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Have you ever wanted something so bad you can almost taste, smell and feel it? Well, that’s what September is for me—bow season. As it turned out, I never made opening day. My best friend had passed away and I was planning a memorial for her. I also had to start work. But on September 5, I would get my first Elk hunt of the season.
That morning, I had seen a good-sized herd heading into a neighbour’s place after having a feed of oats in a grain field, so with this knowledge, I decided I should do an evening setup and scope it out for a morning hunt. I wanted to find out where they were entering and exiting the field.
I had hunted high and low for my elk bugle, finally found it, and set it on the table with all my equipment—wind checker, branch trimmer, elk scent, etc. I was excited about getting out on a beautiful evening, connecting with nature, and just emotionally exhailing.
I soon saw where the elk were coming onto the neighbour’s grain field and I discovered that a bear also had a beaten path to the field as well. So I decided to go further to the north and see if I could catch a trail further up. I soon found a perfect spot. I cleared the grass, put up my elk sent line for a cover scent, and went to work cutting out shooting lanes. Finally, I sat down, got my bow and arrows ready and realized that I had left my bugle sitting on the kitchen table. I was so burnt at myself I just about packed up and headed home. However, I decided to just sit and enjoy the evening, relax and reflect on my past week.
About 5:30ish, I heard an elk bugle to my north and thought ‘all I have is my cow call’. I figured I would just sit tight and see if they would wander my way... not! I heard them get further away to my west so I came out of hiding and walked to the fence line just in time to see 20 to 25 cows and a bull going over a hill. I figured there goes my first elk hunt and felt bummed out. But as I stood and watched them get further out of view, I suddenly saw a couple of cows and calves and a bull come out of the bush about 300 yards away. He was chasing the cows and trying to herd them so I figured why not cow call, not really thinking they would even hear me. I gave a couple of calls and I tell you that bull stopped dead and bugled towards me. Then he turned around and got back to his task on hand so again I gave a couple of calls and again he stopped and looked my way. Then he turned back to his cows, stopped dead, and stood there for a couple of seconds. Then, in an instant, he headed my way at a dead run! I instantly realized I shouldn’t be where I was so I took off for the bush, hiding in some very thick, young poplar. The bull jumped the fence to the north of me and into another quarter. I lightly squeak out another call and hear the wire of the fence squeak. I know he’s coming fast so I draw my bow, knowing it may be my only moment to do so. I wait and all of the sudden he is right on top of me to my left. I see his wet nose, eye ducts, ears and antlers all pass me within five yards. I look down my peep sights and all I see is hair! Never have I been this close to a live elk and never have I shot this close. I looked down my arrow, found the spot I want, and let it rip! It was a perfect lung shot but not great penetration. He jumped the fence to my west, stopped, and tried grabbing the arrow with his teeth. Then he took off back to his herd of cows, rounded them up, and all of them wandered back into the bush.
I waited 45 minutes before carefully going along the edge of the field. Then I saw some cows and a bull come running out of the bush. I thought, ‘how can that bull be running around yet?’ I soon realized it was a small 4x4 so I slowly pressed on, going around a bend in the field where I had last seen the arrowed bull go into the bush.
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Sandy poses with her tremendous bull elk (above)
and whitetail buck (below). |
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As I stood listening, a calf came wandering along the edge of the bush line and came to about 15 yards from me. A cow with a smaller bull hot on her trail not far from the calf were chasing around the field. I was right up alongside a rock pile watching all the action going on when a lone cow came up on the opposite side of the rock pile. She was huffing, snorting, and lifting her head to the air, almost like licking the air. I knew the wind was in my favour so she wasn’t scenting me. Suddenly, she came over the rock pile—I am still not sure who had bigger eyes, her or me. We both saw each other at the same time and dove different ways. The gig was up; she wanted no part of me so with a large bark, she and all the others burnt out of there.
The bull I had arrowed had not come out of the bush with this group so I inched into the bush where the cow had been looking and sniffing. Once I went around the rock pile, I found a good blood trail and within 30 yards, I saw my lighted arrow tip and a bull elk laid flat out. I knew he had more than three points when he came onto me in the bush, but I had been so focused on the shot and placement of my arrow that I had no idea that I had shot a beautiful 5x6 that scores just shy of 300.
As I walked back to ask the neighbour to get access to the bull, I felt in awe of the beautiful evening, the spectacular hunt, the sunset, and all the action I had encountered. I somehow felt that my friend Carrie was looking down on me and saying thanks to me because by rights, this bull should never have come the distance it did to me.
I was also lucky enough to have a beautiful 4x4 whitetail come across my path on October 19, 2014. He isn’t the biggest buck I have taken but he is the biggest with my bow and he has a 22-inch spread, a fair amount of mass but will only score in the high 130’s. I love his rack and he was an older buck, probably on the downward slide. He was also the fattest deer we have ever butchered. ■
For previous Reader Stories click here.
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