CouesRanger Report post Posted September 17, 2013 Was out hunting with new friends and Saturday morning she stuck a nice 6x6 elk at 59yds. It was a smoker shot had one opening and the bull stepped into place and offered the shot. The bull ran off but not in a huge hurry like a hit bull usually does, no crashing through trees or hearing them crash so we waited to go check the arrow making sure he wasnt trying to circle around again. She knew her shot was good and when we made it down where the bull was we found blood and the shot had blown through so blood was coming out both sides. A great trail of blood. We waited 1 hr before starting our blood trail. Got down the hill a hundred yards maybe little more and found this pile. We then kept on thr trail and the bull started uphile to bedding area and we found a couple more spots he had stopped and bled out more. Until we came on a bed he was in and then the trail went from good blood to drops. All together we are thinking 500-600 yards of trailing then he disappear, searched for hours and they went back each day looking for him but no luck. It was a wonderful time meeting these new friends but very unfortunate to have lost a great first bull. I learned a lesson though always give the bull a good 4 hrs if you dont see him fall or hear him crash dead. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
out2hunt Report post Posted September 17, 2013 From your last spots of blood, stop and look at your topo maps for a cut or draw he might find secluded, and listen for the crows! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trphyhntr Report post Posted September 17, 2013 Was out hunting with new friends and Saturday morning she stuck a nice 6x6 elk at 59yds. It was a smoker shot had one opening and the bull stepped into place and offered the shot. The bull ran off but not in a huge hurry like a hit bull usually does, no crashing through trees or hearing them crash so we waited to go check the arrow making sure he wasnt trying to circle around again. She knew her shot was good and when we made it down where the bull was we found blood and the shot had blown through so blood was coming out both sides. A great trail of blood. We waited 1 hr before starting our blood trail. Got down the hill a hundred yards maybe little more and found this pile. We then kept on thr trail and the bull started uphile to bedding area and we found a couple more spots he had stopped and bled out more. Until we came on a bed he was in and then the trail went from good blood to drops. All together we are thinking 500-600 yards of trailing then he disappear, searched for hours and they went back each day looking for him but no luck. It was a wonderful time meeting these new friends but very unfortunate to have lost a great first bull. I learned a lesson though always give the bull a good 4 hrs if you dont see him fall or hear him crash dead. go back and look for birds. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BUTCH Report post Posted September 17, 2013 was the blood foamy? if so he's down Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturegirl Report post Posted September 17, 2013 If they can, definitely go back and look for birds. The birds will find him. I went through it last year and it plain sucks losing an animal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
doogan Report post Posted September 17, 2013 And go back quickly! Nature will dispose of that animal in short order! Between the coyotes, bears, and birds that thing will be picked clean. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsears71 Report post Posted September 17, 2013 My 12 yoa daughter shot her first elk last year and same thing happen to her she was crushed after looking for two days foun nothing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EagleEye Report post Posted September 17, 2013 PM sent please get a hold of me I had a very strange run in with a wounded bull in 4A mon am 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EagleEye Report post Posted September 18, 2013 Different area thanks guys good luck hope u find the bull its an awful feeling most archery hunters have been in your shoes. Hope she tags out before the end Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted September 18, 2013 Were you in 4B? Someone found a bull http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/topic/43177-lost-bull-4b/?do=findComment&comment=403518 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ROMOCASADOR Report post Posted September 18, 2013 Thanks Amanda for a great site and help making a new friend Couesranger. He offered to help me and my girlfriend on her hunt in 4A. We met up by the 300 road he jumped in with us and we had a good 2 days of hunting. When my girlfriend hit the bull couesranger couldn"t believe she made a shot like that. I had been telling him that she is very competitive and her goal is to beat me at everything LOL. After we found that big blood pile all of us got so happy being it was a good shot good bull and her first bull. It was and still is very upsetting for her that the blood trail stopped and we didn"t find the bull. We went back in there two days after looking for him or crows or even a smell but there was nothing. We had to come home she had to return to work and im headed up to my hunt in unit 1. Hopefully we can head back up to 4A next week for the last two days of her hunt. Wish us luck 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pine Donkey Report post Posted September 18, 2013 9 years ago I shot a bull. We had seven piles that looked like that, then the blood trail stopped as the bull headed up hill. 5 of us looked for two days, but never found him. I am still sick about it, but it happens sometimes. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prescottbowhunter Report post Posted September 18, 2013 These kind of stories make me sick. YES it "happens" but don't we owe it to the animal out of respect to find it and make sure its cared for properly? Most of these stories end with the hunter tagging ANOTHER animal. How many chances should you get ethically??? Its up to us to minimize this somewhat acceptable practice within the hunting community. I'm sure my statements may ruffle some feathers, oh well. I speak the truth and if nothing else these words may be remembered the next time we all have a "questionable" shot opportunity. Just my 2 cents. Have a great rest of your hunts people. Ps...I truly hope that those of you that have lost bulls, find them Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest oneshot Report post Posted September 18, 2013 These kind of stories make me sick. YES it "happens" but don't we owe it to the animal out of respect to find it and make sure its cared for properly? Most of these stories end with the hunter tagging ANOTHER animal. How many chances should you get ethically??? Its up to us to minimize this somewhat acceptable practice within the hunting community. I'm sure my statements may ruffle some feathers, oh well. I speak the truth and if nothing else these words may be remembered the next time we all have a "questionable" shot opportunity. Just my 2 cents. Have a great rest of your hunts people. Ps...I truly hope that those of you that have lost bulls, find them While there is something to be said about "getting back on the horse that threw you" (ie; doing all you can to recover an animal you shot but didnt find, and then hunting another animal)... You do bring up a good point about how many animals wounded and not found by you, and then continuing to hunt can you stomach before you stop hunting and consider working harder to up your skills(shot selection, blood trailing, etc) so you dont make simular mistakes... Yes animals being wounded and not found is a part of hunting, bow, rifle or muzzleloader, and we should learn from those times/situations... Wounding an animal and not finding it for me a terrible feeling with loss of sleep/questioning my shot etc, strange as it may sound to a non-hunter, I'm out there to kill an animal as cleanly as I can, not hurt it... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BackwoodsHunter Report post Posted September 18, 2013 Same exact thing happened to me in August with my deer...looked for 3 days and never found it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
