Don't know about you PART 3
Elk
what is left of a 30 inch arrow, VPA broad head and lighted nock. Must have been run over by a truck or SOMETHING.
what is left of a 30 inch arrow, VPA broad head and lighted nock. Must have been run over by a truck or SOMETHING.
Yep. Let's hear it! The story we all knew was coming
Awwwww, DANG...
Did I miss an installment?
Kinda worried about Paul, though - that arrow doesn’t look like it came out of a recurve...
Woohoo Paul! We need more story, keep it coming.
One of my favorite western authors, Louis L'amour wrote in his novel, Haunted Mesa, that, "Today's modern man may only find peace, quite and solitude in either the deserts or the mountains of the world". While I have never visited a true desert I envision , while interesting, the deserts being much too hot and lack of the wild critters I like to hunt. I have not been to the high mountains of the Himalayas or even the rugged mountains of northern Canada but I have been hunting in the lower mountains of Colorado where elk is my prime objective with the bow and arrow. Colorado has 54 mountains over 14,000 ft in elevation but I have never climbed that high or had the desire to climb them all as some have surely done. I almost did on my archery goat hunt in 1999; got to nearly 13,000 ft, killed my goat and climbed back down where I could actually breath.
Yep, one can find solitude while hunting solo, and yes, elk in the mountains of Colorado with bow and arrow in hand.
The question might be where does this adventure actually begin? You might go back and read Part 2, to get ahead of the game, or maybe just have some patients and wait for the adventure to continue. My body must believe I am still in elk camp as it is just 5 am. Heading back to bed to catch up on some more ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Dang Paul, it’s already after 9 HERE! You’re such a tease.................. ;-)
Im guessing the bull he shot at before with the bow malfunction comes back & he sticks him in the right lung.
Not able to get out and hunt myself even on weekends due to work demands... Maybe a bit this weekend.
Glad Paul got out and appears he was successful! Looking forward to the conclusion. Paul’s probably getting some well deserved rest...
So as you might remember an early snow storm forced me down and home the week before, after I had been in camp for nine days and had missed the bull elk with the recurve bow, ie, a lighted nock hangs up on the serving string causing the arrow to go off course. Four days later, on Sunday Sept 13, that afternoon found me hiking back up to camp in the afternoon. I took me the usual 3 hrs to do so. Almost to camp I met Jim a ML hunter who knew of me from Bowsite but had hunted the area before. Back a camp I was anxious to check the trail camera and hunt from the tree stand in the PM. For 5 days the camera reveled nothing but I sat there that evening and the next Monday morning just to observe and listen. Not a sight or sound of elk. Ok, they have vacated this area so plan 2. Plan 2 was to hike south 1/2 mile to another wallow and see what might be there. Last week I had trimmed shooting lanes and found a good place to shoot from off the ground, and within 25 yards but this time with my compound bow. The bucket list challenge will have to wait, ie, a bull with the stick.
I arrived at this other wallow in the late PM on Monday, but gave it time for the wind to change down hill and away from where the elk come from. I was within 60 yards of the wallow, but there was a bull already there and he was looking in my direction but had not figure me as danger yet. I stopped and he went back to his business. I did a few cow calls hoping to lure him forward but he drifted away. I sat the wallow for the next hour hoping another bull would show up but it was quiet. Hunted the tree stand the following Tues morning and heard one bull squeal but the PM hunt was the one that filled my mind. PM came and went with out an elk showing up at the south wallow. Again, no sight or sound for elk. I had become very warm again and with the lack of cow elk in the area (a usual thing for this area) I only heard two full bugles in14 days of hunting. Ok, maybe tomorrow on Wed. I had not been doing much calling at all and if some, it was light cow calling.
Back to the same wallow as the night before as the down hill cooler breeze began around 6 pm. At 6:30 I did a few light cow sounds just to let a nearby bull know that the opposite sex was around. Fingers crossed, maybe this will be the night! 6:50 PM and I did not hear or see the bull approaching from my left and hidden from sight by a big pine tree trunk. I jerked my head in that direction when I heard splashing from 20 yards away. And there "muddy" bull stood raking his 5 pt rack in the water and then splashing muddy water over his under belly. He twisted and turned his body rt, left, up and down. I had to do some twisting myself on my knees to get set up to shoot and the shot would have to be between two close together pine trunks, 2 ft apart just 10 ft away. At full draw, A twisted, leaned back some, drew back the arrow, picked a spot on his muddy side (hard to determine a shot placement because of the mud on his side) and released. WACK! He was off, ran across in front of me at 30 yards, the glowing green nock showing the shot placement was high. The bull elk headed up hill and crashed through the thick downed timber for 100 yards and then disappeared into the semi darkness but still on his feet I found out later.
