What does this rookie do? #1

[Fridaythe13th]

9:00 am. Temp is 50 degrees. Sept 13th. Archery season. Your best hunting buddy and you are walking up a mountain at a 45 degree angle. Wind is in your face blowing down the hill at a 2 o'clock position. Terrain is small rolling hills with dark timber on the northeast side of the mountain, elevation is 7'500. As you come over the rise you see antlers from a legal bull straight in front of you at 12 o'clock , all you can see is the rack. The bull is laying down, quartering away between some dead trees at 35 yds. NO SHOT! and not a 100% sure if you have a shot even if he stands up in that spot because of the down logs. The bull has no idea that you are there. What should we do? What are my options?

[Waygoner]

Hopefully you already decided who gets 1st shot! One hunter drops back 40 yds or so and the other sets up. Cow call from below brings the bull to his feet and the arrow flies!

[BRazz]

I gather the wind is in my favor, as is the element of surprise (since we walked up on this bull). I will freeze, make no calls, and check the wind - if the wind is poor, I'm open to backing down the hill and back around by a couple hundred yards. If the wind is good, I'll try to silently sneak for a shot while keeping downwind. My buddy stays put with a call at the ready and an arrow nocked - very likely that either of us will have a shot.

As I creep, my main concerns are (1) the wind (2) making a noise that will make my bull start and (3) other elk bedded nearby that will bust me. Therefore I am constantly monitoring the wind, watching my bull, scanning surroundings for other elk, and ranging landmarks. I am ready to take a shot in the instant that one abruptly presents itself.

That's what I'd try to do anyway.

[WapitiTalk1]

Solo bull probably, keeping the wind in his favor (thermals coming down) and he "should" be in a position to watch/hear what's coming from below. Take adantage of the situation by dropping the non shooter in place. Shooter continues to use what got him to that point (thermals in favor and bull picking a poor place to nap), sneaks in using the available cover, until he is in a position to draw on the bull. Buddy is ready to shatter the morning air with a crisp popping grunt if need be.