Cow Elk Success !!!!
I didn’t draw a buck tag in Utah this year but I really wanted to go hunting so I got an archery cow elk tag instead. The tag was good for a cow or a spike elk. The drive to Utah was long pulling the trailer and we listened to a few hours of Brandon’s pod casts to get us pumped up for the hunt. I have seen cow elk while deer hunting in past seasons but never went after them. I had a few spots in mind and set in a ground blind on opening morning. 6:30 AM I had 6 bulls on me. 3 bulls in front. 4x4, 3x2, and a 5x5. Behind me were 3 spikes. I didn’t have a shot behind me and they eventually winded me and took off. 10:00 AM a 6x6 bull walked by. Day #2 I saw nothing all day and nothing at night on the trail camera.
My backup spot was a water hole closer to camp. I had 2 elk on the trail camera there so I gave it a try. My first sit over the water hole Monday night I had 4 doe’s and a spike deer walk by. Only 2 stopped to drink. At 7:00 PM the spike deer got spooked and ran down the trail by me just 10 ft way. I could hear elk moving through the dark timber. 30 minutes later I could hear and see something getting close. I picked up my bow, turned on the video camera, and got ready for a quick shot if it didn’t stop for a drink. My first sight through the dark timber I saw a cow elk. But she didn’t look right. A second later I could see it was a hunter walking with an elk decoy attached to his bow. I whistled and waved to let him know I was there. ( Lucky for him I don’t shoot at things without knowing what they are.) So , That sucks, my hunt was over with this guy walking down the side of the mountain face and right through my set. The next day I sat the water hole again and had a huge black bear walk under me. That’s just as bad as having the hunter walk through. Frustrated that both of my spots were not producing I set up another camera in a spot I have been watching for about 7 years. I had never setup a stand there in years past because it only had elk and never a deer. The spot was high up on the mountain and an hour from camp. Midday Tuesday I hung a tree stand and backed out. That night I sat the water hole spot again and saw nothing. I planned to hunt the new stand in the morning but that night my buddy hit a cow elk and we were out on the blood trail until 2:00AM. No luck. Onx app helped us get back to the quads and showed we trailed her for 800 yards and 100 of it on our knees. We were beat, and so were the 3 others from our camp that were out helping. The next day he replayed the shot and the arrow had hit a stick and deflected. There was very little blood and I think she’ll recover.
I slept in Wednesday morning to recover from the late night of blood trailing before. I wanted a fresh start at this new stand. I showered in the trailer, put on all clean camo and even hand washed my lucky boxers in the sink. (Total Weirdo, I Know) I headed up to the new stand. I didn’t have all of the shooting lanes opened up yet because I ran out of time the day I set it up but it would have to do for the first hunt. It was a hang on stand and there was no place for my video camera so a placed the wrap around mount to my leg. I settled in and at 6:30 PM I heard something. A single cow elk was walking up the trail. She stood just 20 yards from me for 15 minutes but was facing straight toward me. A terrible shot angle. I thought about taking that shot and thought about going home kicking myself for letting her go. 15 minutes is a long time to wait for the perfect shot, but it did finally happen. With the camera rolling she took two steps and was now broadside. I drew back and shot her in the heart. She ran 25 yards and I saw her fall over. WOW !!!! My first elk, and with my bow. So glad I waited for the perfect shot and was able to put her down quickly.
I tagged her ear and hiked out. I drove down to a location I could reach camp with the radio to let my friends know I had an elk down and to come up to help. Then I hiked back in to get to work. It was 10:30 PM and I was still working away on getting her cut into manageable size quarters. My headlamp and other flashlight were getting dim and I had a bear circling me. No side arm and I had already put my bow in the truck. I would yell and bark like a dog and that kept him at a distance. I was very focused on my meat work then I hear a branch break and I froze to hear where it came from. It was dead silent. Then I hear really loud on the radio “ JIM, GOT A COPY? “ I jumped out of my skin it was so loud. But I was glad the guys were finally in range and almost there. I hiked out to meet them and walked them in to the kill site to help me. The four of us made quick work of what was left and we hiked out. I’m very stoked to have killed my first elk and the kids like the steaks ! Can’t wait for the local deer season !
