Shoot or No Shot? Episode 3

[WapitiTalk1]

Tale of the tape: 9 September 2014; 4:45 PM; NE Washington; any elk are legal in this GMU; early archery season. You've been watching/patterning a small group of elk that frequent private land. They seem to be feeding and using an active wallow on the private plot but do seem to come back on the public land using active game trails to bed. You've set up a tree stand a good 250 yards on the public land side close to two game trails that come down from the side of the hill and interect less than 30 yards from where you're perched. A few minutes earlier, you gave a few very soft cow mews and this little homer comes walking in, seemingly heading right towards your tree. As you draw, lean forward in your harness a bit preparing to shoot, your stand platform makes an audible "squeak" and Barney Bull slams on the brakes, stops, and looks up for the source of the noise. Shoot or no shot here for you? If you say shoot, please place a dot or X where your arrow is heading.

Reminder that if you save the picture to your desktop and open in MS Paint, you'll be able to place a spot, X, or whatever on the critter before you save it back to a jpg and add the marked up pic with your post.

[WAcoyotehunter]

Never.  I won't starve to death if I don't get an elk and this is shot has a high percentage of failure.  I would let him move and try for a better opportunity.

[jackmaster]

Yeah, right between the shoulder blades..... dead elk on the deck

[Rainier10]

No shot for me.  I just don't see a spot that I like.  There is too many bones and even antler in the way that I think could deflect the arrow for me to get a shot on the vitals.  I am thinking if you can wait him out he will realize something is not right and slowly turn to his right giving me better shot opportunity.

No shot and hope for a better angle to present itself.

[northwesthunter84]

I would wait he is going to either bug out, turning and opening up or he is going to continue forward on the intended path.  Try and stop him with a cow call and then take the shot. 

[tonymiller7]

Stay still and hope he gives a shot before he bolts

[HUNT-HARD]

Between the shoulders and watch him drop in his tracks!

[Jonathan_S]

Archery...pass

MF or MZ, right between the shoulders and break the neck bone

[kentrek]

Stay still and hope he gives a shot before he bolts

  would be hard for him to not give something alil better than that

[RadSav]

Looks like it might be a self defense situation and I'd have to shoot!   But that's the only way/reason I would take that shot with a bow.  Two L or R steps and he's perfect.

[Tbar]

No shot. 

[nwwanderer]

Tough shot and a baby, shoot a cow or calf, it is a any elk area, right?

[Broken Arrow]

Same vote as the other times....NOPE...again not a bow shot i would take.  Can't wait for #4. Hoping for the Texas heart shot scenario! All kidding aside, I like these and like to read what other people think and would do. I find it fascinating, and then it gets me to thinking on variables, such as I wonder how many elk that person has killed or not killed and did that play into their answer.

[pianoman9701]

Not for me. If he turned broadside, in a second.

[bhawley76]

That looks like the perfect lobotomy shot if I have ever seen one.

[WapitiTalk1]

Can't wait for #4. Hoping for the Texas heart shot scenario!

Ha!  Don't tempt me 

[de0827]

No shot for me at this angle.  Thanks Phantom for posting these!!!

[WapitiTalk1]

Odd, I fully expected somebody to say "jump on his back and ride him down to the road" 

[Tbob]

No shot for me with an arrow. I'd just hope he slowly meanders and give me a better angle.. Cool threads by the way!

[Rainier10]

I love these threads also.  I have chimed in on everyone and keep checking back to see what other people think and what there perspective is on the shots.  The only problem I have with the threads is they get me super stoked for elk season and it seems so far away.