Just got back from the Peace River Alberta area.
(Can't say exactly where, as I took the oath)
I took my bow and rifle as we scouted / bow for 2 days and then hunted the first 2 days of rifle.
Cow Elk was open for bow 'til the 16th, then 3 pt on the 17th.
On the last day of bow (the 16th) We spotted 2 elk along a fence line 5 - 600 yards off of a gravel road.
One was a young bull, we figured a 3 - 4 pt, he had a single cow with him. There was about 50 yards of bush between these elk and an adjoining field, perfect for stalking up onto them. I unpacked my bow and pulled my camo coveralls on and started up the bush.
It took less than 10 min to get up to where we had seen them, I poked my head out of the fence from time to time but didn't see any elk, The poplars trees were tight to the fenceline so sticking my head out from time was the only way. I used my "squeeze me " cow call every few minutes but did not want to over due it. The edge of the field / fenceline had rolling hills so as it were when I poked my head out of the fence while near the top of one of the hills, the cow was only 15 yards or so away walking towards me along the fence. The plan of backing off 10 yards or so for a shot went out the window, I dropped to one knee knocked an arrow and pulled full draw. There was poplar trees between me and the cow so no chance of a frontal quartering shot, not the best type of shot anyways,The only hope I had at this close of range was to let her pass and take the quartering past shot as the poplars were open in that direction. She stopped righ in front of me and looked directly at me at 5, yes five yards. My bow was at full draw and my hands were shaking. I could not raise the bow to eye my sights. She was so close a shot from the hip (so to say) was the only shot. I chose not to take it. When I slowly let my draw off she scrambled off about 10 more yards and looked towards my buddy on the road. My arrow fell off of my rest so I had to unclip my release and I then stood up and stepped up to the fence. She was standing still broadside at about 20 yards looking away from me towards the road, I started to draw again, she then ran off back accross in front of me, but out 30 yards out in the field and to the back end of the field, she jumped the same fence and into the bush. I tried a few more cow calls, but didn't see her. I was standing still at the fence for another 10 min or so, then I heard crashing behind me, right behind me. There was the 4 pt bull. He had snuck up behind me and got to about 20 yards. When I got turned around he was at 30 yards but apparently not alarmed anymore, I guess he was trying to wind me, he went back and forth a few times but couldn't figure me out. He then hopped the fence and stood out in the field, but at about 50 yards. no shot at him from there. My buddy filmed all of this from the road with his digital camcorder, he was zoomed in really well and seeing it put the knot back in my stomach again. The cow couldn'y make me out at 5 yards looking into the bush, and the bull couldn't make me at 20 yards looking towards the field.
I guess the one thing I can attribute this close encounter to was the cow call and the camouflage.
My outfit is a home made color scheme that I made with my kids about 5 years ago. Simply put, the elk could not see me, the wind was in my favour, so they had to go by sight and sound.
Check out the link for a picture of the camo.
I guess its called, oh what the hell. "GPo camo"
Its actually good 'til early October, then the underbrush it more dark green and browns.
Later
GPo
http://community.webshots.com/photo/530796.../53080773ANTmtw
(Can't say exactly where, as I took the oath)
I took my bow and rifle as we scouted / bow for 2 days and then hunted the first 2 days of rifle.
Cow Elk was open for bow 'til the 16th, then 3 pt on the 17th.
On the last day of bow (the 16th) We spotted 2 elk along a fence line 5 - 600 yards off of a gravel road.
One was a young bull, we figured a 3 - 4 pt, he had a single cow with him. There was about 50 yards of bush between these elk and an adjoining field, perfect for stalking up onto them. I unpacked my bow and pulled my camo coveralls on and started up the bush.
It took less than 10 min to get up to where we had seen them, I poked my head out of the fence from time to time but didn't see any elk, The poplars trees were tight to the fenceline so sticking my head out from time was the only way. I used my "squeeze me " cow call every few minutes but did not want to over due it. The edge of the field / fenceline had rolling hills so as it were when I poked my head out of the fence while near the top of one of the hills, the cow was only 15 yards or so away walking towards me along the fence. The plan of backing off 10 yards or so for a shot went out the window, I dropped to one knee knocked an arrow and pulled full draw. There was poplar trees between me and the cow so no chance of a frontal quartering shot, not the best type of shot anyways,The only hope I had at this close of range was to let her pass and take the quartering past shot as the poplars were open in that direction. She stopped righ in front of me and looked directly at me at 5, yes five yards. My bow was at full draw and my hands were shaking. I could not raise the bow to eye my sights. She was so close a shot from the hip (so to say) was the only shot. I chose not to take it. When I slowly let my draw off she scrambled off about 10 more yards and looked towards my buddy on the road. My arrow fell off of my rest so I had to unclip my release and I then stood up and stepped up to the fence. She was standing still broadside at about 20 yards looking away from me towards the road, I started to draw again, she then ran off back accross in front of me, but out 30 yards out in the field and to the back end of the field, she jumped the same fence and into the bush. I tried a few more cow calls, but didn't see her. I was standing still at the fence for another 10 min or so, then I heard crashing behind me, right behind me. There was the 4 pt bull. He had snuck up behind me and got to about 20 yards. When I got turned around he was at 30 yards but apparently not alarmed anymore, I guess he was trying to wind me, he went back and forth a few times but couldn't figure me out. He then hopped the fence and stood out in the field, but at about 50 yards. no shot at him from there. My buddy filmed all of this from the road with his digital camcorder, he was zoomed in really well and seeing it put the knot back in my stomach again. The cow couldn'y make me out at 5 yards looking into the bush, and the bull couldn't make me at 20 yards looking towards the field.
I guess the one thing I can attribute this close encounter to was the cow call and the camouflage.
My outfit is a home made color scheme that I made with my kids about 5 years ago. Simply put, the elk could not see me, the wind was in my favour, so they had to go by sight and sound.
Check out the link for a picture of the camo.
I guess its called, oh what the hell. "GPo camo"
Its actually good 'til early October, then the underbrush it more dark green and browns.
Later
GPo
http://community.webshots.com/photo/530796.../53080773ANTmtw
