Elk Hunt Focus/Resolve?

[WapitiTalk1]

Date: Late September
Time: Mid-Morning
State: An elk state
Season: Stick n String
Tags in pocket: Elk (any bull); Deer (MD buck only).
Solo Hunt
Hunting Pressure: Minimal

Many of us head into our annual elk hunt time period with two or more active big game tags in our pockets. While you're on your elk hunt, do you/would you take a deer, bear, cougar if you have a tag if the opportunity surfaces? Let's say for the purpose of this super scientific discussion, you "are" into elk this fine September morning and are moving in on at least two vocal bulls (with the wind in your favor at the moment). As you stall for a moment to listen to the elk choir perhaps a few hundred yards ahead of you, this fine fellow pictured below appears and stops well within your bow range. Do you/would you take this guy home for dinner or is your focus solely on the elk hunt at hand? FYI, you do have a deer hunt blocked off on your calendar for the third week of November. Just throwing this out to see what your thought process is during an elk hunt, with additional legal tags in your pocket, if given an opportunity at a non elk species.

[ghosthunter]

SHOOT

[Reidus]

uphill or downhill from vehicle?

[Jonathan_S]

Washington very likely, Idaho probably/maybe

I really like filling tags early in the year because that means more tags!  In Idaho I could buy another tag.  In Washington, I could buy another Idaho tag 

[Jonathan_S]

Tasty young mule deer buck isn't going to ruin an elk hunt.  If the elk are vocal and in a minimal pressure area, why not?

[blackveltbowhunter]

  if he has eyegaurds he dies for sure .

[X-Force]

Ive had this scenario play out in the Naneum with 2 legal bucks (heavy 22" wide 3 pt. and a smaller frame 4 pt.) walking by at 13 yards. I figured I was elk hunting, they walked, I tagged a cow with my permit, I ate my deer tag that year.

Looking back I don't know what I would do, I'm probably 50/50 just depends on the day.

[Dhoey07]

Camp meat is camp meat.  Break the ice, get him hanging and good things will happen 

[WSU]

Unless I'm far enough from the rig that it would be a serious ordeal to get him packed out, I'd shoot without a second thought. 

[jstone]

Shoot

[Karl Blanchard]

In Washington he'd eat an arrow.  If I was anywhere else in the West he'd get a pass.  Heck he'd get a pass if I was deer hunting only 

[yakimanoob]

I can't REALLY answer because I've never archery hunted nor carried an active elk and deer tag at the same time. 

I think it would highly depend on whether taking the deer meant giving up the chance at an elk.  E.g., if I was deep in on a backcountry on the last day of my elk hunt, taking this deer would mean I for sure don't get an elk, and I might pass. 

But as others have said, if I'm uphill from the truck or otherwise thought I had a decent chance to get back into the elk afterward, I'd take the shot without hesitating.   

[northwesthunter84]

Arrows already flying, broke down, packed out and ready to chase elk the next morning.  Wouldn't think twice about that opportunity.

[Rainier10]

In your scenario I am elk hunting with two vocal bulls out in front of me.  If I'm in Washington that means a special permit and that means I am focused on filling that.  The deer gets a pass.  I can hunt those any other year and like in your scenario I can hunt them for three weeks in November.  I would smoke that deer in a heartbeat come November BTW.

[bobcat]

There's no way I'd pass on a buck like that if it's in bow range. Shoot the buck, then continue on after the bugling bulls to see how that works out. Go back for the deer either after you shoot a bull, or miss out on the opportunity.

[Doublelunger]

I'd let him walk. I've killed plenty of deer and a couple nice ones, never killed a branch antlered bull.

[Mudman]

Always take what the Good Lord gives you..  Bird in hand..  100%.  Trophy hunting only reason not too and that buck is plenty good enough for me.   

[fishngamereaper]

Shoot it, cape it out and use the head to close the distance on a masher bull.

[NOCK NOCK]

There's no way I'd pass on a buck like that if it's in bow range. Shoot the buck, then continue on after the bugling bulls to see how that works out. Go back for the deer either after you shoot a bull, or miss out on the opportunity.

 

I have actually killed a buck and bull on the same day, elk was am, buck was pm.

[bfranklin81]

That deer is getting an arrow for sure. Not even a second thought about it.

[JWEBB]

Not even a question! Dead buck

[nitroelk]

shoot quickly and be quite, maybe still get to go after the elk after getting him taken care of.

[Matth]

Not a chance.

[Jonathan_S]

The only caveat I'll throw on my "probably shoot" is if this was a confirmed big bull. 

A couple years ago, I was working in on a herd with a vocal bull and a spike cut me off so I shot him.  Spike sprinted downhill toward the herd and died about 150-200 yards above the screaming bull.  I sat there and broke down that spike into quarters and full hide for hours and that bull never stopped screaming.  I was wishing I had a second tag

Also almost got off a shot at a 130"+ whitetail that was bedded right below where my spike tipped over - the game were everywhere that morning.

[Tbob]

Yep, if I’ve also got a deer tag in my pocket, I’m shooting that guy!

[Big6bull]

If it’s a big buck I would shoot. But in general during elk season I barely give deer a second glance. Eye on the prize

[LayMdown]

I've never had the chance at having a deer and elk tag in my pocket at the same time for I use a smoke pole for elk and modern for deer. There has been a few times while muzzle loader hunting elk I'd wished I had a muzzle loader deer tag with me though. I guess I do it that way for a reason so I don't get side tracked. I have a hard enough time if I get into a good patch of chantells.

[returnofsid]

My arrow is flying. A few years ago, opening day of elk season, I filled my deer tag, while elk hunting. I shot under a dandy bull a couple days later.

[Dan-o]

No question.

No time needed to consider.

I am shooting that buck.

And being greedy, as I take the shot I'm still hoping to go get an elk later.

[elkboy]

Um, yeah, I would have to agree with most on here... I would send an arrow, and get back to elk that evening or next morning! I suppose if I could drive the buck to a meat cooler in the nearest town (keeping a couple of steaks for camp, of course), that would only solidify the decision.

[bornhunter]

Happened to me two years ago. Moving in on a small herd  with a noisy bull in it. Came across a fresh calf elk kill about 50 yards from the bugler. Looked over the kill and decided to keep moving towards the bull. About 15 yards further and looked up in an old growth fir and there 19 yards above me perched on a big limb sits a lion staring down at me. Punched him right behind the left shoulder with a 125 gr muzzy. With always buying deer,elk,bear and cougar tags I now have a nice lion rug on my wall. Always a bird in the hand in Washington for me unless a OIL tag you burnt a ton of points on.