? to all Archery Elk Hunters
08-18-2006, 08:55 AM
#12
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Cheyoming
Posts: 870
RE: ? to all Archery Elk Hunters
I believe one of our first rules as hunters is to take ethical and lethal shots. Every year I find dead elk that someone wounded and did not harvest. Makes me sick. You didn't want to get into ethics, but it should be at the top of your list. Now I'm off the soap box.
I personally would take the frontal shot. But I hunt elk a lot every year, andI've been nose to nose with a Wapiti and still not had a shot! To take this shot, the animal would have to be a damn nice one. My ethical choice would be toanticipate the animals turn and judge and aim for the kill zone on the turn. You have less time to shoot than it takes to swing at a fast ball, but I know what I'm hitting when I let the arrow fly.
So, practice the shot on 3-D's if you can. Any 3-D. You'll know when the situation arises whether to shoot or not.
I personally would take the frontal shot. But I hunt elk a lot every year, andI've been nose to nose with a Wapiti and still not had a shot! To take this shot, the animal would have to be a damn nice one. My ethical choice would be toanticipate the animals turn and judge and aim for the kill zone on the turn. You have less time to shoot than it takes to swing at a fast ball, but I know what I'm hitting when I let the arrow fly.
So, practice the shot on 3-D's if you can. Any 3-D. You'll know when the situation arises whether to shoot or not.
08-21-2006, 09:06 AM
#13
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location:
Posts: 164
RE: ? to all Archery Elk Hunters
I passed on a cow last year at 10 yards because she wouldn't turn. It would be an easy shot, but I didn't know what to do. She was facing directly at me. After the fact half told me I was smart for passing and the others said I was stupid. The ones that said I was stupid also said to shoot at the neck. They said shoot just below the jaw when she was facing me. Their reasoning is that center will hit spine. Left or right will hit one of the jugular veins. This also sounds very risky. To date, I have only shot at perfectly broadside elk.
08-21-2006, 10:57 AM
#15
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,358
RE: ? to all Archery Elk Hunters
ORIGINAL: stinkbelly
I passed on a cow last year at 10 yards because she wouldn't turn. It would be an easy shot, but I didn't know what to do. She was facing directly at me. After the fact half told me I was smart for passing and the others said I was stupid. The ones that said I was stupid also said to shoot at the neck. They said shoot just below the jaw when she was facing me. Their reasoning is that center will hit spine. Left or right will hit one of the jugular veins. This also sounds very risky. To date, I have only shot at perfectly broadside elk.
I passed on a cow last year at 10 yards because she wouldn't turn. It would be an easy shot, but I didn't know what to do. She was facing directly at me. After the fact half told me I was smart for passing and the others said I was stupid. The ones that said I was stupid also said to shoot at the neck. They said shoot just below the jaw when she was facing me. Their reasoning is that center will hit spine. Left or right will hit one of the jugular veins. This also sounds very risky. To date, I have only shot at perfectly broadside elk.
Some have the knowledge and the experience, such as elknut, to make different decisions than some of us who just aren't sure where to put the arrow.
Make you decision based on your knowledge and feelings of comfort AT THE TIME THE SHOT PRESENTS ITSELF.
09-15-2006, 11:25 AM
#17
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pirate on the river Saskatchewan
Posts: 2,167
RE: ? to all Archery Elk Hunters
Personally i would not take that type of shot. I had a nice bull hang up at 20 yards this year and face me, broke my heart to let him go but i had to in my mind. I just could not risk the chance of hitting the sternum but each to his own.
what would JESUS do????.....shoot unto others as you would have them shoot unto you
HEY HIAWATHA, man that is one grandaddy stud-monster slammin' mofo buck as your avatar.BEAUTY!!!!
09-14-2008, 07:02 PM
#20
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 112
RE: ? to all Archery Elk Hunters
There is only one 'best' shot on an elk with an arrow, and that is through the lungs, broadside to slightly quartering away. No exceptions. Yes, the frontal shot is lethal, but like previously said "if you can pull it off." That shot is best left to experienced archery elk hunters. When you've got a bull, even a little raghorn (and they're NOt little) coming straight on to you at less than 25 yards, most guys tend to get just a little bit rattled.
Until you're experienced with at least a few bow kills of elk, you're best off waiting for a broadside shot at reasonable range. I just returned from a great elk hunt where I passed up a broadside bull, a 330" class bull, because he was a tad over 50 yards away. Just because a guy can make that shot, doesn't mean it is ethical to do so, and the most important skill an archer should have, is knowing when not to draw his arrow back. I hope you'll take that for what it is worth.
Until you're experienced with at least a few bow kills of elk, you're best off waiting for a broadside shot at reasonable range. I just returned from a great elk hunt where I passed up a broadside bull, a 330" class bull, because he was a tad over 50 yards away. Just because a guy can make that shot, doesn't mean it is ethical to do so, and the most important skill an archer should have, is knowing when not to draw his arrow back. I hope you'll take that for what it is worth.
