I was lucky enough to make a trip to Colorado a couple weeks ago to hunt elk with my family. I had my brothers, dad, uncle, nephews, and sister-in-law with me. I was excited and nervous at the same time excited to get the hunting season kicked off but nervous about my newly re-barreled rifle. Over the winter i had my rifle re-barreled and had worked up a new load that i hadn't shot at an animal yet. The new load was shooting very well at paper, but still was nervous taking it out the first time.
The hunt start off with me forgetting my hunting bag, luckily all i needed from it was a knife, which my brother had. The first morning had us walking into a few clear cuts. On the way in we didn't see any track and didn't get a response to our bugles which had our hopes pretty low. As we walk into a clear cut we see the backs of two bulls feeding with their heads down as we get closer it turns out that there are 3 bulls, none of which i want to shoot. I start to glass the tree line and i find what looks to be an elk antler. As i move alittle closer i can see that it is a nice bull elk lying at the edge of the trees. I get set up and wait for him to stand up i have the wind in my face and the other bull are feeding with their heads down. After a few minutes he stands up and i can get a range on him, 364 yds, and settle in for the shot. When he turns broadside i let one rip and all the elk run towards the trees including the bull i shot at. I am pretty sure i hear the bullet hit him, but no one else thinks they did. My brother that i hunt with all the time says i am pretty sure you missed, so i walk down to where the bull was standing kickin road apples the whole way thinking i have missed. One brother goes to where the other elk ran to see if he can find blood there and my youngest brother comes down to where i am. After looking for just a minute he finds blood and i am relieved, but nervous i made a bad shot. After following blood for ten yards i look up and there he is lying only 30 yds from where i shot him. If i hadn't had my head down pouting i would have seen him walking up.
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