Rhyno's Elk Opener

[Rhyno]

Its pitch black as I walk through the thick Christmas trees in the old cut block, two things are on my mind. One, the surreal feeling that opening day of bow season has finally arrived and two that I hope I don’t bump into to a G bear at O’dark thirty armed with nothing but my Excalibur micro and can of bear spray.


My morning stand was relatively uneventful, nothing came in and no replies to my calls. At 930 I decided to hunt my way back to the truck and left my stand. I headed down an established game trail back to the regenerated cutblock I walked through in the morning. Just as I reached the edge I looked up to see a cow materialize out of the pines. The lead cow was followed by a calf, another cow/ calf pair and finally by a bull. The instant I saw the bull emerge my heart rate sky rocketed.

[monasheemountainman]

Oh ya this gonna be good

[Fella]

Oh man, got the blood pumping!

[tightgrouper]

You have my attention.

[Rhyno]

It happened so fast I was in disbelief, I quickly dropped to my butt, thankfully unnoticed. The elk continued on their path along the exact same trail I was sitting on. Luckily I was still wearing my full camo, facemask and gloves because I was pinned down. A small wave of panic came over me when I realized I was directly in their line of travel and hoped the lead cow wouldn’t spook taking the bull with her. At 30 yards the cow stopped in her tracks and looked directly at me, the stare down was on. You could tell she felt something wasn’t quite right but didn’t catch my wind since it was blowing directly in my face. The bull was still coming in but was 50 yards away and facing me. Thankfully the cow decided this particular new rock didn’t pose a major threat as she carried on but decided to take a secondary path to the right of the trail I was sitting on. At the point I just kept thinking, it’s actually going to happen, the stars have aligned and I am finally, after 3 years of living in the EK, am going to get my chance at an elk.

The cows filed past me at what I estimated to be 20 yards, there was no time to take a shot with my range finder. The bull was at their heels, they weren’t exactly sauntering, but I felt comfortable taking a shot. As the bull came broadside I centered the crosshairs and pulled the trigger. The quill streaked to the target and disappeared. I felt confident of a hit but still had a nagging seed of doubt. The bull took a few steps and just stood there. He had a “I don’t feel so good look” but didn’t take a step. He stood there for 30 seconds before a bloom of red appeared directly behind his front leg, roughly the level of his heart. This was a few inches lower than I was aimed, so I assumed he was a little further than I had estimated.
I wanted to put an “insurance” shot in him if possible. I tried to cock the bow with my hands to take another shot but couldn’t pull it back far enough to catch. The short span of the micro makes this pretty much impossible! As quietly as possible I opened my pack and took out my cocking aid. With another quill loaded I crawled a few feet on my knees until I had a clear shot around the trees. I used the 30 yard dash on the scope and centered the lungs. A second after I pulled the trigger I heard a wet THWACK, as the quill found its mark. At the point I got REALLY excited, I was confident I had killed the first animal with my crossbow and my first elk since moving to the Kootenays! I looked at my phone, it was 940.

I knew I had cell coverage at the mountain top so called my wife and excitedly told her I just killed a bull! Okay according to her it was incoherent babbling! I walked back to my truck to retrieve my game bags and camera. I returned 1/2 hour later and decided it was enough time to go in after him. The blood trail was a steady line of frothy blood. I didn’t go far, maybe 40 yards from the shot and looked up to see the bull bedded. I wasn’t sure if he was done or not until I saw an ear twitch…..rookie mistake, I left my bow where I shot! I backed out and gave it another 15 minutes. I knew the shot was solid. I headed back to where the bull was and didn’t see him. My temporary panic was short lived as I saw he had keeled over. I walked up and laid hands on the healthy 4 point. I called my buddy who was on route to hunt for 4 days and left a message. I attempted some solo pictures and then got to work as it was heating up! I did the gutless method and was down to the last quarter when my buddy arrived just in time to pack him out.

I am thrilled to have some meat in the freezer this early in the season, the pressure is officially off! We tried to find my buddy a bull but the weather got cold, wet and windy! Look forward to the rest of the season and wonder what it will bring.

[Rhyno]

http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/ae51/seibelr/IMG_3337_zpssrdgfktf.jpg

[klondikemike]

Congratulations. Super story and a nice pic. Thanks for sharing.

[Wrayzer]

Love it , congratulations on what hopefully is the first of many more to come.

Thanks for posting the story and photo.

