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09-20-2020, 01:18 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Medicine Hat
Posts: 125
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First Archery Success
I started off bowhunting maybe ten years ago, before the dog and before the family, those first few years brought me a few close chances but never could seal the deal, through the years with a growing family and less and less free time coupled with ever expanding hunting and shooting interests the archery thing just kinda dwindled into nothing, would pick it up with intentions of hunting that year but never quite made it happen, this year with a bull moose tag in my pocket i really wanted to give the archery thing a fair shake...
Having lost an animal with a bow before I started with getting back into shooting and spent a fair bit of time this summer getting some confidence back with my ability to make a clean shot, with confidence restored and plans to hunt elk with a very good friend it was off to the hills in search of elk
The first morning out, and nothing spotted other than hunters we decided to head into the bush and see if we could locate some elk by calling....ten minutes into calling we started getting a response, couldn't seem to get them to move in to us so we planned on trying to get in a little closer to them and try calling again....when we started to call at this new location it was clear that we got right into the elk, likely within 150 yards, with the bull bugling at us it was clear that they were coming our way....in the meantime a spike bull had made his way up underneath me and having planned on taking anything that presented a clean opportunity i attached my release to to my D loop....
This bull was close, close enough I figured no need to even range him(stupid I know)...but as I was beginning to draw my bow I started thinking about all the times I have ever messed this up and the possibility of losing an animal if I make a poor shot so I let down my bow and gave him a quick range....the reading was 18.7 yards, perfect... I drew my bow settled my 20 yard pin where i thought it should be and let the arrow loose
The arrow found its mark and off the bull went crashing though the bush, through a gulley and then what sounded like a big crash into some deadfall....needing to give the spike some time to expire and with the other elk still calling we kept up our calling to see if we could get him to separate from his cows , this went on for another fifteen minutes or so until the wind swirled and all of a sudden it was radio silence from this group of elk, having figured they got our wind and with one already on the ground it was time to go find my elk, After I had shot my elk i could see him bleeding and that the arrow had gone through both sides leaving fletching hanging out one side and the broadhead out the other but upon finding the spot he was standing when hit the first few yards of the blood trail did not look promising and thoughts of the animal I lost years ago quickly came to mind....we tracked drops of blood here and there for ten yards or so until the floodgates opened up and the blood trail was obvious enough a blind guy could follow it, another 30 yards down the trail we found my elk piled up into some deadfall....It was all high fives until the realization set in that now we have to pack this thing out haha, yes it is just a spike but being able to share my first archery harvest with a good friend is as good of a trophy as i could ask for
I cant thank my friend enough for hunting with me and for calling this bull in, it was an awesome experience and I now anxiously await my moose hunt this coming week
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09-20-2020, 01:22 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 40
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Awesome story! Congrats!!
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09-20-2020, 01:22 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Medicine Hat
Posts: 125
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Here he is
Sent from my SM-A205W using Tapatalk
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09-20-2020, 01:46 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 307
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Well done!
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09-20-2020, 02:47 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 455
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Beauty, great story!
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09-20-2020, 03:13 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Calgary Area
Posts: 277
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Awesome! Congrats. Thanks for sharing the story. That is absolutely a trophy elk.
__________________
Proud member of the Boom and Crockpot and Poke and Yum Clubs - Eating tomorrow's trophies today.
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09-20-2020, 03:32 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Provost
Posts: 5,011
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Congrats ! Its definitely a rush !!
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09-20-2020, 03:52 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: My House
Posts: 13,481
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Way to go!!! Such a great read. Happy for you.
Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk
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09-20-2020, 04:31 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,787
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Congrats, man! Well done.
I have tried to get myself ready for this season as well, but it didn’t work out due to one thing or another coming in the way.
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09-20-2020, 06:45 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Edmonton Ab
Posts: 383
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Well done! Congrats on the bull and thanks for the story!!
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09-21-2020, 05:27 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: North Sask.
Posts: 358
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That's awesome.
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09-21-2020, 05:32 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 24,657
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Dam fine right there...congrats!
__________________
Be careful when you follow the masses, sometimes the "M" is silent...
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09-21-2020, 10:12 AM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: A bit North o' Center...
Posts: 11,206
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Congratulations! Great elk, and I enjoyed the story too.
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09-21-2020, 10:40 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Beaumont
Posts: 3,391
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Congrats!
__________________
The kill is the satisfying, indeed essential, conclusion to a successful hunt. But, I take no pleasure in the act itself. One does not hunt in order to kill, but kills in order to have hunted. Then why do I hunt? I hunt for the same reason my well-fed cat hunts...because I must, because it is in the blood, because I am the decendent of a thousand generations of hunters. I hunt because I am a hunter.- Finn Aagard
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09-24-2020, 11:08 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 31
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Congrats on the bow harvest! Are there zones that allow for a spiker, as I thought only 3 point minimum is the norm. Or would a spike fall into the anterless designation? Honest question as I my self passed on a spiker at 10 yards this last week, thinking he wasn’t fair game. Did I miss an opportunity?
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09-24-2020, 11:56 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 8,365
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Beauty Bull. Congrats.
Thanks for taking the time to post and share your story.
BW
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09-24-2020, 02:10 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Strathcona County
Posts: 2,170
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigguns
Congrats on the bow harvest! Are there zones that allow for a spiker, as I thought only 3 point minimum is the norm. Or would a spike fall into the anterless designation? Honest question as I my self passed on a spiker at 10 yards this last week, thinking he wasn’t fair game. Did I miss an opportunity?
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Yes there are zones that say antlered or antlerless that don’t have the 3 point min. 4 inches is an antler but if it is a general tag archery season, it may only change what you’re keeping as evidence of sex.
Congrats on filling the freezer with some of the best table fare. I know what it is like to have reduced hunting time for the same reasons.
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09-24-2020, 02:57 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central AB
Posts: 1,705
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigguns
Congrats on the bow harvest! Are there zones that allow for a spiker, as I thought only 3 point minimum is the norm. Or would a spike fall into the anterless designation? Honest question as I my self passed on a spiker at 10 yards this last week, thinking he wasn’t fair game. Did I miss an opportunity?
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Yes it depends on the zone but yes there are. Congrats pavilion on the great harvest
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09-24-2020, 06:54 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 11,409
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Nicely done!!
__________________
“One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce, and canonized those who complain.”
Thomas Sowell
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