Shoot or No Shot Episode #2, 2017

[WapitiTalk1]

Date/Time: Late September, 2017/10:30 AM
Location: Somewhere in the elk woods
Hunt Pressure Status: Minimal
Hunt: Partner Hunt
Tag: Archery tag; branch antlered bull (3 PT or better) or cow

It's the second to the last day of your elk hunt this morning. Although you've gotten close and had a few opportunities on bulls, and, helped your buddy pack out his tasty 5X5, you've not released an arrow yet. After you've moved in on a vocal bull, you surmise that the bull and his gals are bedded about 60 yards from you. Game plan is set in your mind; you'll keep the wind in your favor for a bit and see what shakes out. After sitting, listening, smelling, and watching for 10 minutes you hear and visually detect movement coming from your front right. Back over your right shoulder, your buddy is a bit higher on the gentle slope than you and sees what's coming in and times a nervous grunt perfectly! This nice freezer filler stops where she is at now, 30 yards away.

Shot or no shot here?

If you're shooting, save the picture to your desktop and open in MS Paint, then place a spot, X, or whatever on the critter before you save it back to a jpg or png and add the marked up pic with your post.

[Swede]

I'm Shooting. Cows taste just fine.

Cow1.jpg (250.92 KiB) Viewed 10079 times

[Lefty]

With a rifle, ML or cross bow I would be taking Swedes red dot,..
Archery I'm going back and lower and inch and 1/2", Hoping for an artery, but if too much lung I can wait 30 minutes before tracking.
Those needle would jump out and grab my arrow

[ishy]

Thwap. I'm shooting the right edge of Swede's dot at 4 o'clock position.

[Elkhunttoo]

Shot is there, but I let it walk, 1 more day I get to be in the woods chasing bulls ...

When my wife took the Idaho archery class he instructer put a picture up with an elk in the same stance. He had some people go up and show where they were going to shot and most of the people picked up in the crease. He said although that's a great shot he recommended you hold right in the middle of the kill zone as to get your self the most room for error. Just thought of that when I saw the picture

[saddlesore]

I'd shoot 3-4,inches further towards the rear, maybe a tad lower.Catch both lungs dead center.Lee blood shot meat form not nicking the scapula

[Mathewsz7-elkridge]

I am not shooting. My partner would be splitting that 5 pt that is already at the meat locker. Half an elk is plenty of meat for us. The trip has already been a successful trip. We're going for that heard bull. We're inside sixty yards in late September! Time to run right at that cow scaring her off letting out the best big bull scream followed by some cow whines. Would be moving up just a little to give me the most shooting lanes for the bull with steam coming out of his nose.

If it wasn't for having a elk down already I would be shooting. I agree with lefty and saddlesore shot needs to be a little farther back. Those needles look to be up to no good.

[stringunner]

I agree with swedes shot. I'm shooting at that shot and would be happy as ever to take a cow. Racks on the wall are nice but there is not guarantee I get a chance at the bull. I would take that shot on day one or the 2nd to last day.

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

A trophy is in the eyes of the beholder. But, then again, a freezer full of meat is in the eyes of the beholder as well. Do what you want. But before you release the string, put the correct pin on the spot you want to hit. Then look at all your other pins. This will show you where the arc of your arrow will be and those various yardages between you and the target. If any of them is on something that may deflect the shot, don't do it!

[Mathewsz7-elkridge]

A trophy is in the eyes of the beholder. But, then again, a freezer full of meat is in the eyes of the beholder as well. Do what you want. But before you release the string, put the correct pin on the spot you want to hit. Then look at all your other pins. This will show you where the arc of your arrow will be and those various yardages between you and the target. If any of them is on something that may deflect the shot, don't do it!

Looking at my pin won't help me clear those needles. It appears to me they are at 8 yards or less. Everyone's bow is different. Depending on fps and where there sight picture compared to the release point. Most compond bow guys shoot peep. I will explain it with the peep. Everything else should make sense too. The greater the distance your peep is from your nocking point the farther down range your arrow goes below your sights. There is probably a name for this I always called it line below sight. The way I find find my line below my sight is easy. Shot your bow at inside 20 yards at a paper target and mark the shot holes with I marker. I start at 1 yard go to 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 yards. If you don't like the shot put tape over it and shoot again. Those super close shot help when your setup in a brushy area by mistake or the animal comes in from behind where your cover should be.

