Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Shooting and Hunting => Topic started by: Keenan on August 29, 2012, 10:01:11 pm
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OK Guys lets hear some hunting stories; here is a kick off story'
First day at camp I was working on the horse corral for when Lulyn would be coming up. Cutting and tying poles all afternoon. Was tying the last pole when a bull and a few cows came up the trail. My back was to them and I about had a heart attack when they all busted. Never heard them coming
The next day we got into elk (opening day). Unfortunately they spotted us before we spotted them. I had eased down by a big wallow meadow just before daybreak. We set up and called for about 40 minutes with no responses. Thinking of moving on down the drainage, we went over and checked the trail cam. Went through some pictures of a dandy buck, reset the camera and walked over to the wallow to see if it had been used. We were standing at the wallow when the elk showed up Once again all the emotions of excitement followed by instant humility and disappointment. Tracked them the rest of the day. Busted a big mule deer buck out of his bed while working back toward truck.
Day two, checked the upper drainages,some sign but several days old. Got back to camp exhausted and decided to get some burgers going. Bull wondered up the trail to camp while I was cooking burgers. Busted and humbled again.
Day three, Walked several miles of drainages and benches,only to come back and find fresh tracks back at camp. Seems I'm a little slow learning sometimes. Put salt in horse corral at camp. Left gate open, going back in few days. LOL
Today while getting hunting gear washed and repacking for the next trip up to camp. I noticed this group of bucks bedded down in the neighbors back yard. these guys are the neighborhood group that have grown up around here. The big guy is eight on one side and a club beam with a duel eye guard at the bottom on the other side. He is the one remaing surviver of triplets that grew up in our garden. One got hit by a car, and the second shot by hunter causing a huge uproar with the anti-hunters because this is a no shooting area. They all had the club horn on the left side each year.
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I'll tell , but it ain't all that exciting. Think I have temporarily blown out my first year honey hole.
Too much building of late ground blinds and such. Decided to give it a 30 day break and so found
myself late yesterday afternoon easing along the firebreak of a 120 acre cutover. Drizzling rain,
quiet and at some spots you can see 20 yds or so into the 12 foot volunteer thick stuff.
I had timed it about right as I got to the half way point with about an hour of light left. And the wind would be real good the rest of the way.
And then I heard a not so subtle voice say very clearly"you have 30 seconds". Now Ma nature don't usually sneak up nor speak
so clearly to me but this time she did, although I do believe the time thing was a little short.
That problem solved I commenced with my stalking/still hunting, getting dark now, last hundred yards or so thinking about the one
cold beer in the truck. When the three does exploded five feet inside the cover and ten feet from me all I saw were tails and those only for
micro seconds. As I stood there in the rain I was not terribly excited, been there done that kinda thing.
But even so......I sure was glad Ma Nature had so recently called.
Lane
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LOL and so goes our daily humbling! so far elk 1, hunters 0. deer 2, hunters 0 ::)
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Going up the hill this weekend (if I can convince the wife O:)). I will report.
gabe
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Maybe. I just shot a lousy group. Yesterday it was fine, tonight, garbabe. If i don't feel good tomorrow I'm gonna have to hold off. >:( >:(
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Go.
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my season has been crapy..all i have seen is does and you cant shoot does in central oregon..if i had a TAG for others hunters or cows my freezer would be full.LOL....but i am having fun in GODS great creation..john
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We need cooler weather down south though I know the whole country
has been blistered. Scent just floats on the hot and humid air right now.
Reckon maybe we will actually have a winter this year?
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Had a fairly exciting weekend. Still no meat in the freezer but came close. Saturday morning I worked down in a drainagejust as it was starting to get light. I could see a few gold colored bodies in the trees ahead just below the meadow. The wind was right and so I picked a good spot,set up and threw out a few cow calls. Still no response so I did a light chuckle and the bull responded instantly. He was just across the bottom about 80 yards out. I screamed a full blown bugle at him and he responded in rage letting me know I was closer to his cows then he liked. This is perfect I thought, as he came in a little closer and started to vent his frustration on a Innocent pine tree. I could not see him but I could see the top of the tree being thrashed. Perfect time to sneak in and get the shot. Glancing to the right I can see the cows up the drainage, still preventing me from crossing the grassy openingand getting to where I could make a shot. The bull chuckled several more times in between his thrashing sessions, each time seeming to be more worked up and irritated. Watching the cows move up towrads the big meadow I waited for my chance to move in. in the distance I hear the sound of a helicopter heading our way. Soon the sound of the chopper is pounding overhead as I see a big double bladed helicopter going right over the top of us.
