Recurve archery Elk

BrentM said:
So it's been an interesting journey with a recurve this year. I don't usually have any compelling desire to fill my tag but I set a goal of a 350 class for 2023. I didn't have high hopes but I expected and committed to put in the work. Locating big mature bulls was as epic as it gets for me and I regret not filming all the encounters. When I located this bull I was on a mission. He wasn't the biggest but he was in a great area. So many highs and lows over several days. When I put this bull to bed he was still sporting a set of antlers. Next morning, in the cover of darkness, I was listening to the cows and realizing I got too close and things went sideways. Next thing I know we went from the bottom of the drainage to the top of the mountain at a maddening pursuit pace. I only knew it was this bull by his irritated growl and made a hasty and risky move to lure him from the eluding cows and thick brush toward me before the wind sent him over the ridge. One nasty challenge bugle and he charged through a small opening, in a split second I confirmed it was the right bull and sent an arrow. A gut wrenching search in north slope brush had me concerned but I found him. To my disbelief his right side is gone…his skull still bleeding. So at this point I have a 0/8 bull…..

I didn't have time to search the area for the missing antler due to guiding a deer hunt and then heading out on an antelope hunt. As soon as my lope hunt was done I headed in with my buddy (in photo) and my dog to search for the antler. Not surprising but still amazing he found it shortly after we began our grid search. Now the taxidermist has some bonding work to do get this set back together but I am happy it all worked out after a roller coaster ride of emotions. As a side note, I thought he was a 7x7. He is actually a 6x8 but if you push it he could be ring 7x8 ha ha. What I realized after it was all done was that I actually saw the bull my bull was fighting the night before and that bull had a 7x on his right side. So I was convinced this one was a 7x8 and expected the broken antler to be a 7. Crazy deal.

Edit: my pack is a mystery ranch and it did handle a rear and front. Me... I didn't handle that weight well at all. I made 1/2 mile and was smoked. From there out I hauled 1 quarter at a time. I just wanted to put in a plug for MR.


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Congrat and thanks for sharing the great story behind the hunt
 
This reminded me of a time hunting Idaho years ago.That friend had traded me a Shaffer recurve for some work and I had been shooting it a bit, but 20 was my range.I went to ID,ahead of him and I always kept a spare bow behind my seat.Well I took that out and waxed string and was messing with my main compound in shop.I ended up only with the recurve.I called in a nice six and it almost happened, but past my range.Had to call my buddy and have him bring my compound
 
sp6x6 said:
This reminded me of a time hunting Idaho years ago.That friend had traded me a Shaffer recurve for some work and I had been shooting it a bit, but 20 was my range.I went to ID,ahead of him and I always kept a spare bow behind my seat.Well I took that out and waxed string and was messing with my main compound in shop.I ended up only with the recurve.I called in a nice six and it almost happened, but past my range.Had to call my buddy and have him bring my compound
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I understand that. I had my compound in camp in case I got too annoyed with the recurve chasing a 380. I knew where he was, private land. I sat on him for a week waiting for him to move back to public. He wound up disappearing, so back on the hunt after a couple other big bulls I had located. I messed up on one (that hurt, he was big) and passed on another 350 class. I had some regrets passing on that bull but knew I had a little time still. When I found this bull I stayed on him and actually thought he was more in the 360 range. Every day I wondered if packing that recurve was a good idea.
 
BrentM said:
I understand that. I had my compound in camp in case I got too annoyed with the recurve chasing a 380. I knew where he was, private land. I sat on him for a week waiting for him to move back to public. He wound up disappearing, so back on the hunt after a couple other big bulls I had located. I messed up on one (that hurt, he was big) and passed on another 350 class. I had some regrets passing on that bull but knew I had a little time still. When I found this bull I stayed on him and actually thought he was more in the 360 range. Every day I wondered if packing that recurve was a good idea.
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Yeah, hindsight, you know the drill. Its quite an accomplishment to get a bull with a bow to start with, even more so with the recurve. You did the right thing. No matter what happens down the road you will always remember this one.
 
BrentM said:
I understand that. I had my compound in camp in case I got too annoyed with the recurve chasing a 380. I knew where he was, private land. I sat on him for a week waiting for him to move back to public. He wound up disappearing, so back on the hunt after a couple other big bulls I had located. I messed up on one (that hurt, he was big) and passed on another 350 class. I had some regrets passing on that bull but knew I had a little time still. When I found this bull I stayed on him and actually thought he was more in the 360 range. Every day I wondered if packing that recurve was a good idea.
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Sounds like an awesome hunt! Glad you stuck with the recurve!
 

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