Another one comes to an end

Well another elk hunt comes to an end for me. This year I saw more elk then ever and had plenty of shot opportunities, but just couldn’t close the deal. Although, on the last day of my hunt I arrowed a spike and lost him. I have never seen an elk/deer bleed like this one did. I had called this bull up to about 20 yards and just couldn’t get a shot off, and then he moved back to 45 yards and started barking. As I found my lane to shoot him I was busted by the bull, I had him broadside until I drew. As I started to draw my bow he turned and faced me head on. I know I shouldn’t have shot but my brain was saying last day, take the shot so I put the pin dead center and let it fly. As I watched the arrow sink in to his neck I thought to myself "LOOKS GOOD TO ME." As the bull turned and ran off I started calling. I thought I heard him crash. “Sweet,” I told my Dad, “I think he is down.” We still decided to give him a half hour before we got on his trail. After what seemed like forever we headed up to where I had hit him. Just like I thought, my arrow was stuck in the dirt full of blood. We immediately found his trail two feet wide spraying like crazy. We hadn’t gone 50 yards when I found where he stopped and left one heck of a pool of blood, it still looked great three feet by three feet, dark blood full of bubbles. As we trailed on I found two more pools of blood about the same size, but started to get nervous as he turned and headed up hill. We stopped and gave him a few more minutes. As we got back on the trail he started to slow the flow, spot here spot there every 50 yards. Then it turned into every hundred yards. Five and a half hours later we lost the blood. I guess the conclusion I came to is don’t take the shot if it is a poor angle. Just because it’s the last day, or you get busted, the animals we hunt deserve better than that. I consider my tag filled even though my freezer isn’t .
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NONYA
Can happen to anyone,you made the effort to recover him and that is what counts,I lost a cow the same way once,piles of blood and then a rainstorm came in,obliterated the trail and after two days of looking couldnt locate her.Love the pic of the wall tent! :thumb
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That is a tough one. Don't beat your self up over it though, just chalk it up to experience. Sounds like you had fun, and spent time with you Dad, that's what it's about. From now on it's broadside or nothing. Thanks for sharing the photos and experience. That is one tough animal....The Mighty Elk!!!
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6x6 bull
Great pics, Sorry about the elk but that is why they call it hunting.
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Tough way to end a hunt. Simaler thing happened to me a few years ago. I had a broadside shot at a 5x5, took it, but my arrow was deflected a little by a unseen branch. Long story short, the bull bled like crazy till he bedded down, when he got up, no more blood trail. I looked for two solid days for that bull, even had a chance at another, but, like you, I figured my tag was filled, if not the freezer.
Still bugs me about loosing that elk, always thinking about the "what ifs".
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TheGreatwhitehunter
That is always a tough pill to swallow but you made every effort to recover the animal and did not continue to hunt on your tag which is a honorable thing IMO. I am sorry to hear you lost an animal but thats hunting.
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Thanks boys.
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AGCHAWK
bonehead, I'm sorry you were unable to recover your elk. As with a lot of us, it can and does happen... unfortunately. I wounded a buck about 5 years ago and also lost the trail after about 2 hours of tracking. Knowing that the buck was hit hard and also being familiar with that particular piece of land, my brother and I looked for two more days before the crows led us to what was left of the buck. I was able to take the antlers but of course, the meat was unsalvagable. I took the antlers and they are now hanging in my house...figured I couldn't let that buck die for absolutely nothing and wanted give him his just dues.

I also wanted to commend you for not just blowing it off, giving up early, and taking another shot. We need more ethical hunters out there.
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