Me and my sons DIY elk hunt
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
I've been very lucky to be able to travel from the S to hunt out west nearly every year since 1999. I have had my time to do hunts for "me". My son is now 12 and hunts and fishes with me all the time. I figured it's time to take him out west. Well, me and my best hunting partner had enough points to draw a unit in CO that we have hunted in the past, so I figured this was a great hunt to take my son on. Plans were made to fly from FL on 9-1 and hunt until 9-10. We planned to arrive early enough on the 1st that we could get camp set up and get a hunt in that afternoon.
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
Packing a few more things in to camp
Packing a few more things in to camp
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
Camp is set up
Camp is set up
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
We have camp set up and have a couple hrs to get out and get a short afternoon hunt in. Me and my buddy discuss our plans and he heads out one direction and me and my son head another. (my son is not hunting, just coming along for the experience). Well me and my son go about 1/2-3/4 of a mile and sit down to look and listen for a while. It's a beautiful afternoon, but I can tell he is completely exhausted and I suggest that we head on back to camp and get a quick mtn house meal and get a head start on some sleep. He quickly agrees and we head back.
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
End of a long day
End of a long day
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
Well, just as we are turning in for the night, my buddy shows up and had gotten in 'em! He tells us about his exciting first evening and we climb in our sleeping bags with anticipation high for the next day's hunt. Well I wake up in the middle of the night and hear the sweet sound of elk bugles!! I don't sleep a wink after that! Go time finally arrives and we head out. Me and my son one direction, and my buddy another... We had walked approx. 20 min when I hear it....a bugle!....Where was It??? I turn to my son, and ask...Did you hear that?.....No.....Dang....I think I know where it was but not sure. We climb a ridge in that direction and take a look....nothing. I'm pretty sure if it was where I think it was I know where they are headed. We drop back down and head up and around.
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
When we get to a point that I think we should be above them, we start cutting over in their "direction". Just as I'm starting to doubt where that bugle came from, or if it really even was a bugle.....BAM! There's another, and its CLOSE! I turn to my son to see if he heard that one, and his eyes are WIDE open and he whispers....That was COOL! I immediately nock an arrow and he gets out the rangefinder. We start creeping forward with eyes peeled. He suddenly stops behind me and says....there it is! I don't see a thing, so I back up a couple steps and he points out through some brush and trees....I see "it"! We cant tell what it is, other than an elk.....We creep forward.
From: Ucsdryder
10-Sep-17
Great start!!!
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
There it is! It's a bull! I look at my son, and he whispers....Its HUGE! (It's not, but it sure was an impressive sight). I couldn't have written a much better script. No cows visible and he is preoccupied by whipping a tree's @$$! I'm guessing him to be about 150 yds. We start inching forward everytime he starts whipping that poor tree. We make it to a point that things are getting a little tight, so I motion for my son to stay there (he has a great view). I keep working forward. I finally get to a point I think it's as good as it's going to get. I'm guessing 100ish. I figure I might as well get a range and figure my next move....It reads 69.2, 69.8, 69.2! I've practiced all summer at 80-100yds...I got this!
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
Knowing my son is 10-15yds behind me is awesome. I set my sight, draw my bow, anchor...check, grip is good...check, level...check, settle the pin......DANG IT. I punched it!!! It seems like it took that arrow 3 min to get there. It hits, and immediately I feel sick....It looks high!!! The bull takes off and is out of sight in 3 steps. I look back at my son shaking my head no, and give him the signal that it was high. I look back and there are two cows standing where the bull was. We sit tight until they leave. I then motion for him to come down to me.
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
I don't know how to rotate the pics. I'm certainly open to help on it.
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
The site of the shot
The site of the shot
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
My son makes his way down to me. I look at my watch and it's 6:42...we've been gone from camp less that 1 hr, and I've already blown "my chance". I'm completely disappointed in myself. I did everything right up until the moment of pulling the trigger...Dang It!!! I explain to my son that I'm betting we will see that bull again. I hit it right through the backstraps and he'll be fine. He looks at me puzzeled, and says; I don't think so dad. I said, yeah it zipped right through his backstraps. He still looks puzzeled and says: I think the arrow was still in him when he ran. If you would have hit your elk target where the arrow was, you wouldn't be mad. I know he's trying to make me feel better about it making things better than they really are. I tell him, lets just sit here for a bit and then we'll go look for my arrow.
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
After about 15-20 min I decide to go look for my arrow that blew through him. I'm not worried about bumping him because I just know he's fine, probably getting his cows back together. We make our way over to the spot, and no arrow anywhere....Maybe my son is right. We look the way he ran, and he had two options...left trail, or right trail. I take the left one, and my son the right one. (He is an excellent tracker). Not long, he says, come here dad. I have blood. I go over, and sure enough. More blood than I ever expected to see. We start easily following it for about 40yds, then it's lost...Here my heart sinks again. We look, and decide he had to go left or right. I go left again, he goes right. We are separated by brush and trees, then I hear him say; "Here it is." I said blood?....No answer. I go up and around to meet up with him and I see a dead elk! My mind is racing! Where did this elk come from? Why is there a dead elk here? Then I hear my son say....nock an arrow! He might not be dead!!
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
This is how we found him. I don't think a follow up shot will be needed
This is how we found him. I don't think a follow up shot will be needed
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
I dang near lost it! I couldn't believe what had just happened. I gave my son the biggest hug ever and fought back the tears. We had just killed a public land bull in the first hour of our first day....WOW. I can't tell you how special it was to have my son there for it. He wasn't just there either. He was the one that originally spotted him, and saw what really happened with the shot. Got a love it!!
