A great hunt but I feel like s&*t too! This is long!

[ORsouthpaw]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-10-06 AT 10:00PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Sep-10-06 AT 08:36?PM (MST)

We just got back from our hunt in E. Oregon. Because of fire activity we spent 3 days hunting in and out of smoke. Thursday I was hunting a spot that I had never been in before. I came into one of the most beautiful draws that I have ever seen, because it had been so dry and I was having a little trouble being really quite. I was cow calling every once and a while. As I entered this draw a calf walk directly in on me, still looking for my first bow animal I was wanting to take her (she looked like a trophy to me). As I nocked an arrow she noticed me and quickly moved out but not really running. I kept calling and after just a few minutes two cows came strolling into the clearing. This time I was ready. The area I set up in would limit my range to 30 yard shots. At this point in bowhunting that is my "comfort range"

They had started right towards me initially, thinking that I didn't want to take a frontal shot, I made some soft cow calls off to my left side. It worked, they turned and angled off. I had her at 18 yards, broadside and oblivious to my presence. She went behind a small tree and and I began to draw. The second cow saw me and they both froze. The lead cow had cleared the tree and I had a "perfect shot". I aimed well behind the shoulder close to the heart/lung area. I let my arrow fly.

As I released, she turned into the shot and I hit right around the rear area of the shoulder. I thought it was a heart shot. After the hit she turned away and her and the other cow ran off. I cow called and they stopped at 85-90 yards away. Thinking that It was a decent hit I didn't try to push them to try to get another shot. I continued to call every once and a while to try to keep them calm and they were not moving. I was expecting her to fall over at anytime. Pretty soon the calf that had came in earlier came back in and was looking around. The calf started up the trail that I was just off of and passed within 3 feet of me. I was in total awe. The calf walked on past me and after she got to 3 or 4 yards past I turned to see where she was headed and she saw me move. She didn't run off but she did change directions and she headed towards the other two cows. then all three slowly moved down the ridge and out of sight. Since it had only been 35 minutes I stayed put. After 1 hour I couldn't take it any longer and began looking for signs of blood. There was nothing, I followed the path that she took and found my arrow that had been broken off. Blood and hair about 10 inches down the shaft is all that I found. I marked where I had shot from, where I made the hit and where I found my arrow. I then proceeded to look for almost 2 hours and couldn't find a drop!

At this point I knew I needed help, so I headed back to camp to round up the guys. We got back to the draw about 3-1/2 hours after the initial shot. We had five people looking for any sign of blood. After about an hour the thunderheads began rolling in and the lighting started flashing. It poured down rain harder then I had ever seen it rain in Eastern Oregon before. I've been going over there for more then 25 years.

I was panicked and upset that I was loosing my first bow elk. After the entire group concluded that the rain had dispersed any chance that we had of finding her we left the area. The next day I went back and looked for another 3 hours before we headed off for home. As luck would have it I had no luck at all. I am left second guessing and wondering why and I'm thinking what could I have done diffrently. When I break it down I really feel I did everything right leading up to and after the shot but I can't stop replaying it in my mind. Even though I feel it was good shot perhaps I hit too far forward and missed any vitals. This would explain why I didn't get a lot of penetration. Still why no blood?

On our way home we had truck troubles which left us stranded in the 90 degree sun for almost 7 hours. Maybe it was payback to me for not finding that cow, maybe I couldn't find the cow because the meat would have been spoiled sitting in the sun either way I still feel like s&*t!

 

[a3dhunter]

By reading my post on Colorado you will know that I have just been in your shoes a week ago tonight. I am perplexed by how elk leave little to no blood trail when hit, I have questioned myself a hundred times and I would take the same shot everytime, I think the important thing next time for me is to make sure I try to keep the animal in sight if it is fairly open terrain. Notch your tag and call it done. What bow setup were you using,lbs, arrows, broadheads,etc...
a3dhunter

 

[ORsouthpaw]

a3dhunter-sorry to hear about your loss

I was shooting a PSE Avenger. 60 lbs, Carbon Force Dominators with 100gr NAP Thunderheads. I too would take the shot I had again and again if it's ever presented to me. Even though I felt the shot was good, I have to wonder should I have tried to push for another shot even though she was still relaxed? All I've learned says wait and let them expire. I won't be hunting elk any more this season and this loss makes me want to practice even more. I shoot all year long off and on. Then about 3 months before the season I start shooting 4-5 times a week. Even though my comfort range on an animal is only 30 yards I'm accurate out to 50 on a target. I was confident in my ability and my equipment in this situation. Still I have to wonder what else could or should I have done?

I'm mad, dissapointed, disgusted with myself and whatever else a guy can be in this situation. I have always tried to show respect to the animals I hunt. Once on a rifle hunt I had an oppourtunity at the biggest buck that I or my father-in-law had ever seen, he's been hunting for 40plus years. we estimated him to be in the 28-30 inch wide range. I let the buck go because a clean kill shot just wasn't there. Even though it was a true trophy animal it wasn't worth it to me to possibly injure and loose him.

