After several years of close calls, my brother finally got his first bow kill -- this 5x5 Roosevelt elk. Greg killed the bull Sept. 23 on a friend's ranch in Douglas County, Ore.
Greg started bowhunting about the time I got back into it, six or seven years ago. It has been frustrating for him. Bowhunting for elk and blacktail deer in Oregon is a different game than hunting for Virginia's whitetails. For one thing, it's not like you can drop the bow when rifle season comes in. When you pick your weapon, you're committed.
Also, blacktails just aren't that plentiful out there, especially on the public land where Greg has been doing most of his deer hunting. Making it tougher, he's an elementary school teacher so has limited time for hunting. He had a couple of close calls, but also gone long stretches without seeing a single deer, let alone one in bow range. In the same time I have shot at four with my bow, and passed up at least twice that many, Greg has yet to shoot at one with his bow.
As for elk, he'd also had a few missed opportunities. During a bow hunt in Eastern Oregon a few years ago he had a big 6x6 within range but the elk didn't present a good shot angle. It's probably a good thing because he was hunting alone and taking care of that animal would have been a massive undertaking.
Things finally came together for him on Sunday, the final day of the early archery elk season.(People actually get to hunt on Sunday's in most states.)
A few days earlier the landowner told Greg he'd been seeing some elk. Friday evening Greg went up there and saw 15 cows and a big 6x6. Most of the elk got no closer than 200 yards, although a cow got to about 90 yards.
Sunday morning Greg got a little closer to some cows but that didn't work out. He was actually about ready to pack it in when he happened upon this and another bull. The 50-yard shot was perfect and the bull fell within seconds.
Now, 50 yards is a pretty long bow shot, especially in a hunting situation. But Greg is an excellent shot. Also, you have to keep in mind that an elk is a massive creature and its vital zone is pretty huge. At the processor, this bull weighed just short of 400 pounds, and that was without the lower legs, the hide or the head. So you're talking about a 550-pound animal, about three to four times larger than the whitetails most of us shoot. Also, elk don't jump the string like deer, so in the right situation 50 yards is a responsible shot.
One of my dreams is to hunt elk with a bow out West, so I'm a little envious. But I'm mostly happy and proud. Greg could have been forgiven for giving up on bowhunting. But he stuck with it and this is his reward.
Equipment: Hoyt Cybertech (70 pounds); NAP Thunderhead broadhead (100 gr).
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[August 4, 2008 3:44 PM]
Brandy VassarWe are starting a Rocky Mountain Elk Chapter here in the Roanoke area and we are having a reception at Ashley Plantation Sept. 5th, 2008 from 6:30-9 if anyone is interested call Brandy at 556-6998 for ticket information!