1st year archery, 1st elk hunt ever. I will try to keep this breif. After passing on a couple of cows on opening day, I had a heard get spooked right into my lap. I was in a wide open field and about 6 cows crossed in front of me, with a spike following up the rear. The cows spotted me and went from a walk to a trot pretty quickly. I let the spike come in until he was perfectly broadside. I cow called a couple of times to get him to stop, which he did. I settled my 30yd pin and nailed him behind the shoulder. I felt really good about the shot. He wheeled around away from me in the direction they all came from. His cows spooked and ran away in the direction they were headed.
When he wheeled away, by his 3 step or so, I thought I saw my arrow fall out. I cow called a bunch to get him to stop running, which he did. He slowly walked up over a small hill on the side of the field. I was trembling and breathing hard with all sorts of excitement. I knew I needed to wait a while before doing anything.
20 minutes later I see him come out into the field very close to where he exited the field, which is close to where they all came crashing down in the first place. He started trotting in my direction. I never could see the side of him that my first arrow went into, so I didn't know what type of condition he was in. He was closing the distance coming right at me. I dropped to both knees and was as still as could be. I hadn't drawn yet and he was at 30 yds. He finally put his head down one more time and I drew at 20 yds. He took 3 or 4 more steps and hit him head on at 15 yds. He went over backwards and dropped instantly.
This is where it gets bad for me. I know this is all part of the sport but I hate to see any animal suffer. My head on shot went through him and into his spine. He was paralized from the "waist" down. His front legs were working great, but nothing in the back. He tried to get up for a half hour (horrible for me to watch).
I wanted to go put another arrow him, but his back was to me. I didn't want to go up and spook him fearing if he could get up, he would be gone. I saw decent blood on his front shoulder, so I thought he would bleed out eventually. I backed out.
I checked on him two more times and he was still alive. After 3 and a half hours I couldn't take it anymore and sneaked in and put two more in his chest. It was all over in another 20 minutes.
Here is the mystery and ache in my stomach.
Mystery #1: We checked him over and could not find an entry wound for the very first broadside shot I hit him with. Even after we skinned him, no entry hole. I found my arrow, which was broke off and about 6" of blood on it. No blood on the ground.
Mystery #2: We could not find an entry hole for the head on shot that dropped him. The exit out the back of neck was very apparent, but no entry. I did find that arrow laying next to him, which was broke off during the wrestling of trying to get up for 30 minutes.
My extreme fear is the possibility that I shot 2 elk. My first shot was a spike in velvet. My next shot was on a spike in velvet that came into the field from almost the same location that he exited. This is my first bow hunt and first elk hunt. Everything happened so fast that I didn't examine the antlers in detail for the first shot...or the second shot for that matter. I just assumed it was the same one.
We gridded and looked for blood where he left the field, but found nothing. It was high noon, over 80 degrees, and 2 and a half miles away from the trucks. So we had to move quickly.
This all happened 6 days ago and I can't get my mind at ease. I am 99% sure this was the same bull, but no entry holes? What the hell? I know I am a rookie, but I think I can give myself a little more credit than this. It would be one hell of a coincedence if another spike in velvet came down from the same spot and was trotting on a straight line as if he was looking for something......like the cows he just lost.
Thoughts? Am I crazy? There is nothing I can do now, but learn.
When he wheeled away, by his 3 step or so, I thought I saw my arrow fall out. I cow called a bunch to get him to stop running, which he did. He slowly walked up over a small hill on the side of the field. I was trembling and breathing hard with all sorts of excitement. I knew I needed to wait a while before doing anything.
20 minutes later I see him come out into the field very close to where he exited the field, which is close to where they all came crashing down in the first place. He started trotting in my direction. I never could see the side of him that my first arrow went into, so I didn't know what type of condition he was in. He was closing the distance coming right at me. I dropped to both knees and was as still as could be. I hadn't drawn yet and he was at 30 yds. He finally put his head down one more time and I drew at 20 yds. He took 3 or 4 more steps and hit him head on at 15 yds. He went over backwards and dropped instantly.
This is where it gets bad for me. I know this is all part of the sport but I hate to see any animal suffer. My head on shot went through him and into his spine. He was paralized from the "waist" down. His front legs were working great, but nothing in the back. He tried to get up for a half hour (horrible for me to watch).
I wanted to go put another arrow him, but his back was to me. I didn't want to go up and spook him fearing if he could get up, he would be gone. I saw decent blood on his front shoulder, so I thought he would bleed out eventually. I backed out.
I checked on him two more times and he was still alive. After 3 and a half hours I couldn't take it anymore and sneaked in and put two more in his chest. It was all over in another 20 minutes.
Here is the mystery and ache in my stomach.
Mystery #1: We checked him over and could not find an entry wound for the very first broadside shot I hit him with. Even after we skinned him, no entry hole. I found my arrow, which was broke off and about 6" of blood on it. No blood on the ground.
Mystery #2: We could not find an entry hole for the head on shot that dropped him. The exit out the back of neck was very apparent, but no entry. I did find that arrow laying next to him, which was broke off during the wrestling of trying to get up for 30 minutes.
My extreme fear is the possibility that I shot 2 elk. My first shot was a spike in velvet. My next shot was on a spike in velvet that came into the field from almost the same location that he exited. This is my first bow hunt and first elk hunt. Everything happened so fast that I didn't examine the antlers in detail for the first shot...or the second shot for that matter. I just assumed it was the same one.
We gridded and looked for blood where he left the field, but found nothing. It was high noon, over 80 degrees, and 2 and a half miles away from the trucks. So we had to move quickly.
This all happened 6 days ago and I can't get my mind at ease. I am 99% sure this was the same bull, but no entry holes? What the hell? I know I am a rookie, but I think I can give myself a little more credit than this. It would be one hell of a coincedence if another spike in velvet came down from the same spot and was trotting on a straight line as if he was looking for something......like the cows he just lost.
Thoughts? Am I crazy? There is nothing I can do now, but learn.
