MikenSoCo
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2003
- Messages
- 1,336
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Well I'm freshly back from my first ever elk hunt in Oregon near the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area. Let me start by saying that I had never seen a live elk in my life, and didn't even bring a bugle type call as I don't know how to properly use it. Soft cow calls were all I had planned to use. The first morning I was up early, with the usual opening day headache that results from the first nights campfire libations. I was mad at myself for not getting more sleep. My self imposed penalty was a 5 mile trek up into Eagle Cap solo. Fresh snow was on the ground, and the night was bitterly cold, and sure enough fresh tracks littered the trail in. I found no Elk, but met back with my partner who had suffered bull fever at his first shot at an elk. Just outside the wilderness he encountered a 5x6 at 20 yds. broadside! The arrow sailed right over his back. Wrong pin used he believes
He saw some cows as well but couldn't get a shot.... The next morning I got lost in the mix of logging roads and timberstands. As I sat by the road, two kind gents from Oregon directed me toward my camp by saying "just hunt through that timber, and you'll come to the correct road..... I entered the woods again and soon after heard my buddy's call, so I headed toward it. "Man he's bugling alot" I thought as I closed in. At about 100 yds.(thick timber and brush) I see the source of the bugle... Four brown legs through the brush! I drop to a knee in a good spot and knock an arrow. I blow one last soft mew and the next bugle reverberates off my jacket, he's coming straight at me. All I can see are legs below the brush, and ivory tips above. Needless to say I can barely breath, and my pulse is pounding in my ears. He closes to 25 yds at a steady walk, I'm at full draw waiting for the bull clear the last tree. I still haven't seen the whole animal, but hell I didn't need to, he was huge to me. I'm noticing the swirling wind during this whole episode and I'm not very confident. Sure enough he stops dead in his tracks, two steps short of the clear shooting lane. I'm still holding at full draw, when he simply turns and walks the way he came. I take a shot through some jack pines and hear a promising "thwack", and the bull runs off. I can't believe what just transpired and try to collect myself. It wasn't easy. I wait the longest half hour of my life, and go look for blood.... nothing. But no arrow either. I head to camp and collect two buddies and some pack frames, and follow my marked trail back in. We find nothing. Tim suggests starting over at the shot site. I find my arrow, dead center in a three inch jack pine. My world came crashing down.... In retrospect, I thank God I didn't wound/lose him, and I can't complain for having had the experience of such a magnifient animal at such a close range. I'm hooked forever. .... FYI, everyone saw elk, only two killed in ourr campground, about 15 guys.
Now how'd that be 
