Finally

Finally, after 7 days of chasing elk - or at the beginning of the season, not chasing elk - I was able to harvest a cow on Monday the 14th, the day before the season ended. I had started getting into elk on Wednesday the 9th and almost got a shot on a 5-point - I had snuck into to about 45 yards while he was bedded but all I could see was his head and neck. After about 7-10 min the wind drifted down hill and he was out of his bed and gone before I could even think of shooting. But on Monday as soon as I go out of the truck (an hour and one-half before light) there was a bull bugling. It ended up being a raghorn but he called in a small 6-point with some cows. They even spared for a short time. I tried crawling up close and calling but both bulls paid little to no attention to me - the closest I got was 90-100 yards. But when three cows came up from behind then in front of me I mewed with my mouth to stop them and the arrow was on its way. I thought it was a perfect hit.

After they took off, up came two spikes and they played/fed in front of me until I decided to call home to tell Morgan and tell my dad to come up and help me. My parents had arrived on the Wednesday before, but I had worn dad out besides his knees were bothering him. After all the phone calls and collecting my pack (about an hour later) I went back and there was the cow standing. I saw the blood spot and it was low and further back than I thought. No way. I took my pack off to try to sneak in for another shot but some deer that had come in behind me snorted and ran. At this the cow watched them and walked off, met two other cows that were bedded nearby and left my view.

So now I backed out drove down to the bottom of the mountain to get my dad. After talking it over with my dad I think I hit almost the only place where there aren’t any organs. So now after 3.5 hours after I shot we went back up to follow the trail. When we got to the place she was standing, she had bedded and there was good blood there. No bubbles, but also no gut smell. Where she had walked we had found spots here and there but within 50 yards we had no more blood. After searching and finding nothing I stood there dejected and embarrassed, when my dad “pssted” me and pointed out a cow standing staring at us some 80 yards away. After 5 minutes or so she continued feeding and then bedded down. We stayed there for about 15 minutes and decided that the first cow wasn’t going to die (unless of some infection - which I hope doesn’t happen - so why not try to sneak in for a shot at the bedded cow. Also, I should mention that we spotted two other cows bedded by then. After I got some 20 yards in front of my dad another unseen cow got up and started feeding toward me. At about 35 yards I pulled back, shot and missed. I had hit a branch, but she only jumped and walked about15 yards way and downhill feeding when she came to another opening at around 50 yards. This time the arrow flew true. After a quick search in the pounding rain that had just stared we found her not 100 yards way.

So hoping all is well with the first cow, but at the same time thinking that it was a blessing making it so that my dad could be there when I actually harvested the other cow. This was the first animal I have killed with my dad present (by the way, he was shaking worse than I was).

By the way this is where the little blood stain was on the first cow. And I also shot a grouse on the way back to the truck at 30 yards with a 100lbs. pack on but the camera wouldn't work, so no picture.