Well this yr was our second year of elk camp and what an amazing year. We are new to the elk game but this year will be one we probably won’t beat.
Opening morning went fast, we set up on a line we have seen elk on in the previous year. A few cow calls, and 20mins, and a nice cow is standing in the cutline. My buddy makes a great shot and we’re celebrating his first ever elk. Full of energy, The work goes quick and we got her cleaned up and quartered in no time.
That evening I’m sitting on the same cutline doing some light calling and another cow come out onto the cutline. I have a bull tag (general 3pt or larger) so I sit back and watch. Only a few mins go by and sure enough a nice bull is hot on her trail. He has only made 3-4 steps onto the cutline when the wind starts to swirl and he knows somethings up. He starts to turn back toward the bush and I take the quartering shot at about 200yards. He took a few steps and he disappeared into the bush. The shot felt good and sounded good so I wait 15 mins and head to where he was last seen. I feel confident I’m close to where he was but the grass is so thick and I don’t see anything. I walk Up and down the edge 4-5 times about 40yards on either side of where I thought he went in and nothing. I head Into the bush 5yards and repeat the up/down walk. Nothing. 10yards,20yards, 30yards in and nothing. No sign, no blood, nothing, A good hour goes by and It’s well past dark now so I mark my spot and head back to the truck meet my friend at our planned spot. I’m not ready to give up but also starting to really doubt myself. Doubt everything really, where did he go in, did I rush the shot, am I looking in the wrong area, was it a bad shot? . I was sitting on the same side of the cutline that he came out so determining where he went into the bush really wasn’t easy.
Well With a second set of eyes, and a confidence boost from my buddy we head back in. We return to the search. He started on the cutline and retraced what I had just done while I continued my pattern deep and deeper into the bush. 40yards, 50yards, 60.... I’m literally full of disappointment and not sure what to do next so I just keep going........ no sign, no blood, nothing, until there was something.
There he was, 75yards from the cutline. lM so grateful to harvest such a beautiful animal. Bullet hit the front shoulder, got lungs and out behind his other shoulder as he was quartering away.
Sadly the field pics didn’t show his size well but got some in the morning.
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Just keep looking.
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