Discuss Colorado Elk - LIVE bowhunt
Elk
go get em Pat...
Sharpstick
You're gonna drop the big one this time Pat!! This will be fun to follow!
best of luck, Pat. Hey- you should come hunt Idaho sometime!
dg
Pat should come hunt Elk here in Alaska. Bears, thick nasty brush and some nice elk down on Raspberry Island! Roosevelt elk to be precise!
Wish you all the best Pat. You have definately earned it when it happens for you and it will be all the sweeter!
Just 3 words. "Your due Pat". Good luck this year.Looking forward to following this Colorado saga.It's allways a great pictorial!
Since the Elk has been so hard to get, are you going to use the same setup as you did on your Buffalo? That should bring them down. Good luck and can't wait for the videos.
Thanks for the desktop pic!
Good Luck Pat!!! Will be tuning in every day for updates until I leave for Montana Thurs.
Very cool--were the elk vocal this morning? i might be heading up this evening...
Me thinks Pat has gone mad. It is now time for the Bowsite board of directors to throw him out and hire me so that I can catch elk,buffalo, and other types of fever!
shoot a big one, or a little one, heck just shoot one! :) Mike
"....within 90 yards of a 6pt, 260 bull in a perfect position for me to get a 30 yard shot ... "
'Many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip' for that last 60 yards. But isn't it great being in a position to decide to pass?
This is going to be interesting............ 8^)
Cry me a river it's elk hunting...
Why are you passing up a P@Y bull if you haven't got one yet???????
MTOOMEY 4 Prez!!
I'll go ahead and fill in the VP spot just for the hell of it.
Good Luck Pat. I'm giving them until tomorrow, prior engagement, then it is ON!
Come on Pat let the air out of one so you have time to stop by for a FREE beer.
Good Luck!
Sandbrew
Best of luck! I'm pulling for ya!
Come on Pat get it done! This is your year!
Pat, 2 questions... 1) what meets your requitements for a shooter here? Is it based strictly in inches or are there other factors?
2) did you bring that blue toilet bowl cleaner bugle tube this year?
michael
Well, It is 9:30 where he is and there are no updates. I am hoping that this means success! If not it is 10:30 where I am and going to bed soon so I will just have to check back tom.
I had the same thoughts. I don't even know why I'm gonna try to sleep. I've got three hours of work in the AM and then I am headed to the Honey Hole!
Sunday evening hunt posted at 1030 PM PST, 1130 Mtn.
G
Come on Pat! Stop looking the gift horse in the mouth!! ;-)
Never pass on day 1 (or 2!) what you would gladly shoot on the last day.....
>>>>-------------->
Um, time to kill a bull Pat.
CHUG, CHUG, CHUG!!!!
No peer pressure on this site! LOL!
I'd still wait two more days before dropping the string. You are in elk every hunt out and keep trying for a wallhanger. Sure, mere mortals such as myself, would have already shot something but you got your goals and standards.
This is becoming a Soap Opera to me. How am I suppose to get anything done with bulls bugling out there and now I'm hooked on this hunt?
Good Luck to all and Be safe out there!
RICH
I'll bet Pat will be packin' meat & bone tonight! Of course, there's always the wind to screw up a good plan...
How am I supposed to work. I don't leave for 37 days 14 hours.. and I am here suck hitting the refresh button waiting for a new reply?!?!?! I feel like a teenage girl watching the bachelor.
Pat- When are you going to learn? That may have been just a small rattler but he sure could have messed up your hunt!!!! I had a feeling that you would find some kind of slithering thing to play with. Now, go out and kill us a bull and quit jerking around!!!!! Best of luck to you.
"Of course, there's always the wind to screw up a good plan..."
Or an avoidable rattlesnake bite. Sheesh. Easterners. ;^)
Pat, to keep it on the same adrenalin level as the mamba, you should have used a #2 pencil to poke it with. Which bull is the shooter in the pic? I have bad eyes and can't see it. Now go kill an elk.
you and your snakes, Pat.
Here- read this before you mess with another one.
Hope you're gutting an elk as I'm typing this!
dg
Geez Pat, good thing you don't have a weedwacker with you!
Anyhow, watching that video I remember a statistic my sister in law quoted (ok, she's a lawyer, so she probably lied about it) ; ) It went something like this:
80% of women bitten by snakes are bitten on the legs and feet.
80% of men bitten by snakes are bitten on the arms, hands, and face.
Dang Pat......Snakes...Why'd it have to be snakes?
You have the elk down eh? slam dunk??? Yeah right!
Like most animals I"ve hunted, you think you know what they're doing/thinking and then they change their mind or the weather changes or a pack of coyotes or wolves comes around.
Hope you're right this time!!!
Good luck this afternoon - awaiting the report. Seems like a nice day to hunt in those foothills. Cool, no big wind, overcast.
Knowing where you are hunting and the caliber of bulls in there, I'd have passed that one up opening day too!
Go get 'em!!!!!!!!
He'll never learn.
Kids....sheeesh.
I hope Pat get his bull this year, but at least he is limiting out on desktop wallpaper pics for sure, that one from day 3 looks like an awesome wallpaper, even the low quality version looks nice, I'd like the see the HQ version (hint hint).
I hate rattlers, even little ones! I had to watch the video and then I got goose bumps on my goose bumps. Did I say that I hate rattlers?!?!
Born Again Hunter: I feel the same way. It's like scheduling your college courses around a Soap Opera. Not that I ever did that, of course!
Picky hunters often eat tag soup. At this rate Pat will need lots of seasonings for that bland soup. Didn't anybody ever tell Pat that any elk tastes better than the best deer. Also since this is a Semi-live hunt, and this is Pat's business, is this trip a tax right off?
I am begining to understand why you have never killed an elk. Why are you being so passive about going after these elk? Are they telling you that you can't? If you bust them will they leave the area you can hunt? Why aren't you getting in a position to intercept them leaving the field? You only have 5 days going back to camp and leaving them alone seems too me will leave you with an unfilled tag. Maybe I am too used to hunting on public where if you don't go after them hard someone else will. Good luck and I hope you prove me wrong!!
Pat, go Chuck Adams on them and get aggressive. You need to make it happen. Get the wind in your favor and push onto those elk. If you mess up, do it again. you will always kill more elk being aggressive rather then cautious. just a tip that has worked for me.
Yea.......Chuck Adams.......chase them on to property you can't hunt on but shoot the bull anyway and get away with it.........just like Chuck.........oh yea and still get it posted in the books.....Pat don't be like Chuck
Did he connect? No post yet and it's already past noon!?!?!?!
"As the Bowhunt Turns" new reality/soap opera show.
Sounds to me like its almost like whitetail hunting. You know where they feed. You know where they bed. Why not set up in between and ambush them? If this is a guided hunt I would have thought the guide would have all of the scouting done and when you showed up, put you in a spot to intercept a big bull. You guys are pretty much just watching them in the morning and then hoping to get lucky in the afternoon. I would agree with that strategy if you lived there and could hunt them all season. But on a six day hunt, by day three I'd be ready to push the action. Interesting hunt though. Best of luck.
Those of y'all who think it's an easy ambush haven't been on this particular ranch. There are a ton of elk there as the pictures show, but these alfalfa fields are surrounded almost completely with low mountains and numerous draws, the problem is A) they don't travel the same route each day, B) There are alot of different options for them to travel, and C)there isn't a ton of cover to setup in, it's largely 5-6 foot mahogany with scattered ponderosas in some spots. Backing out is the best way to play it, you don't want to screw up the elk's patterns - it's a 20K acre ranch if I remember correctly, but it's easy to kick them off if you spook them bad.
I'm with Roger on this one. I have also been on that ranch. Wes knows those elk and how to play them. If anybody wants Pat to get an elk more than Pat himself, it is Wes Atkinson. Nobody will work harder for Pat! Now get it done guys and good luck!!
Lenny
I'm hoping that this silence from Pat is a positive sign!
Roger...you mean the guide who's hunted the ranch so many times and his hunter who has great hunting insticts, himself, knows more about what to do at their hunting grounds than guys on bowsite?
Surely you jest!
wow for those of you who are scrolling to the bottom to look for the updates check Pat's site (first post on the thread) . Waht an amazing story form this morning!
Sounds like a great morning hunt. Some of the commentary from pat leads me to believe he may have glanced at this thread prior to finishing. . .
Yea, after reading his report, he must have read the last few posts. Sounds like they got an opportunity to get aggressive this morning and went for it. His explanation, and those of some of the others on this thread, helped me understand their situation. Especially the part Pat wrote about blowing out the herd. For his sake, I hope that happens only when he puts and arrow in one of those 300+inch bulls.
Sounds like you are playing it out just right Pat!! Hopefully the big one comes by soon!
What? Was that ";)" code for something???? I sent that exact text to my brother just after I put one on the ground last year. Drove him crazy.
He had to of got one with that last post. He is packing meat right now I bet.
"If you mess up, do it again"
You don't know your history my man, he did that in 2006 and the elk didn't return for a month!
"Yea.......Chuck Adams.......chase them on to property you can't hunt on but shoot the bull anyway and get away with it.........just like Chuck.........oh yea and still get it posted in the books.....Pat don't be like Chuck"
Don't post that crap here without some proof!
keep after them Pat, you only need them to make one mistake! be there when they make that mistake~
michael
;-) That meant something... elk down?
;-)
is Pat's answer to ----
" Some of the commentary from pat leads me to believe he may have glanced at this thread prior to finishing. . . "
Great video footage today.
What where they feeding on with the leaves? Didn't look like sage viewed through my junkie computer monitor.
Not a big camo guy, but my favorite is predator green year round, even here in the midwest.
Txnrog - Don't know where this ranch is, but I lived just south of Denver for a couple years, and wouldn't call them mountains - more like hills or hogbacks.
... but that's not to say he's not gutting one while we're reading this tonight, either. sounds like he's getting really close!
i'm sure the next hunt will be the one
Amazing footage of those elk walking right past him. To be so close to so many wild elk had to be a thrill!
Good luck, Pat. And thank you for sharing your hunts with us... helps get the juices flowing as we get ready for deer season.
Pat you 1. should have shot and remember 2. You are hunting colorado not new mexico. Can't shoot what ain't there. good luck!
Pat you 1. should have shot and remember 2. You are hunting colorado not new mexico. Can't shoot what ain't there. good luck!
Two more days and I really hope Pat scores. Things seem to be falling into place for him. Being 0-8 on bow Elk hunts some might say who am I to comment on the hunt but here goes anyway. Pat's past 3-4 hunts have been on places where it is real wide open vs heavy timber. Seems to me that the playing field is way to big. Trying to get close to these big herds and calling a big bull out of them into bow range is way more difficult than doing it in heavy cover where you have less eyes and noses. Having said that...go gettum Pat!!!