I look back at the tree that was shaking and it is now still. My eyes search frantically to determine where the bull has gone. I let out a chuckle,,,,,,,nothing,,,, throw a few cow calls,,,,,, nothing. I can no longer see the bodies in the tree line and all is quiet. I carefully work closer to where he shredded the tree. Branches lay strewn across the ground and a bright yellow pole remains, giving testimony of the fury of the bull displaying his dominance.
tracks show he headed back toward to meadow where his harem had waited. By now the sun is up and I can feel the wind starting to swirl. I cautiously work up to where I have a salt lick and trail cam. To my delight the camera had caught some pictures of himJust before our encounter had begun.
With the wind swirling and the dry crunchy forest where they had headed, I decided best to back out instead of risking busting them out of the country.
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And here are a few pictures of my favorite hunting partner
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We need cooler weather down south though I know the whole country
has been blistered. Scent just floats on the hot and humid air right now.
Reckon maybe we will actually have a winter this year?
I sure hope so. Our rut got killed last year by an early fall snowstorm.
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OHHH MAN,what a bummer...that sounds like you got some pritty good action...every year its like you get soooo close but some thing happens...well its not over and things are cooling down...nikki said there might be a reason for this...hopefully it will happen soon...good luck...tell sister and wade HELLO AND BLESSINGS..john
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Sounds like you are closing in Keenan,keep us updated. :)
Pappy
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Wow, Keenan, that was good! I was right there with you.
Tomorrow I'm going up the hill to take my bow and arrows for an early morning walk :). I'll bring the camera and take some pictures of the landscape. Saw three does and a four point blacktail in the same spot, last weekend while I was cutting firewood. We'll see how it goes.
Gabe
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HEre's my story:
Deer came in, I aimed for behind the shoulder, just at the moment of release a ninja squirrel jumped outta nowhere, karate chopped my arrow in half and ran away. HE had a red and white striped sash that looked like a candy cane..... I think he came from the Sho-Jun Ninja school from the Bronx. They breed them tough and fast up there. Next time I see that squirrel I'll send one his way when he's not looking....
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Oh great. More ninja nut-munchers.
Heard they picked up the "hit" put out by the Dragonfly Confederation.
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Keenan just keep it coming man , love the stories and pics... One
question though "my favorite hunting buddy"....Are you talking about
the lovely Lulyn or those fat-ass horses?
Just want to be clear.
Lane
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You are living the dream Keenan, go getthem. Till later got go go hunting. Ken
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John, Still holding hope for some cooler weather. Need the rain it is like walking on egg shells out there. You need to head out with us sometime.
Pappy, Thanks but seems I'm going backwards. so far it is Elk=three rounds, hunters= 0 If they would stay in one area it would be easy but with the rut and bulls chasing bulls from one area to another, and then add the hunter factor all sound reasoning on where they will be goes out the window.
Gabe, Good luck, Let us hear some stories the good ones and the close calls.
Billy, Billy, Billy, ;D ;D That was great! Got a kick out of your fantasy hunting adventure, However I'm thinking you might have eaten a bad squirrel and got a serious case of "Squirrel Brain Disease" also known as "Lost Your Nuts" disease. Happens when people get there but kicked by crafty squirrels and they resort to imaginary stories of why the squirrels won! >:D >:D
JW, don't encourage him, He might start imagining the dragonfly's as fire breathing beast and his next movie will be "Billy the Dragon Slayer"
Lane, ;D :o You better hope Lulyn doesn't see that post. :o :o
Ken, Good luck buddy! Come back and share some stories with us.