I didn’t draw a buck tag in Utah this year but I really wanted to go hunting so I got an archery cow elk tag instead. The tag was good for a cow or a spike elk. The drive to Utah was long pulling the trailer and we listened to a few hours of Brandon’s pod casts to get us pumped up for the hunt. I have seen cow elk while deer hunting in past seasons but never went after them. I had a few spots in mind and set in a ground blind on opening morning. 6:30 AM I had 6 bulls on me. 3 bulls in front. 4x4, 3x2, and a 5x5. Behind me were 3 spikes. I didn’t have a shot behind me and they eventually winded me and took off. 10:00 AM a 6x6 bull walked by. Day #2 I saw nothing all day and nothing at night on the trail camera.
My backup spot was a water hole closer to camp. I had 2 elk on the trail camera there so I gave it a try. My first sit over the water hole Monday night I had 4 doe’s and a spike deer walk by. Only 2 stopped to drink. At 7:00 PM the spike deer got spooked and ran down the trail by me just 10 ft way. I could hear elk moving through the dark timber. 30 minutes later I could hear and see something getting close. I picked up my bow, turned on the video camera, and got ready for a quick shot if it didn’t stop for a drink. My first sight through the dark timber I saw a cow elk. But she didn’t look right. A second later I could see it was a hunter walking with an elk decoy attached to his bow. I whistled and waved to let him know I was there. ( Lucky for him I don’t shoot at things without knowing what they are.) So , That sucks, my hunt was over with this guy walking down the side of the mountain face and right through my set. The next day I sat the water hole again and had a huge black bear walk under me. That’s just as bad as having the hunter walk through. Frustrated that both of my spots were not producing I set up another camera in a spot I have been watching for about 7 years. I had never setup a stand there in years past because it only had elk and never a deer. The spot was high up on the mountain and an hour from camp. Midday Tuesday I hung a tree stand and backed out. That night I sat the water hole spot again and saw nothing. I planned to hunt the new stand in the morning but that night my buddy hit a cow elk and we were out on the blood trail until 2:00AM. No luck. Onx app helped us get back to the quads and showed we trailed her for 800 yards and 100 of it on our knees. We were beat, and so were the 3 others from our camp that were out helping. The next day he replayed the shot and the arrow had hit a stick and deflected. There was very little blood and I think she’ll recover.
I slept in Wednesday morning to recover from the late night of blood trailing before. I wanted a fresh start at this new stand. I showered in the trailer, put on all clean camo and even hand washed my lucky boxers in the sink. (Total Weirdo, I Know) I headed up to the new stand. I didn’t have all of the shooting lanes opened up yet because I ran out of time the day I set it up but it would have to do for the first hunt. It was a hang on stand and there was no place for my video camera so a placed the wrap around mount to my leg. I settled in and at 6:30 PM I heard something. A single cow elk was walking up the trail. She stood just 20 yards from me for 15 minutes but was facing straight toward me. A terrible shot angle. I thought about taking that shot and thought about going home kicking myself for letting her go. 15 minutes is a long time to wait for the perfect shot, but it did finally happen. With the camera rolling she took two steps and was now broadside. I drew back and shot her in the heart. She ran 25 yards and I saw her fall over. WOW !!!! My first elk, and with my bow. So glad I waited for the perfect shot and was able to put her down quickly.
I tagged her ear and hiked out. I drove down to a location I could reach camp with the radio to let my friends know I had an elk down and to come up to help. Then I hiked back in to get to work. It was 10:30 PM and I was still working away on getting her cut into manageable size quarters. My headlamp and other flashlight were getting dim and I had a bear circling me. No side arm and I had already put my bow in the truck. I would yell and bark like a dog and that kept him at a distance. I was very focused on my meat work then I hear a branch break and I froze to hear where it came from. It was dead silent. Then I hear really loud on the radio “ JIM, GOT A COPY? “ I jumped out of my skin it was so loud. But I was glad the guys were finally in range and almost there. I hiked out to meet them and walked them in to the kill site to help me. The four of us made quick work of what was left and we hiked out. I’m very stoked to have killed my first elk and the kids like the steaks ! Can’t wait for the local deer season !
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