Shoot or No Shot 2016, Episode #6

[WapitiTalk1]

SW Montana, archery elk hunt, 15 September, 5:40 PM. You are the shooter in a Breeding Sequence (thanks Elknut) 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 35 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?

freeimage2.jpg (29.83 KiB) Viewed 4618 times

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.

[Swede]

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OK, I am at full draw and shooting. I want to hit just a little to the left of my dot. I don't know why my dot looked better when I painted it, but the idea is that the arrow will clear the sapling at 35 yards and make a lethal hit.

[Kessler10]

let er fly and aim just a couple inches higher than I normally would

[DBLGBL]

I'm shooting leg is forward my dot came our a little higher than I would like[url]C:\Users\techie\Desktop\freeimage2.jpg[/url]

2gbl

[Trophyhill]

right about there ought to do it. what do ya think?

[WapitiTalk1]

right about there ought to do it. what do ya think?

Yes sir. Dead elk.

[Trophyhill]

right about there ought to do it. what do ya think?

Yes sir. Dead elk.

you might could go a tad more forward too if you are one of those who shoot for the off side leg/shoulder?

[JJ Overkill]

I'm with dave on this one forsure

[Elkduds]

Can't decide whether the best shot is w his head down, thrashing and moving but distracted; or stopped by my caller w his head up. Your thoughts?

[Trophyhill]

Can't decide whether the best shot is w his head down, thrashing and moving but distracted; or stopped by my caller w his head up. Your thoughts?

Great point! A nervous grunt at full draw could be the ticket here or just wait for him to stop. Moving targets can be deceiving. A couple years ago while hunting mule deer, me and a buddy came across 2 bucks locked up and fighting. I said to him as we moved in to 20 yards, "I'll take the one on the left". Both broadside. As I started to touch off the shot, suddenly they moved and the one on the left was now head on and the other presented a Texas heart shot. My arrow sailed wide left and while attempting to nock another arrow, they saw me and bolted. Have I mentioned I love hunting rutting mulies too?

[Lefty]

That tree is really bent and could pop up any moment. Since Im at full draw Im aiming the same place as Trophyhill.
Depending on cover and if the bulls really working that tree I may move up.
Again depending on cover Is that bull going to advance towards my caller and give me a better shot opportunity?

But I seem to make bad choices Or at least my history shows that,..I let them get too close and blow it

[ElkNut1]

2" left of swedes red dot, dead bull & I'd take him where he stood, grab the packs! (grin)

ElkNut1

[ishy]

+1 with elk nut. Just curious trophy hill mentioned aiming for the far leg, does that work when they are quartering to you? Seems like that would put you into a bad line with the near leg's heavy bones for most quartering to angles?

[Trophyhill]

+1 with elk nut. Just curious trophy hill mentioned aiming for the far leg, does that work when they are quartering to you? Seems like that would put you into a bad line with the near leg's heavy bones for most quartering to angles?

it's iffy and you have to be perfect. I made a 40 yard shot on a cow in 2010 on a similar angle. I aimed for the center of the > and the shot drifted forward a couple inches. The arrow went thru right where the > meets, missing bone by a hair. She went 40 yards and tipped over after cutting arteries and slicing lungs. Not the best of pics but you can see where the arrow passed thru on the off side.