OK for the latest update; Just got back from a journey deep in the wilderness that is an area where I had taken several nice bulls many years ago. I was a little apprehensive as I wasn't sure how the back and this old busted up body was going to fair. Was great to see some of my favorite hunting ground again but bitter sweet as well. Elk sign was very spare and almost non existant. The only excitement was waking in the middle of the night with something panting and walking a few feet away with only the nylon tent between us. Happened a few times through the night never did see what it was but suspect a bear as they frequent that area. Didn't have the back up pistol but did have the pepper spray so that we would taste good if something went sideways. ::)
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ohhh i smell trout for dinner...i have to say that i really miss the wild areas..thanks for the pics..BLESSINGS..john
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Went up the hill on Friday before work to scout (with by bow just in case). The view was 'ok' ;). Settled beneath a rocky outcropping with a downhill view of a nice meadow. Had a lovely morning. Didn't see any deer until I was driving home, when I saw this nice four pointer with a couple ladies. I'll be going back.
Gabe
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gabe,you are in some BIG blacktail country...i hope you get a shot at one...john
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Nice pictures Gabe. Good luck on your hunting.
Thursday morning was full of excitement. Started out with hiking a small ridge by camp towards a far upper meadow. The quiet and cool morning, suddenly broken with the distant scream of a bull announcing his dominance. Direction sounded right, he must be up by the meadow, I thought. I responded with a bugle to double check his position. Unfortunately that was a mistake. My call only excited the hunters in the drainage below and the their excitement caught the attention of another hunter even further away. Soon all three were closing in trying get me to answere again. The two guys below were parked near at the end of the road near our camp. I had met them up in there a few years ago so I decided to wait and watch. Soon they were closing in and one guy was quite startled when I cow called as he came right by me at about ten yards. I chatted with them for a few minutes and they asked about tagging along with me towards the upper meadow.
We did several set up when we got near the meadow and all seemed quiet so we worked our way around to the other side. Sitting for a rest and having a snack when the stillness was once again, pierced by the high pitched scream deep grunts of a mature bull. Just up on the ridge as above us we quickly assessed our situation. the thrumals were already starting to cause the breeze to swirl and getting a sure direction on the wind was difficult. We thew out some cow calls a he responded instantly. However the younger of the two guys made a critcal mistake and screamed back at him before we could detirmine if he had cows with him. Not wanting another bull to get his cows he turned and started moving away from us.
The calls getting further away I told them we needed to press hard and try to turn him to fight. However that decision was to late as he was putting some distance between us. We tracked for a while and I let them know that I needed to head back to get packed up as my wife needed some help on the home front. On the way back to camp I cut some fresh tracks again and heard another distant bugle. I made the hard choice of staying focused on getting backhome to help.
As I was headed towards home I decided to stop and check one of my salt licks on the way. Some good sign around it so I set up and threw out a few cow calls. All of the sudden a bull chuckled back, up on the ridge. Just before dark, all I had was my bow. No pack, no GPS, no light or any of the gear I needed to persue this bull. I tried to coax him on down the ridge but there just wasn't enough light so I had to back out. Lulyn sent me a text to stay and hunt the next morning and try to get back on him. So back to camp I headed.
The next morning I was where I needed to be well before light. Unfortunately I was closer to him then I thought and just before it was light enough to see well. I heard the depressing sound of an alarm bark,,,,,,,,way to close >:( To add to the frustration He was now down wind. Two mistakes and it wasn't even shooting light yet. The morning seemed to continue this way. Headed home to help out.
With bulls starting to scream and hormones raging it was hard to leave. But the fight is not over. Stay tuned for the next round.
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i beat you can just taste the steaks..LOL...HEY,is it smokey where you are at...there seems to be alot of smoke coming into prineville at times..BLESSINGS...john
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keenan keep at it bro we got rain here last monday a 6x6 and sunday 7x7 bulls 2 antalope been after it 3 weeks befor we even got a shot rain again last nite weve had a couple misses also so were elk 7 us 2 lol stayin up here till nov brock
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Go get em Bock. . Please keep us posted.
OK here is how the season ended. Last Saturday I went in with a long time friend to a favorite meadow we've named Shangrala. We worked down in a drainage and I started with a few lite cow calls, then a chuckled. Instantly a bull screamed back in rage. He was probably 150 yards away. Unfortunately we heard a very excited hunter tone up and bugle constantly as he was getting closer. The bull had heard more then he wanted and silently took his cows and disappeared. We cut his trail and tracked for a while but had to quit as we were just to far from camp.
