Hit a elk can't find him

[SansSouci]

I've had to help two friends track bucks. Neither were found. It was heartbreaking.

While I have never had to, I'd help anyone, even hunters I don't know, track wounded big game. Sure, I'd like to help hunters. But I'd do it more for big game. And that's why I'm elated that others have offered to help millerdecks find his bull.

I hope that he finds his bull, and when he finds it I hope it hasn't spoiled.

 

[[email protected]]

We waited 2 hrs before we went after him, we didn't jump him till 5 hrs after we shot him,
Maybe we did go after him to soon I don't know at this point we are questioning everything we did


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[Musket Man]

We waited 2 hrs before we went after him, we didn't jump him till 5 hrs after we shot him,
Maybe we did go after him to soon I don't know at this point we are questioning everything we did


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There will always be should of could of would of maybe and if when something like this happens. All you can do is what you think is best at the time and learn from it for next time. You have put alot more effort into finding him then alot of hunters would.

 

[Engideer]

I agree with MM, I think most of us on here would have done the same if we felt our shot was good and were seeing the sign that you were. I would have thought I was looking for an animal that was dead. Good luck as you continue looking. I know that I spent five days looking one year and it still bothers me.

 

[Hilltop]

Sometimes our perspective isn't always correct. 7 years ago I was guiding a group of whitetail hunters in central Nebraska. One of the hunters took a nice 8 point that appeared healthy and normal. When we got to the animal we discovered it had an arrow protruding from the off side shoulder. It was shot quartering away- the arrow hit the edge of the shoulder blade and angled forward. It appeared to be a perfect shot...but the broadhead never penetrated the chest cavity. This deer was shot 5 or 6 days into rifle season. The wound looked mostly healed so we assume the deer had been carrying the arrow for at least a week. I later talked to the hunter that shot this deer. He had looked for days because he was certain his shot was perfect. The blood trail was great to begin with but then fizzled out. He was one relieved hunter to discover what had happened and to know that he hadn't wasted this buck.

I have also harvested or been around harvests of 5 different rifle elk that had arrows or partial arrows inside them from past injuries. Some of these were from years past- obviously not fresh. The elk's immune system forms a cyst around the broadhead and they go on with life. They are very tough animals for sure.

I have no idea if this is the case in your situation but just wanted to offer some food for thought. Your bull may end up recovering from the wound and be there for you next year. Wish you the best of luck.

 

[Work2hunt]

There will always be should of could of would of maybe and if when something like this happens. All you can do is what you think is best at the time and learn from it for next time. You have put alot more effort into finding him then alot of hunters would.

I agree with you MM. Should of....could of.....would of......The second guessing of oneself begins.

OP,
I really hope you find your animal. I know what you are going through and I hate losing an animal.

 

[jjenness]

Sometimes our perspective isn't always correct. 7 years ago I was guiding a group of whitetail hunters in central Nebraska. One of the hunters took a nice 8 point that appeared healthy and normal. When we got to the animal we discovered it had an arrow protruding from the off side shoulder. It was shot quartering away- the arrow hit the edge of the shoulder blade and angled forward. It appeared to be a perfect shot...but the broadhead never penetrated the chest cavity. This deer was shot 5 or 6 days into rifle season. The wound looked mostly healed so we assume the deer had been carrying the arrow for at least a week. I later talked to the hunter that shot this deer. He had looked for days because he was certain his shot was perfect. The blood trail was great to begin with but then fizzled out. He was one relieved hunter to discover what had happened and to know that he hadn't wasted this buck.

I have also harvested or been around harvests of 5 different rifle elk that had arrows or partial arrows inside them from past injuries. Some of these were from years past- obviously not fresh. The elk's immune system forms a cyst around the broadhead and they go on with life. They are very tough animals for sure.

I have no idea if this is the case in your situation but just wanted to offer some food for thought. Your bull may end up recovering from the wound and be there for you next year. Wish you the best of luck.

Good point Hilltop. I too have seen bulls shot and then ended up finding broadheads and arrow shafts still inside of the animal, and the animal was healthy and fully recovered.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Well sometimes you do everything right and you still end up losing the animal. It will stick with you for a long time.
Chalk it up to experience.

 

[Davie R]

Based on the date of your post the search is over... hopefully successfully.

Rule of thumb if mortally wounded animals generally are found within 300-400 yds from the shot location.

Using a gps w/ a base map can be Major help if you are doing a 'blind' (no-blood) search.

Set corner points /waypoints to form a box 300 yd around the area you last found sign. Then walk a grid until you are satisified its been covered. Check your GPS track to look for gaps in your grid.

Look for trends in direction of travel - if so connect the last blood trail direction and get a compass bearing. If this gives up a trend/ bearing build another 300 x 300 yd grid accordingly. Also wounded animals tend to make button loops before bedding - if you have track or sign showing this it may be ready to bed.

I know the feeling - been there - came home with only a 5 x 6 rack and memories this season. All you can to is your best & it sounds like you have. IF it got much past 400 yd it may have been a non-lethal shot - single lung?

Found my liver hit bull two days after i shot it. It only went 300 yds and I'm sure it fell over dead ..but we only had blood for 20yds! Spent two trips two guys each time for a total of 9 hrs looking - but not in the right direction (at least not far enough in the right direction). On day two returning we saw the birds circling ...

Good luck next time

 

[chsdaddy]

I know it's no concillation now but I've only had this happen to me one time in 15 years of guiding and elk hunting and it was on my own bull. We were cow calling in some steep north facing slopes set up 70 yards apart. A nice 5x5 came in dead silent 20 yards from me looking for my partner. He was broadside and I drew and shot. I saw the arrow skip about 50 yards behind him and as he took off I cow called and stopped him quartering away at 30 yards. I shot again and saw the arrow disappear into what I thought was a perfect place.

We heard him crash and it started to rain. We found both arrows dripping with blood, and there was a 1/2 cup spilled where he stood for the second shot. After about 10 minutes we heard a pack of coyotes in pursuit. I was with another seasoned guide and after seeing the blood and 2 pass throughs we decided to take up the trail after 30 minutes. Within 100 yds it looked like the TX chainsaw massacre and we found the spot where he crashed. There was a trash can lid sized puddle of blood with foamy bubbles in it and you could see where he pawed the dirt.

At this point both of us are thinking how could he have gone any further. We tracked a shrinking blood trail for another 200 yds and decided to pull out and come back in the morning.

After putting the pieces together all we could think was the coyotes found him quick and he got up and ran on adrenaline. We found the last drop of blood over a mile from where I shot him when he jumped a fence onto private. I got permission from the land owner who lived out of state but leased to an outfit that I belive finally got him. This happened on the 4th day of a 10 day hunt for me and I spent 4 more days looking and never found another sign of him.

I've been a part of over 80 elk hunts and have found elk that were marginally hit that we probably shouldn't have found. I am always amazed at how tough they are though. It sounds like you did everything right and it sucks.