EXCEPTIONAL animals
General Topic
We need an off season topic. There’s a lot of real killers on Bowsite. Some exceptional animals taken. So post pics of your exceptional trophy animals and a short story if you’d like.
I’ll start with my only exceptional trophy. A 29 6/8 waterbuck
Where's the short story (if you like) ?
Really Bake!!! Grabbing some lunch at work and looking forward to your story. When you say “short story”, you’re not kidding!
You gotta give us a little more!
You all post yours!!! ;)
Story: I was calmly sitting in a blind. He walked in and I shot him ;)
Everyone post theirs. And don’t worry if you’ve posted it before. Post it again. Let’s get a big collection of big animals on one thread
This Gemsbok looked enormous coming into a water hole. Beautiful animals
The PH was pretty exited about this guy.
A Colorado DIY horseback hunt in 2002 first day of the hunt shot through the heart at 10yards.
I called this bull in for my buddy, 28 yard shot.
He drew a hard to get tag in a unit I had a lot of experience in.
Pretty exceptional bull for Oregon.
We actually had a really Tuff season there and killed it after around 12-14 days of hunting our buts off. Lots of lows on that hunt, but persistence paid off!
Colorado lion with the longbow, my third chase till I got one about 16 hours of chasing, great experience.
WY general area elk shot at 33yds.
August 2017 WY bighorn sheep. Waited 21 years as a resident to draw.
I don't if exceptional but only Boone and Crockett animal I have killed. 84 2/4" net 86 4/8" gross pronghorn. The most exceptional hunt I went on was my DIY CO sheep hunt. 14 days above treeline. Kill a P&Y class sheep but but not an exceptional specimen of the species as far as size goes.
BC Mountain Goat. Taken the first day of my hunt.
AZ Coues deer. Sat a lot of hours in the blind for this buck.
Now we’re talking!! Awesome animals
A 202” buck I killed on public land on November 7 2017. A great night and will never miss a November 7 hunt for the rest of my life if I can help it.
The Rusa deer on our trip to Mauritius were exceptional , spot and stalk hunt great time
Wow
That looks like a cool hunt Zebrakiller!
Top 25 all time with trad bow, not sure where he ranks with a longbow.
Story - I found a deflated mylar balloon stuck in the sagebrush, with a note attached. "Hi, my name is Christine and my phone number is ..... If you find this, you will have good luck forever". I put it in my pocket, looked through my binocs, and saw this buck down in the river bottom.
I watched him and his herd for most of a week, figured out where they were heading in the evenings, built a straw bale blind, and shot him at 12 yards the second night I hunted him. He had a big tumbleweed stuck in his left antler when I shot him. I watched him fall, and he kept getting bigger as I got closer to him. No ground shrinkage at all!
I still carry that (now laminated) note in my hunting pack for good luck.
I can't seem to load my picture of the mouse I took out this morning definitely B&C caliber if I'd bother getting it measured. Crossman Air gun I have to put that in there going for a sponsorship
Mile long stalk 28 yard shot
Lou you call the number on the balloon?
John, yes I did, and left a message thanking her, told her where I found it - 60 miles from launch site - and told her that I had had exceptional luck since finding it.
Four man limit of mallards, pintails, and canvasbacks. Anyone who duck hunts will recognize that as a premium limit!!!
Antelope with an osage self bow, river cane arrow, and obsidian point. 75” P&Y
Antelope with an osage self bow, river cane arrow, and obsidian point. 75” P&Y
I have been beyond blessed… Wyoming antelope out of a pop up blind. 10 yard shot. 50 yard recovery
My best elk 387 6/8 P&Y panel score typical. 414 5/8 B&C non typical 435 gross
Good work there Bowboy. You are quite the Archer my friend... An Forest geez, you have your own airplane or what.. Globetrotter.. Beautiful critters as well.
Idk about fitting the killer status... but this buck was exceptional.
Link to story: https://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm?threadid=494238&messages=72&forum=4
Been told he’ll make SCI. Someday I’ll get around to having him measured.