"Can't shoot what ain't there"
but they are there, he is seeing them daily.
michael
Zbone, my term low mountains refers to 'hills & hogbacks', but you're right, it's not that high. For someone originally from Tx though, they're bigger than most our hills. The ranch is North West of Ft. Collins pretty close to the WY border on the front range, really cool country. I have not hunted elk there, but scouted with Wes after taking a pronghorn on the ranch. Wes knows his stuff and I bet they get a shot before the trip's over, but it's going to be a short AM & PM hunt I bet, it's getting pretty warm.
Pat, you have been having Beaux's mac & cheese? Reading this has me wishin I was chasin 'lopes this year just for the mac & cheese, good stuff!
Got interesting news from the mountain today in the form of a five word text from Wes that said, "Pat just ...". Tune in later to find out if a dream came true in Northern Colorado, and are the Elk still laughing now?
Marty Edwards
Cool... thanks, Marty. That'll keep me checking back throughout the day.
"Pat just..."
...missed a giant?
pat just...
"stepped on a brood of rattlers?"
Could it be......
Link is right in Atkinson Expeditions home page. Looks like Pat may have broken his jinx!
http://twitter.com/GuidedHunts/statuses/3711241652
he was never inxed just selective.
Could it be!! Looking quite good at this point.
Someone Twittered that they are tracking a wounded bull...
What kind of Sally twitters on a hunt?
Say it ain't so Pat!
Michael
WTH !! Why some other site gets the update before his own :( Oh well looking forward to the full story soon I hope. Good luck !!
It looks as if the guide did his own twitter thing and just blew the big suprise.
Pat's guide is Wes who owns the operation. I can't believe he would spill the beans before Pat did. But you never know!
Just a teaser. . . .we don't have any details or know if the animal's even in possesion yet. . . looking forward to hearing the full story.
It is supposed to be a 'live hunt' you know. . .
The "Twits" out of the bag!
I hate the words 'blood trail,' esp. in the context we're getting it here. It too often means a less than optimal hit and a long recovery at best. Hopefully that won't be the case on this one.
Pat just...
took a photo of the Elks Club reading ElkNuts Playbook and trying to learn our secrets!
Twitter? Before us, the Ol' faithful? The shame of it all!
I was thinking the same thing kyle. Usually you have a very short tracking job, when you have to bloodtrail it usually means it is iffy...
m ichael
That 'tweet' was 6 hours ago. . .my guess is they have been packing out, taking photos, editing video, and Pat's doing the write up right now. Knowing Wes, if it had been a marginal hit, they wouldn't have gone after it that early.
I am ready to head out and chase deer and bears but I want to hear how this hunt went down. I'm giving it until 2pm and then I'm gone. I think!?!?!?
Hope its not a six hour track job.
Can't be too good that he hasn't posted...
Although, after as many trips and as picky as he haas been maybe they are taking like 3500 pictures???
michael
"What kind of Sally twitters on a hunt?"
Who are you, Eichman - saying what the rest of us are thinking?
if he hit it they'll find it. i never recall any lost animal on any of these prior hunts, except maybe one in kansas that was superfical.
Just got off the phone with the last potential Client and no word yet.....so, I'm gone! Twitter, what's this world coming to!?!
Well he hit something apparently... hopefully it will be found soon!
I think they're just putting the pieces together for a new blood trail challenge for us! Hope to get the good news soon Pat!
Pat killed an elk, pics to follow. He just twittered me with the pics! Paitence has paid off bigtime for him! lol
michael
I think tweeting while hunting should be outlawed... especially when there is an 8 hour delay in updates!!
I think Brotsky has it. Or he's testing mechanicals v. fixed blades on the carcass. . . .
"Or he's testing mechanicals v. fixed blades on the carcass"
I hope he tests the frontal shot while he's at it.
Brotsky, maybe that's why it's been over 8 hours, he had to wait for the elk to rigor so he could stand it up.
Isn't tweetering while hunting breaking a man law? Heck, I think tweetering in itself is against man law in most states. I would expect a beer can to fall from the sky and crush this guy any minute now.
That photo is totally photo-shopped! if you look reeeally close at the outline around his head you can tell the backgrounds don't match up at all! lol.
Really bullcrazy, I hadn't noticed...
lol
michael
Photoshopped ??? Really???
Tweeter? Sounds a little gay to me. ;^)
Only if you're playing with someone elses Kyle... Lol!
OK Pat , you are seeing all these 300-340 bulls in Colorado and they are already bugling their heads off. All I can say is, "If you don't get one, I'm going to be awfully disapointed in you.
It is 7:15 EST and still no post from Pat. He must be flying in Steven Speilberg to do the production for this report.
Let's see this bull already!
This is like a soap opera !! Quit being a drama queen and post some pics !!! I hate suspense ....
I am going through withdrawls. Come on, with the update!!!! LOL I need my fix!
I can't f---ing stand it!
How many here have hit a bull only to never find it?
I have. I shot a pretty decent 5 pt one time and I thought it was a perfect hit. My cousin and a friend saw the shot and they both thought it was a dead bull.
We let the dust settle and after a little bite to eat and about 30 minuted had passed we got on it's trail. There was blood everywhere and we knew he wouldn't be far.
Needless to say, we tracked him up and over 2 ridges and down into 3 canyons and after about 2 miles or so there was no more blood and eventually he got on a trail with too many other elk tracks to keep on him. I looked for 3 days and never found him.
I will never forget the gutwrenching feeling I had when I realized I had lost him and due to the ammount of blood he dropped there was no way he could live.
I only hope something like that didn't happen today!
Michael
I hit a bull high in the shoulder without much penetration in 2001 hunting in Co with Rudy Steele Outfitters.I shot too fast and spent the afternoon and following morning with my guide looking for what we already knew was an elk we wouldn't find and which would probably not be found but would survive. The following day I shot a cow which went 200 yards before she went down.My guide, Tony Pressler, did a great job following that elk which was hit in one lung and didn't leave much of a blood trail. Stuff happens sometimes and I hope if Pat is on a blood trail that it leads him to a dead elk!
I agree with Michael. I shot a big guy two years ago. Found half the arrow snapped off, huge blood trail. It got dark, we came back the next morning with horses, dogs, lots of humans and he was gone. i learned so much from that and the inability to hunt the rest of the season. I hope Pat is kickin it with a beer and laughing at us waiting to hear.
Been there myself--my buddy shot a nice bull but the sound of the hit alerted both of us to bone--i cow called the bull back as he was rut crazed and put another arrow through him. Blood everywhere; waited 1 hour, pushed him and then backed out for 4 hours; never found him after 2 days! It just plain sucks to lose an animal but i'd wager to say most bow hunters have had it happen--maybe most rifle hunters too? Come on Pat, post something so we can quit this nonsense!!
Thanks for sharing Pat, If you need help getting him out.....
Uh oh, something tells me it will be worth the wait! \ michael
Can anyone say spider jr. ?....lol...you never know.....
It's past my bedtime....I think i'll twitter about it.
This is gonna be good, hope it was a happy ending, elk are tough critters, unless you get both lungs, or major arteries you can be in for a long tough day, or two. I'm thinking the hit must not have been either, & we may or may not have a conclusion tonight.
Dang it Pat, have some oatmeal or drink some coffee, out with it! :)
congrats not get on with it--you can sleep when your dead as my friend uncle Ted would say..
That is one nice bull Pat. I can only wish I could see one like that someday. The pic tells the story.
I don't see it yet. This is killing me. What a perfect hunting trip - regardless of the size of the bull in the end!
Chief,
Do you know something we don't? Pat hasn't posted the results yet.
I hope he isn't talking about my pic Kyle....
lol
michael
WOW! What an amazing bull Pat. What will that score?
Been there, I wish you well Pat, I hope it works out better for you then it did me! jd
Been there, I wish you well Pat, I hope it works out better for you then it did me! jd
Tomorrow may bring better luck. You know he's got to be hurting..but that long of going uphill's never good.
Most of us who've hunted a lot have been there...it was a great whitetail for me in 2006. "perfect" hit and arrow...nada.
No second-guessing from this keyboard 600 miles away.
Pat, all I can say is I've been there and its a mixed bag of emotions. I'll say a little prayer your bull is "just over the next hill" tomorrow! Great job, and good luck!
I have to say Pat that I admire your honesty and your decision to not sugar coat things. Thats the way we like it!
On your bull, I wish you luck and can say that i've been there. In the mountains, exhausted and that pit in your stomach can sure test a man. You'll be better from it no matter the outcome. Good luck!
I can only say that what often times LOOKS like a lot of blood really isn't as much as we'd like to think it is oftentimes. Having seen what looked like a LOT of blood come out of my patients only to find out it was only 50ml or so, reminds me of how little blood it takes to make it look like a LOT on the ground.
Pat, I hope you can get in that area and potentially find that bull. My heart sank a little as I read on and found you didn't get him tonight.
There will be no sleep tonight... Been there done that twice... perfect shot, long blood trail, no sleep... first one didn't turn out well but the second one did... wish lots of luck in the morning...
Brutally honest story. We appreciate it. I look forward to more details, pics of the blood trail to show the nature of the blood etc. He must be hurt bad to have laid down like that. Good luck.
2 miles, sounds familiar! I don't know what it is. the bull i lost dumped tons of blood on the ground and I never found him. I also lost a whitetail that did the exact same thing. Arrow looked great, bllod looked awesome- but eventually peters out and nothing more...
I don't know what the deal is.
Obviously we know how determined you are to find this bull and i think you probably will. Hopefully there isn't some private ground you can't get on close by!
Did you ever find the arrow? Obviously it wasn't a pass-through since you said something about good penetration, but I am wondering if the arrow is still in him. Hopefully it is and he will cut something more important with all his moving around and such.
Good luck tomorrow and good luck sleeping ;)
michael
I wish I didn't know what you were feeling right now...
you know there's a lot of support here for you. i know that doesn't help.
wishin' you all the best.
Forget the score, let's just find him. Good luck tomorrow. Wish I could be there to help.
Elk are big and tough. A perfect hit will put them down fast, but those ALMOST perfect hits can be heart breakers. I'm just a few miles south of you tonight with a torqued knee wishing I was out chasing them.
I hope you have good luck tomorrow, but given the situation you know as well as anyone that the outcome is far from a done deal either good or bad. Just part of what bowhunting is. Luckily its a small part, but unavoidable given enough hunts and enough shots.
I watched that storm pass through your area tonight. The radar map shows no more rain tonight or tomorrow.
Trail hard!
Saying a prayer for you tonight and heading to bed. You'll find him tomorrow. I know some people are against what i'm about to say, but if you have a good dog it will help--put him on the blood and he'll track it like you wouldn't believe. Good luck and God bless.
using dogs to hunt or track big game is illegal in colorado. Keep your eyes up! good luck!
There aren't too many water sources up there, Pat, that's where I'd check in the morning. That kind of blood may stop coming externally, but as long as he's breathing and moving around, he's losing blood inside. He'll need water if he's still kicking tonight. Best of luck, if you need extra feet on the ground shoot us locals an email, I got nothing better to do! -Nick
Good luck tomorrow. That's tough........
