Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bow Hunting => Topic started by: kentrek on March 27, 2012, 12:56:35 AM

Title: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: kentrek on March 27, 2012, 12:56:35 AM: on the west side this year i kept a track record of how many bulls we called in...while it was great fun at the end of the day to add to the bull count it was a constant reminder that the dead bull count was zero. this poll might be confusing at first but basically i want to know what your odds of geting a shot at a bull are once you start calling them in..this year we had 23 bulls under 100 and only one ended up with an arrow in it.this seems kinda low(4%) so im kinda curious on what you all have to report.

if you don't keep a hunting journal of some sort and have only a rough idea please try not to stretch the truth

also i know hunting terran/animal/weather is a variable but lets not make this too scientific :tup:
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: RadSav on March 27, 2012, 01:16:32 AM: Man! That is a tough one to answer accurately. It really depends on the year and the weather. Last year in the Toutle early archery, which is usually a slam dunk, we bugled only a handful of bulls and got zero shots. A few years ago in Oregon hunting the Wilson/Trask area with a newbie I was able to call in the first 8 bulls we heard and he missed every single one at less than 30 yards. One of those bulls I called in three times and he missed three shots. I finally took him home (even though I wish I could have left him there to walk home). When I returned a week later I couldn't find a single bull willing to bugle or come in.

In an average year I'd say between 15 and 20 percent. Average year in the Toutle early archery about 40 to 50%. I haven't kept a log since I quit guiding so those numbers would be just a guestimate.
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: buglebuster on March 27, 2012, 03:36:23 AM: 23 bulls called in on the westside :yike:
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: DoubleJ on March 27, 2012, 06:53:23 AM: Quote from: kentrek on March 27, 2012, 12:56:35 AM
this year we had 23 bulls under 100

please try not to stretch the truth

In the same post :chuckle:
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on March 27, 2012, 07:05:32 AM: All I am saying is if I bugled in 23 bulls and did not kill one I would quit elk hunting or change my a proach on how I was going about it ......AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL IS LOCATING A BULL AND GETTING INSIDE HIS WHEEL HOUSE BEFORE CALLING TO HIM ....LIKE A 100 YRDS OR CLOSER......AND ARE YOU COUNTING BULLS THAT JUST ANSWERED YOU ? as bulls you called in .... little difference their .......
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: wrongway on March 27, 2012, 07:23:18 AM: This last year I called in six bulls got three shots and took one home, now you said you wanted to know about rosys only, from every thing I have understud was the rosys were only west of I-5, so the winston unit would not be considerd a rosys unit. Over the years I have found that a true rosys do not talk as much as a rocky, at least where I hunt.
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: JPhelps on March 27, 2012, 08:58:33 AM: This year it was 100%. Most years I would say it is closer to 50%.

I would credit the high ratio to the tactics we use when calling in Roosevelt bulls. Get in close, get the wind off to one side slightly (knowing he will half moon trying to get the wind), give the bull no choice but to defend his harem.

I have also become very picky about the setup. I want multiple shooting lanes (sometimes tough to do here in the brush). I think some people start calling before they have gone through the process of picking a setup that will allow them to get a shot off.
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: Tbar on March 27, 2012, 06:46:11 PM: 23 bulls on the west side? Not trying to rain on you but if it was a general unit there is a good chance some of you were bugling Hunters. I have called numbers that big but not in an general unit. I do keep track too, and the thing I notice is that they cycle though times if silence and times they are vocal. 23 would mean multiple bulls daily, not likely. I call enough bulls to where I get to know certain bulls by voice and attitude. With all that being said I think you could get Ann elk or at least a decent shot opportunity every year if you have time and get away from roads. :twocents:
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: JPhelps on March 27, 2012, 06:59:39 PM: Quote from: Tbar on March 27, 2012, 06:46:11 PM
23 bulls on the west side? Not trying to rain on you but if it was a general unit there is a good chance some of you were bugling Hunters. I have called numbers that big but not in an general unit. I do keep track too, and the thing I notice is that they cycle though times if silence and times they are vocal. 23 would mean multiple bulls daily, not likely. I call enough bulls to where I get to know certain bulls by voice and attitude. With all that being said I think you could get Ann elk or at least a decent shot opportunity every year if you have time and get away from roads. :twocents:

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Me and "PrimeTime" got 8 different bulls to respond to calls on opening day this past year. None of them were in a very good spot to try and make a setup though. There are also many days when I have called in multiple bulls in the morning and night.
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: deleted BGS on March 27, 2012, 07:00:12 PM: Ya 23 a year is a TON! 5-8 would be a great year, and out of the 5-8 i know i would take one home out of 1 shot.
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on March 27, 2012, 07:09:35 PM: I called in 9 bulls last year, 5 days hunting, took no shots, but any one of you that can shoot 40 yards would have taken one home...
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: Prime Time on March 27, 2012, 07:41:16 PM: Quote from: JPhelps on March 27, 2012, 06:59:39 PM
Quote from: Tbar on March 27, 2012, 06:46:11 PM
23 bulls on the west side? Not trying to rain on you but if it was a general unit there is a good chance some of you were bugling Hunters. I have called numbers that big but not in an general unit. I do keep track too, and the thing I notice is that they cycle though times if silence and times they are vocal. 23 would mean multiple bulls daily, not likely. I call enough bulls to where I get to know certain bulls by voice and attitude. With all that being said I think you could get Ann elk or at least a decent shot opportunity every year if you have time and get away from roads. :twocents:

