nocked arrow ?

[JJ Overkill]

I was thinking about this today, how many of you when calling for a partner have an arrow nocked while calling? im curious as to how many callers have had an elk sneak in them while calling to another elk for the shooter.

[Trophyhill]

I was thinking about this today, how many of you when calling for a partner have an arrow nocked while calling? im curious as to how many callers have had an elk sneak in them while calling to another elk for the shooter.

You better believe it

[JJ Overkill]

I think there where times when I was calling for you and Cameron when I didn't have an arrow on the string.

[Swede]

I sometimes do not carry my bow with me when I call for a friend. Of coarse I am calling because I have filled my elk tag from my tree stand.

[easeup]

always if we are set up or even while eating lunch on the mountain

[WapitiTalk1]

Normally but when the situation dictates that I must create a realistic illusion and move back, forth, up, down, sideways, etc., I either put arrow back in my quiver or at a minimum hold it in my non bow hand, away from my body. Don't need to see what that shuttle t does to a human. Safety first

[cnelk]

I remember in 2009 I was up hunting by myself, not taking things very seriously.
I set up and called - bow was leaning on the tree - arrows in quiver.

Not 3 minutes later this big ol fat cow comes burning in and stands about 10 yards away
She stood there just long long enough for me to get an arrow out of the quiver, get it knocked
and she then was burning the other way....

I take things a tad more seriously after that

[msd1228]

I have an arrow nocked 100% of the time anybody is calling, even if I'm not the planned shooter. Sometimes those buggers don't do what you expect them to and they completely bypass the intended shooter from some oddball direction and come right into the callers lap.

[Buglemaster]

Always! I've killed several elk that slipped by the "shootist" & walked right into my life. Life is good!

[>>>---WW---->]

Believe it or not, but the answer here is NO! I don't nock up an arrow until I see the elk. To me it is part of the challenge just to see what I can get away with. Ya, I know, I'm a little different. But it has never cost me a shot opertunity yet.

[ElkNut1]

You bet, an arrow is nocked if I have my bow with me & I'm calling for someone else. (I don't always have it with me) On countless occasions over the years bulls have snuck in the back door!

ElkNut1

[BrentLaBere]

Yes. Last year I started to place my bow with an arrow knocked on a broken limb(hang it up) and walk 50 yards or so in the other direction. With the cold calling set up and work my way to my bow. half way there or so I would wind down the sequence and slip quietly over to my bow and set up and wait. Never did work but its better than not being ready. It will pan out some day.

[pointysticks]

i'm pretty careful.

my bow is only loaded if there is the slimmest chance i need to come to full draw. that's it.

my two friends. one of them stabbed the other once..while hiking loaded. funny story, but it could have been bad.

[Z Barebow]

I do after my first elk hunt! I learned the hard way.

I was young and stupid (Now I am old and stupid!). Last morning, I could hear two bulls from camp. I beat feet, paralleling the ridge they were on. Once I was directly below, I ran up the ridge and stopped on the elevation I thought they were. One bugled to the left (~ 200 yards). The one on the right was silent. Bull # 1 bugles again, nothing from bull #2. I still had on my pack and bow was in my hand, arrows in the quiver. I wanted to move up or down in elevation if needed, without stabbing myself. Bull #1 bugles again but no closer, but nothing from #2. I glance to my right, (nothing), left-nothing, and then back right. I see #2 at 40 yds weaving through the oak brush coming directly at me. I drop to my knees and fumbling quietly for an arrow (if there is such a thing), somehow nock an arrow and stand up. As I rise, the bull is clearing a tree at 12 yards. He sees me and whirls. I managed to stop him at 40 yards and was 1" away from boiler room. As it went, I hit shoulder blade and watched him plow by me with 29" of arrow hanging out.

If I would have had an arrow nocked, I could have drawn as he passed behind brush and had a point blank shot vs a point blank encounter. As it was, I tracked him for 1/4 mile with deep tracks, drips and then nothing.

That was 1998.

[Trophyhill]

I think there where times when I was calling for you and Cameron when I didn't have an arrow on the string.

you just never know which direction they will come in from. specially the silent ones!

[twinkieman]

I am always at the ready, while I haven't shot any of the bulls that have snuck in, I have drawn my bow multiple times. I always have an arrow on the string at every setup.

[ishy]

Always during a setup.