A little later I followed the sparse blood trail for that 100 yards and flagged the blood splatter each time as I only found blood 4 time within that 100 yards. Darkness came. I did not feel great about the shot placement or what the blood splatter indicated. ie, no lung blood with air bubbles. I trudged back to camp and had a terrible nights sleep. 5 am came and by 6, I was heading back to blood trail this elk, arriving by first light and then set out to figure his escape route and hopefully to find a dead elk. I was very disappointed by the blood I was finding, a drop or two here and there every 20 - 30 yards at best, or a slight smear, No squirting blood showing a blood artery hit, just a few drops of blood splattering showing the direction he was heading. Now you have to understand that in the Wilderness Area, the timber has not been cut but just falls over and crashes to the ground from old age. In vision throwing a hand full of match sticks on the ground, all arrange this and that way and across each other. This is what the elk and the hunter confronts most of the time, but there are some openings and cattle trails to take advantage off. I had a very hard time finding the trail as the bull crashed/traveled over and through downed timber, though thickets, down and across a deep ravine (found the broken arrow shaft there) for the next 300 yards. I was going to be another warm day. Around 10:30 I found the one last drop of blood and then nothing, yep, nothing. I looked this way and that, up this opening and that opening , up this trail and that trail for 50 yards. Nothing!, Where did he go? Ok, now what to do, went through my mind. Do I give up the nonexistent trail, punch my tag and go home or do I make one more wide swing ahead.
I did one more wide swing ahead for 30 yards looking for any sight of the elk's direction. Maybe I hit him higher than I thought and he would survive. NA, that is a cop-out for sure for giving up. I though, "Paul, you owe it to this bull to find him or die trying"! I had found the fletching end of the arrow broken off yards back, but I also did not believe I had an exit hole. Even with a higher shot, that sharp VPA BH might have still been cutting inside and the bull was bleeding internally because of the lack of external blood, were my thoughts. I have seen this happen before on other elk and deer I have killed. Maybe still more hope, as I made the wide circle with fingers still crossed. After searching for over an hour, Nothing! I mean NOTHING!. OK, head to camp, pack camp and head home.
I TURNED DOWN HILL, WALKED BACK 3 YARDS IN THE DIRECTION TO WHERE I HAD LEFT MY PACK PACK 30 YARDS AWAY, STILL LOOKING AT THE GROUND. WHAT, WHAT, WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, I SEE THREE DROPS OF BLOOD AT MY FEET, SHOWING THE DIRECTION OF THE ELK HEADING AWAY AND UP HILL. I LOOKED SKY WARD AND SAID, THANK YOU LORD! I picked up my bow and back pack and headed up hill still on the trail. YA, STILL ON THE TRAIL!
So..... you're sayin' yur not ever packin' another elk out by yourself? =D
Pretty cool Paul. The Warrior Poet by definition and a true Renaissance man. Thanks.
Tom I switched the narrative and told the rest of the elk story instead.
Those ravens are just waiting for an elk gut pile but I am not sure that will happen this time. Paul
Man! I liked the poetry! Should put it back in!
Liking the story part as well!
Continue on sir!
This is how I felt the night I had hit this bull and then heading back to camp with head down.
I William Ernest Henley (1849-1903)
Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.
I’m betting on you Paul, you’re still my hero !
Well... c’mon Paul. Where’s the rest of it??? ;^) awesome story so far. Thanks for sharing.
I moved through the scattered fallen timber and openings. The squirrels were chattering constantly as I passed, but I meant them no harm. Eyes focused on the ground as I traveled in the direction of the elk's path. There another drop of blood farther along. Only one drop but one drop of blood is better than no drops; I advanced another 50 yards and as I looked up, the timber was thinner and the hillside somewhat flatter. Looked to me like a good elk bedding area as I could smell elk urine as the cool wind currents of the morning were still coming down hill and into my face and nose, but those currents would be changing any minute now as it was nearing 10:30 am. I was looking for antler tips or tan hair. As I moved right and left on the hillside, the farther I moved those ways, the smell became less. I stayed on course with my noise being my guide, as I found no more blood.
My thoughts drifted back to 1997 when I bow killed my Colorado Big Horned Sheep and it laid overnight until I found it the next morning. The wind was blowing up the mountain that morning and as I moved forward along the trail, my nose picked up a smell, a smell of a dead animal. I looked 20 yards down hill and there was my big horned sheep dead. That was indeed a glorious moment.
