Introduction

[Browning308]

So I thought it was about time I introduced myself. I found this site after deer season this year and was interested in looking at the pictures and reading others views on various topics. I’m in the cem program at OSU and mainly check the site out when I supposed to be doing homework. I guess this site helps me live vicariously through others when I cannot be out in the woods.

I really enjoy salmon and steelhead fishing but love to hunt. Seems I can shot all the young three points and forks I want but just haven’t been able to get that mature 4 point or better blacktail deer, so hopefully next year. Never really been out specifically to hunt for sheds but I’m definitely going to go out looking for some soon.

In the past I rifle hunted elk. This year was the first year I’ve ever bow hunted and I think I’m addicted. I saw at least 8-9 branch bulls, but I couldn’t have done it without the help of a friend. Had some really close calls but didn’t get the chance to let an arrow fly, my friend did but it wasn’t a happy ending.
We were walking up a road they had just punched through about a week prior. My friend stops and I look to my right, there’s a nice mature 6 point laying 23 yards off the road in the timber just staring at us, or pretty much looking through us because we were in predator camo. I draw back but am afraid of hitting the bank of the road. So instantly I think I’ll shoot right after my friend who is about 8 inches taller. Ha..yeah right. He hits it right behind the shoulder, looks like a good shot, and the elk jumps like 25-30 feet on the first leap and is gone. We were thinking the elk wouldn’t go far but we still gave it about 2.5-3 hours before looking for it. When we went back to look for it, we followed the tracks for about 200 yards with very little blood. And then it appeared that there might have been other elk down this draw he went in because there were tracks everywhere. We couldn’t tell which way he went and couldn’t find any blood. Three of us looked for around 12 hours and could not find it…one of the sickest feelings I think I’ve felt. We were going to go up a few days later and look for birds but they closed the area down to public entry. The only thing we could think of is that the shot placement might have been a little high.
Anyways, kind of a depressing story but one of the more interesting ones I have.

[sooslaw]

Welcome to the site. Its real easy to hit an animal in the front shoulder when they are bedded down like that, it covers alot more area when bent.

[huntercope]

Welcome to site! Enjoyed the story but that had to be disappointing. BTW I go to OSU also but for Forest Management.

[Dan360]

Good to have you. Great bunch of guys. A playful bunch, so keep you wits about you!

As far as the bull, its a tough break. When an animal is bedded down, all of those organs are being smushed together and are sitting a lot lower than you'd think. Its easy to hit too high and not hit anything vital. The bull I shot last fall hand a wound between the spine and the top of his vitals.

[Blacktail Slayer]

Welcome to the site. Thanks for sharing.

[Linejerk]

Welcome

[Nw dukn]

Welcome aboard..

[Legend21]

Welcome aboard, thanks for sharing the story. Good luck to ya.