Furthest Glunk I've Ever Heard & Story!

[ElkNut1]

Did a hunt this morning & got into two bulls bugling it out for the right to have the small harem that were bedded in the willows. The lower bull closest to the bedded cows (250yds away) kept the 2nd bull above the bottom of drainage on opposite side of the one the cows were on. This lower bull glunked near 20 times if not more along with a warning challenge about every 5th bugle of his competitor. First time I'd heard glunks at 250yds, it was very clear & audible though. Both bulls were equal in size aprox 290" - 300" bulls. The top bull ended up heading straight up the the opposite side to a bench area about 1/2 mile up, there is where I could hear him camp for the day. This is in a burn area so fairly open but tons of willow brush & downfall, negotiating it is nearly a feat houdini would raise his eyebrows at! (grin)

I did my best to slip in on the bottom bull, I slipped in aprox 175yds away but was trapped in a small opening 15'X30'. I was surrounded by these willows & now hadn't heard a bugle for a few minutes so was unsure if the herd bull was making his way up or paralleling the bottom like a guard dog as it was too thick to see a thing! (grin) I decided to give two very soft cow calls to test the waters, I had a large Volkswagen sized rock between him & I so felt OK with my position & I had a slight elevation advantage & wind from my left to my right so all was good. I let out the two cow calls 15sec apart, after the 2nd one hardly 10sec after I gave it I hear willows rustling to my left & heading towards this small opening, I looked in that direction & saw antler tips sneaking in & to top it off out of no where there's a calf standing right in front of this rock I'm behind, where the heck did it come from? (grin)

I slipped below top of rock grabbed my bow & nocked an arrow, I was waiting for this bull to walk past the rock I was behind offering a quick close up broadside shot. 10sec go by & nothing , he should have went by, then I hear him give a soft moan looking for the cow (me) he'd heard that brought him my way. This bull from his sound must be next to this calf at no more than 10yards from me, I count to 5 draw my bow & slowly rise at full draw over this rock & see the bull slightly downhill quartering to me but looking straight at me, oh great! (grin) I instantly mind range him (guess) at 30yds I settle the pin from its cartwheel motion & squeeze the trigger! I see the arrow heading right at him exactly as I'd hoped, it was as silent an arrow as I'd heard, no thump, no whump & no crack, nothing! I felt for sure I did not miss this 5-point that rudely interrupted my appointment with this herd bull. I watched him wander off, not really run. I instantly cow call & a forked horn bull appears along with a cow very close to me right where the 5 point just was, the herd bull bugles below but I do not want to fool with him feeling I just shot this bull. I grab my rangefinder that's secured to my pack strap near my collar bone & range the spot where he stood, it was 44yds, I'm thinking no way he was that far, dang I really blew that!!!! I range 30yds & head down to locate my arrow & find it lodged into a punky downfall, no blood! Looks like there will be a round 2 with that herd bull. (grin)

This is a very similar mdw to what the surroundings looked like.

ElkNut1

[BROKECARPENTER]

Cool story! Good luck getting back on them

[BRazz]

Great story Paul - thanks for sharing! I'm sorry that you missed, but you are not alone there... and it is encouraging for the rest of us to know that even the pros can miss once in a while... At least you'll get some more chances to run around with the herd bull!