Got a small 6x6 in the New Mexico archery season. I had the first hunt and the bulls really were not talking much at all. We were having a hard time getting on them without them talking at all. On the second to the last day, I was in shoot to fill the freezer mode. That morning I got on a good bull (330-340") but could not close the deal. We drove to a different location and heard a bull bugle so we got geared up and went after him. He would bugle every now and then and he wasn't getting closer or further away so we figured he was bedded down for the day. We never called back to him as we were not having any luck before with that. I walked ahead of my buddy and we walked slowly up to the area where we thought he would be bedded. There was an area of young pines that were thick but the trees were short. We figured he was bedded down somewhere in there.
I had my Leica rangefinder out so as I was walking, I would stop and scan around with the 6x rangefinder. I spotted him on the edge of the pines bedded down. He was chewing his cud and you could tell that he was napping with his eyes half closed. I ranged him at 81 yards. The bull was bedded with his chest facing me so I would have to shoot him in the chest. I have been practicing out to 110 yards so I was very comfortable with the distance. There was absolutely no wind so that was a big help. I turned my sight down to my 80 yard mark. Took in a breath as I drew my bow back. I put the 80 yard pin right on his chest as I exhaled. As soon as I released the arrow, I knew it was going to be a good shot. The slick trick viper trick broadhead flew right into his chest with a resounding whack! The bull jumped up out of his bed and stumbled and then got back up and ran/walked about 30 yards. He had a lot of blood pouring out of his nose and mouth. He did the death wobble and fell right over. The arrow was buried all the way in past the knock so the penetration was very good. It was only a half mile trek to the truck so the pack out was not too bad at all.
I had my Leica rangefinder out so as I was walking, I would stop and scan around with the 6x rangefinder. I spotted him on the edge of the pines bedded down. He was chewing his cud and you could tell that he was napping with his eyes half closed. I ranged him at 81 yards. The bull was bedded with his chest facing me so I would have to shoot him in the chest. I have been practicing out to 110 yards so I was very comfortable with the distance. There was absolutely no wind so that was a big help. I turned my sight down to my 80 yard mark. Took in a breath as I drew my bow back. I put the 80 yard pin right on his chest as I exhaled. As soon as I released the arrow, I knew it was going to be a good shot. The slick trick viper trick broadhead flew right into his chest with a resounding whack! The bull jumped up out of his bed and stumbled and then got back up and ran/walked about 30 yards. He had a lot of blood pouring out of his nose and mouth. He did the death wobble and fell right over. The arrow was buried all the way in past the knock so the penetration was very good. It was only a half mile trek to the truck so the pack out was not too bad at all.
