Elk Tactics 101 - Episode #10

[WapitiTalk1]

Date/Time: Early September 2016/5:15 PM
Location: Somewhere in the elk woods
Hunt Pressure Status: Minimal
Hunt: Solo hunt; 20' up in a tree stand
Tag: Archery season; any branched bull

After game camming this active wallow since early August, you finally get to hunt it!  You've worked your way in to your established fixed stand working the prevailing winds properly, and, have climbed up and settled in around 4:30 for the evening sit.  You've seen this guy on your trail cam images quite a few times when checking the card and have titled him "ninja bull".  He always seems to hit the wallow from various directions, usually in the afternoon/evening, sometimes wallows, sometimes just sniffs the edges, and then is outa there pretty quick (never seems to stay long).  OK, at 5:15 this guy walks onto the scene and stops where he is standing now.  Of course, you're at full draw.  It's 35 yards from your tree to the rotten log where the yellow dot is.  I'll tell you that the ninja bull is not going to be any different this time than when you've seen him on your cam pics.  He's gonna only be in the wallow for less than a minute and will give you three various angles to potentially shoot at.  What you're seeing now is where he stopped after he walked in; this is angle #1.  Are you shooting at this time?  YES or NO.  If you're touching off an arrow, show us where your POI is and which yardage you're using.  I'll run image/angle #1 one for a bit then move on to #2, and then, #3.   

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.

[lamrith]

That 35yrds, is it laser distance from my current position up in the tree stand, or did I take a few ranges from ground level before I climbed up for the evening set?

I am passing on shooting on shot #1, just too much bone in the way for my peace of mind.

[Jonathan_S]

Schi-Fwaxx!

30 yard pin on the red, arrow impact on the yellow.

[BULLBLASTER]

Schi-Fwaxx!

30 yard pin on the red, arrow impact on the yellow.

thump!

[WapitiTalk1]

Maybe I should have tried a shot at that first position (I chose not to), it wasn't an impossible angle for sure from my/our position in the tree stand.  Crap monkeys, now he wheeled on a dime and stopped, dropped, and is rolling like the woods are on fire.  Any body shooting here? 



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.

[Shawn Ryan]

I'd like him to turn a bit to his left. If he does, I'm shooting at the red dot with my 30 pin. If he turns to his right, I'm not shooting.  Though, I'm likely to shoot with no turn at all! 

Not shooting while he's taking a bath.  Ungentlemanly, and he's moving too much.

[buglebrush]

If he pauses during that bath he is dead although I probably already shot the instant he started to wheel around.

[lamrith]

Now we are talking.  No string ducking when chucklehead's belly is already on the ground. No good shot at his current roll angle, but if he rolls back toward me I am sending him a splinter via Carbon Knight special delivery.  Once he rolls more upright I am putting it on the red dot.. 

Curious here if any of you more experienced hunters would consider putting it on the pink mark?  Way too tight of a shot for me, but I have seen some of you shoot and 30yrds is a chipshot for you guys.  Similar to a head on shot but with more access to both lungs?

[High Climber]

I'm still waiting for a higher percentage shot. If he stands up and walks away so be it.

[WapitiTalk1]

Up jumps Ninja bull from his muddy bath and he stops here for just a few seconds before heading in the woods. Shooting now? I don't think any of the other two shooting opportunities were un-doable, but, for those who just didn't want to touch off an arrow at either of the other two angles, now's your chance to show your arrow POI on this fine fellow.


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.

[Tbob]

No pic, but that's the shot I've been waiting my whole life for! Nows the time!

[tgomez]

Last picture is the time to let her fly! Backstrap dinner boys!