Opening day stories

[Elkhunttoo]

What's some of your opening day stories?

I'll never forget my first morning hunting with a bow. Opening day finally came and I was 16 years old. I headed to the woods and had no clue what I was doing. I had worked on my calls all summer and was ready to try them out . I could only hunt in the morning so around 10:30 when I was thinking all was done and there were no elk around. I sat down on some logs, put my bow on the ground and just went to working on my calls for about ten to fifteen minutes. In my mind I was just working on my calling and didn't have a clue what I was actually doing. I got done and ate a little snack, then picked my bow up to head back to the pickup. I went about ten steps when to my SURPRISE a bull whirled at about fifteen yards and tore through the trees . All I got to see was that it was a pretty good bull. It was my first of several learning experiences (and they will never stop). If only I would've known when I sat down what I learned as the bull ran off

[Mike_Parson]

Last year was my first time to archery hunt for Elk. My 16 yr old daughter and I had spent most of the summer hiking and scouting the area here in NM were i drew a tag. We put up game cameras and checked them every couple of weeks. We found a location where the elk were drinking from a trick tank and it was getting a lot of regular everyday action. We scouted it a little more and had a firm game plan for opening morning.

Opening morning came and we got there a little before sunup. we had everything planned out except for the wind that had decided to blow in the wrong direction from the spot we had so carefully created with good shooting lanes and lots of good natural cover. So, we decided to move locations and get the wind in our favor. we found a few blown down trees that were in a good spot and settled down in the middle of them as a blind and waited. Im looking to my right and watching the trail coming to the tank from that way, and my daughter is watching the left trail. About 30 min after we get settled in,i glance to the left and my daughter has her headphones in and is quietly playing a game on her phone, not really paying a lot of attention to things. i tell her to pay attention and go back to looking at my side of the area. Another 20 min goes by and i see her reach for something between us and it just gets my attention. As i look over at her, i see 3 cow elk standing no more than 8 feet from us, just stating at us. i grab my daughters arm and hold it still. she looks up and then notices the elk that have walked right in on us on the trail she was supposed to be watching.

The three cows watch us for a few min while walking around and barking and stomping. trying to figure out just what we were and why we were there. it was actually quite comical in nature. after a couple of minuets they turned and went around us and went on their happy way. I had decided that i was bull hunting the first weekend so i didnt even think to draw my bow.

after they left my daughter looks over at me and says, " i guess i should be paying attention to things, huh???" i said i guess so and we sat there a little while longer with no more action at the tank.

i ended up not killing an elk but i did gain a TON of knowledge on how they act and move in the woods. but the best thing i gained are the stories i will have of my daughter and i and the elk and later the bear and the other animals we came across in our week of elk hunting in NM.

[ishy]

My last job had a bunch of call, and I had to stay within 30 minutes of the hospital. So I found a great guy within range that would let me hunt deer behind his farm. I found an apple tree tucked back into the forest and put a stand in. There are a few local elk that hang around, but I had never seen any or caught any on camera. About 30 minutes after first light here comes a big cow and she starts picking apples. I'm thinking, "I've got two weeks off coming up, do I really want to end it today?" About then she turned broadside, and that was all the convincing I needed.
I did get nervous after the shot as it getting hot in a hurry, and if I got called it could have been bad. But I got it processed and to my brothers house before I got called. The highlight of the morning was my wife checking in and asking what I was doing, " I'm packing out an elk"....silence. She just knew I lied about having to be on call and was out hunting.