Pennsylvania Game News - June 2021 - 38

is well attended by guides. It's here they
get an inside track on potential clients.
But Bill skipped the 2020 drawing,
spending that time in the pasture with his
beloved horse, which sadly was dying.
Janie watched the drawing online,
and afterward showed Bill screenshots
of the winners and their hometowns. One
of them read, " Bill May - Sinnemahoning. "
He'd get to hunt a cow in the January
season.
As Bill recovered from his emotional
loss, excitement built for the hunt. He'd
always wanted to hunt Pennsylvania elk,
ideally on his own 72-acre property, and
he might get a chance to do both.

Awaited Hunt
Bill's preseason scouting located four
herds within 6 miles of his house, but
he knew their patterns could change at
any time.
The day before the season opened,
he found five elk across the creek from
his home, on a neighbor's property. He
had permission to hunt there, and he
selected an ambush site where he'd set
up the next morning.
Recurve bow in hand, Bill walked a
mile to the spot the next morning. But
there were no elk, no fresh tracks either.
He walked back to his cabin for a cup
of coffee, stowing his bow in the truck.
But as he crossed the swinging
bridge, there stood a spike bull and four
cows, down by the creek, on the cabin
side.
" If you don't stop and look them
straight on, and appear to ignore them,
they will stand and watch you, but not
run away, " Bill said.
Bill went back to the truck, grabbed
38

his bow, crossed back over the bridge
again and walked quickly to the house.
He swung open the door and told Janie,
" Under no circumstances, let these four
border collies out the door this morning. "
He then stalked to within 60 yards
of the elk, and tucked himself behind a
woodpile without being seen. Flooded
from the snowmelt, the First Fork had
exposed 2 acres of delicious winter
greens on which the elk now were feeding.
They worked slowly toward Bill for
an hour and a half. Periodically, he'd
sneak a peek around the woodpile to
confirm they'd come closer. If they came
all the way, he'd get an 8-yard shot at a
broadside cow.
But as Bill braved another peek, he
found no elk in sight. Slowly, he stood
up to see they'd retreated to 40 yards and
were heading away.
Out of range for his recurve, Bill
returned to the house to swap bow for
rifle, then stalked downstream to an
opening the elk would cross. He selected
the largest cow and shot.
When he walked up to the downed
animal, he faced it east, where the sun
comes up.
" Native people do this, " he explained,
" to assist the animal's spirit in moving
on to its next place. I also pulled out five
times the amount of tobacco I usually
offer for an animal's life. It made me feel
good to do this ritual. It reminds me to
practice gratitude. "
After skinning and quartering the elk,
Bill had no time to rest on his laurels.
Guides with his service were working to
lead other hunters to elk of their own. And
Bill would join them.
After filling his freezer with his own
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2021

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