12:00 Noon Sucess!

by Charles Garretson
(Hotchkiss,CO,USA)

My name is Charles Garretson and I have a serious passion for archery elk hunting! My 2010 success story starts like this: On this chilly morning in mid September I didn't wait for my buddy as I usually do, as I was in a hurry to get out and into the action. A 5 min. hike brought me sliding to halt as a bugle sent shivers up and down my spine!

The bugle came out of the brush about 50 yards in front of me and slightly to my right. I spent the next hour trying to get downwind, the bull always staying abreast with me as I moved down the hill. Finally I found myself down on a bench with an elk trail that looked like I70 interstate running right down the middle of it!

In the meantime their were 2 to 3 bulls bugling below and across from me and also one above me that sounded like the old man himself. I didn't know where the first bull went and I didn't care as I was right in the middle of it! My first mistake was to drop to my knees and try to make contact with my buddy on his 2 way. As I was trying to get it out of my fanny pack I heard a branch break and looked up in time to see a flash of antlers through the trees about 25 yards away!

I jumped up and in full draw tried to cut him off but he winded me and kept a hoofen it! I said to myself: he's going right over their to the edge to yell at those guys for awhile then he's going right back where he came from.

So I sat down beneath the trail all morn. and at 12:00 sharp here he came! Right in on top of me! At 6 yards I drew when he went behind a tree, I took a couple steps with him to find an opening then let er fly! My arrow smacked through both lungs and he never knew what hit him.

So on breezy cool days don't let your guard down just because its 12:00. It was a monster 6x6 sorry no pics.