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Shoot or No Shot 2023 - Episode #1

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Shoot or No Shot 2023 - Episode #1

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 04 16, 2023 •  [Post 1]

Location: Somewhere in the elk woods
Hunt Pressure Status: Minimal
Hunt: Partner hunt
Date/Time: Early OCT around 10:30ish
Tag: Muzzleloader; 3 PT (or better) bull or antlerless

Quite the morning. After moving up the draw a good mile, following a vocal herd of wapiti (two bulls and a handful of cows), you and your partner set up to call just when you’re getting to the nice benchy area you’ve determined the herd is probably bedded on. A lot happens in the next minute. Caller is 100 yards in the direction of the red arrow. Shooter is 75 yards in the direction of the blue arrow. Caller gives a few whiny cow sounds and the satellite bull you see immediately bugles and moves to get the wind of the cow he heard… Dang it! The thermals have switched that quick and are now going in the direction of the yellow arrow. You have about two seconds until its thundering hooves and crashing brush, going up up and away.

Shooter has his/her smoke pole shouldered………. shoot or no shot here?

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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.
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Re: Shoot or No Shot 2023 - Episode #1

Postby ElkNut1 » 04 16, 2023 •  [Post 2]

I'm not techy enough to put an X on the bull but hell ya I'm shooting! (grin) If I need another second or two I'll nervous grunt him, he'll freeze right there!

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Re: Shoot or No Shot 2023 - Episode #1

Postby Swede » 04 16, 2023 •  [Post 3]

Of coarse I am shooting if I can get off a shot before Elknut.
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Re: Shoot or No Shot 2023 - Episode #1

Postby Elkhunttoo » 04 16, 2023 •  [Post 4]

Swedes spot will work for me…bang!
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Re: Shoot or No Shot 2023 - Episode #1

Postby Tigger » 04 17, 2023 •  [Post 5]

Bang! Flop! Get out the camera!
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Re: Shoot or No Shot 2023 - Episode #1

Postby saddlesore » 04 17, 2023 •  [Post 6]

Really, no shot until he takes another step. With muzzle loader unless you have darn tough bullet, you will not get through the shoulder into a kill zone. Even then it still might not get through and you are going to lose a lot of meat and probably have a long tracking job.

If I had very good rest I might try a neck spine shot, but a little dicey. If I miss the spine and go too low or too high and he will hit the ground if you clip the top of a vertebrae,but then get back up and take off with little chance of recovery. Too low and it means a long agonizing and painful death.

Most likely I would see if he takes another step. That left front shoulder will be the first to move and a heart or double lung shot might present itself.If not,I go find another bull.

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Re: Shoot or No Shot 2023 - Episode #1

Postby Jhg » 04 17, 2023 •  [Post 7]

I do most of my shooting practice freehand. Aperture sights. It is very hard to put one into the spot at 75yds freehand in real world conditions.
I can do it, and at that moment everything gets considered unconciously- bulls attitude, wind, am I cold or sucking air from humping up a slope.
IDK. I practice out to 100 free hand and off bench. I might wait just a few seconds. But then I might put one Swedes spot but who is to say thats where the bullet ends up. If its six inches right of Swedes spot you got a marginal hit or at least one I don't like.

With a nice branch as a rest and or "in the sling" and calm body, I might take it.

100yds, ap sights, off bench. It just ain't so simple when your front bead is covering a normal target area. See the outlyers? Very hard to avoid having those. So how is that shot on an elk such a slam dunk?

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Re: Shoot or No Shot 2023 - Episode #1

Postby Lefty » 04 18, 2023 •  [Post 8]

At 75 yards Ill take a rest with open sights. If rest is there I ll take the shot, (sticks or tree, otherwise, it may be thundering hooves and no regrets.
Scoped rifle ,, the bullet was on its way before you finished the scenario:lol:
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Re: Shoot or No Shot 2023 - Episode #1

Postby juglow » 04 21, 2023 •  [Post 9]

No shot…until he puts his leg down. Doubt he will bolt and even if he does, the leg is coming down and a shot opportunity will present itself 9/10 times. If not ohh well.
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