Stick with it guys! I wish you the best of luck in the morning!!
Matt
Oh man. Like others, I have been there too. It was my on my last elk hunt. Mine was a pass through and lots of good blood sign. We did the same thing and spooked him out of his bed based on "knowing" he was dead. Mine didn't turn out well and I hope yours does.
I think one positive is that originally, he was clearly hurt bad. He got up and bedded right back down. This isn't a superficial muscle hit. I would imagine it may be a one lunger. All depends on just how much adrenaline he has in him. To me the going up hill doesn't mean too much if he has that adrenaline pumping through him. It can't last forever and it sounds like you and Wes know the area really well. Prayers sent and good luck. Hopefully no more rain.
I've yet to lose an animal but I have come close a time or two. It sounds like you did shoot a "warrior" but you are in good hands and my thoughts will go out for a successful recovery tomorrow. Be sure to enjoy the moment and pay your respects to the animal's toughness!
Thank you for the honesty and integrity.
A lot of us right there with ya Pat. Good luck tracking him and hopin' for a happy ending.
Best wishes for tomorrow Pat. Thanks for portraying reality. I know what you're feeling- prayers sent.
Good luck Pat. With some luck the bull will be dead, he will live until early morning so the meat wont spoil and all will be right with the world. Again. I bet its a 1 lung hit.
Did they ever find the arrow? Didn't seem to mention that in the hunt summary. If it is still in there it will act as a plug thus restricting blood from emptying the elk's body causing blood clotting which seams to be the case in the visual description that the wound is now black in color. Both of these issues (arrow still in him and clotting) may be the true culprit in this saga. If that is the case, sure hope he works that arrow loose and soon...otherwise some muzzleloader hunter may shoot an elk this season with a somewhat healed arrow shaft in his chest cavity. In the future you may want to consider shooting Zwickey broadheads. Seriously you will get full penetration (especially since you are shooting 30 yds. and under) as long as you don't push the envelope too far. That is why they are the broadhead of choice for big, big game in Africa. Pat...I have no doubt you made a great shot but it seems like maybe your equipment has put you in a precarious position? Hope you find that sucker.
That sucks, look forward to the updates everyday, hope it turns out great. Good call mn-archer, guess you just had that feeling.
Crestedbutte there are so much great broadhead choices out there, i'm sure he was using a great broadhead, imo I don't beleive the head would have much difference. Now if he was using expandables....just kidding, just kidding...
Good luck on the recovery Pat. Prayers are sent your way.
We all have are fingers crossed for ya Pat. He'll be lying in a field, next to a road. Good luck.
Pat...I know that feeling, all I can say is keep positve and best of luck finding the bull.
i think you will stumble on him. the fact he went 2 miles and used up a lot of life doing it, and you know where he is at the 2 mile mark is good. should not be much further and he'll have been laying for 8 hours by the time you get back on him
Hope it goes from ugly to elation soon. With enough help, I'm sure you'll find that bull.
crestedbutte--that was a really, really stupid thing to say. Seriously? You really think using a different type of broadhead was going to make the difference here?
Pat, I hope it turns out just the way you're hoping it will !!!
I wish I was there to help. Good luck
Pat: Keep the faith! It will all work out!
Good Luck Pat I'm praying you've found him as I write. Sounds like you've done a great job of tracking and being patient so far. Be cool and get the job done.
by rewatching the video it seems that the shot may have been rushed in the heat of the moment. also since we only see pat on the video it is very true that the bull could have been at a bad angle but again due to how fast things unfolded it may have not been realize by pat at the time of the shot. we see pat jump up and move and this more than likely caused the animal to move and since pat was so focused on a spot the angle go over looked. good luck on finding him, i believe you will.
You'll find him. Hopefully it is not too hot, and he'll start to cool off. The rain will help. I am right there with you Pat. My worst feeling in the world is from the time that I release the arrow until I have my hands on the dead Elk. I have made lots of perfect shots, that have smoked the elk, only to have them travel a long distance. The shot was probably just a little high, and his tank is full of blood. I trailed a spike for over 3 miles three years ago, that my buddy shot. Lots of blood at first and then a spot every 100 feet. Never did find him. I wish we could all be up there to help you that would be quicker.
Good luck pat. Your bull may still be alive. Be read to shoot him again.... I have been in this position before when abuddy hit an elk way back. We saw the bedded bull, backed out and came back 4 hours later to find the bull gone with no blood trail. We searched for 5 hours, tehn stumbled on him about 80 yards from where we last saw him. He was in a willow thick, stone cold dead....
Best of luck Pat....
>>>>----------->
Good luck today Pat, hopefully you're already on him. I one lunged a cow a few years back and left her in her bed for six hours. When I came back she jumped up and took off just like this bull. I managed to find her bedded again after I let her settle down. I put a stalk on and finished her. The shot placement looked absolutely perfect like Pat described but the angle had to have been just a little towards. It ended well. Prayers for Pat's to end well also.
I'm pullin for you to Pat! Most of us here have been thru this sorta thing. It happens to nearly everybody at some point in their hunting career.That is about as sick a feeling as a hunter can experience in my opinion. Take your time, look ahead & be meticulous in your search.I think you'll have your bull sometime this morning.Good luck!By the way, he's 310"
Good Luck! Will be wishing well for you all morning!
I hate those sleepless nights when it's best to back off and see what the light of day brings. 9:45am here in PA... wonder if he found him yet? Wonder if he'll post early so I can focus on work and stop checking Bowsite every 10 minutes?
Good luck Pat. Pretty sure you guys will be giving a very happy update. I would guess that bull won't be the 340" bull you think, though. More like 275" but I certainly would not have hesitated one millisecond to take him!
Good luck finding the big boy, Pat. We've all been there at some point. Keep watching for the smallest of sign and you will find him.
These animals are tough. I've seen them fold right up at times and act invincible after taking shots through the boiler room at other times. Unreal.
Looking forward to reading your next post and thanks for the candid story on 9/2.
good luck Pat I have been there and done that.
......maybe if you had changed the brand of peep sites this bull would have fallen in its tracks. (Stupid broadhead statement above.)
Been there done that and it still sucks!! What is the law on dogs?!
Guess the score? I'll start with 325."
Just got around to reading the entire story and it is excellent. I KNOW exacty what your going through and have a good feeling you will find him. We have all been there and the way you described your emotions is dead on. My fingers are crossed for you....keep at it!
Take some Tyenol Pm to sleep tonight and go find your bull in the morning.
the only thing more exhilarating in hunting than taking an animal with a bow is recovering an animal taken with a bow after your mindset has shifted to the fact that you probably won't find it.
That is double ecstacy and i hope you feel it today.
Kyle,
his video is titled (shot a 340")but I think that is very generouw number. He isn't very wide and not extremely long either. He is a beautiful elk and on I'd lover to see this fall at 30 yards, but I'll go just a tad under your scor at 320"
michael
Good luck Pat......it'll all be worth it once you lay your hands on him...
Crested Butte-Think about what you said!?!?
Not the scenerio we were hoping for but all of us are behind you. Good luck finding him this AM. I know how you must feel!!
the thaught that a hunter like pat is using a sub-standard broadhead is rediculous. why make that remark? Pat, you have hunted long and hard and from what I read, you've made the right choices while tracking. i'd say its a single lung shot but he is most likely laying dead near water. thats where I would head if the blood trail from yesterday is gone. Good luck. can't wait to see the pics of your trophy.
he will die by water. up hill and a mile after jumping is veeeeerrrrrrry bad.
you will have to have lady luck on your side to find this one.
sounds like a liver shot or a one lunger. one lung they can go for a couple of days, doesnt bleed like your stating though.
liver shot will bleed very bad but they can go for hours until they bleed out internally once the would clots.
you will learn from this that if an elk doenst go down within 300 yards, you put another arrow in him if you get any chance whatsoever...... even belly crawling through rattlesnake country....
they will definately find the elk for ya, just whether or not it is in time to eat it is the question...
Crestedbutte-Are you out of your freakin mind???? Use a Zwickey as it is the choice of African hunters. Are you serious? Commenting that Pat is using the wrong equipment is both stupid and foolish and most certainly OUT OF PLACE ON THIS THREAD!!!!!
As far as guessing the score-- I'd say 305 gross.
Hopefully we will get to actually find out!
~duke
Good luck, Pat, hopefully you've already found your bull. I'd guess him at 320".
if he makes 300 it will be not by much.
im guessing around 295
Seriously guys, I'd hold off a little on guessing the score. I suspect that's the last thing on Pat's mind right now.
Crested- Remind me cause I might be wrong here. Didn't Pat just get a passthrough on a Cape Buff with a Muzzy???
michael
Good luck !!!!!! I to had a similar exp. and I know the feeling. I pray everything works out well and the old "WARRIOR" is fighting his last battle and you will find him dead in his bed.
Broadhead comment was F.U.B.A.R. and total BS
Txnrog- I seriously doubt Pat is on his computer right now if he hasn't found him.
Crested is right, it's the choice of equipment that's at fault. If Pat had been shooting a Mathews instead of Bowtech, and been wearing ASAT instead of Predator, that elk would be in the freezer by now. And everyone knows that Zwickey's are the best broadhead by far.
What an idiotic comment...
Chip-t and Txnrog, you guys are both dead on. Who cares what he MAY score, or what Pat's set up was. I think he knows what he is doing.
When Pat recovers this bull you can guess all you want. For now just wish him luck.
Pat,
You are ethical and i appreciate your determination on finding that bull. many hunters don't have the skill to track a wounded animal. they would simply have given up by now.
The bull is a nice bull. Bow hunting has so many variables, this happens to every bow hunter eventually. I am confident you will find it.
When we are hunting these wonderful animals we need to show them respect. That is hunting them, putting the best shot we can on them and expelling all efforts to find them.
Good luck.
Kyle
Any word yet. I prayed for a successful recovery.
I'm voting for Crestedbutte's post to be enshrined in the Bowsite Hall of Fame of stupid posts.
Crestedbutte, if you ever decide to try bowhunting for elk, understand that an arrow in the animal, especially on a marginal shot, acts as a drain, not a plug. A "drain" is a good thing. The broadhead staying inside the animal on a marginal shot keeps the wound open and bleeding, which is also a good thing.
The whole Zwickey idea is too ridiculous to comment upon.
Hang in there, Pat! We're waiting to see the pics of you and your bull!
Txnrog,
If I wasn't optomistic he'll find his bull, I wouldn't have made the guess.
Can you use tracking dogs in CO?
No dogs in Co unfortunately. . .
Good Luck Pat. No more needs to be said.
Pat, I am praying for you buddy!! I hope you get that bull, I know how hard you have worked for a shot at a monster like that!!! Good luck!!
Best of luck Pat,
A positive attitude and stern perseverance will lead you to your bull. Stay the course, and reject any hint of negativity!
