Shoot or No Shot 2019 - Episode #5

[WapitiTalk1]

Location: Somewhere in the W Oregon elk woods
Hunt Pressure Status: Minimal as far as you know
Hunt: Solo hunt
Tag: Archery; 3 PT or better bull

The night before, you watched a small herd of elk (6 cows and 1 decent looking bull) feed out into a clear cut, several miles back in a gated road right at dark. It was too late in the day to put a move on him so you mountain bike to your camp ½ mile back down the gated road. You were back on it early the next morning before daylight (today) and stash your bike a good ¼ mile from the clear cut and proceed on foot. Once you get close enough to glass (and it’s light enough to see) you observe the tail end of a couple of cows moving into the timber from the clear cut. Off the road you go, heading through the lush OR landscape, able to move pretty quickly on some elk trails on what you think may be a good intercept course. You stop a few times to look and listen for moving (or vocal) elk….. and the third time you stop, where you sit now, 25 yards from the small opening, you hear what sounds like an elk moving from your right to left. Arrow nocked, thermals in your favour, you see a bull come into view… His head is low, bobbing slowly up and down, he seems to struggling to walk, and appears to be limping a bit in his hind quarters……He moves slowly into the open and you draw….. “and” in the same few seconds you see that he has an arrow hanging out his lower, rear, left side………….

Shoot or no shot here?

If you're shooting, save the picture to your desktop and open in MS Paint, then 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.

[Stein]

I would wait for the left leg to come forward and then let go with a shot.  The real question is whether the owner of the original arrow will show up and what that conversation will be like.

[pianoman9701]

clear shot, nothing behind, suffering animal. Shoot.

[whackmaster]

wait tell the right rear leg comes forward shoot for the opposite hip socket dead elk 

[greenhead_killer]

Wait until left leg comes forward and opens that pocket up. Could be a 4 day old shot/arrow hanging in there. Could have been shot 5 miles away and the other hunter gave up. Knowing he’s hurt, and the original shot was non lethal, id kill him. If other hunter shows up, deal with it then.

[Shawn Ryan]

Exactly what Stein said. No doubt I'm a shooter.  I might bend the law a bit and quarter the bull prior to notching my tag in case the first shooter shows up. I might even preserve the cape instead of cutting the hide on the underside in case the first shooter wants it. Or I might not.

If the first shooter shows up, I don't care who "deserves" the bull, if I haven't notched my tag and he wants the bull, its his. Not saying that is required or necessary; its just the choice I'd make.

[mburrows]

get one in him asap

[WapitiTalk1]

clear shot, nothing behind, suffering animal. Shoot.

PMan, send me a text or call as soon as you track and tag the bull and I'll head out to help you pack it out  .  Excellent shot placement; tucking your arrow (or bullet for that matter) up close in that "<" is the way to fly. 

[pianoman9701]

Thanks WT. I'm old and fat and will welcome the help. I've taken a few animals with that shot. It's devastating. Deer usually just fall in place.

[WapitiTalk1]

I've taken a few animals with that shot. It's devastating. Deer usually just fall in place.

Yes sir...... it's always my primary target spot on elk and deer.  I called the little bull below off his handful of cows, twice... The first time he came in, he was only 20 yards away but I had no clear shot (shrubbery in the way); he thought something was stinky, wheeled, and headed back to his herd.  I moved to my left 15 yards, stopped, called, and pretty much drew within seconds as he turned and headed back toward me.  He stopped, no more than 15 yards away, quartering ever so lightly towards me (yep), and the arrow was on its way in a heartbeat.  He fell within 30 yards, stone dead. 

 

[greenhead_killer]

Owner of the first shot every show up?

[WapitiTalk1]

Owner of the first shot every show up?

GH, for this scenario... We don't know if or when the initial bow hunter shows up.  That's a good variation for another thread   

[pianoman9701]

That's a beautiful bull.

[Drewski]

X goes right in the pocket after next step clears the front left leg.

I'm not sure why the large consideration for the first shooter? The bull was seen the evening prior (in the open no less), and again the next morning. If still in the hunt, the prior guy should have been around. I'm shooting, killing, and tagging that thing without a second thought in this case.

Other guy shows up, I guess I just say 

[Matth]

I'm not sure why the large consideration for the first shooter? The bull was seen the evening prior (in the open no less), and again the next morning. If still in the hunt, the prior guy should have been around. I'm shooting, killing, and tagging that thing without a second thought in this case.

Other guy shows up, I guess I just say 

My thoughts exactly.