[Keta1969]

Very nice, thanks for the story. I don't bow hunt but must be extra special when you're successful,congratulations.

[Fella]

Wow what a rush, huge congrats to you, stars aligned nicely!!

[Everett]

That is going one tasty pile of Elk meat

[lovemywinchester]

Right on! Good eats coming up.

[last light]

Congrats man! That is going to be some excellent eats right there. Thanks for story, pics, and some inspiration to get out there!

[Whonnock Boy]

Great telling of events. You got me pretty excited. Thanks for sharing. Congrats!!!

[TheProvider]

Good going, nice to see some success stories being posted.

[.264winmag]

Right on man, good job and congrats!

[onlygotagrousesofar]

Nice one man!
The Excalibur comes through!
-Trevor

[Redneck Rocket]

AWESOME! Still looking for my first Elk. Really glad you got one.

[HarryToolips]

Very nice bull, congrats!! How much meat approximately you think you got off him??

[Seeadler]

Congratulations.

[Blainer]

Great share! Congratulations

[Rhyno]

Very nice bull, congrats!! How much meat approximately you think you got off him??

The quaters (bone in), tenderloins, back straps, and bits and pieces weighed in at 254lb

[nazarow]

Congrats! Thanks for sharing.

[D Tho]

Congrats man!! Nice bull!!

[markt308]

awesome job! man that is gonna be tasty bull

[HarryToolips]

The quaters (bone in), tenderloins, back straps, and bits and pieces weighed in at 254lb
Wicked! Now that's filling the freezer..

[Hammerhead]

254lbs of good eatin. Congrats and thanks for the story.
HH

[smallfry14]

Congrats! Thanks for posting

[Surrey Boy]

Congratulations Rhyno!

[Travalanche]

Nice one! I'm gonna have to get into bow as well, I live in the EK and I'm sick of chasing 6 points! I always go during the spike/6 point season down in 4-25 and see 2 point, 3 point, four point, 5 point lol never any spike or 6's. Congrats to you!

[nano]

Very nice congrats

[IronNoggin]

Very Nice Work!!
Congrats to your first, and congrats on your choice of bow!

Here's to many more down the road... ;-)

Cheers,
Nog

[landphil]

Good stuff, congrats to you!

[toad]

congrats!!

[Shikari300WSM]

Very nice elk congrats to you buddy some good eats for sure!

[Mik]

Congrats on the kill, thanks for sharing the story, great photo. Iam looking fwd to my adventure to the kootenays late sept.

[Sitkaspruce]

Awesome!!! Congrats on a great bull and some good eats!!! And your first bow kill!! and your first EK elk!!!

What were you using for a broad head?? Both pass thoughs??

Thanks for posting your hunt and sharing!!

Cheers

SS

[Rhyno]

Awesome!!! Congrats on a great bull and some good eats!!! And your first bow kill!! and your first EK elk!!!

What were you using for a broad head?? Both pass thoughs??

Thanks for posting your hunt and sharing!!

Cheers

SS

I was using the 150g Excalibur bolt cutter broadheads. The first shot was a pass through, the second was still in the chest cavity.

[Salty]

Awesome Rhyno! Good job on keeping your cool and not spooking those cows first way to get it done and right out of the gates :)

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Great recap of the exciting events! Congrats on all those firsts and a nice full freezer!

SSS

[604Stalker]

Congratulations on a good hunt.. Freezers full better start scouting nextyears.

[Backwoods]

Beauty man!! Nice work!

[Gateholio]

That must have been very exciting ! :)

[guest]

Great experience for you Ryno ....... Congrats.

Good share!

[Boner]

Great story Rhyno.

Congratulations on a sucessful hunt.

You tell a good story, for a minute there I felt that I watched the whole experience play out in person. :)

[Knute]

Well told recount of your hunt!

Congrats on a nice first EK bull.

[325]

You'll be eating well!!

[rocksteady]

Congrats...

[Koot]

congrats! nice job

[Ron.C]

Awesome! Some great eats there. Congrats.

[Bugle M In]

good job!!!

[kennyj]

Awesome!! Congratulations on your first bow kill.
kenny

[cas-has-cars]

Well done, Great Story. Ear twitch had me wondering what was coming next.
Will fill the freezer nicely.

[CBH]

Congrats Ryan! I could sense your excitement when reading your story, good job buddy.

[HuntNmemories]

Good for you!! thanks for posting pic/story.

[jaeger]

Congratulations on a fine looking good eating Bull!!! Great story as well