Exceptional can mean so many different things to different people and none of them are wrong. For me, my exceptional animal was the 195 incher I killed on a permission property here in 2021. Surrounded by hunters and 400 yards off a major highway. He
Exceptional can mean so many different things to different people and none of them are wrong. For me, my exceptional animal was the 195 incher I killed on a permission property here in 2021. Surrounded by hunters and 400 yards off a major highway. He
Honourable mention on my 2020 elk. Just because it's a Manitoba elk and at drawing a tag every 5 years I'll only get a handful more. Who knows how many good ones a guy gets a chance at.
Honourable mention on my 2020 elk. Just because it's a Manitoba elk and at drawing a tag every 5 years I'll only get a handful more. Who knows how many good ones a guy gets a chance at.
Fortunate to take this on the guy at 15yds on my second trip hunting goats. Silver lining on not connecting on one my first trip….. Was being able to hunt for them again.
Nevada Desert Sheep from 2011. It’s been a while but I think I took it on day 5. Net score was 171 and change while the pictured left horn scored 89. I had him officially scored but didn’t enter him. The right horn was more heavily broomed than the left and also had a big chunk missing on the second mass measurement so he lost a lot in deductions. He was a relatively young ram at 6 to 7 years old which speaks to the excellent genetics of the unit.
This one counted as exceptional for me. One of these days I still need to try for a better one, but this one was special. Colorado goat. Stalked down an avalanche chute for a 10 yard shot.
Definitely exceptional. My first caribou and the one subspecies I would want above all others…
First day of the hunt with Gana River in the NWT. Bumped him and stayed with him all day until he moved to feed.
Final stalk was 400 yards across the tundra above treeline to get a shot at 40 yards as he saw me and was taking off. Did a recap on Bowsite a few years back.
Second truly exceptional critter on the same hunt as the Mt. Caribou. Unbelievable experience to just be in that country, much less actually kill anything with my longbow…
Climbed a couple thousand really steep feet to get to where the rams were traveling between feeding and bedding areas. Set up in a saddle over their trail and waited several hours in hopes that they would use the same trail to come back over in the evening.
My bottom limb hit a rock on the first shot and the arrow hit the trail behind his front legs. As he bolted away, I grabbed another arrow and rolled to my knees. He turned and came back down sniff the arrow.
My second shot was 2” behind the shoulder at 35 yards as he was looking at the first arrow stuck in the trail…
Definitely blessed with an exceptional Colorado elk. 23 years of applying. Tough 16 days of hunting, mentally and physically. Over 4 miles following him. Finally got my first shot of the hunt at 25 yards as he was turning to leave.
Definitely blessed with an exceptional Colorado elk. 23 years of applying. Tough 16 days of hunting, mentally and physically. Over 4 miles following him. Finally got my first shot of the hunt at 25 yards as he was turning to leave.
Over the top exceptional Columbia Blacktail. Lifetime achievement! Last NA deer species. First award at B&C, Glenn St. Charles award, and sent for panel and display at the upcoming P&Y in April.
Over the top exceptional Columbia Blacktail. Lifetime achievement! Last NA deer species. First award at B&C, Glenn St. Charles award, and sent for panel and display at the upcoming P&Y in April.
59# 12 oz
59# 12 oz
65#
65#
43# 14oz
Common
43# 14oz
Common
Amazing animals guys…
These three fish were all state records when I shot them..The bigger grass carp was 65# and it broke my own record..
The common carp I took a week later and it broke the record that stood for over 20 years…
These are the 5 B and C animals I’ve been lucky enough to take…
Pope and Young Colorado goat killed solo at 13,925ft
Pope and Young Colorado goat killed solo at 13,925ft
Aug 2022. Exceptional for me for sure because it represents the culmination of a lifetime of dreams coming true.
Some incredible animals so far! Here is my two closest things to exceptional. 47 inch saskatchewan bull and a 191 mulie. If he hadn't busted his left beam he would have been knocking on the door of 200 inches.
First buck in 2020
First buck in 2020
Second buck in 2020
Second buck in 2020
First buck in 2021
First buck in 2021
Second buck in 2021
Second buck in 2021
I had a pretty good run of success on whitetails, in 2020 & 2021.
