PRDATR Report post Posted October 18, 2019 Good luck hope you find her 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thegunsmith2506 Report post Posted October 18, 2019 19 minutes ago, trphyhntr said: well obviously searching for it the day after the season is the right thing to do. and if you found it alive and had to put it out of it misery thats also the right thing to do. talking about it on the internet, wrong thing to do. That is sound advice Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigbuckfever Report post Posted October 18, 2019 Wow, what an adventure you're having with your kids. That's gold. From the smiles on the boys faces when they're holding the broken parts says that dad is doing things right. Congrats. Oh by the way, congrats on the animal front too! I'd call game and fish about going after if the season closes on you. My 2cents worth. Keep us posted. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted October 19, 2019 7 hours ago, trphyhntr said: well obviously searching for it the day after the season is the right thing to do. and if you found it alive and had to put it out of it misery thats also the right thing to do. talking about it on the internet, wrong thing to do. 100% We did spend all day. Hiked miles around and down to the nearest tank. Even came back for 2 of dale and Heathers dogs and went back out to search but came up nada. Found a tiny piece of lung I think but that was it. I'm pretty sure it clipped the upper corner of one lung and she will survive so I guess that's reassuring at least. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trphyhntr Report post Posted October 19, 2019 10 minutes ago, CatfishKev said: 100% We did spend all day. Hiked miles around and down to the nearest tank. Even came back for 2 of dale and Heathers dogs and went back out to search but came up nada. Found a tiny piece of lung I think but that was it. I'm pretty sure it clipped the upper corner of one lung and she will survive so I guess that's reassuring at least. Whatever you have to tell yourself. Something will eat it 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted October 19, 2019 17 minutes ago, trphyhntr said: Whatever you have to tell yourself. Something will eat it Hey man I need to make my little girl feel better. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted October 19, 2019 When we went to the store for snacks she didnt even wanna go in because her stomach hurt so bad over it. She's a good kid. 5 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muledeerarea33? Report post Posted October 19, 2019 Do your best to tell her sh!t happens! But also do your best to tell her what happens when sh!t happens! Your a good dude Kevin. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted October 19, 2019 Consolation prizes. Elk woulda still been a lot cooler.. 5 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatfishKev Report post Posted October 19, 2019 Part 2. We get settled in the blind and spend about an hour just trying to organize gear and have everything ready just in case an opportunity presents itself. Set our burritos in front of the buddy Heater to start warming up our breakfast. After it starts to get light start seeing and hearing critters emerge. Muley doe and her fawns come to the tank and keeps us entertained for a few minutes. 730 ish rolls around and here comes the co OP hunter. I'm kind of thinking to myself why do they meet at 5am and still show up so late. Dave the other forum member who just killed said the same thing when he hunted his spot. I see him glass my blind and I get out to go greet him. I let him know I'm happy to share the spot, and encourage him hes at one of the best spots. Since he showed up I told him I would only ask for dibs on first shot and told him I would use my bow to increase his chances by not blowing out the herd if they show up. He agreed and I continue to tell him about what my trail cams showed and assure him it's a good spot. We get back in our blinds and the wait begins.. Well about 8am or slightly after I see a bull coming in from the North, what? That's freaking weird I for sure thought they would come from the south.. I tell my boy Bison Bison! Immediately adrenalin starts flowing, I try to quietly alert the co OP guy. Behind the bull another then another and then an entire herd and they are moving fast and with apparent purpose. I was truly surprised how quick they were there. The water tank was mostly iced over and they just come crashing in breaking the ice it was totally nuts. There all in line along the water and one bull seems to ram the herd sideways pushing them all like dominoes splashing and just making a total ruckus. Now I have my bow in hand and already pre ranged certain spots. I'm holding my binos and constantly scanning bellies for that penis sheath. I see a cow and draw back... she moves. I wait and draw back again and another pops in front of her. Same thing a third time and have to draw back down... wow this is frustrating. Calm down kev just wait for your chance. A lone bull comes over in front of us to the salt and stares at us, does he see me? Anxiety is creeping in with the adrenaline now. Finally a confirmed cow heads over to the salt and my heart starts pumping faster... this is it dude make this shot count. She gets to the salt but has not pulled her right leg forward, still slightly back and I know I should