5BN Bull limping?/

[HunterB17]

I'm usually just a lurker here, but right now I am wondering if anyone on here can help satisfy my curiosity. I hit a bull Friday night in 5BN in the Long Lake area. He went down 10 yards after I shot him, got up and went down again 10 yards later. I thought that I had heart shot him, but he got up again and limped away. He regained his composure and limped off out of the meadow. I glassed him as he left the meadow and couldn't see blood on the side i hit him. I found my arrow with red fletchings but no bubbles. I let him sit for about 4 hours and then tracked him until 12:30 AM when the trail was wondering around a meadow (which didn't sit well with me.) After he fell the initial two times, I thought I had heart shot him, but he walked off limping badly. I'm wondering if I hit him lower in the shoulder and did some damage there. We followed blood for almost 3/4 mile and found where he had bedded in a meadow for a while. We found coagulant chunks after a while, but he kept on bleeding. I came back the next morning and tracked him from his bed in the meadow for about another 200 yardsheading towards some trees about a 1/4 mile away. I've pieced the story together a million times. No bubbles in blood, complete arrow pass through, dark decent amount of blood that appeared to by coming from both sides of animal but he continued on. I glassed the next two days for him, but was not able to find him. My reason for posting here is simply to find out of if anyone in this area has seen a limping bull or found a downed 6x6. I want to know if he made it. I would say he was a 330-340 class bull. I don't expect you to turn him over or tell where he is, i'm just curious as to what happened to him. I shot nearly every day for about 4 months so you can imagine my disappointment at not recovering him. I thought the shot was solid, but it was last shooting light and I heard the thwack and saw him fall. I took my time on the shot, but apparently it wasn't good enough. Anyways, any info would be awesome! Good luck to everyone else with upcoming tags.

[ThomC]

If I had to guess he went down into Diablo Cyn.

[Chris]

My guess, he's laying near the edge of the canyon, or just off the rim, maybe 10 yards or less. Dead, if the arrow went through. Your going to have to do some serious walking. I say re-track.

 

did you say Friday?

[AverageJoe]

If you heard a thwack how was it a pass through? A Thwack usually means bone, a thump is chest cavity. Did you see the arrow go all the way through him?

[wildwoody]

+1

[cmbbulldog]

Keep looking. Get downwind of the area you think he might be and use your nose.

[Chris]

If your staying up there, and will be around, LMK, I may be coming up that way, and can assist if need.

[HunterB17]

Thanks for the responses and messages. I retracked him twice. Each hunt is a learning experience. Like I said, after he hit the ground twice I thought it was over. In hindsight it was obviously due to the damage to his shoulder not his vitals. Thanks again everyone and good luck on your hunts.

[jim]

Most likely a pass thru on just his front shoulder. Angles at last light can be deceiving. Bull is probaly still alive, hopefully will heal up with a bad limp.

[Chris]

Hunter, Not much luck during my walks. I had several overhead passovers with the crows flying thru the areas, on a couple occasions, but they never stopped. A lot of trees for that elk to stop and rest. No sign of blood at the nearby water holes. My guess, that elk is fine.

 

Lost my long lake map (laminated) if anyone finds it!

 

I didn't see many elk coming home on Thursday. Just 2 dinks. Nice weather!

 

 

Oops, almost forgot.... rancher/cowboy on the quad is going way too fast coming at me, goes thru the edge of the road drainage cut, and hits a boulder.....almost took him out. Dude, slow down!

[cactusjack]

When you survive 2 arrow pass-throughs you don't have a limp, you have a strut!

[Chris]

They are tough. You'll see him again.