Elk Tactics 101 - Episode #8

[WapitiTalk1]

Date/Time: 18 September 2016/8:30 AM
Location: Somewhere in the elk woods
Hunt Pressure Status: It appears there is some today (read on)
Solo hunt today
Tag: Archery season; branched bull only

While working your way up this elky hill side from your starting point, you hear movement up to your left and see this fine fellow moving up a finger ridge from left to right in to this small opening. You are 30ish yards from the pine tree directly in front of the bull, have a clear line of sight at the beast's vitals, but, are a full contour line lower on the hill side than the bull (contour intervals are 40'). You draw when he's walking and right before you're able to give a nervous/popping grunt with your voice to stop him, the bull stops on his own and you hear why. A hunter well below you has bugled and your bull has stopped in his tracks and is essentially, looking over the top of you to the far hill side in the direction of the bugle he heard. That small chunk of brush is actually between you and the bull's face from your position. You're already at full draw so now the question is, are you shooting? If so, show us where your arrow is heading to (POI) and for this situation, tell us what pin/yardage you use.


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 or png and add the marked up pic with your post.

[theleo]

I request a little clarification, what's to bow/ arrow setup? I've seen a similar situation to this go wrong with a guy pulling about 55lb on a Drenalin using around a 420 grain arrow.

[WapitiTalk1]

Fair enough.  Fairly modern compound bow, let's say set at 66 lbs, shooting 28 1/2 340 GR carbon arrows, tipped with a 125 GR BH.   

[coachcw]

right behind the shoulder mid body ....dead elk

[theleo]

Can't ever get the pictures to work from my desktop. Anyway, I'd aim for the lower third of the lungs on the near side. The arrow is traveling up and should exit about center on the off side. It also gives a little leeway should the bull jump the string since he's already keyed in on sounds coming from the direction of the shooter.

[Tbob]

I'd aim for just below a 3rd of the way up and just to the left of that crease in his leg..I'd rather he stopped with that front leg forward rather than so far back like it is.. And after I found my dead elk, I might yell thanks to the dude that bugles and stopped him for me:-) not really though.

[lamrith]

That near leg is def in a bad position..  20yrd pin on the pretty red dot, he might duck a hair since he is looking over your head and will likely spook at the shot.

[coachcw]

No way I shoot that shoulder ..vitals run back  plenty far.

[WapitiTalk1]

Lamrith, 20 yard pin?  He's 30 yards away uphill (by 40' vertical up from your position on the side hill).  I like your POI position but would put my 30 yard pin a bit higher than your spot. Follow the leg up, remember the "V" and touch off the arrow. 

[Shawn Ryan]

The bull is 27 horizontal yards away (Pythagoras says so).  My 30 yard pin is a bit lower than Lamrith's to compensate for the higher exit/upward angled arrow path and about 3" farther back.

[elkchaser54]

I use a 25 yard pin.  Because with my setup the difference between 17 yards and 32 yard is only 6 inches.  That pin would be perfect right behind the shoulder where the leg creates a fold try and find that heart.  Otherwise i like to aim for the middle of the neck where the dark brown meets the light brown.  It creates a spot where your eye is automatically attracted to and gives the appearance of a bullseye.  Neck shots are very effective!

[Jonathan_S]

30 yard pin.  Break out the Havalon and meat bags.

[WapitiTalk1]

Here's a very good article on arrow flight for your reading pleasure. 

http://archeryreport.com/2011/06/understanding-arrows-drop/

[Jonathan_S]

Where's your point of aim Phantom?

good link 

[WapitiTalk1]

I've really studied on this shot placement since I put up the scenario. We certainly don't have this type of time in the elk woods to make a decision, lol.  With the bull being pretty severely uphill, the POI should be lower than it would be on a completely horizontal shot to maximize opportunity for a double lung hit.  After chewing on this for a while, I'm putting my 30 yard pin at the black spot, or, as others have shown... even a bit farther back.  Hitting deep in the ">"  from our angle below the bull at 30 yards may be a bit tough and could quite possibly not hit both lungs, or at best, have a very high exit through the left side.  Anybody else have thoughts on this one?  As always, thanks for the discussion.  RJ