For the past week, I have had some good friends up from Texas and we have
been hunting elk. Some of us have cow tags and others have bull tags.

Utah hunting can be hit and miss and this year was no different. I was fortunate enough
to receive permission to hunt cow elk on two ranches that my friends own. Understandably,
bulls were off limits.

We saw a small herd a few days back and put a short stalk on them and my friend had his first
elk. I believe he was more excited about that cow elk than most people are excited about their
first bull! We were able to get within 250 yards and he made a perfect shot.

We watched the field for the next few nights as the elk would come off of the river bottom and feed.
However, the elk changed their plans and we saw nothing over the next few days.

My friends went home and it was me and my 17 year old son hunting. We hunted on public land and
returned to check the field about 45 minutes before shooting hours ended for the evening. There
were 8 cows standing in field. We put a short stalk on them and just as my son was going to shoot
they bolted. They finally stopped at about 250 yards and he shot. I could tell he hit it and the
cow was in and out of the herd and finally dropped out of site as the others left.

We started towards it and saw it take off. It stopped, and my son missed. It was his first miss
on elk and although it was a longer shot, we were confident that he would hit it. It jumped the
fence as it was getting dark.

The next morning, we were on the tracks at daybreak. There were small specks and drops of blood
with one softball size of blood where it jumped the fence. We lost the trail and looked for about
an hour more until we picked up on the trail.
By now the blood was very scarce and we were on our hands and knees looking.

I finally had my sons friend stay where we last saw the blood and went with my son as I thought I
knew the direction it was headed. We soon jumped the elk but could not get a shot. It was very thick
where it was andwas soon gone.

We went back that evening and looked again and expanded our search area. We did not find it and he and I feel
really bad as this is the first elk we have ever lost. His last two elk were one shot kills and he was very
confident in his shooting. I believe he shot hi above the should as we found some blood on some weeds that
matched the height.

There is still some hope that we can find it but it does not look as if that will be the case.

Its not the kind of story I like to post but unfortunately, it can happen.

Unfortunately it happens to just about everyone if they hunted long enough
It will make him better man to understand life in general

It happens to all of us. They haunt you but you learn from the experience.

That sucks. Dont know where you were at, but if you were over on the cache side let me know if you need some help. Jeff

Hi Jeff:

Thanks and I appreciate the offer. I am a few miles from the Cache
but I do appreciate the offer.

quote:

Originally posted by Blacktailer:
It happens to all of us. They haunt you but you learn from the experience.

Well said.

I too belong to this club early in my hunting career, on yes, a cow Elk also.

Have never forgotten it...

Thats why its called hunting.Not every hunt tags an animal,but regardless is still a success.JMHO,OB

Most hunters will admit to having that experience. It's disappointing in that you want to make sure that the animal does not die a needless death or suffer. That is what stays with you after the hunt. Let us know if you ever find it.

My first similar experience ended differently. My bull ran after being shot. I spent the balance of daylight hours searching. That evening after dark, an outfitter passed our camp with my animal on paniards. He had found it a mile away and noted that it recently died and din't want to leave it. He used his tag and decided it was better to leave than to hang around and explain why he tagged an animal he didn't shoot.
I wasn't angry, just wished I had been able to find it.

Jason,
It happens unfortunately although and as hunters we tend to take it to heart.
One of my sons is a keen hunter, and quite a good hunter. Some years ago hunting Sika near last light he put in a good offhand shot on a hind that suddenly got to her feet as we stalked through tall scrub. The hind was not visible to me but it didn't fall. I saw a blur of movement as it ran. Going to the spot from where it ran there was splashes of blood on the ground and we could follow a trail of splashes into some forest cover. Blood kind of ran out close to some thick understorey and we tried to carry on but it soon became too dark. Unfortunately there was no further followup option as a helicopter was collecting us early next morning.
I think the shot was fatal and believe the hind was dead and lying close somewhere so I don't think we caused unnecessary suffering but I have always remembered that occasion with regret for both the loss of game and that my son was unable to confirm the integrity of his shot.

Thanks for all of the comments.

Yeah, it happens and sometimes it does and does not work out.

We are getting nailed with a good snow storm as I type this. Its too bad it did not come earlier. It would of made tracking a lot easier.

Good lesson of life and teaches respect for the animal. Sorry to hear, sometimes the circle of life is not fair.