First ever archery bull

[Deafirishman]

The deafirishman finally connected. I know I am long overdue in posting this pic of my first ever archery bull. I was dealing with a family emergency so I lost track of it and became focused on that situation rather than hunting. Got to have priorities you know He's a 4x5 taken September 7th, 2014 in Idaho. I can now honestly look back at it as a thrill of a lifetime and have been very grateful for the opportunity to harvest one of these majestic animals let alone a bull. He's not the biggest or baddest bull in the land but he's mine and I will always treasure the memory forever. After looking back at this trip, it was a very special one to me and I can only thank the friends that came with and made this a trip to remember. I may have been the one to arrow him but it's all due to the hard work and dedication of my best friends. They are the ones that made it happen. I was just in the right place at the right time.

So....here's the story. On Sept 6th, the other 3 guys rolled into camp around 7am. Myself and 2 other guys rolled in a few days early. We helped the guys unload their gear and get their stuff put away so we could head out for the afternoon to hunt/scout. We split the group in half and went on our way. Weather wasn't the greatest either. Windy and rainy. We decided to hike up a valley that we knew had bulls in the previous year we hunted here. Tried some cold calling (bugles) and got a few bulls going across the valley. We decided to hunker down and take a break since the wind was not in our favor and once it started to thunder, they quit cold turkey. We hung around for a while to see if they would fire up again and they didn't. Decided to call it a day and head back to camp since they guys were tired from the all night driving. We made the decision that we would get in here by daybreak the next morning and chase these bulls. On September 7th, I was so excited all night that I barely got any sleep so I was awake by 4 am and getting breakfast ready to go for the guys. This was going to be the day I thought. After breakfast and some coffee, we were ready to go. 3 of us, including me, headed towards valley that we were in the day before. It's a 2 mile hike from base camp. By the time we got to the creek, we ran into some other hunters from Idaho, we introduced ourselves and shared stories about where we are from, etc...then parted ways. We told them which direction we were headed and they went the other direction. Once we start climbing, the first bull screamed off. Then another...and another...For the first time ever, I heard a bugle without have to cup my hands over my ears and hearing aid. I bought a new $6,500 hearing aid at the beginning of this past summer. Let me tell you, I could hear a mouse fart in the walls with the new hearing aid. It was the most amazing sound I have ever heard in my life. Once we got the position of where these bulls were sounding off, we heading their directions, constantly checking our wind direction. The one bull, according to my friends sounded like one pissed off herd bull. That's the one we were going to go after. He had been bugling while hanging out in a saddle and we were above him. We tried to get as close as we could and set up for some calling. Still couldn't see him at this point but he sure was getting louder at the moment. I went downhill about 30 yards from the caller and the other partner went to his right at about 30 yards. The caller sounded off some cow calls and the bull answered back immediately. This went on for a few minutes now and this herd bull was stuck in his ways and not moving in on us. We kept trying but he just wouldn't budge. After a few more minutes, I heard a huge crashing sound behind me and saw a pair of antlers disappear over the horizon from me. It was a satellite bull that snuck in and was walking right at me according to my calling partner. He was at full draw at 20 yards from him until he got spooked by my movement or smell. He was only about 10 yards from me when he turned and bolted. Disappointed we tried for a few more minutes to see if we could get the herd bull to commit but no luck. We got together and decided to keep moving and get higher from him and try again. The vegetation here was so thick that you could not see more than 10-15 yards in most places. After hiking for a short while and hearing this herd bull constantly screaming his head off and listening to other bulls answering back to him, we found a spot to set up again. The caller spotted some horns below us he thought, so we decided to give it a go. Again I went downhill from the caller at about 30 yards and the other went to his right at about 30 yards. I was very concealed into a pine tree and aspen. It was perfect cover for me. The calling began...after the 4th cow call, I saw antlers coming up the mountain in a hurry. Before we started I ranged a few objects so I knew ahead of time which pins to use. He first came into range at 30 yards and I came to full draw at that point. While holding at full draw, he was still heading straight for the caller. I kept holding him in my sights but too much brush prevented me from being confident enough to let the arrow fly. I held and then I saw my opportunity. He rounded a little pine tree and started heading right towards me. Now, he's at 11 yards...I let her fly and drilled him with a frontal shot. He spun around and took off from where he came from. He stopped at about 30 yards from me and looked around. I knew he hit because his blood was spraying everywhere. He did the tipsy walk and disappeared. I assumed he dropped right there. A Hoyt Charger with carbon express maxim 350 tipped with 100 grain Shuttle T did the job for me. We sat tight for a few minutes and gave each other a thumbs up, we got it done !! I hiked it back up to meet the caller. Our other partner told us to sit still and that he could here another one coming. So here we sat still wondering where this bull was coming from since we couldn't here him. As I looked downhill at some brush, here's what I see...I nice 6x6 standing broadside at 50 yards below us but we couldn't get a arrow off because of all the brush in the way. We called, raked a tree and he was not budge an inch. He calmly turns around and walks off after a few minutes of watching him. Talk about a heart-pounding experience there. Now, as for the bull I arrowed, the last few seconds before letting the arrow fly are a blur We got together and decided to go look for my bull. We went to where I last saw him and he was not laying there. A very nice blood trail at this point and followed it for about 250-300 yards from where he was hit and found him. I was ecstatic...I was on cloud 9. I finally arrowed a bull. The first elk to taken by archery in our group. Granted this was only our second season archery hunting for elk but I was proud of it. All that work we put into it finally paid off. Now the work really begun...quartering him out and hauling him 3 miles back to camp. It was all worth it !! It was a few days later I received that dreaded emergency call. It wasn't a death in the family but I still needed to get home. We were suppose to stay and hunt until the 14th/15th but I had to make a decision to come home back to MN. There was only one way to do it. 2 of the guys had to come home with me because there was 6 of us and only 2 trucks. The 2 guys that were with me when I arrowed my bull volunteered to go home early with me. That is what you call true and loyal friends. They cared more about me than some elk hunting trip. I admire those guys more than anyone will every know. We have been friends for over 40 years. I would have never arrowed this bull without the help of my friends. These are the guys I would give the shirt of my back for. These guys made one of my dreams come true....treasure your true friends. They are very hard to find these days.

