This year during bow season I called 4 bulls in, my forth was the only one I was able to get within 40 yards. I was by myself on the last hour of bow season and in the middle of a rut fest. I drew and held for about 2 min and gave a whistle stopping him in the perfect spot between two trees. 30 yard I guessed and let loose. The arrow went right under him. It gets worse, he stayed and looked at me as I slowely put another arrow on the rest. Drew back 70 lbs as slow as I could and accidently used my 50 yard pin. Went over his back. I was so upset I wanted to throw up right there.
This was my very first year bowhunting elk. Has anyone messed up as bad as me. I feel like I am not worthy of hunting anymore.
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Conservation would not exist without Hunters!
"If your mouth is moving, your not learning anything!" (ME)
That sounds like my bow season this year as well. I didn't get any chances on legal bucks (there is a 4 point on one side antler restriction in the MO county I hunt in) and I missed a rather large Tom turkey, not once but twice! First time he side-stepped right when I loosened my arrow and being a 40 yard shot, he moved out of the way justin the nick-of-time. He then came back around for a second shot and I totally misjudged his distance and shot over his back The second shot buried itself in a dead tree and scared the hell out of the turkey (sounded like a damnbaseball bat hitting the tree). Oh well, I think I'm going to hang up archery for a few seasons, at least til I finish my master's degree
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CZ-550, .30-06
--Leupold Vari-X II 3-9 x 40
Remington 870 express
--Indian Creek Black Diamond Strike Choke
--SureShot Stock
Winchester 1300 Upland special
Parker Ultra-light 31
--Slick Trick Magnums, 100 grain
CVA Accura Stainless, .50 Cal
--Leupold USMS, 3-9 x 40
It is hard to remember everything in the heat of the moment, I had a few years when I found the bow back, and no clue as to the yardage. It sounds like you did everything right up until then. When I head into the elk woods, I am not ashamed to admit that my range finder always hangs on my neck, and is tucked into my shirt. Before I call, the first thing I do is range some landmarks around me, it helps greatly and will make you more confident in your shot.
Just inexperience, I did have a rangefinder, in fact it was around my neck. I got lazy towards the end of the day and this bull came out of no where. I had about 4-5 bugling all around me, by the time this one crested the nearby hill, I had to draw my bow b/c my rest is a little noisy and I coundn't afford a whisker biscuit this year. I didn't want to scare it off, plus its like right when you see this enourmous creature coming towards you, you lose your mind!
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Conservation would not exist without Hunters!
"If your mouth is moving, your not learning anything!" (ME)
That's elk hunting my friend. Me, 40 yard pin at a 30 yard 5X5! Sailed right over his back.
Your hunting skills must be pretty good for a newbie. Since you were in the elk. Those "videos" will keep playing in your head until next year, when you rewind them and tell yourself not to repeat them!
I use a range finder constantly. When I sit for a minute, I'll range various trees/bushes/rocks around me so I know my distances (within a yard or two) should an elk come in.
3 words for ya: PRACTICE ~ PRACTICE ~ PRACTICE
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I want to leave this world like my Grandpa . . .
Happy and asleep.
Not kicking and screaming like everyone else in the car!
First off, Let me say that I've done the same thing before. In fact I've done dumber stuff, so Don't get discouraged.
Now for the meat. Your perspective is all wrong. Again its a common mistake especially for hunters early in their hunting careers. As a matter of fact some hunters never outgrow it. Your problem is its all about the kill right now. It sounds like you had a whale of an experience. I would say that you had a tremendous amount of success for anyone, let alone for your first year out. You where in what you term a "rut fest". Think about it this way: Many folks hunt their whole lifes and never experience that. So stop dwelling on the one negative experience, and look at all the positive things that happened.
Quote:
I feel like I am not worthy of hunting anymore.
Stow that crap away!! Or remove the Ranger emblem from your posts. Its: "Rangers lead the way!" Not: "Rangers like to Belly Ache!" YOU HEARING ME?
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"Well, If'n I had me a horse pistol like that.... I wouldn't be afraid of no bogger man." Rooster Cogburn
Your absolutly right Shato. I just needed some encouragement from some been there, done thats. I had to learn everything myself and buy all those dumb videos of Will primos hunting on private land. I don't know anyone around here, so it's state land for me.
Your right about the sniveling, and man, that was an experience of a life time. I probly wouldn't be so hooked now if it werent for that moment.
Thanks for the encouragement, I got a late season rifle and I am hunting for nessesity now. Wish me luck.
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Conservation would not exist without Hunters!
"If your mouth is moving, your not learning anything!" (ME)
I remember my first Archery elk hunt......
bull elk coming up a trail.....he gets close........I draw.......he drops his head and it's close to dark.....I can't make out is shoulder between the trees.....he's close, and dang he's big! Whole body is shaking. Wait.....head back up.......let arrow go! Whole process was probably less than a minute, but at the time seemed like forever. Walked over to where my arrow was in the ground and picked it up. The walked the other 7 steps to where the elks tracks spun out in the dirt!!!! What happened everyone asked? You practiced all summer and were more than accomplished? When I got back to camp and told my hunting buddy the story, his first question was "Did you just use the wrong pin"? At which I simply replied.......pin? He!! I don't even remember seeing my sight pins!!!!
YOU are among friends!!!
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RedRiverHntr
Best learn to appreciate the little things in life.....there are a whole lot more of them!
I dreamed of getting a chance to get my bow drawn! We did pretty good at calling in this, our second season. Had a few come in but either due to distance, angle, or trees, never got to draw on the bulls.
If you had two choices . . me, who never got to draw, or you, who got not only to draw but to shoot twice, which would you pick?
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As I stared in disbelief, I said, "Why doesn't somebody do something?" Then I realized, I'm somebody.
On the one draw I did get last year, I held on a bull's neck for probably 90 seconds but he never rose above a fallen tree he was behind to expose me his ribcage. So I let off.
On replaying that scene over and over in my mind, I realized that I was so nervous at my first draw that I was using the correct pin, but not looking through my peep! I would haveshot 50 ft up in the sky if I'd pulled the release!
Like these guys said, practice, practice. What I learned for myself is that practice ismuch more for building habits under pressure than it is for tightening groups.
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As I stared in disbelief, I said, "Why doesn't somebody do something?" Then I realized, I'm somebody.
Not worthy anymore after 1st season!
The second shot buried itself in a dead tree and scared the hell out of the turkey (sounded like a damnbaseball bat hitting the tree). Oh well, I think I'm going to hang up archery for a few seasons, at least til I finish my master's degree 
