Shoot or No Shot 2021 - Episode #1

Joined
Oct 7, 2018
Messages
24
I run these types of elk hunting scenario threads on a few hunting sites (good way to kill time during the long off season). Let’s see if they gain some traction on ROKSLIDE.


Location: Somewhere in the elk woods
Hunt Pressure Status: Minimal
Hunt: Partner Hunt
Camp Type: Base Camp, driving then hiking to various spots
Tag: Archery; 3 PT or better bull.

You have got to be kidding me! You're on your very first elk hunt and for the past year or so, have wisely hung out on a few of the good hunting forums (ROKSLIDE, WapitiTalk, and Archery Talk/Western Forum), and learned a few tips/tricks from the local riff raff. You and your partner heard an unsolicited bugle at zero dark thirty and wisely, did not made a peep on your own. You instead make a plan to work the prevailing morning thermals and dump into the draw and work "up" on the bull you heard in an attempt to get close, really close, to where you think he and his gals may be heading before you made a decision on whether to call or not. This took you and your buddy a long time and NOW, the thermals are getting ready to change in the late morning....oh hell, they already are switching! Once in close, within what you think is 70ish yards or less of the beast (you've followed his vocalizations throughout the morning and stop at what you think just may be the bench he and his harem is/are bedding down on) and decide now is the time....... You position yourself on the bench/same elevation as the vocal bull, move a bit more across the bench, check the wind and confirm that yep, it’s starting to switch to going uphill and set/drop your partner/shooter and retreat to your calling location...... Now, you quickly scour your memories of Elknut's playbook and decide you're close enough to post a "threat" to Barney Bull.... Several distressed, whiny cow calls are thrown over your shoulder and almost in the same breath you throw out your biggest, baddest, not ready for prime time, “SCREAM/challenge/I've got your cows mister bugle”, directly at the unseen bull and in the next 5 seconds the response comes quick and it is both verbal and physical......HE'S COMING AND COMING/ FAST…Cripes! He busts through the pine fast and then slows down to a walk, positioned where you see him now in the pic. Your partner may or may not have a shot from his angle (original shooter, about 25 yards to the front of the bull) and you're already at full draw, with your diaphragm hanging between your top and bottom lips (original caller) and the bull is less than 20 yards from where you kneel..........

Shoot or no shot for the original caller at this point in time? For the original shooter? Or, knees are a knocking too bad (sounds like somebody's shaking a paper bag with walnut shells in it) with both original caller and shooter too rattled to even shoot?



If you save the thread 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 if you decide you’re shooting.
 

Attachments

  • Bull Head On!  .png
    Bull Head On! .png
    918 KB · Views: 95

Jbehredt

WKR
Joined
Mar 4, 2017
Messages
1,711
Location
Colorado
These threads stress me out because so many guys are about to get 4” of penetration on the shoulder or clip liver and guts then talk about how “if you hunt long enough it’s going too happen” That picture, no shot. Bury my 20 in his chest and if he turns left and hesitates for a second I’d release.
 

ndayton

WKR
Joined
Oct 31, 2017
Messages
343
Location
Oregon
These threads stress me out because so many guys are about to get 4” of penetration on the shoulder or clip liver and guts then talk about how “if you hunt long enough it’s going too happen” That picture, no shot. Bury my 20 in his chest and if he turns left and hesitates for a second I’d release.
That's what I was thinking, no shot at that angle.
 
Joined
Jan 3, 2021
Messages
395
Location
Iowa
If I had ice in my veins I'd maybe start thinking about beginning to consider the frontal shot. Living in reality where I've got shit in my shorts and my heart is going 170? No way. We're waiting for this big boy to turn.

Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2019
Messages
341
Location
High Seas...sometimes with rum
Caller side: Doable
Shot my bull a little bit more quartering toward than that at about 13 yds, put arrow right behind the scapula as he took a step forward, took both lungs, liver, and point of broadhead poked the intestines. It's not a shot for the faint of heart with a bow that's not 100% dialed in.

Shooter side: Doable
As everyone knows with a frontal shot, better have your anatomy dialed in, and be able to X ring 20-30 yds like clockwork. Even then, I took a frontal shot and the bull flinched just enough to where I hit his shoulder instead. As always, at the mercy of the universe, even if you do everything right.
 

Attachments

  • IMG-6469.jpg
    IMG-6469.jpg
    517.4 KB · Views: 42

Wapiti1

WKR
Joined
Sep 18, 2017
Messages
3,572
Location
Indiana
If the shooter is within 25-30 yards, and straight on, I would wait for him to stand straight after that bugle, and take the frontal shot. If there is any angle, pass for a better look.

Jeremy
 

Ross

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
4,687
Location
Liberty Lake, WA
Passed so many of these since 1986 and slept well....up to the shooter to make the decision knowing it is not the broad head, arrow, bow or devils fault if it does not work out.
 

Laramie

WKR
Joined
Apr 17, 2020
Messages
2,619
Exactly as pictured, I would personally not shoot. The bull only needs one step with the right leg to open up a double lung shot which he appears to be doing. That exact shot opportunity played out on my last archery bull. He died 45 steps later. I would be at full draw with my pin holding the near shoulder line waiting for that step.
 
Joined
Jan 25, 2018
Messages
927
Location
Wyoming
These threads stress me out because so many guys are about to get 4” of penetration on the shoulder or clip liver and guts then talk about how “if you hunt long enough it’s going too happen” That picture, no shot. Bury my 20 in his chest and if he turns left and hesitates for a second I’d release.
I have been that dumb dumb who drills the shoulder on this shot...cept I got like 2" of penetration. Broadhead broke at insert. Yeah, I'm passing.
 
Joined
Jun 29, 2020
Messages
335
I killed my elk with a shot about like that but it was at 13 yds. More than that I would wait for a slight turn more
 
Top