Best and Worst of 2016
Elk
What was the best and worst thing that happened to you during the 2016 elk hunt?
Easily my worst: Missing a chip shot on a herd bull after spending an hour and a half sneaking in. You don't get many chances on a big herd bull and I shanked it.
My best: Drilling a nice bull with a cool drop tine literally 15 minutes after missing the big one.
2016 was absolutely awesome, 14days of beautiful country and weather. Great bugling, great friends to share it with, and success...
Two bad things happened this year. First on day 3 the very best horse I own got loose and was MIA. Second the absolute biggest bull (380+)I have ever seen in my life came in to the call and had me pinned down with me buddy 30 yards to my left and our horses tied up 30 yards to my right and the bull standing out in the open 30 yards from me screaming. When a shot presented itself I shot just under him...Good news, after being gone for 8 days my big beautiful Quarter horse walked back into camp just as the sun was going down on the last day of the season.
Worst: not seeing the stick that deflected my arrow from the vitals to into the face of the elk I was shooting at. Loosing the blood after 100 yards at dark.
Best: finding that elk dead the next AM, went another 50 yards and something got cut bad, was probably dead within 60 seconds. Looked down from that bloody spot and saw it lying dead. Knowing it wasn't going to suffer from a bad hit.
Worst part two: walking up to find that coyotes had eaten it's hams, and it was bloated. Tried to salvage front shoulders and backstraps, cut hide and was met with a stench. Punched tag and called it a season. Still better than not knowing if it suffered.
Best: I was elk hunting again.
Worst: Almost a year until I get to elk hunt again.
Jdee - is he still the very best horse?
Worst: Opening Day when the majority of my pre-season scouting went out the window due to other hunters in my "hard to find" areas. Plus I also found one of my stands and a camera had been stolen. I was not a happy camper!
Best- Day 10 when my wife decided to go out with me and we killed a bull. Awesome experience! The highs and lows of elk hunting can be extreme for sure.
Worst- Day 2, missed a slamdunk shot on a big 6x6...although I did have to hold my draw until I was shaking.
Best- Day 6, made an instinctive 45 yard Shot on this bull, 30 yard recovery.
Best of Luck, Jeff
Glad to hear I'm not the only to miss an absolute gimme..
Thanks sfiremedic, my biggest in nearly 20 years of archery elk hunting. I'm an accomplished Raghorn slayer lol.
Best of Luck, Jeff
Killed a Roosevelt Elk - Best Thing
Double lunged him at 65 yards. He still lived 3.5 hours and went 1/3 mile before giving up the ghost - Worst Thing
Best thing, hunting in Wyoming with good friends and living my lifelong dream of guiding elk hunters . And I got to spend the whole season in the elk woods. Worst thing, all three of my hunters missed their Bulls at 30,20 and 18 yards
My first archery elk. best
Worst getting thrust back into reality on the ride home.Western Kansas at 630am on 70hwy.Officer confronts convicted felon on highway and he pulls a machete.It did not end well for the bad guy.But I felt bad for the officer knowing his career and life have changed forever. Just hope the officer can get past it.
I was just seconds behind the incident and not really sure what to do or if we should be there on the highway.It took forever (20mins) for a second officer to arrive.All we could do was wait and hope no one else was in the vehicle.The officer was visibly anxious and shaken.Wanted to help but didn't dare approach since he didn't know who we were.
Royboy, lot of pressure guiding... a ton of pleasure leading someone to their first bull and watching the pure joy and excitement.
Dollar, excellent first bull....
Worst: my son got acute mountain sickness. Best: I was able to spend 14 days with my boy doing what we love to do !!!
Great Roosie, Bob.
Congrats!
Best of Luck, Jeff
Best: Camping and hunting with my good friends from MO a couple days at the end of my full week of hunting/having a fellow bowsiter find my Kelty pack frame after asking for help on the CO forum.
Worst: Not seeing an elk in my hunt area since 8/14 after spending all summer scouting and planning seeing decent sign/losing my pack frame on my last hunt in my rush to pack out after a foot of snow and no fresh sign.
Mostly bad things for us! Opening weekend, the sheep were already in our honey hole, they usually don't arrive till late in the first week. The two times everything went right for my wife stalking in on a deer, somebody happened along and blew it for her. And it was too damn HOT! Saw some beautiful sights and hunted a couple of new areas are the positive!
Amoebus, yea that horse is about as good as a horse can get when it comes to hunting in the high country in steep, rough terrain. I've had him back up there twice since he came back and he is as good as ever. I just need to keep him penned/tied up when I'm not using him up there !!
Best: Finding some really nice bulls, having many, many close encounters and having a chance on the last day of the season. My dream bull lives as I shot this log covering his vitals while in his bed. Unfortunately, a combination of shade and lighting obscured it and I thought it was a clear shot.
Worst: I was only able to hunt 3.5 out of 11 days due to a criminal filing malicious and knowingly false claims against my family while I was away.
Best: Blessed with a quick kill and the energy to pack my bull out. Worst: Poison oak all over my legs and arms. Still on the prednisone.
Best: Reading all the elk hunts on Bowsite. Appreciate everyone taking time to share.
Worst: Not hunting elk this year.
Worst was not going elk hunting.
Best was going moose hunting with my best friend instead.
Worst - Only being able to hunt a couple weekends
Best - Hunting a couple weekends with my son and a buddy
midwest x2 and I'll add to the best, watching my son shoot his first elk.
Worst: No elk hunting this year.
Best: My wife asking how much to budget for next year's hunt! :0)
Along the same lines, I very much appreciated all of the photos, stories and updates from everyone who took the time!
PS: Blacktail Bob, your camera looks crooked. That was on flat ground wasn't it? ;0) TODDY
Best: Had a great first week hunting with my buddy, lots of action.
Worst: My dog (not old) getting sick and sicker and finally having to put him down. I miss him. Didn't really hunt after the first week.
Best thing was just going elk hunting. Worst was the people I went with.(didn't get drawn for anything so went with outfitter in New Mexico)
Altitude sickness got me.
Best: got a bull on the first morning of hunting. Three miles back, but got help on day two to pack out the rest of the meat. Also, had an extra elk tag for a cow in a bowhunting only area. Was lucky and had a herd come by my treestand and got a cow as well. Lots of elk meat and have shared with friends who really appreciate it.
Worst: getting a bull on the first day! Sounds silly, but I miss elk hunting! I haven't been able to convince my hunting partner to go out after an elk for him - busy with his kids, broken down vehicle, etc. and he has had some health (hamstring, ankle, back) issues that makes hunting hard and packing not easy. Would have liked to hunt elk more this fall!
Another best: already looking forward to hunting elk next year!
Best: First time archery elk hunting. Was an awesome experience
worst: 3rd morning had a small bull come into a call and presented me with a 55 yard shot for a few seconds. Took it, jumped my string a touch, hit him high shoulder/void area. No blood. Followed elk trails for the rest of the day. Never found him. Hopefully he survived.
Best: Getting to hunt elk
Worst: Losing an elk to a poor hit
best watching a 4x4 and two cows come down the mountain right to me........... worst watching 4x4 and two cows at 57 yrds without a shot then walking back up the mountain........grrrrrr
Nice Bigfoot, opening morning bulls take the pressure off... until you think maybe you should've held out for a bigger one. JLS . Losing an elk is definitely one of the worst things ever. i actually don't know anyone who's done this very long that hasn't lost one..
Best: Getting to Elk hunt with my three best buds!
Worst: Having to wait a whole year to do it again! :-)