Wait, this smell I now noticed was not urine smell at all but a dead animal smell. Could it be? I moved forward looking ahead but could detect nothing. The smell became stronger. I moved along, heart pounding, fingers crossed. Just 15 minutes before, I had thoughts of giving up the track, punching my tag and heading home for the season. I still might have to do that.
I hate you lol but a great read the Henley quote was special Lewis
Great story sir! Can’t wait for the outcome.
Dang so far it's been real good read. Keep it going
Paul, your story telling gets better and better!
I was looking for a tan hide but then remembered that this bull had been awash in the wallow with muddy water so that tan hide was now mud brown, and would be matching the downed timber and ground I was traveling through. Moving slowly and staring ahead, I rounded some thick brush AND THERE HE WAS, dead on the ground, head bent backward, and the top of the antler rack stuck in the ground. He must have died within a half hour of being shot but had traveled over 500 yards before the three bladed VPA broadhead completed its job and carved up his upper lungs. Blood that was now bubbling out of the wound was now air enriched. He had indeed bleed internally. As with the big horned sheep years past, this was another glorious moment. I placed my hand on the bull elk's head and stated, " thank you for giving up your life so I can nourish mine, I am so glad I found you; you deserved that from me."
I then remembered my recent promise, " Paul you owe it to this bull to find it or die trying". Well actually who wants to die trying. Not me for sure so what option did I have but to find him. ( note: for the very first time while hunting I did not have my camera along, yep, left it hanging back in camp, so use your imagination and spread some mud on this bull I killed last year but just add another point to the 4 pt side, for a solid 5x5.)
This had been a very difficult tracking job but I used up all of those skills I had required for the past 30 years, elk number 13. Yep LUCKY THIRTEEN
Now hold on, this is not the end to this story. It was now 11 am, warming up, this bull had been dead for the past thirteen hours, I was 1/2 mile from camp and then 2 miles to the truck and then 6 miles to any help packing the meat out. That is if the outfitter was available. What to do was the question I had to ponder and then find and answer quickly? I thought of elk tenderloins, rapped in bacon over a charcoal fire, grilled med rare, served with twice baked potatoes, home made corn bread, salad and washed down with a few glasses of red wine. Isn't this why we hunt these magnificent animals?
Spectacular Paul! Congratulations on yet another great elk! Fabulous story telling as well!
I will raise my glass to this last post I hope that all is well that ends well but I have been fooled by other great writers hope I’m f&$#$ing too skeptical
Way to go Paul !!! Loved the story as usual. You Sir, are truly an inspiration!
You just have to love a horse named T-bone.
You just have to love a horse named T-bone.
heading down to camp with pack, rack and bow. A word comes to mind, ie, exhausted
heading down to camp with pack, rack and bow. A word comes to mind, ie, exhausted
happy to be back at camp but still some work to be done. Part of that work was to take two Aleve's and drink a gallon of water
happy to be back at camp but still some work to be done. Part of that work was to take two Aleve's and drink a gallon of water
So here was my thought pattern. I could bone out this elk asap, bag and then hang the meat in the shade off the ground and head for the outfitter/packer but would not get there until after three o'clock. It would take him an hours to ready and be coming up from the trailhead and would not arrive at the elk until late. Nope, that will not work. Packing down meat that has been on the ground ,dead elk over night, then placing that warming meat in horse painters for the warm trip down the mountain to a warm cooler proved to not be a good choice. Lost meat for sure.
The right decision was made. Bone out the elk, hang meat bags off the ground in the shade to cool down, head back to camp with bow and elk rack, take down camp and place in two back packs, head down to the truck, head for the packer and then pray he could do the job in the morning. When I arrived, he stated, " be here at 7 am". Slept in the truck near by and I was there at 6:45 and ready and praying that the meat was ok. Dan the outfitter told me that Brody his packer had not been up in this area but was experienced in packing. "Paul you will have to show him where to go to the elk". Wow, I was finely going to be a true cowboy!! We took two riding horses, mine T-bone. ( after this pack was completed, I wanted to take T-bone home, what a great horse) and then two pack horses, one for the meat and one to haul down my camp. We started up at 8 am. What a beautiful morning, cool and clear.
Brody my wrangler who is studying wildlife management in college in Ohio.
Brody my wrangler who is studying wildlife management in college in Ohio.
"cowboy Paul" with his wonder horse, T-bone ready for the trip back to the trailer. Should be there in less than an hour.
"cowboy Paul" with his wonder horse, T-bone ready for the trip back to the trailer. Should be there in less than an hour.
down after quite an ordeal but is not that elk hunting at its fineness, a little pain and then a little glory.
down after quite an ordeal but is not that elk hunting at its fineness, a little pain and then a little glory.
