Elk jumping the string?

[Kevrod3]

How many of you aim lower on a nervous elk? Of the hundreds of elk hunts I've watch most of the elk drop a little but they usually fall away(turning or whipping around aggressively) as opposed to dropping straight down like a whitetail. So where do you aim?

[easeup]

so far I have never aimed anywhere but the exact spot to hit.
Maybe because I have not shot one that was in alert mode. some of them were looking at me when I shot them but no string jump issue.

[jmez]

I aim right where I want to hit an animal, no matter the species. I don't try to compensate for something that may or may not happen, and if it does may not happen as I think it will.

[Swede]

I am the same as easeup and jmez. I will hold off when they are looking at me, but shoot for the spot I want to hit.

[ElkNut1]

Holding low meaning heart height is definitely a good idea in case the elk drops at the shot, it's more common than some may feel. When looking back at videos of some of our hunts in slow motion you will find elk drop down some in nearly all clips. In most cases it happens so quick the eye doesn't pick it up. We are amazed at how far some do drop before arrow gets there in the 40yd or under distances. Aiming low while still in the vitals is not a bad idea. Distance, alertness & angle of elk can all come into play in decision making.

ElkNut1

[Screaming_btf]

I aim where I want to hit so far, but I can see the reason one might aim a little low on a nervous ELK.

[ishy]

I got a bear jumping the string on video, he did the change direction thing more than a drop went from a 45 degree quartering away to almost straight away by the time the arrow hit. Video can be pretty enlightening as everything is happening so fast at the shot.
That being said I don't aim low but in the middle of the vitals. I want the most oppurtunity to get the job done. I feel too many variables from an unseen branch, jumping the string, just taking a step at the shot, miss judging distance, not reranging distance after an animal has taken more steps etc....the list just goes on. Even at 3D shoots I tend to stay away from the 10 ring just because it hugs the elbow/shoulder bone and it's at the bottom of the vitals with little room for error if any. Any of you that went to the full draw tour last year saw the result of hugging that shoulder too tight.

[G Posik]

I aim right where I want to hit every time, no matter what. I shoot a trad bow and even if they do spook by the time the arrow gets there they have calmed down and relaxed again. The only time it is an issue is on long shots. You stand the chance the could bed down before the arrow gets there.

In all seriousness if they are acting nervous I do not draw. I will wait them out. Then just aim where I want to hit. I do this with all animals. I feel if you try to predict where they will duck, dodge or jump you will get burned. So aim small!

Glenn