1st year Bow Hunting Opening day 5x5: Steelheader.net- Steelhead, Salmon and trout fishing

So, what an eventful day....

Even after all the troubles with my Bowtech, Sunday the tech got it figured out just in time for my Monday bow hunt. We spent the morning hiking and hiking and hiking some more. Come mid day, we peaked the ridge at 5400 feet so I thought I'd let off a bugle into the canyon below right near where I'd seen the recent rubs.... To my suprise I got 2 answers down in the canyon, one about 600 yards and one a tick further.... I honestly had no plans of diving off into this "hell hole" but with it being the first hunt ever I figured I'd screw something up!!

Anyhow, after a little volleying between me and the bull with some calling, it was obvious he was very hot and didn't really care to have me encroaching in his territory... Mind you, this "hell hole was nearly a cliff heading down in. In a matter of nearly 800 yards we dropped 700 feet in elevation....

Well as we closed the gap to about 120 yards another bull kicks in with short chuckle up above us. I let off one more short chuckle and charged in for the opportunity. I set up at what I figured was about 70 yards from where I heard him last. Naturally, the bull wasn't where I last heard him as my buddy behind me was poking me in the ribs whispering "he's right there".... At this point he was what I figured at 40 yards and it turned into a staredown. I had an arrow knocked and release in place but hadn't drawn yet and he sat and stared at me for about 40 seconds... Then he turned his head to the left and let off a full on bugle, at that point I went to full draw and stepped outside the tree but he was still head on with me.... As I stepped out he whipped his head right back in my direction but started his staredown again for another 30-40 seconds... Either way he turned he was dead to rights. Well he took one step backwards and slowly spun to his right and opened up his left shoulder and I let that arrow fly with the 40 yard pin............. I COULDN'T BELEIVE THE SOUND it makes when a arrow hits an elk something of a hollow thud noise.... He blitzed out of there running about 15 yards and my buddy hit the cow call and he stopped then he tipped over and rolled twice, got up and ran about 70 yards downhill and absolutely T-boned this 15" diameter fir tree, it sounded like one wicked car wreck!!!!!

Anyhow we sat it out listening to his last few breaths and gave it another 15 minutes and he wad deader than a doornail. The arrow had entered a little high just behind the rib cage and lodged directly through the left lung and into the sternum.... His spin move he had made was a little quicker than I anticipated but was right in line with my arrow....

We were able to get one hind quarter out and the head and hung the other 3 quarters in the trees. We got out of the woods just after dark so instead of packing the rest out tonight we're going back in the AM to finish the job, it was 45 degrees this morning when we left the truck 1500 feet below where's hanging now.....

What an absolute rush!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keith

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