I was finally able to escape school, and other family obligations that have been keeping me from hunting so far this fall. This is my first year bow hunting, and after 3 years of calling elk and only trying to photograph them, I was excited to have a bow in my hand. An hour before first light, I was getting myself set up between two different bugling bulls. One bull, sounded especially old, with each bugle, it sounded like his vocal cords were sore and he was starting to sound like a moo cow. Anyways, first light came and I had a nice compact, but long main beam and long tine length 6x6 bugling his head off at 100 yards. Unfortunately, he decided I wasn't a cow worth rounding up, and him and his cows moved off. The "growler" bull was still bugling at least once a minute, and I sat there contemplating what the best move on him would be. Just then I heard brush breaking out in front of me. A raghorn bull had somehow recruited a group of 4 cows, and he was desperately trying to keep them together. I made a couple of light cow calls, and they started coming towards me. Unfortunately they came on the complete opposite side of the tree that I thought they would, so I had to draw and turn all at the same time with no cover. Somehow it worked, and the bull was right there at 12 yards, and the rest is history. He went about 80 yards and piled up. I watched him crash and literally crashed myself onto my back, in shock at what just happened. I never thought I was going to arrow a branch bull on my second day of archery elk hunting on public land by myself. It is for sure beginners luck, but I know my scouting helped a bunch. I just wish my digital camera wasn't dead and I had more than cell phone pics. Luckily I got a text out to my friend, and he helped me get the last couple loads of meat out. I could not ask for a more memorable morning! The elk are going crazy, get out there and have some fun..
MT Muley
MT Muley
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