Yesterday was the last day and it all ended with some intensity and excitement. I decide to check some lower ground where Lulyn and I had got into some elk last week. As I got to the end of the road I found two trailers and two trucks. One truck I recognized as I had built the truck racks many years ago. It was a guy that I had gone to school with named Mike. I talked with them for about fifteen minutes and while standing there talking, a bull screamed from the timber. I wished them luck and Mike asked me if I would go hunt with them. They were both fairly new to elk hunting and didn't know much about calling. I accepted the invite and off we went.
The bull was sounding off about every ten minutes, so we close the distance fast and set up when we got close. A few light cow calls and the bull was working through the timber right in front of Mike and Andy. The bull was about 20 yards from Andy, but no shot due to timber. Then he crossed in front of Mike at about 40 yards but mike hesitated and missed the opportunity. The bull got down wind and busted out. I threw out some calls and then worked my way up toward Mike to find out what had happened. As they filled me in on the details. The bull was still sounding off, but from several hundred yards away. We decided to persue and as I moved forward I saw horns coming through the trees toward me. I dropped and knocked an arrow. The bull was now about 20 yards away, facing straight on. Head down and trying to scan under the trees for any sign of the cows he had heard. He raised his head and screamed a chest pounding roar and moved off to my left in the thicket. A few minutes later he was again downwind and busted out.
We cut his trail and decided since it was the last day to stay on him and track him out. Several hours later and a little over a mile away, we had caught back up to him and heard a bugle from about 150 yards out. We closed in fast and just as we were about to set up and start calling he busted. I called a few minutes and had him back in and 30 yards in front of Mike. Hearing his shot and the arrow hitting I knew it had all come together. His first elk ever! As I got over to him I noticed the concerned look on his face. He had made a bad hit, stating the bull was walking and he didn't lead the bull. He had seen the arrow in the front hind quarter as it bolted away. We gave an hour for him to bed down but with threatening rain clouds we decided to get on the trail. It was a brutal hard tracking challenge as there was very little blood and inter mixed tracks with the cows but we tenaciously stayed on the trail, sometimes on our hands and knees searching for pin drops of blood. Several hundred yards later we had him! A very nice 5x5 bull. Though he is not a traditional archer he is intrigued and thinking someday he might want to try the ultimate challenge of all hand made gear.
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Awesome story Keenan and congrats to your buddy. What bow did you have with you on the hunt? It seems to fit absolutely perfectly with your camo and gear in that one picture.
Jon
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Thanks John, The bow I had in that picture was the Carp backed Juniper. I had some camo skin covers that Gordon gave me, on it to help blend in. They are light weight stretch nylon and work great
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Great story Kennan,nice bull for sure. :)
Pappy
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Great stories Kennan. those pictures with the lake are awesome, loved to visit there. BDan
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Keenan, thanks for all the hunting stories and reports. Wish you could have gotten one but we are all thankful for all the time we get to spend on our hunts and camping trips. I have been so buzy with work, projects, and hunting, I never much get the chance to go on line and my computer has been out of antivirus protection. Any way glad to be back now. I had good hunts but no shots. I hunted a lot on private hay fields and surrounding BLM land, pretty much new country for me so kindof a scouting and learning year for me. The division of wildlife issued tons of private land cow elk only tags that run till Nov 15 they are additional elk tags and between that and the black powder hunt it got a bit crowded for my taste. The good part is that I have one of them tags and altho it is a rifle tag I am treating it as more bow hunting opportunities so will be hunting again this weekend. The big public canyon I hunted last weekend had good elk sign and I found an elk freeway trail that ended up comming out real close to the hay field I have been hunting and on property I have permission to hunt. So will keep you updated now that my computer is working again. Kenneth
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I didnt draw any tags this year.
No Big game for me...
Good luck guys!