Inland grizzly
Inland grizzly
Maybe not necessarily an exceptional animal, but definitely an exceptional experience with the stalk and a 20 yd shot on this guy.
My best whitetail to date. Brutally cold hunt.
My best whitetail to date. Brutally cold hunt.
Top animal on my bucket list. Exceptional hunt!
Top animal on my bucket list. Exceptional hunt!
First Booner
First Booner
Alberta muley
Alberta muley
Hell yeah! All great animals guys! Never gets old seeing those bucks, Troy!
I wouldn’t want to look over my shoulder and see Tavis or T Roy on my Trail.
Nice animals, everyone. Definitely exceptional.
Colorado September 2022, lucky Chocolate bear.
214 7/8" Iowa whitetail. Hopefully not a once in a life time event!
214 7/8" Iowa whitetail. Hopefully not a once in a life time event!
Sonora Ram, 171" and change.
Sonora Ram, 171" and change.
Now this is a great thread. It never ceases to amaze me what you guys accomplish! Congratulations to all of you!
MAN THIS THREAD FIRES A GUY UP!
Nontypical Alabama whitetail killed on my small farm
Some exceptional animals on this thread. I’ve killed a bunch of stuff but quite honesty most don’t get close to touching B&C. Lost a Mulie a couple years ago that would have been close. I’ve not yet had him officially measured, but I think my BC goat will be very close. My goal is generally P&Y and that can be a pretty high bar sometimes, and others not so high…
—Jim
This is a great thread & I must say fellas, some very awesome critters. My hat is off to those who have taken Sheep & Goats (thank God I never had the desire to hunt them). I have some nice animals & a pretty good variety having been blessed with a few Elk, Caribou, Antelope, many Whitetails, Mule Deer, a Buffalo, Black Bears & more. Still, my most cherished is the "single" photo of my 1st Biggame in 1958 as a young teen. That yearling Doe is & will always be my most memorable adventure.
Every animal taken in pursuit with the bow and arrow is exceptional. Love seeing successes on Animals of a Lifetime from bowhunters… Definitely a bunch of guys on here have overachieved! Congratulations across the board!!
Greg Simon! What a day that was! Nice!
Total luck. He came herding a doe and decent 8 past me. For some reason he wanted those deer to go my direction. They got down wind and bolted, he, to his demise, didn't bolt and stood wondering what was going on.
I've taken 19 Pope and Young animals and 3 qualified for B & C (Sheep, Antelope, bear)... all with bows and arrows I made myself.
But my best "trophies" are the success of my kids. A mule deer or antelope doe is the biggest thing in the world to a youngster. But I've had my share of personal success. Some really nice animals here guys.
Your absolutely right muskwa nothing like the success of our kids. My late son Dylan with this mule deer he stalked in its bed in his stocking feet and shot at 15 yards. He was in his first year of collage in 2011 here.
Non typical Sitka Blacktail
Non typical Sitka Blacktail
wildwilderness's Link
This Sitka Blacktail was on a great trip first time to Kodiak, fell in love with AK and was the seed that got me to move here!
Story was posted a long time ago
https://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm?threadid=339313&forum=7#2240161
Brownie
Brownie
This one was a couple years in the making, ended up sleeping solo in the ground blind for 3 days to kill him. Made Award level BC
Downhill bull
Downhill bull
Massive old bull, not high on score but was super mature
Pre shot
Pre shot
A 45” cape buff is pretty neat!
I thought this was a pretty great DIY archery Northern California Blacktail deer.
Probably not exceptional, but pretty good one for an out of state guy not on a guided hunt.
I got way up on a ridge top a couple hours before dark. After checking several different drainages I back tracked to one of the first ones I looked at. Something about it had me feeling 100 percent sure an buck would be bedded in the thick oak trees below, and he would come up to a little bench to feed before dark. a knocked an arrow and sat next to a lone oak tree about 45 yards above a little bench. Sure enuff, with about 20 minutes of shooting light this guy came up out of the oaks below to feed. At 45 yards he turned broadside and put his head down to feed, giving me a chance to pull my bow back and get a shot.
