Frontal shot on elk, situation ethics and other musings

[Magnum_Willys]

Title of post including “ethics” suggests this was inviting discussion. Why beat up those with differing “musings”?

[Rainier10]

It sounds to me like he or his partners were struggling with whether or not to shoot it with a gun.

It is interesting to me when ethics start to override what the rules are.

[jennabug]

Thank you for sharing your story. It's a good learning opportunity for new hunters too. I'm glad to hear you got out there to hunt, and that you spent so much time looking for the animal.

[Sandberm]

I really enjoyed reading about your hunt, thank you for sharing.

I always go out with the intention of only taking the perfect shot, never happens.

[Karl Blanchard]

It sounds to me like he or his partners were struggling with whether or not to shoot it with a gun.

It is interesting to me when ethics start to override what the rules are.

  beau turned his own wife in for a hunting violation.  You really think it was a serious discussion? 

The little assumptions and back handed insults directed at Beau in this thread are so disappointing.  Guy tries to share some very teachable moments these are the results

[Woodchuck]

It sounds to me like he or his partners were struggling with whether or not to shoot it with a gun.

It is interesting to me when ethics start to override what the rules are.

  beau turned his own wife in for a hunting violation.  You really think it was a serious discussion? 

The little assumptions and back handed insults directed at Beau in this thread are so disappointing.  Guy tries to share some very teachable moments these are the results

Karl, I can promise you that Rainier10 is not taking a shot at the OP. He is simply making an observation on human behavior. Not just the OP and his partners.

[jackelope]

There are lots of dead elk in the woods.  Some die from arrows, which you can see at the site.  Others die from muzzy bullets and modern firearm bullets, you probably don't find those bullets at the seen.  And of course others die of natural causes or by predators.

Hopefully this can stay on track and not be a user group versus a user group thing.

The parts in bold are the important parts to remember in this discussion. I've spent a fair amount of time in the woods and have found several dead animals, never with an arrow laying next to one of them. Who knows how they died. I'd venture a guess to say at least a couple of them died from either an arrow or a bullet.
The comments from a couple folks in this thread making it sound like bowhunters just shoot and wound game and walk away are uncalled for.

I did find an arrow stuck in a tree one time though. That guy probably should have stuck to rifle hunting.

This thread may help explain why I always find deadheads with arrows nearby.

Comments like this are 110% uncalled for, especially when you don't know anything about the guy who started this thread. I personally guarantee he has forgotten more about ungulates and anatomy than 99.9% of the rest of us on this forum will ever know.

Edit for the record.
I'm a rifle hunter. I've hunted with a bow about 7 days total in my life and never shot a thing. I shot at a grouse one day and missed.

 

[Gringo31]

I shot a tree once just north of White pass.  Shoulders were covered so I held tight to the tree.....and hit the tree. 

[jackelope]

Shortly after I hear wet cough, followed seconds later by a crash.

The wet cough tells me that this bull is dead.  In my experience, when I hear that, the bull is dying shortly.  As big as a bull elk is, they can disappear when they go down in brush.  Sorry you were unable to find him, at least you gave it your best. 

Side note...  it would be very hard for me to watch a bull with my arrow stuck in his ass and a rifle close by.  I would have shot him and paid the price rather than let him run around like that. 

It sounds to me like he or his partners were struggling with whether or not to shoot it with a gun.

It is interesting to me when ethics start to override what the rules are.

  beau turned his own wife in for a hunting violation.  You really think it was a serious discussion? 

The little assumptions and back handed insults directed at Beau in this thread are so disappointing.  Guy tries to share some very teachable moments these are the results

I think he was referring to elkinrut's comments.

[bobcat]

Maybe it would be better to kill the bull with a rifle rather than having it suffer with an arrow in it? I would sure feel better if that had been the case. Of course we'd never have heard the story if that had happened. But I hate knowing there's an elk out there suffering like that.

[jackelope]

I shot a tree once just north of White pass.  Shoulders were covered so I held tight to the tree.....and hit the tree. 

Weird that your arrow flew all the way to Colville. 80# draw weight?

[Karl Blanchard]

There are lots of dead elk in the woods.  Some die from arrows, which you can see at the site.  Others die from muzzy bullets and modern firearm bullets, you probably don't find those bullets at the seen.  And of course others die of natural causes or by predators.

