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When to draw on a bull

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When to draw on a bull

Postby Jhg » 04 09, 2022 •  [Post 1]

There he is.

Was it luck or your savvy? Right then it doesn't matter because here he comes, 35yds out. There is a game trail below and to the back of you. That was where you expected action. Why just yesterday morning 7 cows and a herd bull walked right smack dab up just the side of it. He was yours, the beautiful culmination of hard work and scouting. Hadn't you gone to full draw? Oh yeah, right to anchor. But thats when all hell broke loose. What the hell? Then you noticed for the first time the yearling cow straggler. She had frozen a laser look at you as you drew and the herd bull, not having gotten that way by sticking around for confirmations took the cue, spun on a dime leaving change, and was out of there.

But that was then. Right now an almost as nice bull was coming into you from the other side. He turned, bugling a very quiet advertising bugle and started walking upslope and it was easy for you to adjust your stance to accommodate his pathway. You picked a shooting lane, 25-ish yards. The sweat made palming your recurve uncomfortable. You slowed your breathing in an attempt to get the heart rate steadied.
The bull had no clue you were there. He was broadside just below a big christmas tree. You wait until his head is behind the tree and draw smoothly. When he clears that tree the arrow is going into his lungs. It will be a pass through. You know it will.The distance, your stance, his body position. All will be perfect.

But that isn't what happened. The bull, even with a thick tree between you, saw you raise your bow, draw and he never stepped past that tree. He stopped behind it, his vitals obscured. Then it was a game of attrition. His patience vs your ability to keep a recurve at full draw. When you finally had to let off, muscles in agony, he saw it. Turning slowly he walked back from where he had first appeared.
He was the last bull you saw that season. Tag Soup seemed especially bitter that year. You knew he had been a gift. You had blown it.

So when do you draw on a bull? Every situation is different, sure. But what do you look for that tells you when to commit?
What would you have done?

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Jhg
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Re: When to draw on a bull

Postby Swede » 04 09, 2022 •  [Post 2]

Unless I could see that the bull was looking through the tree branches in my direction, I would have done the same thing you did. He had the advantage as those white fir branches are hard to see through at a distance but being next to it, he could check things out like he was just peeking at you.
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Re: When to draw on a bull

Postby Lefty » 04 09, 2022 •  [Post 3]

My dad was a fanatic with game. You only take good shots
No Hail Mary's, "No Luck of the Irish" shots allowed. If there is doubt,, dont take the shot, if your hoping or wishing , dont take the shot

We know what we are capable of and what were not, We know what our arrows, and bullets are capable of.. But knowing what we can do is the choice maker.
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Re: When to draw on a bull

Postby Jhg » 04 10, 2022 •  [Post 4]

When do we you draw on a bull? Do you wait until he cannot see you draw? Do you draw early and wait for the shot?

Ethical shots are a given. Asking about the decision process an archer makes that determine when to draw on a bull in regards to the animals approach. Have the elk you have drawn on that see you draw stop? Do they bolt?
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Re: When to draw on a bull

Postby Swede » 04 10, 2022 •  [Post 5]

As a hunter with an 80% let off bow, my decision on when to draw can be very different than the one you make. I can hold a long time. Two years ago, I drew on an elk and held so long I had to let down. Fortunately, when it moved forward it was still oblivious to my presence and stopped again within a few steps. It was looking for the bull that called two hours earlier. If I was shooting a stick and string bow, I would try to draw at the first opportunity expecting to release very soon after pulling back my bow string.
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Re: When to draw on a bull

Postby Tigger » 04 11, 2022 •  [Post 6]

It is so difficult to answer that question. You need to read the animal and the terrain. Then make a decision. That decision is what separates the hunters from the hikers!
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Re: When to draw on a bull

Postby Jhg » 04 11, 2022 •  [Post 7]

I was wondering if anyone prefers drawing when the animal can see you and if there is a distance/behavior that determines that. For example, I have pulled back on elk inside 10 yards and they bolt away. No shot.
A relaxed animal at =<20 yds maybe he just stops and "watches the arrow go in" to quote someone.
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Re: When to draw on a bull

Postby Swede » 04 11, 2022 •  [Post 8]

Jhg wrote:A relaxed animal at =<20 yds maybe he just stops and "watches the arrow go in" to quote someone.


That has just not been my experience. Sometimes, but not often you can get away with a little movement, but it takes quite a while at the least to get them to relax after they get just a bit suspicious. You are better to wait and draw when you will not be detected. If a bull catches a little movement, he will often give out some or many short barks sometimes called "popping barks". I do not remember ever killing a bull with my bow, which was suspicious of my presence. I have never heard of an elk just watching as an arrow was coming their way.
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Re: When to draw on a bull

Postby THE ELKMAN » 06 17, 2022 •  [Post 9]

Sometime right before you shoot... :lol:
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Re: When to draw on a bull

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 06 17, 2022 •  [Post 10]

Ya, pretty much ;). Welcome to the forum EM, glad to have you on board.
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Re: When to draw on a bull

Postby Lefty » 06 17, 2022 •  [Post 11]

Ok that was good Elkman and correct!!
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Re: When to draw on a bull

Postby Tigger » 06 17, 2022 •  [Post 12]

My cousin once broke that rule! He bumped the trigger on the draw and sent an arrow 50 feet over the deer. He has never, before or after, done that. So yes, after you draw is much much better.

This really is a good topic and many, many elk hunters goof this up. I once witnessed a veteran turkey hunter make this mistake when it was super easy to know when to draw. I never had the heart to ask him about it.
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