Which to shoot first?

[Rich M]

You slowly crest a ridge and there is a nice mule deer buck (not a world record but a solid buck) and a mid-sized 4x5 elk 150 yards out, 75 yards apart each doing their own thing. Terrain is rolling, scattered brush. They each have 100-150 yards to top a ridge.

You have both tags in your pocket and have to act quickly or lose the potential for the opportunity at both.

Which one do you shoot first?
Why?

Would you expect one or the other to stop & look back to see what's going on?

Elk slower or faster than deer? Easier or harder to hit while moving?

Better to shoot tougher animal (elk) first and take chances on the deer while it runs?

 

[manitou1]

Muley... because I love big mule deer!

 

[ChrisAU]

Elk, 100%. The ROI on that shot is much more than on the deer. The elk is going to provide twice the meat and I go ahead use that more expensive tag. IF the mule deer acts like nothing happened, yeah, I'll take him too. But more than likely I'm going to be focused on the reaction of the elk to the shot and where it goes before I even look at the deer.

 

[prm]

Muley!

Chance of finding another elk, and more than a 4x5, is higher I believe.

 

[EastMT]

Probably the elk, with more meat, depending on how far I was from the truck. Then watch the Muley bounce in my scope, see if he stops and looks back at 100 yards


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[KurtR]

elk. I have killed a bunch of mule deer

 

[bohntr]

I’d sneak in closer and arrow the mature animal......mule deer!

 

[elkguide]

Get them to both stand broadside, side by side and then with one shot, shoot them both!
Isn't that what happened in your dreams last night?

I would shoot whichever one of them that I thought that I had the least chance of seeing again. There is nothing like elk meat and I sure do love turning a mule deer into jerky. I love the looks of a nice heavy mule deer on my wall. This is sort of like asking, if there were two fairly even in size, 4X4 mulies in the canyon in front of you, one was a perfect typical and the other had several kickers and a drop. Which do you shoot?

 

[MThuntr]

neither...back out and send me the coordinates. Let me bear the burden of decision

Elk first then mule deer especially with rifle. Deer rut may not be too far off so he may not go far.

 

[hobbes]

I suppose it depends on how "solid" of a buck we are talking about, but if I still have an elk tag in my pocket in rifle season.....I'm thinking meat in the freezer (unless I'm lucky enough to draw a big bull permit some day). I prefer elk meat by a large margin. I'm shooting the elk. The buck is more likely to stop and look back from my limited experience, although it is a young bull.

If we are talking Booner sized buck, my eyes may overcome my stomach and I'll pray the bull turns to look or runs really slow.

 

[gamechaser]

Elk first. I think there is more of a chance that the mule deer will stop before it is out of range

 

[mtnwrunner]

I'd wait for both of them to line up together, pull out the special barnes bullet and get them both in one shot. Yeah, that's what I'd do!

Actually, not even a choice for me.......muley all day long.

Randy

 

[Redarrow]

Mulie for me unless I’m hunting for meat, I’ve killed way too many small bulls

 

[Rich M]

Get them to both stand broadside, side by side and then with one shot, shoot them both!
Isn't that what happened in your dreams last night?

No - the alarm went off before I could shoot either. Lousy dream!

And - I'd take the smooth rack out of the 2 mulies.

 

[sndmn11]

I'd shoot the elk. Those mule deer around this state never get hunted and would just think a fart slipped out.

 

[jjchad]

I would say the mule deer first. A big mule deer is much better than a rag horn bull. But that is only my opinion.

 

[UtahJimmy]

Without hesitation, a "solid" muley is hitting the dirt.

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[BoomSmack44]

Muley all day!


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[KGParker]

ELK ...100% of the time. The quality if the meat is not even comparable.

 

[Scottyboy]

Muley. Been chasing them for 4 years without any success. Elk always seem to get in the way and screw up my plans