W
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?
to move too much, but we did begin closing the distance
as the bugles kept getting closer. After about the sixth or
seventh bugle, a new bull chimed in with a very familiar
sound! I looked at Tanner and knew we were thinking
the same thing. Could it be the bull from 2017?
As we closed the distance, we reached a spot where
I felt we had gone a bit too far. We were at the very top
end of the meadow and the wind began to switch on us.
We were also right at the head of a draw that dumped
into the meadow, and I didn’t feel like we could make a
move on the elk, if needed, once they appeared. So, we
backed up about 100 yards, and I picked a good tree to
kneel next to, hoping it would break up my outline.
A small cinnamon-phase black bear appeared on the
opposite side of the meadow, just inside the timber. As
the bear searched for acorns, cow elk began entering the
meadow right where we had just left! I had positioned
myself at the narrowest spot of the meadow in hopes
that the feeding elk would pass within my effective
range of 70 yards.
As the cows began feeding in our direction, I got
caught up in the moment. As I was ranging spots in front
of me, I didn’t even realize the bull had entered our se-
cluded little hotspot. He had a big frame, long tines and
plenty of mass — he would definitely score north of 350!
The giant bull tried hard to corral the dozen or so
cows, but they had other plans. A large cow and calf
managed to escape his efforts and trotted past me within
bow range. The big bull had no intentions of letting these
two get far, and before I knew it, he was running past
me at less than 40 yards. Just when I thought the giant
was going to run out of bow range, the cows stopped
abruptly and so did he, just 15 yards in front of Tanner.
My Hoyt was already at full draw, and as I released, I
watched my arrow hit its mark! The big bull turned and
bolted across the clearing, but he soon slowed to a walk.
The broadhead had done its job, and I watched as the
mountain monarch piled up less than 100 yards away.
Not sure whether to scream with excitement or cry in
disbelief, I think I did a little of both!
After a short wait, we walked up to the beast. He was
everything I could have wanted. He looked to be in the
360-370 range, with all of his tines long and massive — it
was a true giant that I would be taking home to Ohio.
I had made up for my 2017 miss, and I could not have
been more grateful for the second chance that led to the
trophy of my lifetime.
64 PETERSEN’S BOWHUNTING 09 • 2019
A year after a
heartbreaking miss
on the biggest bull
he had ever seen,
author Adam Hays
III redeemed himself
with a perfect shot on
this New Mexico giant
that never made it out
of sight.
This is a picture of the author’s bull just after
it entered the meadow where it was shot.
Author Adam Hays III makes several
references in this article to the Red Moon and the role
it played in his success, but what exactly is the Red Moon?
Hays explains it this way: “In a nutshell, there are two times
each day when the moon is either directly
overhead in the 12 o’clock position or directly
underfoot in the 6 o’clock position. During these
times, the moon’s gravitational pull is the strongest,
impacting not only things such as ocean tides but the activity of deer, elk
and other wildlife. Although the moon moves through its orbit on a daily basis,
there are only a few days each month when these peak gravitational pull times
coincide with the natural peak wildlife activity times around dawn and dusk. When
this occurs, I call the phenomenon a Red Moon and plan my hunting accordingly.”
Over the past two decades, Hays said he has planned virtually all of his hunting
trips based on the Red Moon, and he has killed 10 Boone and Crockett whitetails —
including four that scored more than 200 inches — during that time.
Hays is also the owner of the MoonGuide, a hunting calendar that
provides information on Red Moon dates and peak hunting times
year-round. You can learn more online at moonguide.com.