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
After a few pics and hugs, we got him quartered and stashed in the shade. We took a front quarter out with us then and then brought my buddy back to help with the rest.
From: EJG
10-Sep-17
awesome story, thanks for sharing. congrats! also great lesson that it is very hard to trust what your eyes saw at the time of a shot
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
Last load
Last load
From: Ucsdryder
10-Sep-17
So where did you hit him? Was it high?
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
Well, we had an awesome trip, but it was cut a little short due to hurricane Irma. My buddy was not able to get one, but had a lot of close encounters. I hope all of you enjoyed my story and one day have the opportunity to share the great adventures that the outdoors affords us with someone special, as well.
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
It was higher than I would have liked, but I guess with the long distance of the shot, it angled down and got both lungs. Maybe only went 80yds.....Maybe I should rethink my aiming point. LOL. It was approx. 10" from the top of his back and middle ways of his ribcage.
From: Dyjack
10-Sep-17
"If you would have hit your elk target where the arrow was, you wouldn't be mad." epic moment. Great story!
From: casekiska
10-Sep-17
This hunt was a trophy hunt. And this harvest was a trophy harvest. Perhaps not because of the size of the antlers, but actually because of the way it was done and the hunting companion. Without him and his contribution you may not have been successful. Congratulations to you both. Father and son will have something to remember for many years. What more could anyone ask from a hunt? Also, good thread. Thanks for posting.
From: jordanathome
10-Sep-17
Sweet Story and so glad your son was a big part of it!!!!
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
Thanks guys.
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
Great memories
Great memories
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
From: hunt forever
10-Sep-17
You can't take memorys away!!! And nothing is more important than family!!!
From: WV Mountaineer
10-Sep-17
I started smiling the moment I read about you hearing the first bugle. I was full on smiling by the time I read you found it. So much so when my wife came in the room, she asked me what I was looking at. World class moment and hunt right there. Congrats to you both. God Bless
From: Chris S
10-Sep-17
Best story I've read in a long time. I hope to have a story like yours some day.
From: HUNT MAN
10-Sep-17
I loved this story ! Thanks for posting! Hunt
From: SteveB
10-Sep-17
Could not have been scripted any better! Congratulations!!
From: EmbryOklahoma
10-Sep-17
Congrats! Special times with your boy. Thanks for the story!
By the way... for picture orientation. On my iPhone, I go in and rotate the pic back to its original position and it will keep the proper orientation when you send to bowsite threads. You can also use the "image tools", to rotate the photo once it's posted to bowsite.
From: ElkNut1
10-Sep-17
Shane, congratulations man to you & your son! Great job!
ElkNut/Paul
From: jordanathome
10-Sep-17
Pic correction.......on bowsite.
Click on Image Tools in your post with a pic. It will be a box in the top right of the pic you posted.
It will open a new window to edit the pic.
You can rotate 90 degrees, 180, 270, delete.........
From: Drahthaar
10-Sep-17
Awesome, thanks for taking your son along , sounds like he has been paying attention . Forrest
From: drycreek
10-Sep-17
Congrats lariat ! That kid looks mighty natural standing behind those antlers. He's gonna be behind his own set quicker than you think, so get used to it.
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
Thank you guys for all of your positive comments. As for pic rotation. Can you rotate on a phone? Power is out, and I don't have the desk top
From: jordanathome
10-Sep-17
Not sure on a phone......in fact I rotated some of my pics on my laptop but they show up sideways on my phone on bowsite.....go figger. Be safe there in FL!!!!
I'm glad I left Tampa in 2015 for Boulder.
From: bigbulls6
10-Sep-17
Congrats made some great memories there
From: Inshart
10-Sep-17
I'm guessing from now on when you apply, you'll be sending in "party app for two".
Great story.
From: manitou1
10-Sep-17
Congrats. Your son will never forget that hunt as long as he walks this globe. Great story.
From: deerslayer
10-Sep-17
That is awesome man. Some of the shots we take that we think we blew can turn into the most memorable hunts. Love those high-high surprises!
Great job, congrats!
From: easeup
10-Sep-17
more congrats for being a great dad
From: Bob
10-Sep-17
Shane, One of the best stories of the year ! Awesome job to both of you. Bob
From: jordanathome
10-Sep-17
Shane...... not Jordan.....LOL
From: ahunter55
10-Sep-17
Awesome. I started "taking" my son out west at 12. Now 43 we have shared some great adventures. It only gets better as I have G-sons joining us now too. Turned a couple for ya.
From: ahunter55
10-Sep-17
grerat pic.
From: cmbbulldog
10-Sep-17
Congrats!
From: lariat
10-Sep-17
Boys, please say a prayer for me and my family and community. This storm is awful.
From: Lark Bunting
10-Sep-17
Congratulations on sharing that experience with your son.
From: Cowhand
10-Sep-17
Congats to you and your boy on your awesome hunt, and prayers for safety from California. God Bless.
From: shakey
10-Sep-17
Not too take anything away from any other hunters, but to me it is the best post all year! Congrats!!!
From: Beav
11-Sep-17
Congrats on making some great memories!
From: SBH
11-Sep-17
THE BEST!! Congrats. That's not a small accomplishment. STRONG WORK.
From: GhostBird
11-Sep-17
Congratulations... good stuff.
From: lariat
11-Sep-17
Thanks again guys for all the positive comments. The storm has passed and we are all good.
From: Destroyer350
11-Sep-17
Glad to here you are safe. Awesome story! Congrats on a great hunt!
From: T Mac
11-Sep-17
Awesome experience for you and your boy!
From: OFFHNTN
13-Sep-17
CONGRATS! What a cool memory for you both!