Chris
I believe you will find him. Hang in there...I think we all know you will.
As for a discussion point for those of us watching. Just to pass the time while we wait for the update.
I understand Pat's choice with passing on a possible frontal shot. I respect his choice. So a couple of questions for us online, just to be clear, this is not intended to be about Pat's choice. This is about you and me.
IF you watched the video of the shot, and you are the shooter, meaning if this is your elk encounter.....
Did anyone see a possible frontal shot?
If so, would you have taken it?
I see a possible just after he clears the small bush.
That close....I believe I would have.
Brian
I would take my dog up there for Pat, I'm only an hour away. I got this mutt, that trails everything, I've never tried on an elk though. (if the landowner would let me go do some "Dove" hunting, if you guys know what I mean)
The really bad thing is that we all know that this will probably end up being the next blood trail test. We are all screwed if that is so. Maybe this is payback for all those complaints that we have made about his past blood trail tests. Nothing worse than searching an entire mouuntain for a few specks of blood, follow them for 1/2 mile and then have to look for the trail again. I still wish we were all out there helping him. Keep an eye out for the ravens and jays, they will find it before you will.
Good point about ravens and jays Yendor. You can get caught up watching the ground and forget to look up.
Brian
Crestedbutt: Put the crack pipe down.
Frontal shot, 7-8 yards, just right of center. Exits out in front of right hindquarter and he goes about 75 yards. I would have taken it and that was my first thought watching the video.
got elk, it is perfectly legal to hunt grouse in colorado with dogs. i would have had my best labs out there already hunting grouse. birds will find it, but then its too late anyway, unless of course you are just hunting for trophies and racks, pat wouldnt do that.....
yes there was a frontal shot (see archive posts) its better to save the frontal shots to those who have taken many elk with a bow. you need to be dead nutz and as calm as ted kennedy. no room for error.
Perhaps Crestedbutte should henceforth be known as Crusty Butt. ;0)
Best wishes, Pat!
Watch for birds and listen for coyotes.... Best of luck!
Frontal shot? Maybe, but look at the video again. The bull never stopped. Also remember that Pat did not have the same angle and view the cameraman had.
Well, what I would have done is...irrelevant.
The good news is that it's not been terribly warm in the foothills yesterday and today but plenty warm if you're running up and down hills after a blood trail. And he thought he was tired yesterday...
Let the 2nd guessing begin!
WE were not there and to say that a frontal shout would have led to a 75 yard recovery is plain ignorrant. A broadside shot through both lungs will lead to a very short recovery as well, but it that always so?
Michael
I guess the arrow has not been recovered? I wonder if the broad head snapped off as it hit bone on the way in.....
"Stalking and shooting him again was risky and unnecessary."
Really?
jeff,
He has tomorrow as well. If he doesn't find it by then the meat will definately be no good. Depends on the weather out there I guess. I'd spend all day today and all day tomorrow if it was me, but then again we are not there...
michael
Frontal shot on a moving animal? Even the guys who are proponents of this shot tell you that the animal has to be dead still.
BTW, Pat was at full draw for somewhere near 37 seconds. Which in real time, with an animal at 3 feet tranlates into 5x eternity. 8^) He made a gutsy play with the move he made.
This is what happened to mine...he was found a long time after we gave up a 2 day search.
Omg...You have bad luck my friend. I sure hope you get him. I do think he's a dead duck. The question is finding him.
Crested Buttwipe.....have a big tall glass of **** *** **** up. He has enough going on without your insite into the world of BH'S.
serb
Omg...You have bad luck my friend. I sure hope you get him. I do think he's a dead duck. The question is finding him.
Crested Buttwipe.....have a big tall glass of **** *** **** up. He has enough going on without your insite into the world of BH'S.
serb
If he doesn't find him today, (which hopefully he will), I bet he spends the rest of his time in Colorado looking for him. His outfitter sounds like one "hard working" and probably very ethical guy. Even IF Pat wants to quit looking before he runs out of time, his hunt is probably over. Most good outfitters (especially on private ground) consider your hunt done if you wound and lose an animal. Pat's better than that and lets face it... he's under some serious scrutiny here now. I bet they look until they run out of time or places to search. Hopefully not gonna be an issue, but it's the right thing to do if it comes down to that IMO.
i can't imagine even if it was day 1 pat would go out and try to fill the tag on another knowing this was a in high likelyhood a fatal hit.
how long one looks is dependent on how important the rack and cape are to them as the meat will be worthless long before the rack or cape.
NvaGvUP, I know the bull doesn't stop, that doesn't stop me from attempting to stop him or my caller letting out a soft mew to stop him at or near the bush.
I know how fast things happen...real fast. I think the video shows a fantastic encounter for us to have some "take-aways".
Where the bull does stop, he could have gone many different ways, but he comes right at you and is close. I think, stop him at or near the bush with a mew, his head comes up to look and stops. I'm already drawn, at that range... settle 30 and 40yrd pin on where throat meets chest....release. I realize this is easy to say rather than do.
I do see the risk/reward option of both choices in passing or not passing. Do you take what the bull gives you, or wait for another option?
For discussion points: Add in that this is your hunt but not being videoed, and the angle shown in the video is the shooters angle.
Remember, This is simply a sideline discussion while we wait.
Brian
How about another twitter update???
Brian, Nine times out of ten if Pat mews at that bull from 5 yrds, he's gonna bolt.
elk snot is right. Pat is under some serious scrutiny here with all the eyes watching how this turns out. i would hate to be in his spot not just from the possibility of loosing the animal but being out there for the world to see the out come if it is not a good one. but i guess that is a risk pat is willing to take so im sure he can shoulder the burden if it doesnt work out.
Just to be clear....I'm not 2nd guessing Pat, I'm just posing a question.
JTV... Great question! I think it depends on the sign I'm seeing and keep pressing on until I can't press on anymore. IF sign runs out I think two days around the area of last known sign.. with best effort is long enough.
I think I would also call my hunt though.
Brian
"Do you take what the bull gives you, or wait for another option?"
If the bull offers you a killing shot you know you can make, you take what he gives you. If he doesn't, the 'other option' is to wait until he does.
just throwing some positive thoughts out to Pat.
had a tough recovery on a whitetail last year and posted the updates here. The positive input from the folks on this site made a huge difference in the confidence we had picking up the trail in the am.
Pat, hang in there.
No tracking dogs in CO???
I know I'd be out there taking a beagle for a walk on a leash with no bow or weapons of any kind. Don't see how that can be illegal anywhere even if you happen to stumble on a dead elk.
Good luck!
Exactly Darrell--some times common sense out-weighs the "law" or you adapt the law to work for you--especially when it comes down to wounded game!
I agree you'll get him. Best of luck.
Darrell, sounds perfect to me. But can a dog pick up a day old elk trail?
txnrog, disagree, one out of ten more like it.
It sure sounds like a single Lung hit, if the arrow is not in there to keep the wound open Lungs will seal up in 20 minutes. However with them finding the Blood trail again I would guess the arrow or part of it is still in him. Sure hope they find him, it is amassing how close you can walk to a dead one without seeing it and you would swear that would not be possible.
I've had 2 Whitetails with single Lung hits, after the first one I learned to go after them and try to shoot them again if they are not dead in 20 minutes. Recovered both but second one was much easier as I knew what to do, both initially fell or bedded within sight but came back to life.
Txnrog....you think so? percentage seems high but if you are right, then my choice here was wrong. Which leads me to re-think the scenario. Thank you for your input.
Hank330...Thank you for your input as well.
NvGvUP.. Thank you for your input.
For the record...I intended no scrutiny of Pat's choice. I only thought to bring up a discussion point and offer up a question to you if this encounter had happened to you...and include my own choice. Which is what I thought the purpose of the thread is. But it seems I didn't convey my intention very well.
I do know that the video shown does reflect in a great way...how hard elk hunting is.
I also know, if I was in the same area and came across Pat, I would offer to join him in his search without question.
Pat-Good Luck and Godspeed in your recovery efforts.
Brian
There certainly can't be a law against tracking dogs if you aren't carrying a weapon. I witnessed a dog track a one-lung shot elk once and it was amazing what he did.
I agree about mewing while he is so close. I've done it many times and if they are too close it scares the hell out of them. You need to be very careful on how much volume you use.
michael
A dog can easily follow a day old trail. The problem you might run into is which elk does it track. From what Pat describes, there must be a myriad of fresh elk trails. However, if the dog is on a trail with blood he may stick with the same animal.
My beagles found a whitetail shot by someone else a number of years ago and it was amazing the way they stuck to his trail even after jumping up a couple does. At one point, the shooter thought my dogs were off the trail because they were 100 yards away from where he had blood. However, they eventually came right back by him and showed us how the buck had taken a detour that he had missed following blood. (we found blood where they were also)
He shot the buck at first light and my beagles hit the trail about 5PM. Followed it over a mile to a single lung hit buck.
Good luck Pat, I know the feeling and have been in your shoes, stay on him sometimes luck does turn back your way.
Good luck Pat, I hope you find him soon. I feel that same knot in my stomach from reading your story, only it reminded me of one of my own hunts a few years back,(still painful). It is definitely a rollercoaster of emotions, from the perfect opportunity, to what was thought to be a perfect shot, the seemingly eternal wait, what you know will be a short tracking job, jumping him from his bed, your own sleepless night, and finally, the next day not going anything the way you planned. You seem to have a good group with you, and I know you are committed to see it through. Many of us have had similar experiences and good or bad I respect you for your efforts to do right. I hope and believe you will find him. cory
Pat must have hit "the void" :)
Seriously, good luck I hope you are packing out right now.
Seriuosly Pat, you should have used a rage BH, it is like throwing an ax thru an animal!
good luck, you will find him
PA
Check the tanks, if you got into the guts, chances are he will go to water.
Good luck Pat, I know EXACTLY how you feel!!! I was on an 8 or 9 year stretch of not being able to kill my 1st bull with my bow back in 2006 (although I did shoot a cow). On my 20th day of hunting I shot a nice 6X6 and thought I totally smoked it. I backed out and came back to recover it in 2 hours. I made the shot right away in the morning and I was sure I heard it crash. Good blood at 1st but then between melting snow and a bunch of other elk tracks I lost the track. It was in an extremely thick area where a bull could be laying dead 10 yards away and you would not see it unless you were right on top of it. Another guy and I did a grid search all day in the direction he had run and where I heard the crash. I could have shot another 6x6 at 5 yds on the way back to camp that night but I knew I had already killed a bull. I was absolutely sick about it all night and was out right at 1st light the next day. Unbelievably, I found the bull in the 1st 20 minutes of looking the next day. After its initially run the bull had doubled back and ended up 100 yds away from where I shot him in the exact opposite direction! I had centered one lung and the liver. Luckily it was cool all day the day I shot him and during the night it froze. Anyway .... dont give up Pat!!! I think Bou said it right there is no bigger high than coming from a situation where you think you have lost something you have tried so hard for only to end up finding it!!! I sincerely hope that happens to you. I will be anxiously awaiting the resolution. Good luck Pat!!! Dan
I'm sure there are plenty of CO hunters who wouldn't hesitate to take their dog for a "walk" if they felt it was necessary. But a reputable outfitter like Atkinson can't take the chance with something like that, for obvious reasons. I'm sure they have every able body out
Pretty warm here today. Here's hoping they found him early and are packing something out right now..
