Shoot or No Shot 2016, Episode #1.

[WapitiTalk1]

You guys are rough to rattle    Looks to me like the bull is a handful of feet on the other side of the cover so he's maybe 37/38 yards from the shooter's position?  None of you sharpshooters are gonna touch off an arrow and take this little guy home for dinner?  No right or wrong answers, we're just doing these to spark some elky discussion during the long off season 

If you decide to touch one off, perhaps have a target impact point of here? 

[Karl Blanchard]

I think my arrow would float right over that brush I think but he is quartering too hard.  I've seen that same shot and we got the elk but it was a one lung deal and could have ended worse.

[Band]

No shot for me because of the brush.  If the brush weren't there I'd take a look at the angle he's standing before deciding whether to shoot.

[Rainier10]

The only way I would take Phantom's shot placement is if I had already hit the bull once, tracked him  this point and he was standing there for a follow up shot.  At that point yes that is where I would aim and try and put him down.

If he is not already hit I would still pass on that shot and hope for a better one.

Of course all of this is with experience, 20 years ago, totally different answer.

[2MANY]

Let that skinny headed dink walk.

[theleo]

He walks and I have 4 more days of hunting instead of spending a day and a half trying to track a likely wounded animal. Lots of elk still in southern Idaho, no reason to take the shot in my book.

[Jonathan_S]

If that bull gives me plenty time to settle and if there's no wind...I'm going to let one rip just where Phantom's mark is or slightly higher.  I shoot through branches all the time when practicing and feel like I'm a pretty good judge of how my arrows arc and fly. This shot is better taken with a slower bow like mine 

As far as angles go, maybe I'm looking at this wrong  I don't see how a properly placed arrow doesn't eat the lungs up  am I judging angle wrong in this photo?

[Dan-o]

I guess I'm the exception, but I'm dropping him.

[WapitiTalk1]

If the angle is concerning to some, I offer this for consideration.  The dead elk in the pic below was quartering more than slightly towards me on that fateful day in Idaho this year after I'd called him off his ladies... twice, and he dropped within 10 seconds of my shooting him. Yes, there are some leaves/twigs to consider in the thread scenario but I would not pass this shot up based on the angle alone. One must have their wits about them and make no mistake with their shot placement with stick and string or a good hunt turns into a bad one very quickly (particularly at this less than ideal angle with a few leafs and twigs in the mix). Would I take the scenario shot as pictured? Possibly but I don't get Shaky Jake syndrome as some do when drawing on an elk.. in fact, I think it's kind of calming after humping the hills all day

These threads are designed to facilitate discussion, not necessarily to obtain a cookie cutter answer for every scenario. It's all about the discussion .  Carry on.   

[Jonathan_S]

   thanks for the discussion and  it's always situational

[Moose Master]

Nope not prudent for shot, let him grow some more

[buglebrush]

Completely fine with the angle, but have seen the devastation of that type of branch in the way.  Pass.