wyomingtrapper

We got a group of four or five bulls talking two Saturday evenings ago. I've friend that could no doubt call an elk out of your living room. He can make them chatter. They weren't interested coming in, just talking. If we moved toward them they would move off and keep an even distance, so he stayed put and called while I worked in on the elk. Ended up at the edge of a big clearing. A nice five point about 100 yards down the hill in the open. Lots of cows and calves wandering about. The five point in the clearing was quiet. There was one bull up in trees that I couldn't see that was making most of the racket. I would mew into a grunt tube and he would scream and grunt and carry on... I noticed another five point walking across the top of the hill (I was about half way down) and I mewed and he turned down at the edge of the trees I was in. He came down crossed an opening about 20 yards in front of me and I mewed to stop him. Perfect setup: Broadside, 20 yards, front leg forward. I picked a spot and drew....and the arrow swung off the rest. Never happens! So I let down and redraw. The bull is standing there watching all of this. Focus, release...and the bull drops down almost to his belly and takes off. Runs down the hill and around some trees in the clearing and starts back. Stops about 60 yards short and turns and trots off. The arrow's flight looked good, but it was getting dark enough that I lost sight of it in flight. I also didn't hear the arrow hit. I almost always here the impact: whether in the animal or in the ground. Flight looked good, no sound of a hit. I spent about an hour in the dark with a flash light looking for both blood sign and the arrow. Finally gave up for the night. Went back up at first light Sunday morning and resumed looking. I tracked him a good 100 yards or so with no blood sign. After about 2 hours, I finally found the arrow burried unders some grass and sage brush. It was clean and clearly I over shot the animal. At that point I was just glad to know and that the bull was fine, especially after my partner came wandering along (he'd gotten distracted by a herd while we were hiking in) and informed me he'd shot a cow.

I've over shot all but one elk I've shot at since going to traditional archery. I do okay with deer, etc.... You know, can drill a grouse at 30 yards and miss an elk at 15. I'm sure its the adrenaline. Even though I am consistent with my anchor point, Iexpect that I constrict the muscles across my back with the adrenaline and that can actually increase the draw length a good inch (I've experimented with this a bit) without changing the anchor point. Suggestions would be welcome.