Pat telling it like it is - the good, the bad and the ugly is why the Bowsite is the only hunting site I visit. Good luck with this recovery, Pat.
On a scale of tough from 1 to 10, elk are an 11 or 12.
Pat's a 12 just for posting this and putting this out for all. That, as they say, takes a real man.
Good luck Pat. I know you'll stay on this boy until they load your luggage.
Keep your spirits up. It can all change in a second. Any second.
I have good feeling about this... He'll get him.
As far as some of this advice? Well, I'd hate to lose any stars over something like this. Best to just ignore it.
i do give pat credit on the open discussion. its hard to find anyone today that is willing to provide all info, even the bad. he doenst hold back out of fear.
given the time one thing is for sure...........he did not walk right in and find it laying there first thing this morning...........................
Pat, after hunting elk so hard for so long I REALLY hope you find him. Stay positive and take your time. Good luck. Pete
Sounds like shot was high, the bull going uphill for two miles not a good sign
It really sounds like a one lunger to me. If the animal is down, I truly hope he is recovered. Best of luck Pat! DD
These things happen to the best of em. Hopefully you guys have some luck on your side tomorrow. At least you have the advantage of being with people that really know the country. Good luck!
Good luck Pat! I've found a couple animals I felt sure were lost partway through the trailing ordeal so try to stay focused and positive! Sure hope it works out good for you and your guide.
The coment about the bull going "uphill" for close to 2 miles bothers me alot.Every animal that I have hit mortally did not do much climbing in regards to his escape.They will take the path of least resistance, sidehill or downhill.Mabe go uphill for a short ways, but not very much.I know they have been busting their azzeroos today. Anxiously waiting.
Stay with it boys, you've done everything right, I say that based on "you" are the ones there, none of us. Very easy to arm chair archer from here. You have got to think positive about it and not panic. You'll find him. Good luck. Vic
Just popped in from a long work day hoping for some good news from Pat. No luck yet, or all the work is happening, either way still pulling for you Pat!!!
On my first guided elk hunt years ago, in a rifle season, another hunter killed a bull with a broad head stuck in the bull's liver. I imagine that bull bled a lot, but he did not die until the last rifle season, and not from that arrow.
I hope you find that bull Pat. Nothing makes a true hunter feel worse than losing an animal. Good luck.
buglemaster,
I've had four bulls go uphill on me after the hit. The first one was hit high left lung/mid-right lung. We found him 300 yards straight up a pretty steep hill. The second one was a double lung and center of the heart hit. He only went 75 yards, but it was uphill.
The third one was a forward liver hit. He went uphill and away about 150 yards, then turnes and side-hilled back towards me. At about 75 yards away, he fell stone dead. The fourth one was a single lung. He went 100 tards slightly downhill and moaned loudly twice. I figured him for dead there. Wrong. He then went 125 yards up a reasonable climb, dropped into another drainage, then went uphill another 300 yards up the drainage.
Pat, we're pullin fer ya! Good Luck!!
http://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/features/livehunts/coelk2009/
I can't get the live hunt page to open. Has anyone been on there lately?
Could be we've overloaded the circuits trying to check. 8^)
Greg
These animals are so incredibly tough. If this elk is tracked for miles and does not die, I think there is a good chance it will recover.
Herd,
will it be able to replace the blood it lost fast enough?
With an arrow through the chest I can't imagine a recovery from that.
Besides, pat is probably packing that thing out right now!
michael
Dude spanked a bull and couldn't find it. It happens. It happened to me after tracking then waiting til morning and a foot of new snow overnight. Hunts Over!
Man, I feel for the guy. If he hasn't found the bull yet after spending all day hiking and looking can you imagine having to sit down and write a report about it for all the world to read. Awful feeling X 10.
Or if, strike that, when he finds the bull how good it will feel to write a story for all the world to read. Elation and relief X 10. Either way, we may be waiting awhile before we hear.
Best of luck brother. Everyone here, even the arm chair hunters, we're pulling for you!!!!!!!!
I keep clicking on the sept 3 hoping it will turn into a live link if I do it enough. Hope all is well and everyone is safe, whatever the out come of the search...
Hey Pat,
I really kinda wish I had the luxury of not having any idea what you're feeling right now. Unfortunately, however, I do. I know you guys flat busted your butts on that mountain. I know you were prepared, your equipment in top-notch shape, and you stayed within your own self-prescribed limitations. I know Wes, and I know there's no quit in him both before and after the shot. I know you guys left no stone unturned out there the last couple of days. I wish you, nor I, nor my wife and kids who all bowhunt, never lose an animal ever again. Just wanted to let you know, no Monday morning quarterbacking, second guessing equipment choice, shot selection if's and but's, none of that from here in Nebraska. I respect how you chose to play the game, both before and after the shot 100%. Good Lord willing, the bull pulls a miracle on all of us and makes a full recovery. Second best to that at this point would be the AE crew finds him later this year and you can put your hands on him at that point. Feel for ya buddy. Hope you can get some much needed rest.
-Marty
Pat,
Keep those positive thoughts flowing and never give up. If you find him and he's still alive he'll be sick and will bed for a few days to recover. Elk are tough animals! If you can sneak in and give him that final arrow! Good luck and I hope you find him!
Just got off the phone with Pat. I can't tell you the outcome but I can tell you that he is working on the write up, etc and will post it within approximately 2 hours.
Jon
Look everyone at some point or another has or knows someone that has made a questionable shot on an animal. The truth is no matter how much you practice or train your mind to wait for that shot, when you are in that moment of truth, you make a split second decision, whether it be right or wrong you make it to the best of your ability. Pat has done that, he is an experienced archer and made a decision to shoot, no one what so ever should be questioning him on his shot placement or anything what so ever. Where you there in that moment of truth with him, nope. It is obviously and easy to say what you would do, but you weren't there in that moment. Pat did what he thought was right and thats what counts.
Good luck Pat and no matter the outcome I really respect you for being so up front with us here on the site...I hope you have recovered the Bull and are celebrating as I post this.
I hope he got him.
It's agonizing when you are alone doing this stuff and dealing with the anxiety of recovering an animal.
Magnify that times 100 when having all of us chowderheads in audiance.
I feel your pain! I once was in almost the exact same position except that my "miracle" spot of blood occured the following morning after a completely restless night.
I began the following day's search at first light (about 6:30am) and at 9:30am miraculously stumbled upon a single drop of blood on a half dollar sized stone lying on the gound after I sat down to drink some water and wipe my tears. On hands and knees I found his hoof track. 30 minutes later I held his tines in my hands.
I have felt the pain and fear you are feeling and I believe you will soon feel the relief and exhileration I felt.
Stickman, just because you don't make an immediate or eventual recovery does not mean the shot was questionable.
Once the arrow leaves the bow it is out of our hands. How knows what can happen. A stick may not have been seen, the animal may jump and so on. The shot could have been perfect, but for some reason the hit was not, if you know what I mean.
michael
Hope you find him, if not, get out there and try to connect with one.
I've experienced shooting big bulls 4 times now. None of them are hanging on my wall. Not sure why but killing a cow elk has never been a problem, when they have 300" antlers I've not closed the deal myself.
If you recover your bull, that will be great. If not, continuing on for another is a very personal situation. Usually I've considered myself done knowing I've shot my bull. However, if I could afford a guided hunt, I'd keep after for another. Like it or not that's what I'd do.
My neighbor arrowed a 400+" bull a few years back on one of the limited NW CO unit tags (got the whole thing on video). They rented an airplane in an attempt to find his bull, and after a couple of days knew they would not find him (they even found the herd his bull was running with). With only a weekend remaining, he went back and hunted the other bull he wanted and killed him. Ugliest bull I've ever seen but missing his 4 front points netted over 350".
Sadly loosing an animal happens regardless of your weapon choice or game you hunt occassionally. Learn what you can and make the most of the lesson.
i know pat owns this site but beyond that i have no idea about him. so let me fan the flame somewhat here and this is based on what we know up to this point. if pat doesnt find this elk are we all going to cry and boo hoo for him and say it was great shot just bad luck, you get my point. however i have read all the post about the so called pro hunters and most recently the women hunter post and man you all give them hell on how poor they shoot and how they should never have taken some of the shots they do and so forth but to their credit i do see them with the recovered animals. no we didnt see pats actual hit on video but just because its pat and we all like our stars and being on this site does that give him a free pass from all the ridicule you give these other people that made a bad hit, and dont tell me it wasnt a bad hit because if he doesnt find it obviously it wasnt a good shot at all. i hope he finds it but there really is some kind of doube standard on here.
Pdiddlydoe,
I don't know you, but all I can say is your comments on this thread are totally negative and downright rude!
broadside- It is 11:55PM here in NJ and I am calling it a nite. When I wake up I will find out if Pat recovered his bull. No we don't have a double standard here on Bowsite. We even criticize those who butcher the English language when making a post and those who are way out of line with their posts. You fit into both those catagories. Nighty nite!
broadside, you may wish to read Pat's other live hunts and judge whether or not there is a double standard, or if he takes as many questionable shots as the subjects of ridicule you mention. Of course I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that perhaps you haven't read/watched a lot of Pat's work; either that or you are close to one of the "pro" hunters that could fit into the "ridicule-ee" catagory.
You are correct; you did not see Pat's hit. You have no idea how good the shot apeared to be. However, judging by Pat's reation, how would you assume the hit looked?
Pat has held back on many questionable shots, and that is evidenced by his work here by the many experiences he has chronicled on this site. The "pros" you implicitly defend can't say that- can you? You've never had a shot go awry?
I guess the hunts we don't even take a shot on are all "failures!"
Broadside- WOW. That's all I can say. WOW.
I have read most but not all of Pat's hunts and I am not saying that he is not a good ethical hunter. No I'm not affiliated with and do not know any pro hunters personally, matter of fact I have never meet one. Yes I have lost an animal and it was an awful feeling, none of us are exempt from bad shots. My point of the post was to point out how most of these post are feel sorry and good luck and so forth for Pat as well it should be. However when it comes to a "pro" hunter be it man or woman and this was there elk hunt and we saw the exact same footage i bet alot of people on here would be bashing them to no end about the shot and this and that. Like I said, I really hope he finds it, I do not wish anyone to loose an animal.
Its 10:30 here in Colo & me's thinkin they found him.Taking time to put the video together as well as pics & the complete final chapter to the story.At least I hope!
