The Elk Hunters Emotional Rollercoaster day 2
Hunters log 9-14-06
After telling my hunting adventures to others, many of them say I should write fiction. This is a nice way of calling me a liar. I assure you, most of what I write about is 90% true. On that note, some things that happen in the woods should stay in the woods. Most of my short literature meanderings touch on the highlights and humorous portions of my trips. I don’t ask that anyone read these, only that perhaps when I’m old and forgetful I can read and remember back when…..
For those that read yesterdays adventure, I went back at 0’dark:30 this morning for a follow up appointment with Mr Big Chomper. His dance card must be full. He was in his normal “hole” but would only answer me with occasional chuckles and grunts. I guess he was worn out from romancing his cows. I took the cool cloudy morning as an opportunity to explore some new areas.
I shot an elk today. A narrow tined 5 point that anyone would be honored to have on their wall….. as of now he is MIA. I pulled up to a landing at the end of a long forest service road. I bugled twice while leaning on the hood of my truck.. and bam! I get an answer. So I bugle again. The forest then exploded with breaking limbs, trees, and boulders. This elk had a lot of pent up aggression, and it was heading my way… FAST. I grabbed my bow and web belt from the truck and barely had time to make a hasty ambush point just off the edge of the landing. From first bugle to seeing the elk was 5 minutes max. I was 50 feet from my truck. It was 1:00 PM.
I chose a spot between 2 logs that would offer me concealment if the elk came up the only trail I could find in short notice. So far, my plan was working flawlessly. I seen his antlers in the thin reprod approaching and then his head… At a measured distance of 5 yards, he stopped with his vital area protected by the only stump around and raked a tree. I’m at full draw and shaking bad. This is taking forever and I’m just about at muscle failure. I can’t hold it no more and come off draw while he looks right at me. He didn’t like that and changes directions to another trail that puts him between me and my truck. The elk is wide open now, standing on the landing and I try to draw back my bow… but I can’t because part of my web belt is caught in the cam. As the elk stands 10 feet in front of my truck and memorizes the license plate number, I’m helpless as I try and stealthily fix my bow. The elk finally grows frustrated and wonders up the ridge to find the source of the bugling.
I’m slightly agitated at this point. I rip my webbing out of the cam and run after the elk. I catch him at the edge of the tall timber and send an arrow at him from 30 yards. The arrow strikes good and the elk flees. THEN it decides to rain… and HARD. I marked my shooting spot and where the elk was last seen. I marked where the back 10 inches of arrow broke off. I jumped him while trying to follow a quickly diluting blood trail and decided to back off. Time was 4:30. With the help of 2 good friends(same ones that call me a liar) we will scour the area in the morning and perhaps have pictures… At the very least, we'll have another adventure story for the emotional rollercoaster.
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