Game Plan #4

[WapitiTalk1]

Nice job! You've successfully called in this respectable satellite right by your current position (you're on your knees at the 6:00 o'clock position, 35 yards from the bull with good cover to your back). There are a handfull of elk in this somewhat flat bottomed, pretty wide, semi open SW Montana draw, including one very large herd bull. Thermals are blowing gently downhill from your right to left; it's 0830 in the morning. Home boy has obviously had a mud bath in one of the several active wallows, further down the draw, on his way from the night time feeding area to the bedding area which is where he is heading now. This bull came in "quick" from left to right, bugling several times in response to your cow calls, stopped, and unfortunately you missed the opportunity to draw/shoot between the :02 to :06 mark on the VID (rats, now an easy shot became much tougher and... he's assumed the "who blinks first" posture"). That's all you get.. What is your game plan to possibly have the bull over for dinner later?

Dirty Bull

[Shawn Ryan]

I'm waiting, while acting like a stone.  He may walk away with no opportunity, but at the end of the video I'm not even drawn, yet. And that branch is bugging me a little, though I could probably adjust around it or arc over it.  He may turn around again or take a few steps, offering opportunity for me to draw and shoot.  But in my experience, if I draw now, I'll not get a shot.  I've had a role in this video several times before and wondered what would have happened if I would have drawn while he was looking at me. That wondering always happens because the scene ended up with no shot opportunity. At those times, the rear-view mirror usually says I should have taken the risk that he'd just watch as my arrow buried into his vitals.  At the times I've tried to draw, the elk always spooked.

I have learned to be more aggressive in pursuing elk, but not to be aggressive in shooting elk.

The number of days left in the season matters as does my thoughts on connecting with the bigger bull.  This is a shooter bull on most days, but I have been seduced by big bulls and passed on shots at respectable elk enough to know that the big boy in the scenario would put a damper on me pulling the trigger.

[WapitiTalk1]

Anyone else have some thoughts on this one? 

[Karl Blanchard]

I agree with Shawn on this one.  If you force the situation and the animal spooks because of your HUMAN presence, you may have screwed him up for future opportunities.  Keep calm, he may spook but you didn't screw him up and blow him out of the country.  You can now hunt him another day.  Same goes with calling turkeys, coyotes, or any other animal.

[Todd_ID]

I say he's about to swap ends and go back from whence he came.  The bugle behind you drew his attention away at the end of the video since he's looking past you, but that will be short lived.  The little stagger step tells me that he's nervous and ready to vacate at a brisk walk but not blow out hard.  His head will turn left when he turns around since he already almost did it once.

The tree you're crouched behind will be your new best friend shortly.  Use it and his left turn to draw as he swaps ends and starts back down the hill.  Be side-stepping left around and behind the tree at full draw and stop and start aiming as he and you are clearing the branches on the downhill side of the tree.  Bark at him and release 1 second later, and you've got a dead elk with a 45 yard quartering away heart shot.  He's big enough to be very proud of taking with a bow, so you should not worry about the fact that there's a monster bull there somewhere; there's always a monster there SOMEWHERE, that's elk hunting.

Setting up behind/beside the tree hurt in this instance and most others, as well.  Being in front of the tree would have opened up 20+ yards worth of open shooting lane that you didn't get to use because of being behind it.  This elk is not lost completely because of the tree, but you have to have good instincts and timing to kill him now.

[elkmtngear]

If he turns away again (without bolting)...I would draw, stand, and bark...all at the same time!   My new elevation will clear that limb, and it will take a moment for him to put it all together.

I just need 2 seconds.