The meat may not be spoiled yet. It won't start to spoil until the elks heart stops beating. I hope the elk layed down and died last night and Pat found it this morning some time and has been packing it out. If not then hopefully the elk will not pass until tonight and Pat can get on the trail in the morning.
broadside...Your being honest with your thoughts and to some degree your point may be valid. But understand that if things don't turn out well for Pat he will give an honest account of what he felt took place. Good shot turned bad, he will admit it. He took a shot which he felt was good at the time....Now we must wait.......
This is not a case where a "Pro" said good shot but the video says different on a animal shot at 1pm, give the customary 1/2hr wait, traveled 70yds BUT with the follow up pic in the dark after a short recovery....get my drift.
I should really go to bed- like most of you guys, this has been a long day. I'll have to check out, but I'm going to just figure that since it's been such a long time since Jon posted that Pat would be posting the result - that rather than type a few paragraphs about a fruitless day looking under every sagebrush in the valley, he has something substantial to post- hopefully laden with a lot of photos and video, and even more hopefully photos and video that have horns in addition to blood trail pics- either way- a lot of effort going into this last chapter, and one I won't forget. This is as genuine an experience as the cyber world gets, for me, anyway.
Thank you again, Pat.
Well it's late at night here in Washington. I really hope Pat is just really tired from packing out the elk. Hope all went as we all would hope. Good luck and I'll look for the update in the morning. Good night all. We're all thinking of you todnight Pat. Stay strong.
broadside,
Go to bed and stay in bed. Please post elsewhere.
BTW, Pat is far from a 'professional hunter.' In real life, He's Chief Information Security Officer for one of the biggest and best financial services companies in the country.
Like somebody already said above...I keep hitting "Refresh" on the Live Hunt link hoping the Sept 3 link goes live...! Now that Jon's posted too that something's coming I don't think I can go to sleep without seeing a result!
Tomorrow's my last day at the office before heading to ID to start my hunt, and I'd love to see the happy ending we're all waiting for as some inspiration before I go...
Good luck Pat. Never met you before but obviously one heck of a Stand-Up guy and I respect the **** out of you for this thread alone.
Now post that thing so I can go to bed happy!!!
Well, I had to update one more time before turning off the computer. I can't believe that you found the elk still standing with a helicopter. They are truly a one of a kind animal. You again learned more again this year. I would say that he will still be around until another bow hunter finds him limping along or a Muzzyloader or later rifle hunter. You did all the right things. It should have been a good shot from sounds of your shot choice. Shit happens, and it happens more with elk hunting than anything else. My only suggestion is maybe try to hunt a little more calling style in a different type of area. That looks really hard for an early hunt. It is so open, and your options are so limited with up to 400 eyes looking at you. Have BB take you to Utah and sit over one of his wallows. You've given all of us something to think about as we head out over the next couple of days. I'm glad you spotted him, I'm sorry you didn't get to recover him, and thanks from all of us for sharing in this wonderful painful experience. We all admire you for how you handled it. Yendor Now Good Night.
Dang Pat
as i am packing to leave on my own trip this one is hanging heavy with me and I can tell you that I will be chewing on the results of your hunt for a long time.
you did all you could brother. Finding him like that is a tough one though.
Thank you for taking us with you. Im sorry it could not have turned out better. -Joe
Awesome timing...you posted the result while I was typing my plea for info. Must have heard me!
Bitersweet ending, to be sure. But at least you know.
I'll be the first to say congratulations, even though the end wasn't the success you were looking for. Your perseverence, dedication and brutal honesty through this experience is a real testament to the "True" hunter's nature. Thanks for the post.
Now...GOODNIGHT!
Pat I know the feeling. I lost a bull last year that we trailed good blood for a few miles and then the rains came. It is a horrible feeling to loose a bull like that. Hopefully that bull will make someone else's dreams come true later this season. I am sure you know that you need to get back up on that horse next year and try again. Most on this site are good people and appreciate what you do for us and some are just aholes who like to piss in other peoples wheaties. I just got an email from Jake aka Medicineman and he connected on a caribou. So all streaks must come to an end at some point. I still think about that shot and wonder what went wrong every time I pick up my bow. Best of luck to you and thanks again for sharing an awesome adventure.
Pat i commend you for your efforts great job. just to bad it turned out this way.
I feel for you Pat, it's tough to swallow. I can only imagine your thoughts as the choper pulled away for the last time.
That sucks
It's one thing to loose an animal but to put the arrow right where you wanted it and come up short is agonizing.
Pat, thank you for taking us along on your hunt. As always it was exciting. This one did not end the way one would hope but that is life. Whether the elk lives another season or dies shortly hereafter, one may never know. I do know this, nothing goes to waste in nature and if it dies from the wound inflicted, it will benefit many of God's other critters out there.
Good job in making every effort to recover the animal.
Pat, Thank you for your honesty and for letting us all in on this hunt. I empathize with your outcome and yet I find admiration that you experienced a fantastic hunt. You have taken tracking to a whole new level! Hiring the helicopter was top shelf!
I remember a post about 3 or 4 years ago were someone said something to this effect. "To be successful with killing a bull elk, about 20 things HAVE to go right for you." This has stuck in my head since I read it.
Thanks again for sharing your hunt.
Mr Atkinson- Thank you for your efforts as well.
Have a safe trip home
Brian
Pat,
I have always had a lot of respect for you, but this makes it even more clear. You are truly a class act. You did things on your terms and it didn't work out. That's bowhunting. My hat is off to you for doing everything within your means to recover this bull. You'll make it happen some day man! That is one thing I am absolutely sure of!
Thank you very much for taking us along your adventure.
Nick
Pat I just feel bad for you, I am up at 1 30 in the morning heading to Wyoming for my elk hunt. Thanks for the update, I know it was hard
Pat- You had a great hunt and unfortunately not with the outcome you wanted. You did your best but unfortunately the curse is still with you as the curse of the Bambino was with Boston. Boston ended it as you will one day and Wes will guide you to your first bull as he knows and respects you as a hunter. Thanks again for letting us live share these past 6 days with you and Wes.
Chip
The reality of our sport isn't always rewarding. It's full of highs and lows. Thanks for keeping us along for the roller coaster. As others have said, this animal will not go to waste in the Kingdom. Keep pressin' on Pat.
you did all you could and did everything well. stuff happens that we can't control or plan for. an inch here or there and it is a different outcome.
the great news is life will goes on and this will only make the ulitmate success when you wrap your hands around the bull of your choice all the sweeter.
on a side note any video of the animal from above? that would have been a nice clip to share for sure.
go get em' in kansas in november
I respect the honesty and dignity of your hunt. I found peace in a similar situation years ago.You will too.
Pat - been there done that; except mine is an unfinished story - a mystery at that.
You did all you could, and then some .... Great job sticking with it. Thats hunting sometimes. Hopefully he'll recover so you can smoke him next year....
>>>>------------>
Oh well, there is always next time!! Keep the Faith Brother!
Pat, You are the man! You certainly did everything you could legally do to try to find your bull. I nominated you for the UBC sportsman of the year a few years back and would do it again in a heartbeat! Thanks for taking us along on this hunt. Those of us who have bowhunted for many years know that sometimes things can go wrong and we have to do our best to overcome a situation gone bad. Best of luck to you always.
You can't say you didn't give it your all....thats all anyone can ask....with your commitment you will succeed soon
Pat, you went above and beyond to find that bull. You have a way of going on some unforgetable hunts. Your brutal honesty is what keeps a lot of us following your hunts. Thanks for the all the work. I'm sure after the last few days the last thing you felt like doing was typing on a computer. You will eventually complete your elk quest and I can't wait to read about it.
That sucks. I was there two years ago and the worst part is not knowing for sure what happened and hoping that he makes it. I think about it most every day yet. We're giving you the nod on your efforts, for what it's worth.
Pat You showed what a true sportsman is. You went the extra mile in trying to recover this bull. Thanks for sharing your story and taking us along with you.Have a safe trip home.
sorry you didnt find your bull Pat.
Not a good ending, and I know the feeling all to well. They are brutally strong critters and can absorb alot of punishment. Sorry to hear about the outcome.
My only thought aside from that would be....shoot some elk. Make some 20yds and under shots to fill a few cow permits. Every critter is different, and putting an arrow into an elk can have a much different impact than any deer you stick.
Pat - Tough one. We have all been in similar situations.. I really appreciate the fact that you posted this hunt and your honestly through out the story. Class act.
U did your best to find him Pat and another valiant effort I might add, sorry it didn't work out in the end.
To Wes if you are reading this, great guiding job, most would have stopped pursuing that animal with Pat and it shows the kind of upstanding guide you are.
"for one of the biggest and best financial services companies in the country"
Aren't you a little biased though? lol
Actually, in my limited experiance I can not see how he could live so long if hit in one lung. I've killed two elk that were one-lung hits and both were shot within the last hour of daylight. Both were jumped about 40 minutes after the shot and then left alone and both were found right after daylight the next day only a few hundred yards away.
Without having the body to autopsy, we'll never know so that is just my opinion take it for what it's worth.
Now onto the hunt, you are a stinkin addict arean't you? A helicoptor? That wouldn't have crossed my mind I don't think. Without the odds os spotting him would have been ZERO since he was on private land though.
There is no chance of slipping the land owner a few hundred as a trespass fee and sneaking into that spot this am?
It is a sad time when you lose an animal, but an unfortunate fact of life. it is also an excellent learning tool if used correctly. The MN DNR did a archery mrtality survey years ago during a controlled hunt and found that something like 78% of shot deer were recovered.
Lucky #13 next year?
michael
Sad,frustrating, and a little confusing. Following this story day to day was exciting and although I wasn't there I feel a little "crushed" by the ending. A bunch of guys were really pulling for Pat (could have been any hunter) in this adventure. Anybody that has hunted with a bow and has any "real" experience has had somthing like this happen or knows it's always a possibility. Anyone who has never been in or feels they COULD NEVER be in a similar situation, is showing a lack of experience and understanding of hunting with a bow.
It's sad because a good hunter who has earned success missed it by a hair. It's sad because a great animal was not recovered. It's uplifting because a hunter showed the proper respect, went the distance and then some (A FREAKIN HELICOTER!) to follow up on an arrow he loosed at a living creature. But mostly it's pretty cool how most of the dudes on this site followed along and wished all a good ending! Unfortunately we don't always have good endings...
Elk or not Pat, excellent hunt, way to stay after them... good form!
that is not the first time an air search has been conducted by pat on a animal (deer in KS a couple years back).
they guys is intense!!
I quoted and posted earlier in reference to Pat saying there was no need to sneak up and get another arrow into him. I think this scenario just shows again, if a critter you "smoked" is still alive more than 30 seconds after you shot him...much less 45 minutes...you HAVE to put another arrow in it. I know we practice this with "poorly hit" game...but in truth, a well placed shot is going to kill a critter in short order. When you find one still alive after that long...no matter how weak they seem...they are poorly hit and deserve a follow up.
I commend Pat for the effort he made in finding this bull. I just think his outcome may have been different with a follow up.
