Call, Crawl, Charge, or Other 2016 Scenario #1

[WapitiTalk1]

Hunting journal: Western Washington (yep, you finally get to take a crack at a Roosevelt Elk); 16 September 2016; 8:30 AM; archery season. It's the last day of your solo 7 day hunt, and your tag allows you to take a bull or cow in this GMU. The bulls in this area have been pretty vocal for the previous four days but mostly right before/after dark and very early in the morning. Pausing where you are at now to listen and look for a minute (35 yards from where you are about to see the herd, in the direction of the yellow arrow), you hear elk moving from up to your right and try to position yourself in an intercept position. After setting up as fast as you could in this semi-open bowl, here they come pretty quickly down the hill to your right, across the small fern bowl, and seem to be heading up towards the hill to your left to a possible bedding area in a steep vine maple thicket. You can see by the blue arrow where the wind is currently blowing.

Call, crawl, charge, or other (wait it out or plan a move to another spot). What's your plan of attack to arrow an elk?

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[Fridaythe13th]

Last day of your hunt, 35 yards, and your simi set up. Draw, nervous grunt and let the arrow fly.

So I guess call and shoot.

[Indian Summer]

Well it's western Washington which means it just rained for the past 364 days so I ain't doin' no belly crawl that's for sure!

[WapitiTalk1]

Well it's western Washington which means it just rained for the past 364 days so I ain't doin' no belly crawl that's for sure!

It has not, does not.. Sometimes it doesn't rain here for two or three days at a time. That's what we call drought year

[huntnfolk]

If I'm reading the scenario right, I'm with Friday's response. 35 yards away....Stop that bull with a nervous grunt and send the arrow on that bull.

Indian Summer: Belly crawling wouldn't have been an issue in Western Washington this September, it was bone dry. The summer was so dry this year that the spring where I normally get water dried up!

[Swede]

The wet ground is not an issue, but elk on the move is. I don't think I would be effective belly crawling up to get closer. The elk just move too fast. I'm with the grunt and draw group. Thirty five yards should be good on a standing broadside bull.

[Heartwood]

As long as I had time to get a good range on him at 35 yards. Yes, NG while drawing or right before anchor point then settle the pin low and tight and execute the shot.

[ishy]

Get drawn if not already, NG and shot, no question.

[lamrith]

You have your decoy out already right?

Draw, grunt, and send a splinter into the boiler room. Picture is probably 15-20yrds or so out, plus 35, make it a 50-55yrd shot, perfect broadside. If he stops he drops and I start calling buddies, because there be backstraps on the fire tonight!