I had dreamed all year long about my archery elk hunt in Arizona. And now that I sit here, 12 hard days of hunting are behind me. Time feels like it has been swept right from under me. The hunt had it all. Good weather, bad weather, moments where I felt unstoppable, and moments where I felt incapable.
Right here, I’m going to just say, I didn’t get an elk. I did shoot one though. More on that later. What I wanted to do here is lay out my thoughts after the hunt and some major takeaways after spending so many days in the field. All of those days gave me a lot to think about. Most are hunting-related, but I even was put at peace with something I struggle with in life.
Ok, I want to go on record here saying that I usually do have a backup bow with me on archery hunts. Especially the big out-of-state ones. On this trip, I was in my home state and the bow I had was relatively new. My second bow was at home because I didn’t have time to get it sighted in before the hunt. So, one bow it was. Big mistake.
Opening day found me scurrying down a rocky ridge in pursuit of a 5-point bull bedded in the dense desert vegetation. On my way down, I fell and landed on my bow. Didn’t think much of it and went on with the stalk. After getting inside 50 yards with no visibility, the wind shifted and out scooted the bull.
Naturally, I wanted to shoot my bow when I got back to camp to make sure everything was ok. Well, everything was not ok. My arrows were flying perfectly, but my string was pretty cut up. I sent a picture to the fella who works on my bows and he said “You’re flirting with disaster there.” This caused me to have to drive all the way home, grab my other bow, and get it sighted in the best I could before dark. Which leads me to my next takeaway.
While I was extremely fortunate to have another bow to continue hunting with, not all was ok on that front. I literally just got this bow less than a week before I left and had little time to shoot it. Meaning that it wasn’t broken in at all. I was reminded of this throughout my hunt.
It usually takes me a good month or so to really get bows where I want them. Throughout that time things change. Things like draw weight. Some strings stretch more than others. When this happens, your draw weight will drop, which will then impact where your arrow lands down range. This was something I experienced in my elk camp. To be fair, it honestly could have been me, and my quick sight in. Things may not have been exactly how I wanted them from the get-go. In fact, I know they weren’t.
So, not only does your bow need to be broken in, but you need to be broken into your bow. I failed here and paid the price later in the hunt.
One of the true gems of bowhunting is having close intimate encounters with animals. That stuff is burned into your mind and leaves you wanting more. With that said, I have had quite a bit of success in the field shooting long-range with my bow. These triumphs were tackled with a well-dialed setup though. On this hunt, I did not have that, but I took a shot anyway, and am now left with a sick stomach.
Day 7 of my hunt found me at a lengthy distance from a beautiful 5-point bull. It was last light. I’ve notched tags at this distance before, so I pulled back and let it fly. The arrow hit him and the next day was spent dissecting the area for a minimal blood trail and no elk at the end.
I preach a lot about being ready for everything. Having your t’s crossed and i’s dotted. In the situation I was in, I didn’t do that and was reminded of why it’s so important. Opportunities behind the bow are hard enough to get. When they come, you need to be as ready as you can be. This was a prime example of what happens when you’re not.
On another note, this archery elk hunt experience will cause me to put a tighter cap on the yardage I pull back on an animal from. I know how to play this game and I can get closer. This was something I mentioned in a post earlier this Fall. How I wanted to focus on getting closer. Well, I didn’t and went against my goals. I’m not proud of that.
Sitting behind the glass away from the chaos of the city is a great way to clear the mind. You’ll hear yourself think better and be able to sort things out that need sorting. This elk hunt was no exception to that. It gave me time to reflect on the Fall.
Throughout my entire Fall season, I had been stressing about some really stupid stuff. Stuff that was all work-related and in the end didn’t really matter. It caused me to lose focus and I hate it. A man only has so many Fall Hunting Seasons in his life. To not be fully present because of things out of your control, is truly a shame.
By the end of my archery elk hunt, I found peace with this. There are some things in life that just aren’t worth worrying about. Worrying about them doesn’t impact the end result at all. It just impacts your focus and overall attitude. My temper was shorter. My patience was less. And sadly, my enjoyment of being in these wild places was at a low. That right there is depressing to me.
Archery elk season served up way more than an archery elk hunt. I’m forever grateful for that. From the hunt and life lessons to the time I got to spend in the field with good folks. I can see that now. Elk or no elk, animal or no animal, hunting trips should be cherished. They should be approached like a marathon, not a sprint. Because in the end, this bowhunting thing, it’s a lifestyle, not a few weeks in November.
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