So Sorry Pat. The worst part may be yet to come as you will play that scenario over and over in your head for quite a while. I know I did. But, like others have said, you have a split second to make your decision. You did your best to make the right decision and what you thought was the right shot. You backed that up by doing everything humanly possible to get that bull. It is definitely a shame, but there will be others. Thanks for sharing a fantastic hunt with us.
I hated to see that the Elk wasn't recovered. We have all lost game and it sucks. I have had some weird things happen while shooting game and this just proves that there are no guarantees in bowhunting. It is a tough sport that many of us have been very successful at but, we constantly teeter on the edge of failure. That is one of the reasons why it is so intriguing.
Shake it off Pat and make up for it the rest of the year. Hats off to you for putting in the effort with all available resources to recover your bull.
It was a great hunt regardless of the outcome.
Geez Pat, sorry about this. I admire you for laying it out there, but I feel sick for you right now. Best regards.
Pat - Sorry do hear you were not able to recover your elk. Although difficult (probably impossible) try not to second guess your decisions. You did the best with the situation that was presented to you. You made decisions that anyone would call ethical and thought out, but in the end, the hunting gods made their own decision.
It takes real guts and honesty for you to tell this story as it happened. By doing so, you are educating the rest of us through your experience. If nothing else, your situation has provided a valuable datapoint to the rest of us on our future hunts. Perhaps there will be a few more recovered animals down the road as a result.
Good on you Pat - and don't be too hard on yourself.
my jaw is on the floor. I just knew he would be dead.
Lets take a poll on helicopters....how many would have done this to find this bull? Let me start by saying I wouldn't have. That being said, I dont typically post my hunt for all to enjoy/second guess. So I would say that the 1500-2gs spent on this recovery effort was probably at least a little because of the "special" keyboard hero hunters on here that never make a bad shot/decision and are related to Tonto. Good for him. He went above and beyond for this bull and he did it in front of all our eyes.
The only second guessing to be done here is in the arena of split decisions at the moment of truth. There was no lack of preparation or equipment deficiencies. Even the thought of a second arrow is a judgement call. Maybe from now on Pat will ALWAYS try to put a second arrow in an animal. It is still a field call. He obviously thought the bull was hit well and therefore it is not a given that you make what could have been a risky stalk and risk jumping this bull. It is a field call.
Thanks for the entertaining feature.
Looks like the jealous crowd is showing up....
Man Pat, that was tough. You gave it everything you had. You can be proud of the maiximal effort although I know the result isn't what you wanted. You took a quality shot and hit your spot. Sometimes things happen that are out of our control. Thanks for letting us share in the reality of your hunt.
I was hoping for the best. When I was reading day 5 it took me back to my hunt last year. I had a pass thru on a 5X5 that had gone about a hundred yards a bed down. We gave him 45 minutes before we went after. While gettng close we heard some other hunters talking the all of a sudden..we heard him crashing thru the woods. I found where he had bed down, urine and blood on the ground...never saw him again. Spent days looking.
I'm sorry, but where in the story of the hunt was a second shot passed up????????????
They glassed him from a ways off, he was "head-up" alert and healthy enough to take off and cover miles (as proven by the facts)
FROM PAT'S STORY:
That is, until Wes spotted him (HOW FAR AWAY) - and he was still alive.
People. When I tell you it was like a broadhead just went through my heart I would be telling you the truth. What happened? We were both amazed, and became concerned, until the elk stood up and then laid down again in a crash. He was just far tougher than we imagined. So we discussed options. Stalking and shooting him again was risky and unnecessary. Sitting on him until he put his head down for the last time was risky since the wind was a bit unstable. My preference was to back out and give him a few hours and that's exactly what we did.
I don't see where a second shot was passed. Maybe a stalk could have been commenced, but the life left in that bull was not going to let him lay round waiting for the next arrow to hit home.
it would be interesting if Pat provided a bit more context about the details that would have made the second shot a viable or impossible option.
i think the absolute right decison was made. sometimes the right decision does not lead to the desired outcome, but that does not make the decision bad!
Like deer, elk are constantly changing their position when alert. Pat you did nothing wrong.
I once shot a bull from a tree stand while he was quartering away from me at about a 25 degree downward angle. Its hard to describe, but i hit him through the right side third rib from the rear. As he ran off i thought i gut shot him. However, i found him dead less than one hundred yards from the shot site. The arrow had cut through a lobe of the liver, some stomach, through the diaphragm, through the bottom of the left lung, and cut through the breast bone cartilage. The arrow backed out to about half the arrow length by the time he died. In the heat of the moment what you think you see is sometimes different on the ground.
Can not wait for your next live hunt.
Sorry ya lost your bull Pat--That hunt will stick with you the rest of your life...you`ll try to second guess yourself a million times...it will hit you as your spending time in the stand this winter...it will drive you mad...it will make you GO ELK HUNTING every year for the rest of your life....been there done that..the mental impression elk hunts put in your mind are amazing...permanant crystal clear pictures of a bull screaming in your face or watching your arrow slide in behind the shoulder...they will make you respect them and their territory cause they are the most magnificant animal to hunt in North America...Your day will come brutha!!!!!!!!!
It's happened to many of us. Looked like a great hit(from the hunter's view) on an awesome animal, end results unfound. Pat is fortunate in his case where he had resources available to him to go searching above and beyond what I would be able to do(I would never rent a helicopter to look for any animal I shot). He does have the benefit of knowing that the bull is/was still alive when he last saw him, miles from the shot, 24+ hours later. Like us, Pat is human, prone to mistakes and greatness. Some on here are negative and will only point out the "bad" aspects of his hunt while others see things in a more positive light. I for one don't see Pat as a superhuman, never met him, most likely never will, to me he's just "one of the guys". It was HIS hunt that he shared with us. He made decisions based on his hunting experiences that were RIGHT for him. I'm not going to pile on and trash him about things of which I have no first hand knowledge. I will however commend him for his openness, honesty and perseverence in this hunt. Thank you for sharing a great hunt with me/us Pat.
Well I've always heard there are 2 types of people in this world "Those that do and those that LIE about it." So if we all only make the perfect shot when we hunt no matter the distance well, that's B.S.! Point is the shot was less than perfect period, knowing Pat he's a big boy, he accepts this, vows to work on it and moves on. Alot of you may second guess him but in life NOTHING goes as planned 100% of the time. This is the heartbreak of bow hunting like it or not and more you hunt well the sooner it WILL happen to you.
Sorry to hear it Pat, I unfortunetly know the feeling of losing a bull and it just plain sucks. Keep your head up and know you did everything you could and then some.
As obvious as this sounds, many folks ignore the simple fact that one cannot focus on the body position of the animal and the aiming spot at the same time. From time to time, animals will subtely change position just before the shot and even though we may hit exactly where we intended to, the path through the animal is not what we desired. That is a risk that we implicitly accept by taking up the bow.
My personal opinion is that, if an animal is alive 45 minutes after a non-gut hit, a follow-up arrow is highly desirable. People do the best they can in the moment, but my $.02 for future consideration.
I have heard of folks going to extreme measures to find crippled animals but never to that length. Your tenacity is commendable.
It is entirely possible (maybe even likely) that bull will survive.
I truely feel for Pat losing that Bull. I am heading out this afternoon, even more confident and very happy that I will have nothing but mechanicals (Wasp jackhammer) 1 3/4 inch in my quiver. I have wounded one elk before, helped others track their wounded elk, and those experiences proves to me it takes a big hole and lots of bleeding (especially on a marginal shot) to kill one of the toughest critters I know.
When I have hit an elk with a WASP, they didn't go 40 yards, they were all dead within 10 seconds, and I didn't have to hire a helicopter and pilot.
Pat, we've all been there, and you did everything you possibly could and more than most would even consider. Hope you can come back later and read some of these posts and laugh, there's some serious arm chair quarterbacking going on.
If it's any consolation, I have seen single 'lobe'd' elk live thru the ordeal. Winters are fairly mild on the east slope, and feed should be good this year. Hopefully he makes a full recovery. I suspect it would feel better to see him in the alfalfa next year than Wes find his horns after the season.
Why do idiots insist on stating that "x broadhead would have done the trick"? Or "X broadhead would make losing an animal less likely". Quite honestly, a bad shot is a bad shot, no matter what broadhead you shoot.
got_elk.....I hope for your sake and MORE SO the animals you pursue that you didn't cause fate to deal you and that which you pusue a blow to your BHs or ego.
I have been where he is at more than once and the last thing I wanted to hear was "if" and "should have" on my equipment. Most likely what he is feeling trumps the frustration he may feel at "advice" on his shot, heli, BH, whatever. There are times and places for such and I don't understand it.
I commmend his or any hunters effort to look and pusue like he did. We owe it to the animal. In the end, no matter what we shoot or how we shoot it, the animal often prevails and humbles us yet again. That is why I never tire of this sport. I assure you, hunt long enough and hard enough and it will happen---REGARDLESS of BH selection. The day i don't feel bad about it is the day I will quit.
Pat, I know the feeling of hitting and losing such a great trophy. The mental anguish of not concluding the hunt with a filled tag, the unknowing of whether that animal is alive or dead. The helicopter gave you some closure, he was alive the last time you saw him over 24 hrs later. There is the very real possibility he will make it. My 2009 elk hunt begins in 7 days, I will take what information I have gleaned from your story to heart. I will try not to make the same mistake. Your honesty of reporting this hunt will hopefully make a difference in mine.
Sunstroke'd, You bring up a very good point. This story just serves as a reminder to all that elk are damn tough, you tend to forget that pretty quickly after some successful hunts, or watchin the huntin shows where marginal hits still result in a hero shot (who knows what goes on behind the scenes). I for one will be more careful with my shot selection as a result of following this hunt.
Txnrog, folks often use the rationale that since elk are bigger to justify longer shots. I go the other direction, limiting my shot distance on elk simply because they are so tough.
With him being injured, and on another mans property wouldnt you be able to get a game and fish warden to go and recover the animal.
If you hunt long enough you will lose an animal - its that simple. Who knows what happened but I am betting he did not even hit one lung. Things happen, if it was totally predictable - we wouldn't do it. I have never heard on anyonen going so far to recover an animal. I think the guide should ask for permission to check the area in the nenxt day or two unarmed.
Sorry you didn't get your bull Pat - that one will hurt for a long time but next hunt will mean even more
All speculation- But I bet you the arrow did not even enter the body cavity. It may have slid along side the rib cage under the arm pit. This is highly oxygenated blood area and would bleed a lot of bright blood. Bull will likely recover if alive 24 hours later. Just my two cents.
Man i feel for you. there is no other way to describe that luck. It just sucks, that some stuff i only thought happened to me.
ARRRggggg!!!! Upon further reading I see that you did find him but to no avail.....sorry by brother. Good luck...prayers your way. Be safe.
