Your Move, Episode 1

[WapitiTalk1]

Hunting journal: Late September; archery elk partner hunt in SW Montana; 5th day of your 10 day hunt; bull only tag. Your partner (caller) is 35 yards to the front of this bull (yellow arrow) and you (the shooter) are at full draw on your knees, 20 yards in the direction of the red arrow. The bull is walking very slowly towards your buddy (caller) as you float your sight pin on the bull. If the bull travels 5 more yards towards the caller, his vitals will be covered by brush (from the shooter's position).

Your move. Are you shooting, not shooting, trying to stop the bull with an elk sound? What is your move?


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 (if you decide to shoot).

[D-Rock425]

If i were to shoot it would be right where dark brown meet tan.  In front of the shoulder.   (If)

[jrebel]

Next step the left leg goes forward and I hit him in the bowler maker.  This assumes he is walking very slow.  If not I may try a quick cow call (if I am already at full draw) to get him to stop for a brief moment. 

Lots of variable that I am reading into....but doable at 20 yards with my set up.  This is all assuming I am not shaking to bad due to adrenalin.   

[vandeman17]

Next step the left leg goes forward and I hit him in the bowler maker.  This assumes he is walking very slow.  If not I may try a quick cow call (if I am already at full draw) to get him to stop for a brief moment. 

Lots of variable that I am reading into....but doable at 20 yards with my set up.  This is all assuming I am not shaking to bad due to adrenalin.   

My play as well. Wait until one more step for shoulder to clear and let him have it. At 20 yards and full draw, I should be able to put it pretty much right where I want to. One factor would be how bad I am shaking and how long I have held my draw. It would be 99% a feel/instinctual shot for me.

[D-Rock425]

5th day of a 10 day hunt i'd pass on this dink bull.

[D-Rock425]

These are always hard to do because ive seen some people do some stupid stuff (myself included) in the heat of the moment while the adrenaline is pumping.

[WapitiTalk1]

5th day of a 10 day hunt i'd pass on this dink bull.

Was waiting on that.  Yah, he's barely a keeper     Anybody considering throwing out a nervous grunt with their voice to stop bullwinkle before he enters the vital covering brush? 

[h20hunter]

Ok. I'll play and I'm open for correction on my shot.

A) I've never killed an elk, let alone a bull
B) I shoot a Hoyt Spyder 34, heavy arrows, Montec b-head, about 73 lb draw.

I put one right on the mark and I get major arteries if not the heart, maybe the lung on my side, for sure the far side. He goes 75 yards and falls on  his face.

[IBspoiled]

If I don't get A good broadside shot at the vitals I let him walk.

[D-Rock425]

I think at 20yds h20hunter has a pretty good spot picked.

[jrebel]

Ok. I'll play and I'm open for correction on my shot.

A) I've never killed an elk, let alone a bull
B) I shoot a Hoyt Spyder 34, heavy arrows, Montec b-head, about 73 lb draw.

I put one right on the mark and I get major arteries if not the heart, maybe the lung on my side, for sure the far side. He goes 75 yards and falls on  his face.

You are way to high for the heart and danger close to the shoulder blade.  You may get major vessels and lung, but likely only one.

[D-Rock425]

I did shoot a spike right there once.  He never took a step.

[h20hunter]

Thanks for the comments. I like these threads. Good for elk noobs like me to picture shots and shot angles.

[vandeman17]

I think the spot you have marked is a bit high and forward, especially on an elk with thick shoulders. I think with another step, he opens up at least his right lung if you put it right behind his shouder and a third of the way up his body.

[jrebel]

A lot of people forget about the anatomy of the front leg.  He is not quartering hard enough to put in front of the shoulder with an arrow....IMO.