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well i am sorry to hear you didn't get your bully...but you did get some great memory's with you Friend and he got a nice one with your guidance...john
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Well I havn't been on in a while working to much living not enough, but reading the stories was great. I did get to go out and hunt a little and as always fun and spiritualy in lightening. I do have some elk in the freeze thanks to one of my wheelie shoot'n buddies :-[ but good the same. As for my season we could call it a bust full of lessons I seem to be to stuborn to learn ;D lesson one dry ground, hot weather, and wearly winds are no good for spot and stock. Tree stands only work if you use them and best if one has the patience to sit them quitely. Three the bust when you build a bow and you see after shooting a while that a splinter is lifting under the raw hide backer, and you discuss a plan for fixing, fix it don't try to push it until after season. On the morning of the last Saturday while sitting in my stand for the first time in the season I was board and drawing my bow to check all of my shooting angles to make sure I would be ready if something did come in. Yup you guessed it pow Buster my little Juniper Bow come apart, violently :o Let me tell one more lesson to all of you who know this missfortunate response wood sometimes has to abuse, Please! do try this at home not in a tree it adds greatly to the excitement :o More T.P. please :laugh: lesson learned till next time >:D
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lovin these stories. i recently had a mule deer/whitetail hunt, in eastern wa. half our trip would be huntin high for mulies, the other half down in the valley for whitetail/mulies. for mulie huntin we backpacked to the top of the ridge which is 6000 feet, and 6 mile hike, to stay for 2 nights sleepin by the fire, under the stars. it was a blast! not many deer were found up top but there were some big tasty blue grouse up there. i did get to stalk whitetail in the valley, me and my brother got within 15 yards of this big whitetail doe, i shot under, he shot over. one lucky doe.
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im more of a hunter than a bowmaker, as in my bows are ugly compared to alot of guys on here, but she shoots good, bow is vine maple 52 ntn 54# 24, arrows are a mix of salmonberry, ocean spray, and sitka spruce all with zwickeys, fletched with duck goose and turkey feathers.
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Some great stories guys. Keep them coming.
Congrats on the grouse Bearfoot. BTW Love the bow and quiver pic! looks like a great bow!
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barefoot,i also have to say i love your gear...dont take this the wrong way BUT the more crude looking it is the more i like it..what is your quiver made from..thanks for sharing the pics...john
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That grouse looks like a fine meal, and the view isn't half bad either!
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john the quiver is hair on rawhide, with hair on the inside to keep it quiet. no worrys man thats how i would describe my bows, crude has its own beauty that i to love.
thanks keenan, i hope you have a late season on those elk over there.
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Barefoot, we do have a late season for cow only in November. also good area for my anual yew harvest ;D
BTW Just noticed the foot print by the bow on the rock. That is a very cool pics. Should be on the cover of PA
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Thanks for all the great stories and pics guys. I haven't been out yet this year so these posts really help me stay connected. 8)
Barefoot, pretty don't make a bow! Functionality does. Your set up should be perfect for your hunting. If you and your brother get another opportunity I can imagine two arrows in the boiler room of your next deer. ;)
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thanks for the kind words keenan
thanks pat, i sure hope thats the case, cause im gettin hungry
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good thread Keenan. I am still awaiting Gordons post on his bull. maybe I missed it somewhere. my season wasnt real stellar. I hunted this buck for the last couple of years never got a chance at him. I was sitting in my treestand when he appeared. he was walking toward me but I knew he would check out the food block I had put down which should give me a slightly quartering away shot. he came by the bush and turned towards the block, I picked a spot and started to draw as he turned, however he didnt seem interested and turned back toward me and continued on this course. as he passed under my stand I tried to stand to get a shot at him quartered away, but he heard the movement and trotted off. my trail cam took this pic as he turned away from the block. you can see me sitting in the tree above him. only opportunity I had at him. :'(
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Great thread!!!
My first chance this fall will be at the end of the month but you guys are getting my motor running :)
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Great thread and some beautiful country,love you bow also Barefoot. ;) :)
Pappy
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Went hunting this morning and went to a fence row with my bike. Was dressed warm but didn't expect as much wind and was cold before I nocked my arrow. Got down and rode bike to my pine trees which would be out of wind.
It was still dark when I pulled off gravel road to lane that goes to the pines. I hit something that through me off the bike. As I was falling I could see a round like ball roll away. As i lay there I could see the ball....it was an osage orange. Not an osage tree within 1/4 mile....I have no idea how it got there?? I hunt osage now it seemed to be hunting me...and it got me. >:D
After I fell I imagined I looked like the scarecrow on the Wizard of Oz!! My bow was over there, my arrows were over there, my quiver was over there, my bike was over there. :-[
Once I realized I wasn't hurt ..........I finally thought it was kind of funny. :)
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Wow, Glad you were not hurt. Riding with a bow and arrows could be dangerous on a fall like that.