Pat, I felt your emotions like it was me. This might make you feel a little better about your situation. A few years ago I shot the largest whitetail I have ever pulled the trigger on. I jumped him up about 2 hours later. Long story short. I never saw him again until the weekend before the next season opener. A good friend ended up killing him about 3 weeks later. In great health and a complete stud. When we gutted him you could see the white scar tissue on the inside of the rib cage. The animals we pursue are unbelievably tough.
Man that really sucks. Sometimes your mind plays tricks on you, I know from looking at video after the shot and you realize you didn't see what you thought you did.
Well told story- thanks!
I've had 2 elk that needed followups [out of 20] One I heard fall twice!? You just never know...
....that careful followup you did was textbook- even though you thought you smoked him.
Keep your chin up Pat! This situation happens to all real world bowhunters. I like the way you handled this most unfortunate event. Go get another one ASAP!
Sorry to hear the bad news!
I don't need to add my $0.02 worth because like any good human, I'm sure Pat is beating himself up more than all of us put together ever will. I feel for Pat, the animal and the guide.
No A$$ kissing, just the truth! Thank you to everybody for the honesty and let us be thankful for the opportunities we get to experience. There are some folks out there who for whatever reason can't relate to the HIGHS and LOWS of Bowhunting.
Good luck to ALL of you!
Pat;
I only met you once, but feel like I've known you a LONG time.
God Bless.
You did the ABSOLUTE best you could do. You walked yourself to exhaustion looking for the bull, then dropped a grand (maybe more) on helo scouting, and STILL talked about ethical hunting.
AMEN. PERIOD. END OF STORY.
We all have had a lost hit; yours walked away, seems to be on his feet, and is on private land.
Repeat that- PRIVATE land. If he lays low and has 1 1/2 lungs, he will recover. He will rebuild blood (we all do!), and his pulmonary function will improve to near normal.
I'd book for 2010. There are no "jinxes", "bad karma" or anything else, at least in this life. There is only doing your best, and to keep trying. You're doing both. (And I've been on here long enough so you know that I've done both in other aspects of my life!)
Forget about hunting for a moment--you're a great PERSON and a teriffic DAD.
Bob
Man, it must be time to go hunting, I cant listen to one more dumba$$ remark about broadheads.
Funny you said that Gary;
I visit a NJ local site, and EVERYONE is talking about last minute changes in tackle, broadheads, etc.
Meanwhile, I (aka the OLD FART) am calmly checking the blades in my Thunderhead 100's (some of which are almost 20(!) years old), waxing the string on my 3 and 4 year old bows, and getting ready.
JB - 3 and 4 year old bows? Now I feel like an old fart.
I read through day 5 again and Pat mentioned lots of blood, but not the color. That would help to determine one-lung vs arrow on the outside of the ribs.
Also, this was a satellite - right? There are some nice animals on that property.
Pat - Great job, great hunt, tragic ending. Very commendable to rent the chopper. We are all learning a ton from this! Anyone who is being critical should be banned from this site. It is so easy to watch someone else do anything and sit back and critique every move. Pat - You do everything right all the time. In my opinion even if you made some mistakes - which you did not aside from perhaps you wished you aimed different on your shot - that would be okay. Why as hunters are we so critical of others mistakes. Mistakes are going to happen and all that really matters is that we all do our best and learn from mistakes. Wes and Pat obviously went above and beyond 99.9% of other hunters.
Now regarding the shot: Is it possible on an animal to hit a left lung and go into the far shoulder without hitting the heart or right lung? I can't see how this could happen. I could see somehow hitting one lung and coming out the front of the chest just barely missing the heart/trachea and a whole bunch of giant vessels - basically 1/100000 chance. I believe deer and elk can easily survive one lung hits. Last year we tracked a whitetail in the snow 24hrs after a one lung shot. This animal had blood dripping/spraying from the right side and a fine mist coming out of his nose as he walked - easily noticed by following the bloodtrail in the snow. We tracked him for miles never to find him.
It sounds to me like Pat's Elk was hurt bad by the way he stayed bedded close to wear Pat shot him for a long time and changed beds several times.
I can't find what equipment Pat was using ??
Which bow, what poundage, what arrows, weight of the arrows and of course broadhead type/weight
Does anyone know ?
Just recently, I have spent some time with a well known bowhunter from your neck of the woods. He showed me a picture a Kudu cow he had shot with a G5 Striker, which not more than 73 hours earlier had copped a two blade German Kinetic through both lungs.
He said he had heard it all before when he was told of the earlier lost animal where someone said it was hit perfect and it turned out it wasn't. When this cow came back in to drink, it was peeing for a bull so she was acting very normal. Upon inspection after the shot, the first shot was two inches further back than the final killing shot. The lungs were bruised where the head had passed through, but they were sealed and healing.
The entry wound had sealed completely and the exit wound had a small trickle of blood from where it had fallen and broken the scab. The broadhead had passed vertically between two ribs on entry. The killing shot centered a rib and passed through also, just forward of first shot in the lungs.
You just never some times what can go wrong with a shot. God knows we have all experienced them and your effort in recovering this animal has been second to none. Kudos for all your efforts and for telling it how it is.
I've always given credit to Pat for telling it like it is. The hunting world could use more of it.
I still don't know for sure what arrows/head he used ?
I just got the video to play - it does look like Pat was using a mechanical?
After reading Ashby's reports, its clear and factual that mechanical broadheads have inferior penetrating qualities as well as severe durability issues. They also can fail, and DO fail.
I've killed a few bulls, I've lost 2 bulls too .... if I were Pat I'd blame this loss on equipment used. I mean, using a heavier weight compound and heavy arrows and a non-mechanical .... what might have been? no one knows for sure .... I know when I went to heavy arrows (660 grains total) it made all the difference in the world.
Looking back the animals I've lost I was using light arrows or inferior broadheads or (gasp) a combo of both.
If Pat had used what he used in the Cape Buffalo hunts, would have have smashed through where the arrow entered, all the way through and exiting the far side, cutting more, resulting in enough additional blood loss to kill the bull? Maybe the trajectory changed because of the way the mechanical opened where the 2 blade wouldn't have?
Its all speculation but for me, when I have lost an animals I dissect WHY I lost it .... in this case I just don't know if it was so much the shot selection as it was the equipment. Thats my opinion
I didn't read all of your posts but I know the peaks and valleys we as hunters go through like Pat explained and I don't mean the terrain, Emotions. I hit my mulie with a pop last year expecting to find it at the bottom of the valley I found no arrow no blood. I eventually got him but what an emotional roller coaster. 13 is your number Pat
I couldn't tell from the video and couldn't find what was used.
Knowing you were using a Muzzy MX3 then yeah, I'd agree, your setup was more than fine. A Zwickey 2 blade wouldn't have mattered IMO. A heavier arrow might have resulted in a pass through, but like you said you got full penetration so really I don't think that would have made a difference either.
Articles and Features like this DO make us all better bowhunters I think Pat - lengthy discussions on your hunts make a difference when others go hunting.
Sorry you didn't get that bull. Elk are tough, if he lived that long I'd say pretty good odds he'll make it.
Sorry Pat. Know that alot of us are sick right along side ya, man. Been there....Done that. Sucks. You WILL be a better man and hunter for it. SOme things just stay with a fella.
Awhile back we killed an elk that had a 3" in diameter log that was about 2ft long shoved right thru the chest. Probably made as it was scrambling to get away from something? It had grown completely shut and healed around it just fine. What Im trying to say is, they are big and tough and from the sounds of it I bet he lives.
Well the outcome just sucks, and by the way some of you have acted.....you suck too.
Keep up the good fight Pat, many of us know whats in your heart. Your one of the good guys, and to top it off.....you're far from being one of the pansy loudmouth computer hunters that come here too often.
dan/serb
Well guys its my fist time on here. But not the first time in the bush. And i know from experince that it sucks to loose an animal of any kind, and with some luck and persistiance he will get his elk or another shot in him. From what i can tell he is doing what he can and that is all a guy can do. I hope the best for him. I heard a saying a while back and it goes.... if you haven't lost an animal you haven't hunted long enough.. I hope this isn't one of those cases. Good luck!!
Well guys its my fist time on here. But not the first time in the bush. And i know from experince that it sucks to loose an animal of any kind, and with some luck and persistiance he will get his elk or another shot in him. From what i can tell he is doing what he can and that is all a guy can do. I hope the best for him. I heard a saying a while back and it goes.... if you haven't lost an animal you haven't hunted long enough.. I hope this isn't one of those cases. Good luck!!
Pat, I too know the feeling, but it makes our resolve all the more! Would love to share a camp one day, hope the rest of your year goes well. Give'em hell in Kansas and don't let Jake shoot a small one!
Pat, you hunted honorably and gave it your best shot. Things happen, as any experienced bowhunter knows. Get back on the horse and go after those bulls again. Your time will come.
Yes, "the pod" is the answer....to the question, "How far can a hunter shoot at an animal and still get an arrow in it somewhere".
Bigpizza- Tim, someone mentioned the Pod. I am pretty sure that LA was the only state that allowed the Pod many years ago. I am showing my age now. Can you give us any insight into what went on in your state back then with regards to it. And if you have the time I will have a large Pepperoni pie to go with a side order of mussels.
Chip
Bummer! I thought for sure they were going to find him. Great effort Pat. I'm sure you'll learn from it, put it behind you and have success in the future.
hes dead, one lunger kills surely but slowwwwwwwly.
LOL
I just wanted to be the 400th post! sorry, but some of you make me laugh at the factual statements you have made. You have no clue a frontal shot or another broadhead would have worked any better.
The fact is, if you hunt long enough and kill enough animals you are eventually going to lose one. it happens and you might think this is dumb to say, but if Pat's bull did die you can be sure nothing goes to waste in the wild. Mother nature kills way more and in much crueler ways than we ever could and we have to remember that hunters are by and large the worlds greatest conservationists. Our dollars buy a lot of habitat and feed every year to give these animals a fighting chance.
Pat, you said it was your fault, do you have an idea where the arrow went? Too far back or did it angle too far forward? Doesn't matter, just curious.
michael
thanks for letting us tag along and for allowing us to mourn with you...if you havent lost a deer in the woods...wait, you will. get up, shake off the dust, and get back into the saddle.... have a great rest of the season
Pat, It takes alot of courage to post your live bowhunts. Just wanted to thank you for sharing your experiences with us good or bad.
Since the thread has pretty much run it course now, will try and ask Pat again.... What type leaves were they feeding on in the close quarters video??? I can’t distinguish because of the quality of my computer monitor...
Thanx
ttt...trying to get Pat's attention...
Yeah, the bushes... Was just wondering what kind of bush/tree/scrub it was. Wasn't sure if it was some kind of sage? If you view the beginning of the video, they are tearing that stuff up like candy.
Thanx for responding.
You are gonna have to shake this one off and keep going after it. I am confident that you will eventually get one if you stick to it. These elk are clever and can make you look like a stupid jack ass, but they can only do it for so long before something gives.