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Me and "PrimeTime" got 8 different bulls to respond to calls on opening day this past year. None of them were in a very good spot to try and make a setup though. There are also many days when I have called in multiple bulls in the morning and night.

x2 on it being all about the set-up. Jason and I hunted in a general area all season long and I would say we were on multiple bulls daily. It all just comes down to the set-up whether or not you're gonna seal the deal. Granted occasionally a bull is going to do the exact opposite as you plan but as Jason stated, we always get in tight, and set up for the bull to come right by while trying to get your wind. :twocents:
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on March 27, 2012, 07:50:51 PM: Quote
seems like most hunters stop after mile 3 with out a motor underneath them
WOW !! thats about 2 miles further than where I hunt !! LOL ! must be good hunting !!
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on March 27, 2012, 08:03:25 PM: I put 30-50%, Although the last two years have been much higher.... But i didnt include bulls called in that werent the target bull in my calculations.
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: buglebuster on March 27, 2012, 08:16:24 PM: I called in one bull last year on opening morning at light and he died :chuckle:
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: Basket Rack on March 27, 2012, 08:39:19 PM: I have to agree 100% on the set up. You have to be willing to back out and not force the issue if things are not perfect. There is nothing worse than having that big bull coming in and realizing you have no shooting lanes. As for a percentage that is tough to answer the past few years have been over 50% (both rosies and rocky mt. combined). My 25 years of bowhunting elk I would say it is around 20% or so. The shot percentaqe however could vary greatly between hunters simply based on the types of shots differant people take on elk (distance, angle, etc..).
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: kglacken on March 27, 2012, 08:55:17 PM: Quote from: buglebuster on March 27, 2012, 03:36:23 AM
23 bulls called in on the westside :yike:
:yeah: I wish...
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: DoubleJ on March 27, 2012, 09:22:22 PM: Quote from: STIKNSTRINGBOW on March 27, 2012, 07:50:51 PM
Quote
seems like most hunters stop after mile 3 with out a motor underneath them
WOW !! thats about 2 miles further than where I hunt !! LOL ! must be good hunting !!

You sir, are my kind of hunter!
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on March 28, 2012, 06:53:58 AM: Quote from: DoubleJ on March 27, 2012, 09:22:22 PM
Quote from: STIKNSTRINGBOW on March 27, 2012, 07:50:51 PM
Quote
seems like most hunters stop after mile 3 with out a motor underneath them
WOW !! thats about 2 miles further than where I hunt !! LOL ! must be good hunting !!

You sir, are my kind of hunter!
I have always thought it strange that hunters only walk in a mile, then turn around when they are not seeing anything :dunno:
I used to start at top of Frost mountain and hunt the motorcycle trail down to Taneum Junction, only run into footprints on the trail near the bottom, but all the Elk tracks were near top and upper 3rd.
Same with Shoestring, Hoyght mining, etc...
Now in SW Washington, I park at gates, and still only see cars in the morning, even if I walk out AT dark, yet if I talk to anyone, they are not seeing/hearing anything, while I have been chasing Elk .. :dunno:
Best spot I found last year was 4 miles in, and had the place to myself.
Title: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on March 28, 2012, 07:05:31 PM: I believe 23 bulls in a season. I would say I average between 2-3 bulls a day. Every bull is different. The area I start seeing elk is about 1.5 miles from vehicle. On some days I put on 11 miles with a big loop we do. Ive shot 2 bulls with my bow in 4 years. I would say my success rate is rather low like 20%. I'm usually by myself so I have been learning alot if I killed every bull I have seen in archery season it would be ridiculous. I'm still learning these creatures. The people that say they are 50% or higher I would have to ask how many years and bulls they have killed. I'm
Speaking only for archery.
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: rb2506 on March 28, 2012, 07:17:23 PM: not to throw this off topic but I had a spot a coulpe years ago a quarter mile off the blacktop with elk every time, loved it when people flew by me at 100 mph :chuckle:
Title: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on March 28, 2012, 07:20:52 PM: Haha we had a spot like that too. We call it haywire swamp. They logged all around it now & it doesn't produce.
Title: Re: odds of geting a shot on rosys
Post by: rb2506 on March 28, 2012, 07:28:34 PM: not to mention less than five minutes from the house, its getting grown over now but always a good little walk :)