Hopefully this can stay on track and not be a user group versus a user group thing.

The parts in bold are the important parts to remember in this discussion. I've spent a fair amount of time in the woods and have found several dead animals, never with an arrow laying next to one of them. Who knows how they died. I'd venture a guess to say at least a couple of them died from either an arrow or a bullet.
The comments from a couple folks in this thread making it sound like bowhunters just shoot and wound game and walk away are uncalled for.

I did find an arrow stuck in a tree one time though. That guy probably should have stuck to rifle hunting.

This thread may help explain why I always find deadheads with arrows nearby.

Comments like this are 110% uncalled for, especially when you don't know anything about the guy who started this thread. I personally guarantee he has forgotten more about ungulates and anatomy than 99.9% of the rest of us on this forum will ever know.

Edit for the record.
I'm a rifle hunter. I've hunted with a bow about 7 days total in my life and never shot a thing. I shot at a grouse one day and missed.

  well said!  Thank you jackelope!

[Rainier10]

It sounds to me like he or his partners were struggling with whether or not to shoot it with a gun.

It is interesting to me when ethics start to override what the rules are.

  beau turned his own wife in for a hunting violation.  You really think it was a serious discussion? 

The little assumptions and back handed insults directed at Beau in this thread are so disappointing.  Guy tries to share some very teachable moments these are the results

Karl, I can promise you that Rainier10 is not taking a shot at the OP. He is simply making an observation on human behavior. Not just the OP and his partners.

In the OP he said that it was brought up, just bringing it up means it was discussed.  His title says "situational ethics".  Some in this thread say that they would have had a hard time not shooting it and even said that they would have.  That and many other comments in this thread are interesting to me.

I truly was making an observation and not saying that there was anything wrong with what the op did, discussed or what others have said they would do.  I am merely interested in how others view this situation and what their take on it is.

[Karl Blanchard]

Shortly after I hear wet cough, followed seconds later by a crash.

The wet cough tells me that this bull is dead.  In my experience, when I hear that, the bull is dying shortly.  As big as a bull elk is, they can disappear when they go down in brush.  Sorry you were unable to find him, at least you gave it your best. 

Side note...  it would be very hard for me to watch a bull with my arrow stuck in his ass and a rifle close by.  I would have shot him and paid the price rather than let him run around like that. 

It sounds to me like he or his partners were struggling with whether or not to shoot it with a gun.

It is interesting to me when ethics start to override what the rules are.

  beau turned his own wife in for a hunting violation.  You really think it was a serious discussion? 

The little assumptions and back handed insults directed at Beau in this thread are so disappointing.  Guy tries to share some very teachable moments these are the results

I think he was referring to elkinrut's comments.

  fair enough.  I just get darn defensive about stuff like this.  Beau's knowledge and experience afield is such an amazing asset to this site and all its members so when I see him getting torn up by all the keyboard warriors, especially ones we all know have little to no experience, I go on the offensive.  Meant no disrespect to Rainer.  I'd go on the same offensive for him as I also feel he is a priceless asset to this forum

[Woodchuck]

Shortly after I hear wet cough, followed seconds later by a crash.

The wet cough tells me that this bull is dead.  In my experience, when I hear that, the bull is dying shortly.  As big as a bull elk is, they can disappear when they go down in brush.  Sorry you were unable to find him, at least you gave it your best. 

Side note...  it would be very hard for me to watch a bull with my arrow stuck in his ass and a rifle close by.  I would have shot him and paid the price rather than let him run around like that. 

It sounds to me like he or his partners were struggling with whether or not to shoot it with a gun.

It is interesting to me when ethics start to override what the rules are.

  beau turned his own wife in for a hunting violation.  You really think it was a serious discussion? 

The little assumptions and back handed insults directed at Beau in this thread are so disappointing.  Guy tries to share some very teachable moments these are the results

I think he was referring to elkinrut's comments.

  fair enough.  I just get darn defensive about stuff like this.  Beau's knowledge and experience afield is such an amazing asset to this site and all its members so when I see him getting torn up by all the keyboard warriors, especially ones we all know have little to no experience, I go on the offensive.  Meant no disrespect to Rainer.  I'd go on the same offensive for him as I also feel he is a priceless asset to this forum

As are you man.