Shoot or No Shot - Episode 5.5

[WapitiTalk1]

Sorry, lost track of the number DISCLAIMER: this bull is not in velvet, it's an optical illusion; it's mid SEPT and he has long since shed the velvet and is now a respectable hunting season bull. It's the pic I found for the situation I was looking for

You're hunting solo today. 18 SEPT, 8:00 AM, SW Montana, brow tine bull only area. You're on the very last day of your 7 day hunt. OK, you've been having a heated debate with a bull off to your left at about a 10 o'clock direction. You're working the thermals and getting in a bit closer to the herd bull before you really whizz in his cheerios and see if you can dislodge him from his harem. Snap! Your hear a noise to your 2 o'clock and see a pretty darn nice bull moving toward the herd. Change of game plan but you react appropriately and turn your attention to the quiet guy walking in. As his head gets past the LP pine, you give a nervous grunt with your voice, drawing at the same time, and....... the critter stops where you see him now! 25 to 30 yards is your best guess at range.

Are you shooting? If so, put an "X" on the spot 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.

[kentrek]

After the first few of these I bet you can gues where id put my "x" 

 

[WapitiTalk1]

After the first few of these I bet you can gues where id put my "x"

In the forehead, right?    Ya I know, it's my turn to hold the legs while you bone out the quarters    Nice shot BTW. 

[kentrek]

Forget the boning, il go grab the horses from camp 

On a side note....I dont think id be able to pull off that shot with tradgear....at this point in the game i cant shoot tight to other objects an keep my focus....still be a pretty cool moment even with a passed/missed opportunity

[JLS]

Get your knive out....

[Band]

I would aim 2" to the right of JLS's mark to be certain I would thread the needle between bone and the tree and still knock out both lungs.

On a side note, this is the same situation I found myself in with the bull in my avatar except the tree was larger and covered up the entire kill zone.  I was at full draw when he stopped in that position and my buddy was standing right next to me facing my direction so he couldn't see what I was seeing, but we were both standing perfectly still.  About the time my muscles started getting weak the bull finally took a step and it was lights out.

And by the way, Elknut, a lot of credit goes to you due to the fact that I had recently read your playbook and practiced imitating your calls during the entire drive to elk camp that year.  My bull came in (silently) to a couple of locating bugles.

Sometimes just before the rut I use the locating bugle in the house to find my wife.  Works like a charm...and she loves it when I do that!

[Todd_ID]

I took that exact same shot 3 years ago in Idaho at 15 yards on that same class of bull.  The tree still has the broadhead in it.    I say aim for the tree because you never hit where you think you were aiming when shooting at elk.

[huntingaddiction]

You can ask anybody i have ever shot with.  I would start that tree with a broadhead and finish chopping it down with my bow.   I might try the shot but i doubt it.  It would really depend on how i felt about it.

[tonymiller7]

FWAP!!!

[Rainier10]

I would aim 2" to the right of JLS's mark to be certain I would thread the needle between bone and the tree and still knock out both lungs.

Dead elk.

[Broken Arrow]

break out the pack boards!

[Shawn Ryan]

How far to the truck and where are my friends?

[Rainier10]

 
Shawn's got the spot marked dead on. 

[northwesthunter84]

I agree with Shawn.  That is more than enough room to clear that tree.  I practice shots like that at 60 yards, so at 30 yards thats a no brainer.

[buddy01]

 :I had a shot just like that at a 5pt whitetail, hit the bam tree