an eye opener how much larger an elk is. I can gut a deer in minutes but that elk was closer to 45. I quartered him out and began packing it to the closest quad trail which was about 1km over an old cut block. I had my bull down at 9:30 and it took me till 3:30 to get it all out. Packed to the trail, then the hike back to get the quad from my truck, got the quad stuck multiple times. Then to get it loaded up and the 4km quad ride out. All was well worth it though to have a freezer full of meat, and to harvest such a beautiful animal.
I started to cow call at them, but they didn't seem to be moving. So i started to sneak along through a thin strip of trees that seperated my cutblock from there's. Suddenly to my left i heard a crack and saw a three point bull staring at me. We had a short stare down, and as soon as i moved he was gone and took the rest of them with him.
I was feeling a little bummed afterwards but still on cloud nine at having been able to listen to these bulls going wild. I headed out back to my truck as it was already 10:00 and the elk had all gone silent.
I was busy the next morning, but did make it out on the saturday night. The only thing i saw was a fox though and some chickens. On the way out I ran into two other hunters sitting a cut block close to the road where I had parked. We had a friendly chat and i discovered that two days before they had run into them to, and had missed low on a 5x5 bull. We said our goodbyes and wished each other luck and I decided I would let them have the area to themselves the next morning as it was their last day.
On the Monday morning it was miserable, drizzling and 2C. But i had a feeling it was perfect weather to keep them moving. I made my way the 4km into the area 45min before sunrise and watched the sun come up over the cutblocks. Things were quiet so I decided to do some cow calling while i slowly moved from block to block. Approx 8:30 I heard a bugle about a mile off and I knew it was game on. I bugled back to get a fix on his location and he answered right away! I started hustling to get around downwind and knew i was going to have to bushwack to get into a favourable postion. I slowly worked my way through the bush with him still bugling occasionly. Then finally i could see a secluded cutblock coming into view and the distinctive sight of elk bums.
I slowly worked my way in to 5 yards away from the treeline and leaned against a poplar. A short willow in front of me provided the perfect screen and the wind was directly in my face. I let out a cow call and he screamed as soon as i finished, I could see him turn towards me. I slowly brought up the binos to have a look and knew right away he was legal. I started cow calling to try to lure him away from his six cows. It didn't take much convincing before i could see him trotting my way with head up and bugling every 40-50 yards. I readied my bow when he got to forty yards and drew at thirty. He kept coming towards me and stopped slightly quarted towards me at fifteen. Sides heaving and head high, he looked around for where he knew his cow should be and i let fly. I heard the thwack that meant I had hit him. He shrugged it off like he hadn't felt it and took another five steps then looked back at me. We locked eyes as I slowly reached for another arrow. Suddenly blood was running out of both sides as he looked and me and his legs started to get shaky. He slowly stumbled and then keeled over backwards only a few yards from where I had hit him.
I was ecstatic, and i slowly walked out to look at my trophy. He is not big by any means but he is a trophy to me, and it was an amazing experience to harvest my first animal with the bow. It was also funny realizing it was the same 5x5 the other fellow had missed low.
That was when the work began. Having only shot whitetails before this, it was an eye opener how much larger an elk is. I can gut a deer in minutes but that elk was closer to 45. I quartered him out and began packing it to the closest quad trail which was about 1km over an old cut block. I had my bull down at 9:30 and it took me till 3:30 to get it all out. Packed to the trail, then the hike back to get the quad from my truck, got the quad stuck multiple times. Then to get it loaded up and the 4km quad ride out. All was well worth it though to have a freezer full of meat, and to harvest such a beautiful animal.