[otcWill]

Good deal! Congrats and thanks for posting

[Indian Summer]

A very sincere congratulations Aaron. There's only one first. After that you'll have a little more spring in your step knowing that it CAN happen. I have to say the part of your story that sticks with me the most is the friends that volunteered to go home with you. Guys like that are worth 10 bulls!

[Deafirishman]

Thanks guys and yes these friends are worth 10 bulls in my book as well. I owe them ....

[bowbeck]

Congrats! Thanks for sharing!

[LckyTylr]

What an awesome story. Well Done.

You REALLY do have awesome friends.

[MTLongdraw]

Congrats. Doesn't surprise me to hear a group of guys that good would be from Minn. Some of the best people in the world.

[Indian Summer]

By the way Longdraw... that spot I told you about in the pm.... it was showed to me by a girl from Minnesota. She lives in Missoula now. I call it "Sue's Saddle". Hands down the best spot I know in Montana. Maybe MN ain't so bad. Go Pens!

[zpd307]

way to go aaron! about time that we got to hear the story. still waiting for those beers.....

[WapitiTalk1]

Saaawwwwweeet! Way to go buddy. Steaks on the spit!

[Deafirishman]

Thanks guys...I appreciate it very much. Here's the picture of our group minus the guy who took it. Just so everyone knows, it was Fridaythe13th that called this bull in for me. We've been friends since we could crawl....

[Deafirishman]

way to go aaron! about time that we got to hear the story. still waiting for those beers.....

Gary - I will let you know that next time I am in town, which will most likely be the annual coyote hunt in Goodhue around the 3rd weekend in January. We'll swap a few stories and down a couple of beers...

[Indian Summer]

Here's the picture of our group minus the guy who took it.

Um... you need a Clip-Shot! Wouldn't it have been nice to have him in the picture?

[Huntrgathr]

One of my favorite hunting stories of the year ! It's damn tough to find and keep one true friend, let alone many. Sounds like you are truly wealthy in that regard. Congratulations on a great bull !

[twinkieman]

Congrats, great story, and I hope everything that caused you guys to come home early is alright

[ElkNut1]

Aaron, excellent story & write up, I enjoyed it thoroughly! Congrats to you & the crew on a job well done!

ElkNut1

[Fridaythe13th]

I called in this bull mostly with the help of elk nut people and the play book. YOU SHOULD SEE THE BUCK AARON SHOT LAST NIGHT with is bow. The horse shoes has not fallen out yet. I think it's the motto of most people "FAMILY FIRST" elk well be bigger next year.

[Elkduds]

I intended to reply to this some days ago, but life intervened.

What a picture! That is a Thanksgiving face if ever I saw one. Aaron's, the bull looks past caring. Congratulations on a well-earned trophy and a well-told tale, hopefully with many more to come. Near the top of my list of things I am grateful for daily is my hunting life in CO, USA. Public land, plentiful game, ample challenges, endless variety, great folks to share it with. Happy Thanksgiving to all, and especially to my buds and buds-to-be on this Forum. May we all choose more gratitude and enjoy its blessings as part of every day.

[Deafirishman]

Thanks guys for all the replies to this thread. It means a lot to me. As Fridaythe13th said, he is the one that called this bull in and I owe it all to him. He gave me a great opportunity and I connected Maybe my challenge for next year would be to call one in for him but due to my hearing loss that challenge would be hard to beat if I can master it. I would rather have a few great and loyal friends than a million dollars any day. I am richer than I think....

I know this is a elk thread but as Friday said, I arrowed a nice whitetail buck on the evening of 11/22/14. This buck is going on the wall. The first and only one that will be on my wall To arrow a bull elk and a whitetail in the same season, is one heck of a feat that will be tough to beat again. My 2014 archery season was truly a remarkable season and one heck of a memory. I am forever grateful for these opportunities and can't wait for the 2015 season.

Again, thanks for the comments and may you and your families all have a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.

[Kevrod3]

well Done man!! Congrats and that is so true about your friendships! Like I've say your only going to kill a bull one day out of however many days your going to be on the mountain, you better be happy with the views and the time with the people you are sharing it with! Very cool and hats off to your buddies!! Believe me I've been on both sides and It most of the time feels better to be the guy helping than the guy harvesting...Maybe because we don't have as big of taxidermy bills!