The trip up the mountain went smoothly even though we walked the horses up to the elk from near the wallow area. What a joy to only hold a length lead rope weighing only a few ounces but attached to a large animal that was going to bring your prize down the mountain with hardly any effort. A walk in the park for sure.
Great story, as usual, Paul! Congrats on, yet another great elk hunt!
Way to go and get it done! Your patience and persistence both from a hunting and tracking is great.
Was the elk double lunged but just hit high?
So there you have it, a successful elk hunt in Colorado from start to finish with a few ups and downs and more than enough frustrations. In 6 hours I would be home but first I had to stop for ice 30 miles away. When I arrive at this small town's gas station for ice, the clerk stated yes we have some. "What are you going to use it for". I stated to ice down my wild game elk meat. He then stated," I have some older bagged ice I need to get rid of and you can have all you need to free." Free is good!
What do they say, "Karma or not, sometimes we have it and sometimes not". Some one or some thing was surely looking over me on this trip. Tricia knew about the downed bull elk via, the SPOT Messenger 3 and per the SPOT message, "animal down, be home shortly". Yep, heading home.
PS, all of the meat survived so the top prior it to take care of it, get if off the bone, cooled down and then on ice asap. What for dinner? Elk for sure.
My best, Paul
awsome!!!
must be something about those high shoulder shots!
My mulie i got this year I hit as high and as far forward in the shoulder that you can without actually hitting the shoulder bone.
I ended up finding him 150 yards away. And I am generous in saying that he bled out less than a pint of blood the whole way.... and i mean a pint at most. My arrow was broken in half and both halves came out broad head half covered in blood. Upon field dressing found the exit wound through the opposite shoulder muscle but stopped just short of breaking the skin on the other side. All internal bleeding. A very difficult and nerve racking track for sure.
Congrats Paul. You never stop amazing me.
Thanks for the story, and congrats on the great outcome.
Congratulations sir. Great story, and great adventure. I can only hope and pray to be at it as long as you have been. Very impressive.
Congrats Paul! Sounds like you had a great hunt.
Congratulations Paul. Great write up. I had no doubt that you would get the job done. Some have it and some don't
Heartiest congratulations on your bull Paul and many thanks for sharing your hunt with us; much appreciated
Great hunt Paul. Good job.
Amazing storytelling. Thanks for sharing!
Paul, once again you've woven a great story!! Congrats and thanks for sharing.
Great write up Paul. Always look forward to your elk hunts.
Mitch
Congrats and thanks for sharing
Congratulations, Paul! Thanks for a great story!
Thank you for taking the time to write the hunt down for us.
After that hunt I may have found the energy to post a picture and a few words.
And I’m only 60.
Man you captured that terrible feeling, when the spoor is not what we expect. High lung hits with no exit are tough
What a hunt
Hell yeah Paul
Ya done great again man,
Robb
A huge congrats Paul! Very impressive. Your story was again a fun read. I'm reading this last part of your story as I sit on a log in dark timber. Gets a guy fired up. Hope to meet you one day in the near future.
Great story sir! Glad you found him.
Somehow I knew this would end this way.... but I was worried for a bit!
Thanks for sharing another great story Paul!
As always, great stuff Paul! Congratulations!
You are truly gifted with words! Thanks for the story. True perseverance! Greg
You are truly gifted with words! Thanks for the story. True perseverance! Greg
great story.... congrats!!!
Awesome story and hunt Paul as usual! I’m betting most here including me could not keep up with this 80 year young man.
Congratulations on your success, and thank you for sharing the hunt.
Both well done.
Congrats Paul and great story!
Congrats Paul just keep on keeping on Lewis
Thank you Paul! Great story and loved the pics you did have to share.
I look forward to reading your DIY hunts, especially at the age of 80! Congrats, you are an inspiration of all of us that are growing older.
Great ending to a great story Paul, congrats on lucky number 13 !
I thought of Paul while on my elk hunt this year. I am in my 50’s. I still hunt hard, but I hunt much smarter. It isn’t about logging xx miles. You need to look around and take it all in.
Whe I grow up, I want to be like Paul! Thanks again for taking the time to share.
Awesome stuff as always. Congrats Paul.
"Wow, I was finely going to be a true cowboy!! We took two riding horses, mine T-bone. ( after this pack was completed, I wanted to take T-bone home, what a great horse) and then two pack horses, one for the meat and one to haul down my camp. We started up at 8 am. What a beautiful morning, cool and clear."
that my friend is one of the reasons we love our horses. My congrats also to you another successful year in the Rockies!
Another great adventure, thanks for taking us along and congrats Paul!
