My first elk after 11 years
 

After 11 years of hard hunting for elk I have my 1st elk, and he's a brute.

Killed in Wyoming Medicine Bow National forest 9/16. Rough score 340.
Eye guards 16", 2nd 20".
More story to come

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Man thats awesome congrats

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Congrats. Looks like your persistence finally paid off. Nice Elk.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

The details: arrived at hunting area Fri 9/15 11am, set up camp in rain/sleet/snow. Didn't get tarp over tent. That night I (sleeping by door farthest from stove) woke up at 3am with pillow, sleeping bag, cot and my shoulders wet from water coming in. Got up and set by stove till morning.
Set out hunting at 1hr. prior to sunrise, snowing variably, 25 degrees, started working up a ridge, didn't go to very far and started feeling like elk around (fresh tracks, smell them), stopped and cow called a little, nothing. Move on up to flat in ridge, hear cow calling ahead and to right, nock arrow, cow call couple times, bull above bugles, I cow call again, see elk coming (think its probably spike, my luck), see its a good bull. He comes down to about 15-20 yds., stops facing me, looks at/thru me looking for cow. After a few seconds he circles to my right, staying about 20yds, I have good opening this direction, draw and when he comes into clearing a touch off the release. Now being that it was cold and snowing I'm wearing a lot heavier coat than I like wearing hunting. Needless to say string slaps in sleeve and throws arrow left hitting him in the paunch area, he runs off. Now under normal conditions I would have backed off and gave him several hours, but its snowing harder, covering sign quick. I decide to follow up a little to determine the hit,(actually didn't know paunch hit yet)at that time I had no idea. I start tracking and find arrow shaft broke off 4 inches from broadhead, finding good blood. I continue to follow trail a short distance (100yd), think I hear elk moaning or something, look closely ahead and see him laying 20yd away head up. OH MAN NOT GOOD!! I start looking at a way to get another arrow in him. Can tell now and only now that he's a pretty good bull, I see the sword point and whales tail behind that, OH CHIT BIG BULL!!! Stand and watch him a minute or two, legs start shaking, Man hold your self together, got to finish this. The bull gets up facing to my left, I see an opening a foot wide thru 2 trees 8 yds form mewhere I can get a shot if he moves ahead. He does move ahead and as he comes thru the hole I release, hear a hard smack, but I don't know where I hit. He runs off again. I move ahead to try to find my arrow, jump him again not 75yds away. He goes away and to the right. Still snowing I get on his trail to see if 2nd hit increased blood trail. Find not much difference. Come up on him again bedded down not 75yd from 2nd shot. He gets up and stands there looking around, I can see blood on his back leg and point of the shoulder on his left side, and had seen blood spot in paunch on right side. He stands there looking around for several minutes, he's about 20 yds away, I can see his chest real well, (darn thats a thick chest, I can't get off a shot because of a few limbs, I move some to me left no better. After several minutes he slowly moves off, down and after a ways I think he swings right. I finally decide to back off and give him some time. I mark spot with tape and on gps and back out.
Go back to camp and after a lot of talk decide to let him alone till the next morning.
Go in the next morning and find him dead where I last heard him.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Thats what Im talkin about!!! Great bull. Congrats on a fantastic bull.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Congrats on your first, and what a first. Now, before you do any thing else, go buy yourself an arm gaurd sothat next years hunt isn't so dramatic!!;)

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Wow. Great bull congrats.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

I've got one, I'll assure you I'll have it on next time.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Once again, perseverance pays off!!! Here's a hand shake and a congrats to you!!

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Congrats on a very fine animal. Sounds pretty exciting. That's a long wait but sure paid off.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

great job!!!!!

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

that is a great picture

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Congrats! That's a nice bull and one heck of a good picture!

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RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Congrats on a nice bull.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Congrats!

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

CONGRATS MAN THAT IS A GOOD BULL

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Darn nice bull! Glad you stayed with it, and I bet the ensuing snow helped you by concealing the noise and your scent. Great job!

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Congrats, a very nice bull and well worth the wait.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Thats a Jim Dandy!! Very nice looking bull.
Dan

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

That is awesome... Congrads!!!

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Thats awesome! Congrats man...I hope to go elk hunting someday.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Congrats on a GREAT BULL!!!!

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

nice one, nice rack too!

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Very nice bull. Congrats on your success...

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

WOW.


That is awesome.............great story and great elk.


Well done.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Very nice story and Bull Elk. Way to hang in there and persevere. Good on ya.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Awesome, congrats. Nice bull, way to stick with it the 11 year waitng period paid off.

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Well worth the wait. Congrats and Cheers!

RE: My first elk after 11 years
 

Very well done, that's some big time perseverence. Great bull.