Shoot or No Shot, Episode 7.

[WapitiTalk1]

SW Montana, archery elk hunt, 15 September, 5:40 PM. You are the shooter in a cold calling setup. Your buddy is dead ahead of bullwinkle in the sparse pine about 40 yards, and, has successfully called this guy in from your 3 oclock, across the small opening, to a point where the bull stops and decides to advertise his bullhood a bit by thrashing a small fir sapling. You know it's 40 yards to the bent over pine that the elk has so rudely stopped on the other side of. It's the 3rd day of your 10 day hunt and the light wind is blowing from left to right from where you are located. You're on your knees at full draw with good cover to your back, in the direction of the yellow arrow.

Shoot or no shot?


Reminder that if you save the picture to your desktop and open in MS Paint, you'll be able to place a spot, X, or whatever on the critter before you save it back to a jpg and add the marked up pic with your post.

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[BrentLaBere]

Shoot.

[elk.addict]

No shot. The pine is 40 yards away, and I'm fine with that distance, but I can't tell for sure how far he is behind that pine. Looks like he'd be at 50 yards, but even if I'm guessing 10 yard short it would be significant change of trajectory at this distance. I'll wait and hope he comes a bit closer or gives me a chance to range him.

[twinkieman]

I'd pass on a quartering to shot, wait until I had him broadside, or if he turned to leave I'd give, give nervous grunt to stop him, then shoot.

[easeup]

shootin also. I would aim just a tad lower than Brent.
what the heck he already killed that bull. I'll go get the horses.

[elk-n-walleye]

he's unaware of my presence and only slightly quartering towards me. After he releases the small pine from under his neck which is bouncing up and down in the area of the vitals I assume it will have some spring left in it. It will return to an upright position albeit less upright but it will be out of the way. if that is how it plays out I would take that shot.

[Wapitibob]

An arrow is leavin the bow in a NY minute. Front leg will likely never be that far forward again and he's angled such that both lungs are easily getting hit.

[Toby]

This is a tough one, but I'm am drawing my bow and if I feel good I am releasing right where Brent did.

[scrubs]

I`d wait for him to turn, or move myself.

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

I shoot traditional. That is too far for me. But put me 10-12 yards closer and I am taking the shot, while blessing the rainbow trajectory of my 740 grain spear that makes the pine tree a non issue.

[Mikeha33]

If he is raking, then I am going to wait until he stops for 1/2 second, and I am gonna put one in the same spot Brent noted. UNLESS, he is bending that sapling over, then I'll have to wait another 5/8 of a second for it to pop up out of the way to get a very clear shot. With that leg that far forward, his vitals are opened up like an overfilled venison cheesesteak sammich, which I'd be eating not to far after this encounter. 40 yards, chip shot in the backyard. 40 yards with a 300"+ herd bull standing in front of me, well, I'm going to trust my training. And test my nerves!

[tdiesel]

the light wind is blowing from left to right from where you are located !!!!!!!!!!!!! most important statment with the caller straight ahead of the bull
you have about .0001 seconds to be shooting its just a matter of time before that bull is doing the 180*flop and hauling azz out of there I would count my blesssings to even have the opportunity at the bull cause honestly its amazing he made it to that point. as far as placement put 40 yrd pin just over the pine bow and touch her off depth is hard to tell in pic but in real life you would have a better idea. I'm shooting probably hit very close to where brent painted or might even be a little lower as arrow archs over the limb once again depending on how far behind the tree he is

[JPD350]

As soon as the pin steady's on the spot I am releasing an arrow as well!

[Wyo67]

Shoot.

Yup...

[Swede]

I'm shootin.

[Indian Summer]

I wouldn't call that quartering away and his on side leg is conveniently extended opening up the money spot even more.

Ditto Brent including his red dot. I like the height of it just fine. Whammo!

[stringunner]

shoot!!!!!

[Elkduds]

Pretty much a broadside shot w left leg kinda forward, so that is in favor of shooting @ the red dot others posted. I would want to know the range to the elk, not the branch. The photo makes it hard to judge that distance, look how big the needles appear on the blocking branch.

[WapitiTalk1]

Both Mikeha33 and elk-n-walleye noticed that the bull has his big old neck "on top" of that sapling which is 100% correct. I know it's a bit tough to see with the downsized picture, but, that's why the sapling seems a bit blurry (it's moving). Now that this has been clarified, are you still touching off an arrow? With this new bit of confirmed information, do you have a quickly brewed up, alternative thinking plan to try to get an arrow in this bull before the prevailing wind puts your buddies stinky scent in bullwinkles snout?

Best impromtu plan for this developing situation gets a free truck wash from Swede, or, a free pizza delivery from Indian Summer to your wilderness area of choice (some rules and restrictions apply) ....

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[jrnorton4]

You mean you haven't shot yet? Are you trying to make him "the one that got away"? I don't claim any expertise with elk, but unless he is moving his head sharply to his right, meaning the tree is within a second of springing up, I'm still shooting right now, same spot as Brent. And if he is still moving his head to his left, the thing should stay down long enough to sail an arrow over it.

[Indian Summer]

No restrictions on the delivery but have a cold one ready.

I released prior to your last post Phantom.

The red dot is where my arrow in the dirt 10 yards past that bull after a pass through.

[twinkieman]

After reading all the posts, you guys are right, the front leg is forward. I will revise, thanks to what I have read, I'm shootin

[WapitiTalk1]

You guys are unflappable. I already shot also This situation is short lived with the wind and that big bruiser wouldn't of had two rakes before my arrow made it's way to it's mark.

[jmez]

I'm going to shoot.

[Tritonhead]

Both Mikeha33 and elk-n-walleye noticed that the bull has his big old neck "on top" of that sapling which is 100% correct. I know it's a bit tough to see with the downsized picture, but, that's why the sapling seems a bit blurry (it's moving). Now that this has been clarified, are you still touching off an arrow? With this new bit of confirmed information, do you have a quickly brewed up, alternative thinking plan to try to get an arrow in this bull before the prevailing wind puts your buddies stinky scent in bullwinkles snout?

Best impromtu plan for this developing situation gets a free truck wash from Swede, or, a free pizza delivery from Indian Summer to your wilderness area of choice (some rules and restrictions apply) ....

freeimage2.jpg

I am new to this site and to elk hunting and don't want to ruffle too many feathers, but....if that tree is moving up and down it would be hard to time an arrow. I guess I will take the chance that I can get a shot once it springs out of the way. If he gets away, that is better than a gut shot bull. Just my humble opinion.

[ishy]

I'm shootin, with the couple feet of sapling stuck under his neck I'm confident he'll hold it down plenty for me. It'll stay under the vitals as long as it's under his neck and looks likes he's still got an ich to keep workin on. +1 on Brent's dot.