1999 Colorado Mountain Goat P&Y 48 2/8 was tied for 3rd Colorado bow records. Was blessed to get the tag, shot with longbow and Cedar arrows.
2012 Colorado Ram, took 25 yrs to draw the tag backpack hunt the most physical demanding hunt took all I had ,but worth it. 12 year old Ram.
Wait hold on a second. Sleeping in a ground blind with that thing roaming around??
Lol I was thinking the same Adam! Haha
235 3/8 Whitetail
235 3/8 Whitetail
My Woodland, was top 15 P&Y when I entered him.
2019 Africa Trip. One of my favorite trophy pictures. Overall great hunt.
Alaska 2022
Alaska 2022
1995 Colorado Bighorn Sheep
1995 Colorado Bighorn Sheep
The 88th day of hunting them over 13 years and 4 tags I finally shot this Ram, missed others during that time but it was a great adventure.
Great animals! Good to see your photos Matt A. A success photo from 1958 is an amazing thing. Really great photos and animals T-Roy.
This trip was exceptional
1993 mountain caribou hunt. 4 of us got 4 nice bulls with our recurves and longbow.
Love all of these! Absolutely amazing animals taken by bowhunters!
I went back and added a little more backstory on the ones I posted. Enjoy.
Best elk hunt of my life.
2012 Alaskan Brown Bear
2012 Alaskan Brown Bear
Stopped this Bear as it was running uphill straight at me (it did not know I was there) at about 3 yards then shot it between 3-10 yards as it turned to run away.
Desert Bighorn this year
Desert Bighorn this year
I have been fortunate enough to get 2 that I feel are exceptional..
Entries Ranked in "Top 4" in their Species Category in State Bowhunting Records of Arizona
Entries Ranked in "Top 4" in their Species Category in State Bowhunting Records of Arizona
My Best African Trophies After Several Trips
My Best African Trophies After Several Trips
StickFlicker's Link
I've taken 6 animals that score in the "Top 4" in their species categories in the bowhunting records of my home state of Arizona (Bowhunting in Arizona), including a couple of state records. Several also score very high in Pope & Young and some B&C. I put them into a collage instead of posting a bunch of pics. I'll also include a collage I made of my best African trophies.
First off… congrats to many of you on animals I’ll probably never pursue. It’s nice to live through you all!
I’ve killed a couple EXCEPTIONAL animals (in my eyes) and they were whitetails.
The first was in 2012 and was my furthest shot on a WT @ 35 yards. He just appeared out of a creek bed to my right and surprised me. I stopped him as he was paralleling me, quartered away. He turned away from the arrow at the shot. The arrow entered behind the diaphragm and came out like a ten ring. Lack of blood made for a long night, but found him in the AM within an hour. My largest Oklahoma buck.
The second was another buck that just showed up in 2018. I stopped him at a really close range (7-8 yards) and quartered away. The arrow hit perfectly and I heard him expire just out of sight. What a GREAT feeling!
Those bucks are amazing, Rick!
Not the usual species but grew up in Hawaii hunting a lot of goats. Always searched for a 30” spread and never found one. High 20”s only and don’t hunt them much anymore. Got invited on a sheep hunt and was just hiking with a weighted pack and spotting scope in the canyon to get in shape. While eating a snack and glassing I found this guy. It took me 6 trips in with my bow and finally got him at 6 yards. 35” spread biggest I have ever heard of with any weapon. Couldn’t believe it
Been blessed with some nice animals that I've arrowed over the years, but not sure any of them would qualify as "EXCEPTIONAL"? By that I mean zero B&C qualifiers and none that are really even knocking on the door for B&C.
The black bear in the photo would probably rank as my most exceptional animal. Not because of the net P&Y score, but because of the area where he was taken. It was a boat-based spot & stalk bowhunt on the Kenai Peninsula. I was warned in advance the odds of taking a P&Y black bear on the Kenai were slim and none. Passed several bears that week before this guy showed up with only minutes remaining in the hunt.