wait but the panic sets in and I let the arrow fly.. hit but not in the heart where I wanted it. Just slightly back barely catching a back lung and angled out through her stomach. I'm already mentally kicking myself in the face. You freaking idiot why didnt you wait?! The herd is immediately alerted and half start trotting off. She turns opposite direction.. now I'm even more jacked up and not having the chance to correct my bow I try to make a follow up shot and completely forget I'm shooting left and fling another arrow. Thump right into the shoulder blade. Jeez kev you are totally blowing this shoot.. it penetrates but not enough. She's still more or less staying in place as the first shot hurt her and now the all the remaining herd bolts except for two other bison. This is where I start to notice something interesting. After speaking to another hunter he mentioned that after a bison is killed sometimes the herd will come back to mourn there fallen herd member. I dont know if I believe that but then the two other bison come and stand on either side of her and start sniffing the arrows sticking out of her. They stand around her seeming just to keep her company and watch over her. It's a very surreal moment, but still I am here to try and fill this tag. At this point they have worked out to 40 yards or so. Finally she turns and the other two give me a shooting lane. She is quartered away from me facing the right. I draw back and aim for the boiler room, again completely not remembering to compensate and sure enough right in the guts and anchors into the front left leg. Kill shot yeah but I'm still kicking myself in the face. Now I'm wondering why the co op guy hasn't shot the other cow yet. I nock my fourth and last arrow and wait for a boom from the other hunter or another shot opportunity. Finally she turns to the left about 45 yards. I attempt one last double lung finish shot and let her rip. Again to the left and now that she's farther away it's even worse. Bam, right through the neck and I hit the jugular and blood starts spewing out and I feel a tidal wave of relief pass over me. She starts to wobble and falls over in an amazing cloud of dust. I'm extatic and me and Caliche are quietly celebrating, but quietly to offer the other hunter his chance. I say to my son why is this guy not shooting.. I hear the co OP guy say "is that a cow" and im like yeah dude I'm pretty sure that's a cow. BOOM! the whole area echoes like thunder and the animal falls while the other bull runs off into the woods. We get out of our blinds celebrating. We are in sheer disbelief that this all happened so quickly. Me and Caliche go look at the cow and I'm in utter amazement. Then we walk over to the co op hunters bison. Oh shoot this is a bull! My heart immediately drops and I am overridden with guilt, he asked me for verification and I was certain it was a cow and now I feel like a total asshole. Here's the thing, my main objective for ID was the penis sheath and when we checked this animal the sheath had a small amount of mud which made it matted up against the belly and it totally looked like a cow and since it was young the head was still small. In retrospect the horns were a giveaway but I know theres exceptions to the rule which is why I focused on the sheath. Well he calls the guide to report it and I head back to the camper ro round up the crew for help. I come flying into camp honking the horn like a madman when I start getting close. My daughter informs my wife apparently "oh its dad honking the horn, he probably just needs to take a crap". Lol what!?!? and as I pull up I see the door open and my wife pops her head out like no way... I jump out and yell Bison with my bow first day!!! She bursts into tears and starts hugging me and screaming with excitement. I then tell her about the other hunter and what happened and were all feeling awful about it. We all jump in the vehicles and head back to break the animal down. When we get back I apologize to the guy profusely and tell him I swore that was a cow. He didnt hold me at fault, he thought it was too and he pulled the trigger. I still feel crappy that my good luck was somewhat tainted by his bad luck but that's what happened and I just cant do anything to change it. In the end game and fish took his tag and confiscated the bull. He does at least have a chance to bid on it at auction which I hope he does... Eventually the guide shows up and offers to winch my cow into the back of my truck to get it and myself out of the area for which I gladly oblige. The rest of the day is spent doing the dirty work. 13 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MT_Sourdough Report post Posted October 19, 2019 Way to go. It's nice to have helping hands with that much work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZkiller Report post Posted October 19, 2019 Awesome. I have room in my freezer if need be. Cheap rent too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Will K Report post Posted October 19, 2019 I'm all most wore out for you. Whey to keep plowing forward and getting it done. Big Congrat's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigbuckfever Report post Posted October 19, 2019 Congratulations! Thanks for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturebob Report post Posted October 19, 2019 Way to go Kev...................BOB! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