This elk was different, everything came together just like it should, sorta like watching video. Calling responses, elk coming and going, up close and personal, a broadside shot at less then 20 yds. etc, etc. The outcome however has already caused a couple of sleepless nights with many more to come, I'm sure.

 

[a3dhunter]

This is interesting, I was shooting Radial x weave with a 100 grain Nap thunderhead pro. No blood trail! Seems like we need to switch broadheads.

 

[ORsouthpaw]

Yeah I agree, The problem is that on my set up the Thundeheads fly really well. Same point of impact as my field points. Again that's why I was feeling so good about the shot. That said I may look into the Montec G5's for next season although I blame myself more then I blame the broadhead the other guys in our group have had good luck getting the G5's to fly.

 

[elkaddiction]

I wouldn't think the broadheads were the problem, thunderheads are fine heads (although not my personal choice). Animals moving at the shot, and an occaisional lost animal is, unfortunately, a part of bowhunting. I've been reminded of this by some very experienced/accomplished hunters recently. I took a shot this year at 55yds at a perfectly broadside deer that was not alarmed. At the shot and during the short time period it took the arrow to reach the deer, it turned away turning the shot into a quartering away shot that caught liver and one lung. It bled like crazy for 60 yds before the trail was lost in the dark. It rained like hell that night nearly wasing away the already followed blood trail. We found the deer (what was left of it after the coyotes got to it) the next morning after doing a grid search for 45 minutes. It had doubled back on its trail and turned 90 degrees! During the down pour the night of the shot I was kicking myself for shooting as far as I did, and for shooting when there was even a chance of rain. Would I take the shot again? Don't know. I can regularly shoot 4-5" groups at that range. Accuracy isn't the issue, the time of flight of the arrow and the potential for animal movement is. (It's also possible at this kind of range to shoot the wrong buck--which I did after they changed order behind some brush). Would I not shoot because of the chance of thunderstorms in the high country? That would simply eliminate about half of the days hunted most years! In the end, I think we need to make the best decision we can at the time, do are darnest to find an animal, and not beat ourselves up to badly when sh__ happens. That may not be very consoling to you---but that is the advice I've received from several sage bowhunters who have been doing this longer than the 43 years I've been alive. It's bowhunting. By the way, the 1/2 deer the coyotes left us has been as good eating as any deer I've eaten in 30+ years. I wish they'd left me the whole thing!

 

[ansonlynn]

This happens, and not just to archers, though I think it does with greater frequency than other weapon groups. IF you really feel you did everything right, and would take the same high percentage shot again under the same circumstances, it's understandable to regret it, but I don't think you should beat yourself up about it either. I am NOT condoning pushing the envelope and losing an animal, I'm talking about losing an animal when everything was right.

Inherent in being a wild animal is living a short life and dying a violent death. That fact does not change, whether people choose to participate in hunting or not. Almost every wild animal will die of either trauma, disease, hypothermia, starvation or a combination of these causes. A kill shot of any kind, with most weapons, is no less humane than the death that animal eventually faced, and more likely than not in the near future too. Even a relatively slow death due to a wounding shot, which no ethical hunter ever wants to cause to any animal, is probably not worse than "natural causes".

 

[ORsouthpaw]

LAST EDITED ON Sep-13-06 AT 11:49AM (MST)[p]Thanks for the comments,

I know this happens a lot. It's a tough lesson though and the real problem is I'm not sure what I've actually learned other then it happens. Like I said I believe that I did everything right except actually find her. The only real thing is that I question myself on if I should have pushed for another shot even though I felt it was good hit? Should I have risked pushing her? If I had maybe she would be in the freezer or maybe she would have busted and ran into the next county. I just don't know.

I'm chalking it up to be an unfortunate event that hopefully will never happen again. I will go back out in the field next season. I can only hope that I can be given the same oppourtunity again so that I can redeem myself.

Steven

 

[springbear]

I agree with what the other guys said. You equipment sounds fine, even though I shoot Muzzy. The shot sounds good. the range was reasonable if not great. I have two comments of my own.
I have lost one elk with my bow. the shot was 23 yards and the bull moved just when I shot it. I was counting on it as a tree was blocking the ribs.... My arrow went exactly where I aimed it, but the bull stepped towards me and not where I expected him to... similiar hit with similar results.. No rain, and it sounds like I found a lot more blood, but still no elk... this bull stopped at about 40 yards and I did not hesitate to shoot again even though it was obstructed by brush..
I am a firm believer that once blood has been drawn you should do every thing in your power to finish off the animal. Even if that means shooting all your arrows or bullets. That is why I have a 50 and 60 yard pin on my hunting bow. in my opinion if the animal is still standing after being hit(well) and I have any kind of a shot, I am shooting even if the shot is not ideal. I figure that any hit after the first is only going to add to the blood trail and possibly kill it faster.
That is my opinion.

 

[ORsouthpaw]

springbear- I think that's good advice. If I had the chance again I would most likley try to sneak up on her and at least get closer. She was well beyond 50-60 yards though more like 85-90 yards. The main reason I waited other then that's what I've always been told is that the calf that came back in clearing was between the cow and myself. I didn't want to spooke the calf and then cause the 2 other cows to go running off. Turns out it didn't matter. As they moved anyway.