- Oct 27, 2014
- 112
- 139
This is a long read but it was a heck of a season for a few college kids.
I am finally writing down my hunting season from the fall and thought I would share it with you guys. I am originally from Alaska and grew up watching shows like Eastman’s where people were hunting the “normal” North American species. Ever since those days I have wanted to kill an elk with a bow. This years is my senior year at Montana State University and with Montana’s College student hunting combo in my pocket, I decided this was the year I was gona do it. I had been planning it for some time, so I loaded up with 20 credits in the spring semester so I would be able to take a light 12-credit load in the fall and still graduate on time. I worked all summer up in Alaska, but as soon as I got back to Montana in August the game was on.
I started out the season with a friend who had an archery antelope tag, we had several great stalks and he took a shot at a nice buck just under 50 yards but we were unsuccessful (until after the elk season) but it was great practice on stalking with a bow. Before we knew it September 6 had rolled around and it was the opening day of archery season. The Montana college student combo is a great deal for out of state college kids, giving them a general deer and elk license as well as upland game bird and fishing for only $80, but its starts a week after the general season starts, so the first weekend I was the designated caller.
Opening morning I was with three friends and right off the bat we had several bulls bulging all around us. We called one bull , A small 5x5, into about 20 yards of one of my friends twice but he never had the chance to draw. Seeing 5 more bulls that day followed that experience but we could never make it happen.
At this point I should tell you, we are not trophy hunting. We are 4 college-aged kids looking to have some fun and fill the freezer.
The next morning we split in to two groups and headed out. The buddy I was will set up next to a wallow and I went back a ways and started raking with a few bugles and before we knew it we have a nice 6x6 on a string headed right for us. He made it to 20 yards of my friends who was at full draw, but before he could get a clear shot, the bull cut out tracks that we came in on and whirled around. He was gone as quickly as he appeared. We were bummed but could hear another bull raking off in the distance so I continued to call. The bull came in and turned out to be two rag horn bulls together. They came in backwards so they were about 30 yard from me and 50 from my buddy. I laid behind a log for about 15 minutes until they walked out of sight of me. We quickly adjusted and called one of the rag-horns to about 30 yards, where my buddy made a great shot. The bull pilled up less than 100 yards from us. We were ecstatic. We called our other friends and the helped us quarter and pack out the bull.
I am finally writing down my hunting season from the fall and thought I would share it with you guys. I am originally from Alaska and grew up watching shows like Eastman’s where people were hunting the “normal” North American species. Ever since those days I have wanted to kill an elk with a bow. This years is my senior year at Montana State University and with Montana’s College student hunting combo in my pocket, I decided this was the year I was gona do it. I had been planning it for some time, so I loaded up with 20 credits in the spring semester so I would be able to take a light 12-credit load in the fall and still graduate on time. I worked all summer up in Alaska, but as soon as I got back to Montana in August the game was on.
I started out the season with a friend who had an archery antelope tag, we had several great stalks and he took a shot at a nice buck just under 50 yards but we were unsuccessful (until after the elk season) but it was great practice on stalking with a bow. Before we knew it September 6 had rolled around and it was the opening day of archery season. The Montana college student combo is a great deal for out of state college kids, giving them a general deer and elk license as well as upland game bird and fishing for only $80, but its starts a week after the general season starts, so the first weekend I was the designated caller.
Opening morning I was with three friends and right off the bat we had several bulls bulging all around us. We called one bull , A small 5x5, into about 20 yards of one of my friends twice but he never had the chance to draw. Seeing 5 more bulls that day followed that experience but we could never make it happen.
At this point I should tell you, we are not trophy hunting. We are 4 college-aged kids looking to have some fun and fill the freezer.
The next morning we split in to two groups and headed out. The buddy I was will set up next to a wallow and I went back a ways and started raking with a few bugles and before we knew it we have a nice 6x6 on a string headed right for us. He made it to 20 yards of my friends who was at full draw, but before he could get a clear shot, the bull cut out tracks that we came in on and whirled around. He was gone as quickly as he appeared. We were bummed but could hear another bull raking off in the distance so I continued to call. The bull came in and turned out to be two rag horn bulls together. They came in backwards so they were about 30 yard from me and 50 from my buddy. I laid behind a log for about 15 minutes until they walked out of sight of me. We quickly adjusted and called one of the rag-horns to about 30 yards, where my buddy made a great shot. The bull pilled up less than 100 yards from us. We were ecstatic. We called our other friends and the helped us quarter and pack out the bull.