Great effort on your part and great story to read ! We can only hope all of our hunts end in a similar fashion this year .
Atta a boy Paul. Convrats.
As Always, WELL worth the wait! Way to “git er dun” Paul! You are truly AMAZING! ;-)
Well Done as always Paul! You are an inspirations and a STUD!!!
Been waiting for part 3. Hardy hand shake for ya ... right hand to right hand, left hand to shoulder, smile and a "well done!"
As usual you deliver sir. Congratulations. Enjoyed the story.
You are the man Paul. Heck of a story, my heart was pounding. Congratulations Paul!
Paul! You continue to blaze a trail..... thanks for sharing.....
Thanks for your story, I truly enjoyed it. Almost as good as The Haunted Mesa:)
Way to stick with it Paul! Glad you found the bull in time. Congrats!!!
Congrats Paul. Once again you have given us a great story to read and better yet, learn from. Great lesson in fortitude, giving max effort, patience, and most of all, finding the small joys in life as they are presented. Enjoy your well earned prize.
You are an inspiration. Congratulations!
Awesome Paul!! Love it, thanks for taking the time to write these up.
Congrats Paul. Awesome story as always. Way to get it done again. Jeff
Outstanding Paul. You are an inspiration!
Congrats Paul and thanks for sharing your adventure with us all!
Congrats Paul!! Elk two years straight - seems to me you are just entering your prime!
Congratulations Paul! You continue to be an inspiration to me. Whenever I get down and feel like giving up or not working as hard as I should I remind myself of "what Paul would do" and it gives me the kick in the pants I need! Thank you for sharing another great story!
Congrats and thank you very much for taking the time to write up the story AND provide some pics. If you have any vids that would be cool too. Everyone likes pics and vids!!
Nicely done Paul. You get much respect for staying on the tough blood trail. And praise the almighty for those drops of blood seen when you were ready to throw in the towel. God is good indeed. I'm envious of your hunt! Someday I hope to do a solo hunt out there.
The ropers and the cutters get all the glory..... but a good solid mountain horse is worth it's weight in gold...... well, right up until ya want to kill em.....
Grats Paul! Pretty great story and gettin' it done..... yet again..... puts a bow on it, so to speak. Thanks so much for taking the time an effort to bring us all along on the adventure. Cool stuff.....
Paul, you are one tough dude. I think that the thing about you that impresses me the most is that you have the confidence to start an elk hunt thread before the hunt starts knowing that you will give the honest account (good or bad) of the hunt. This is what makes your stories so real for me. Congratulations and thanks for sharing........ Badbull
Congratulations, and great write up.
HUGE congrats Paul. Job well done. Thanks for sharing with us. Loved it. Matt
Big Congratulations Paul! Much gratitude for taking the time to give us the before and after.
Great story and nice work! Love the details and the pics!
Paul is still one of my hero's! Thanks for taking me out west! Congrats as well!
Awesome Paul, you are such an inspiration. Looking forward to your stories for years to come.
Awesome!!! Congrats Paul.
Congrats Paul, I love the story and like I said when we were having lunch, you are an inspiration to me. Scott
Outstanding! The Bionic Bowhunter strikes again! Way to go Paul.
I don’t know you Paul, but I’ve throughly enjoyed your bowhunting ramblings! My wife says I spend way too much time on the Bowsite..... I usually snoop around before falling asleep at night so my wife gets to hear some of the updates. The other night......she asks “well, any word from Paul”. Lol !!!
How many 80 year olds are bowhunting? How many still climb into a tree stand? I figure your probably the only one, backpack bowhunting elk in the mountains at elevation! And your still showing us punks how it’s done! Your an inspiration to us all. I sure hope I have 40 more years of bowhunting to look foreword to.
Thanks for taking us along!
Paul, For years, I have counted on you and your successes...you have never let me down. What an inspiration you are! I will be 60 Friday, and only hope I am killing with a bow at 80. God Bless!
Paul, great story telling. This year the theme has to be persistence. You know how to put into words the frustration many of us feel after a shot with limited blood drops. What’s next, back to antelope or onto deer?
Absolutely love it! Congrats!
I want to thank you all for following along and offering support and comments. It is my duty to entertain you guys the best I can :).
I will be WT hunting in Nebraska in very late Oct and the first two weeks in Nov and then back to AZ to Coues deer hunt in January. There just might be another story or two, to come. Not sure if there will be in Yard Hopper goose hunts in January but maybe in Feb. My best, Paul
if you missed it, my elk hunt
Awesome, congratulations. Forrest
Congrats Paul! I think you've achieved legend status. I hope I can do half the things you're doing at your age, very inspirational!
