2011 late archery hunt

[AZbowhntr]

Well I just got back from my hunt this last week. I guess what they say about the 3rd time is a charm is true. I have put in for this late hunt a couple other times (not always on purpose) and every time I say it is going to be my last time. And I think that now I can finally be done with it.

 

There were four of us that drew the tags. It has been kind of fun getting back into archery hunting again since I have been drawing quit a few rifle tags the last few years. I have a 25 yd target in my back yard. So I was able to shoot almost everyday coming up to the hunt. With a few weeks left until the hunt I started hitting Usery Pass so that I could shoot out to 70 yds. Unfortunately one day while out shooting I somehow managed to twist my knee that I had operated on a few years before. So you can imagine I was really hoping for dry weather so that I could sit water. Just like it always works out, just a week before the hunt they get about 2 inches of rain and the elk spread out all over the unit. So much for a easy hunt.

 

When we got into camp the day before the hunt started only 2 of the 4 of us could make it the opening weekend. So we send texts and pics when we could to keep them updated. I know it was killing Mike to not be there. Anyway, we saw several bulls the first day (12), but nothing worth going after or they were in an area that a mt goat would be living in. This seemed to be the pattern for several of the days. We looked in all of the places that we have seen big elk in in the past and they just didn't seem to be anywhere. So fast forward to day 7 of the hunt. Mike and I are glassing an area that I had seen 2 bulls in the night before from a distance and decided to take a closer look. I had been glassing for a little while when I see a couple cows a few hundred yards off the side below me. I didn't pay them much attention until I hear a nice bugle a couple minutes later. Felt just like September. Needless to say I grab my bow and a call and off I go trying to catch them. I had no luck catching them that evening.

 

So I was back in the same spot the next morning glassing again and ready to take off after them as soon as I found them. Unfortunately when I finally did find them they were headed in the opposite direction heading towards a thick area to bed down. Knowing that I would never catch them I back out and figure out the next plan of action. I decide to drive around to the bottom of the canyon and glass to find out where they are bedded down and figure out how I can ambush him that evening.

 

At about 3 Friday afternoon I head back in with a friend of mine Jim up top glassing and guiding me in on the elk. It doesn't take long before he finds some of the cows and is telling me which way to go. It sure didn't seem that far when you are up top looking at everything. It looks and feels a lot steeper from the bottom looking up. I had to stalk in from about a mile away up to the head of the canyon and get past all of the elk to keep the breeze in my favor. Once I got within about 75 yds of the cows I had to sit tight for a while until the bull decided to get up and play. Luckily for me there was a spike in the group that seemed to keep the bull occupied so that I could get with range. The bull would switch off between sparring with the spike and tearing up a tree. I was able to stalk up within 15 yds while he was thrashing the tree without him hearing anything. I had a perfect shooting lane with an opening of about 3 ft and was able to make a great shot. The bull spun around looking for the spike that had just poked him in the side. I decided that if he gave me the opportunity I would put another arrow into him for insurance. At first he was partially behind the tree that he was raking and I didn't have a shot. But finally he moved out a ways to what I though was about 40 yds with him facing directly away from me. I decided to give him an arrow directly between the shoulder blades hoping to finish it right there. Unfortunately he was more like 30 yds and my arrow hit a little high making the oddest sound I had ever hears. I thought I had possibly hit him in the antlers. With that he heads over the ridge about 10 yds further with elk running everywhere. Not wanting to risk bumping and possibly losing him I decide the sage thing is to back out and come back in the morning to find him and finish him if needed.

 

At about 7am with plenty of help we are off to recover my bull. It doesn't take long to find blood and even less time to find him. He had only crossed the ridge and went down. I think it was about 9am when we found him and about 2pm when we got him back to the trucks. That is the best time to have good friends. Hopefully I will be able to repay them soon. The bull is not huge but given the hunt and amount of time put into it, he feels like a 380 bull. This was by far the best stalk I have ever had. With my knee bothering me the whole hunt I wasn't sure if I was going to make it.

 

I would like to thanks a few of my buddies like Hector (Chef), Mike and Jim. They make it fun to be out there for 10 straight days. Especially Hector for coming up just in time for the pack out. He didn't even get to break out the Leica's. It gets discouraging when you don't see the big one every day. Here are a few pics. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

 

Notice the second shot placement. The Shuttle T-Locks work great.

 

 

I don't know how these bulls can make their way through this stuff all the time.

 

Little rest

 

A little free advertising for Amanda.

[SO I HUNT]

Nice bull buddy. Didn't whitetail this year, I was in Utah hunting Muleys and shot a ok buck. Incase you can't think who I am ( stacy H.)

[Willyhunts2]

Sweet bull 22?

[Elkaddict]

Good job!! Gotta be happy with that one!

[C.Shoemaker]

Great bull, great story. Congratulations. Gruesome head shot!

[Chef]

Well deserved Orlin.

Heck of a stalk too.

You and Jim really put a good plan to work and it paid dividends.

 

Congratulations again my friend.

[Chef]

Here's a link to the short interview after we found Orlin's bull...

The bull bled out like no other on his last few steps before crashing into the ravine below him.

We took the cap off the skull and the broad-head was lodged loosely right behind the eye socket, missing the brain by millimeters.

Pretty cool, no broken blades on the head.

 

[WHALE]

good job

[lucky2hunt]

Congratulations on a great bull with a late season tag! Eeeek on that second shot!

[bonecollector]

Great bull especially on the late hunt. Congrats

[cramerhunts]

Well done on a super tough hunt, congratulations Orlin on a great bull!

[Hunting6]

Thats an awesome story to a great ending... congratulations

[cvw789]

Nice Bull and a cool story. Congrats

 

Cole