I just got back from a Wyoming DIY public land archery elk hunt. What a blast!!!!
I had a great trip out there! I only shot 1 grouse but I was able to get a bull last Wednesday.
Evening 1 - I was able to locate a bull to chase the next morning.
Day 2 all day - I chased that bull all the way to his bed. I worked around the herd and got above them with good wind. I got in tight around 3PM and made some calls. More times then not a bull just picks up the herd and moves away, same thing here. Then I had a calf come running in at 15 yards. Then I tried shadowing the herd because they were moving slowly. I had let out some calf calls to try and get a pinpoint on the bull but he stopped responding. Next thing I know a small bull pops over the hill looking at me. I was able to noc an arrow and range him at 43. I only had a frontal so I passed on that. I moved down the ridge a bit and had another smaller bull come walking broadside. He was going to step out at 20 but the wind changed. Then it got dark.
Day 3 all day - same area but much quieter. I bumped 1 elk midday. I mostly tried to get between bedding areas and calf call to pull something out. There was 1 bull with cows in there. At 5 PM he moved them down the drainage away from me.
Day 4 Morning - New spot. I worked up a ridge for the first hour and I was going to try calling over a north face because it looked like good bedding on the map. I get almost there and a bull bugles to my left. I sit tight because I think he was headed my way. Then another bull bugles. They start screaming and I can hear the 2nd bull glunking. So I decide to push in close. He had 2 cows and was raking. I get the wind right and move in to about 60 yards while he is occupied. I should have just sat tight because he may have moved my way since the other bull was pestering him but I decided to challenge him and of course he just pushed the cows up the ridge and went on screaming. Way too fast to keep up to though. Really awesome encounter like you dream of.
Day 4 Evening - I pick a new spot to call and listen for bugles. I get in to about 1/4 mile from where I want to stop to call and I bump an elk. I decided to sit tight and see what happens. Maybe 10 minutes later a bull bugles off the point where I wanted to go. Then 10 minutes later he bugles at about 100 yards. I let out a calf call. Then 1 minute later I catch him at about 60 yards going broadside and walking towards my wind. So I cast a calf call to my right into the wind. He turns on a dime and starts coming my way. He gets to 30 yards and I draw. Then he turns right at me. Before I have an opening to stop him he is at about 7 yards! So I put my pin
on his shoulder while he is walking and I release. I get a good hit. He turns and I send out a few calls and he stops at 20 on a hard quarter away. I send another arrow and it is another good hit. He goes maybe 10 more yards he stands for a few minutes and finally crashes!!!!!
I couldn’t believe that it all came together. I backed out and got my buddy. We got back before sunset. We quartered, deboned, hung the meat, and caped him out. We finished up at 1:30 AM.
We got a little rest and headed back in at 8 AM. It started to rain at 9. Then at noon it started to snow. We finished up the pack out at 2PM.