[Swede]

My observation of arrow flight is the same as WW's. From about 5-20+ yards the arrow will be higher than the 30 yard point of aim. The arrow drops down as it arcs to the point of impact and where my second pin, is positioned for 30 yards on the elk's side. When hunters say they are afraid the brush will reach out and grab their arrow, it just says their target area is larger than they are comfortable when aiming on a small point. That is ok if you keep it in mind and don't over extend your range. I know I am not as good as some others, that are more accurate at long range than I am. When I drew the spot on the cow, I covered in red, the area where I would reasonable expect for my arrow to hit. I expect the arrow to be higher over the branches than the 30 yard pin would indicate.

[TimeOnTarget]

With a rifle, ML or cross bow I would be taking Swedes red dot,..
Archery I'm going back and lower and inch and 1/2", Hoping for an artery, but if too much lung I can wait 30 minutes before tracking.
Those needle would jump out and grab my arrow

Lefty nailed my response exactly. I'm filling the freezer.

[Elkduds]

How close to me are those limbs w needles? Phantom, gotta get you a 3D camera.

[WapitiTalk1]

Geez, I don't know. Guessing the cow is perhaps 10 yards on the other side of the pine bows by the red arrow, and, the cow is perhaps 5 yards on the other side of the little scrub pine just on the other side of the dead tree on the right? Ha, I don't even know what a 3D camera is

[Elkduds]

Thanks. I'm shooting in the gap between pine boughs above the red arrow. Aim point is middle of that gap, just below the shadow line on that bratwurst w hooves.

[Wyo67]

Before I take a cow, I need to know how far I'll have to pack it...

[Swede]

I don't think I will hunt where I won't pack out a cow. Especially a nice fat dry one. I shot a fat, dry cow in 2015 and surprisingly found her to be not that tender. She was the fattest elk I ever shot, but she tended to be a little tough. So much for fat equals tender, unless than the butcher shop got things messed up.

[jmez]

I'm shooting.

[lamrith]

Cow down. Swede and Jmex shot locations are both good. That branch looks like it is closer to shooter than elk, so how much it might be moving from wind would be the only concern. Not an issue for me though, being a talk drink of water I know I shoot from a few inches higher than RJ can see to take that picture, so I am up and clear of the branch no problem. The Elite gets it's 1st notch and the new KUIU pack gets a real world test. Backstraps for dinner!

[saddlesore]

I don't think I will hunt where I won't pack out a cow. Especially a nice fat dry one. I shot a fat, dry cow in 2015 and surprisingly found her to be not that tender. She was the fattest elk I ever shot, but she tended to be a little tough. So much for fat equals tender, unless than the butcher shop got things messed up.

That cow could have been past the breeding age. old=tough usually

[lamrith]

I don't think I will hunt where I won't pack out a cow. Especially a nice fat dry one. I shot a fat, dry cow in 2015 and surprisingly found her to be not that tender. She was the fattest elk I ever shot, but she tended to be a little tough. So much for fat equals tender, unless than the butcher shop got things messed up.

Happens quite a bit. I know on the local forums here in WA, a great great many guys process their own, and will never take to be processed due to problems they had in the past. Nothing like taking a fat cow in to be butchered and getting back rutty bull meat.....

[saddlesore]

I like a full double lung shot with a rifle

Cow1.jpg (278.8 KiB) Viewed 9895 times

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

Good spot there Saddlesore. You don't mess up any shoulder meat with a rifle that way. It is also a kill shot with a bow. Maybe a hair lower would be even better for a great blood trail. They'll be blowing out blood mist on both sides with every breath they take.

[saddlesore]

I like it at that spot because the main blood flow to the lungs is there and the bronchial tube is cut too. Either way, should shred the lungs though