3 months until a duodecennial….

[double browtine]

Congratulations TC! So glad y'all found him!

 

[AT Hiker]

That's awesome! Congrats!!!

How far did he go?

Right at 600 yards the best I can figure. I blood trailed for 75 yards and it stopped, then after we found him I back trailed (guessing the route but with a good hunch) it back to last blood and it was .3 miles.

Here is a pic from another ridge looking toward the location I killed him. X is where I shot him, the red line (he took the flat route, hit the timber and drop some elevation) is the approximate route he took after the shot and the red circle is where he died. The yellow line is where he came from when I was calling him in.

Definitely punched the liver. I never did find the arrow(s). No exit wound(s) on opposite side either. I really don't know if I hit the artery or not. I did the "gutless" method on him and once the tenderloins were out (which were perfectly fine and no gut puncture there) I dug through his internals. No arrow, perfect broad head puncture in liver and all damage appeased on the shot side.
I give up on trying to figure out what that arrow did.

 

[PossumSlayer]

Sheer damn luck! I zigzagged through gnarly deadfall. Had about enough of that and headed back to AT. So bad in there I lost him within a couple of steps! Stopped while looking for AT and just happened to look to the right. There he was! Had some hard tracking in the past but that was by far the hardest. Pretty sure I was as happy as he was. My first elk hunt was last year and couldn't even confirm I heard one bugle. My goal was to hear one for the first time. This hunt blew all expectations out of the water and will be hard pressed to have a better elk hunt than this! I've never seen or heard anything like it. I appreciate these degenerates for allowing me to hunt with them! Couldn't ask for a better crew!! I'm adding my tall/ugly ass mug to the thread…View attachment 244685

How far did the elk travel after the shot?
Never mind next post
Congratulations!!!

 

[backyardtndeer]

Glad FussNFeathers found him. Congratulations.

 

[Tn Joe]

Congrats again TC!

 

[Pilchard]

Congrats! Good luck Buzz!

 

[tbadon]

I tell ya what, if you ever get the chance to share huntin camp with Tellico, you'll be spoiled. Fantastic food, cold beers and plenty of elk hunting wisdom.

6 days without a shower so I broke down and took advantage of his portable outdoor shower, I feel like a brand new woman!
View attachment 244667


Back to the tracking job.

I get to the end of the timber and as I'm circling back around I think to myself "there is no way we are going to find this elk". It is just so thick and waiting for Tellico and his pup might be the best thing, assuming the bull is even dead and in here. Temps are going to heat up today and what optimism I had was waning fast. I was also afraid of stomping around too much in case we threw the pup off trail.

I turn around and start making my way back in. After a few minutes of ducking limbs and climbing deadfall, OldFussnFeathers (Travis) apparently had the same thought as me. So, he turns up the ridge to find me. He is a solid dude, but this wasn't his tag and I had already had a sense of guilt dragging him up into this mess.


I remember stopping in the timber to just look around at how thick it was, the feeling of defeat overwhelming me. I take a couple more steps then I hear "who hoo!!!". That nervous exciting feeling hit me, I yell out "no freaking way man, you better not be f'n with me". I bust butt to his voice, running through the blow down like a bull chasing a cow.

Laying there in a spot surrounded by thick pines and a blow down was my bull! Travis was dang near invisible as I walked up. "How the hel did you find him dude?!?!"




Talk about a whirlwind, we all know the feeling. We all know the saying of "highest of highs and lowest of lows" when it comes to hunting, too. Well, this one was no different.

Travis said the pup would have found him but I'm deeply grateful Travis did. We beat the heat and flies, we beat the coyotes and bears.

My first bull.
View attachment 244670

Congrats TC!

 

[dgolden]

Man yall are having a good trip! Glad you found him! I shot a bull 2 years ago and couldn't find him, and not a day goes by that I don't think about it.
Congrats on a great bull!!

 

[Coltens]

Congratulations!

 

[AT Hiker]

I knew it! Congrats AT!

Can't wait for the "I didn't say we didn't find it, I just said I didn't find it".

-Travis

 

[KTS]

Congratulations, great bull! Loved following along with ya'll.

 

[Turkeychaser]

Congratulations!

 

[th88]

Glad you were able to find him!!! Have enjoyed the thread and updates.

I came back from WY with tag soup this year. It sucks, especially after paying the Special tag price!!