DNS Report post Posted November 13, 2016 I just got back from my late archery bull hunt and thought I'd share how it went down. Last year I had this same hunt in the same unit and learned a lot. Last year it snowed a bunch the night before the opener and then froze hard each morning so moving close enough to shoot a bull with a bow proved to be quite the challenge. I hunted from dawn to dusk for 7 days with many many close calls and blown stalks. Finding elk was no problem, but getting close enough for a good shot was tough. I finally figured out an area that had plenty of elk, in an area that I could hunt them in and killed a small bull on the 7th day. I was just as proud of that small bull as I was with some of the bigger ones in the early archery hunts I have had over the years just because of what it took to get a bull. This year I had to work the first two days of the hunt, but went up after work on Saturday. By the time I got up there and got the water and power on at the cabin it was after midnight. I slept for a couple hours and headed to the same area I hunted last year. I got there early and just parked the truck waiting for it to get light. This area has a couple of big flats that normally have elk in them and depending on which way the elk would go out would determine where I would hunt. Sure enough about 15 minutes before light another truck came up the road and I didn't want them to push the elk out of the flats without seeing which way they went so I stayed in front of them. I got to the first meadow and there were appoximately 80 elk out there and at least one big bull and another 10 cows with a spike separated from that group and went in a little bit different direction. I drove though the other meadows and didn't see anything else. The road winds around and gets on top of a ridge that you can glass another meadow from that is a couple miles away. Last year there was elk in that meadow every morning and is where I hunted the most. I glassed the meadow and much to my surprise there was nothing in it. I decided to go back and try to find the elk I had seen first thing in the morning. Where I parked the truck I knew I'd probably run into the spike and 10 cows first and had already decided I was looking for at least a branch antlered bull so the spike was safe (not really too picky in this hunt). I walked about 1/2 mile and saw some cows feeding about 150 yards ahead of me. They were moving in my direction so I found a good place to set up and just waited. There were 6 cows in the open, but there could have easily been a lot more in the trees that I couldn't see. They got to about 100 yards and turned and headed down into a small draw. I knew if there was a bull there and I was going to get a shot, I would have to move so I did. I got set up perfect and got to within 30 yards of the cows and it ended up being the cows with the spike that I had seen earlier. The spike was 75 yards when I saw him and I watched them feed up the ridge out of sight. I crossed the same draw and went up on the same ridge as the spike and cows. They were moving uphill so I decided to work down and try and find the large group of cows with the big bull I had seen earlier. I moved 100 yards down the ridge and saw an elk feeding 150 yards ahead of me moving in my direction. It was a small 5x5 and there was a spike off to the left of him. There was another elk on the right, but I couldn't tell what it was because of some small trees. After watching the elk feed for a few minutes I knew I was going to have to move to get a shot. There was one tree between me and them that would put me close so I slowly moved towards them putting the tree between us. I got to the tree undetected and finally got a better look at the elk on the right. It was another bull about the same size as the 5x5 but he had something crazy going on with his antlers. I have a thing for crazy ones so I decided that was the one I would try and get a shot at. The bull was 80 yards from me at this point and my comfortable shooting range is 70. I have an archery range in my back yard and that is the range I shoot to. The bull moves closer to me and is at the closest point he is going to get from me and starts feeding slightly quartered away. I range him twice and he is at exactly 70 yards. I draw and somehow my arrow slips off the rest mid draw so I have to let down. When I did the bull heard or saw something and looked back at me, but didn't run. I quickly drew again and set my 60 yard pin right at the top of his back just behind is front shoulder and released. I caught the arrow mid flight and knew it was going to end up right where I wanted. As it hit the bull I heard a thump (not a loud whack when you hit heavy bone, but a thump like it just blew through the chest cavity). The bull took off and ran 50 yards and stopped. His 2 buddies stopped next to him and all were looking back behind me and to my right. I looked in that direction and saw 2 big bulls (one giant). I looked back at the bull I just shot and he lost his legs and tipped over. By the time I walked over to him he was done. The arrow blew though both lungs. After hunting as hard as possible last year for 7 days I couldn't believe I had a bull on the ground at just over an hour out of the truck. He is not the biggest bull, but he does have a crazy cool rack. On his left side all the points come off backwards and curve up. No brow tines on either side. Fairly thick, but short rack. It was an action packed hour that ended up filling the freezer. The biggest difference in the years was this year it rained the night before I hunted and didn't freeze hard so I could move around quietly. The hard crunchy frozen ground makes it tough to get to bow range. Sorry about the lung pic, but it does show a nice broad head hole through both sides. 12 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AzDiamondHeat Report post Posted November 13, 2016 Wow. This is why young bulls should stay off meth. Good job on a tough hunt. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flatlander Report post Posted November 13, 2016 That thing is cool. Congrats on two successful outcomes on a typically low success hunt. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattys281 Report post Posted November 13, 2016 That bull does have some character to him. Congrats on a tough hunt! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rageinthesage Report post Posted November 13, 2016 Rowdy looking! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SO I HUNT Report post Posted November 13, 2016 Way to get it done... congratulations... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DNS Report post Posted November 13, 2016 Wow. This is why young bulls should stay off meth. Good job on a tough hunt. Thought I'd get him out of the gene pool. Think is crazy 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildwoody Report post Posted November 13, 2016 What!!!!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azpredator@work Report post Posted November 14, 2016 Nice job, cool looking bull! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hatchet Jack Report post Posted November 14, 2016 Nice work. I remember on my late rifle hunt last year thinking how hard the late archery would be. Way to get it done. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
218buck Report post Posted November 14, 2016 Congrats 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goinhuntn Report post Posted November 14, 2016 Way to get it done on a tough hunt. Cool looking bull. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted November 14, 2016 Very nicely done, congratulations and dang nice shot. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PowellSixO Report post Posted November 14, 2016 Crazy looking bull! That's awesome. Thanks for sharing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shedhunteraz Report post Posted November 17, 2016 Nice job. Late season is proving to be very very tough. Way to get it done 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
