good shot / bad shot??

[bonefreak]

middle of sept i was deep in wilderness and heard a bull bugle that i had been hunting for a while. i started up the elk trail i was on to get to a creek bottom where there was some cover. This creek was about 75-100yds from his bedroom. i was 20yds from the creek when he stepped out of the brush on the other side of the creek andstarted towards me. i drew immediately and waited for a decent shot. he was quartering toward me hard at 25yds and came down and crossed the creek and stepped onto the trail i was on and when he got on my side of the creek he climbed the rise and was 10yds or so with just his shoulders and up exposed and drilling me i was the only thing in the trail and no brush to hide anywhere in the open timber.
he had me pegged.
so the question is do you shoot or not?
At that range like most guys with modern bows i can knock fletches off every shot. the shot would be neck or angling down between his shoulders for the lungs and heart.

I estimate the bull at 345 to 350 he was a bit bigger than a 330 i shot in the same area a couple years ago.
what would you do?
im tempted to shoot a cow late season in the throat head on like that.

 

[azcouesandelk]

This sounds similar to what happend to me on my hunt. I had the bull I harvested come up to 22 yards facing straight at me! I did not want to take the shot but I held back for almost 2 minutes and shot. The arrow penetrated deep into him and he ran about 100 yards and piled up. It is a risky shot but it can be a very effective shot! Would I take it again? Sure if the situation was right and I had no other opprotunities. On my hunt it was the last day I had a caller and it was getting late in the afternoon and I knew I could make the shot. It all comes down to knowing what your limitations are!

 

[elknut1]

http:www.elknut.com

If I understand you correctly the bull was quartering to you at 10yds & a little below you. You could see upper part of front leg & brisket. If that's the case yes, I'd put the arrow under the scapula, don't want to be high with the shot, then slide the arrow between front leg & center/brisket of bull. You've got lots of room there it's not an ify shot like the small target a frontal shot offers. I've taken that exact shot at the same 10yd distance. Knowing an elks anatomy really helps out one on shots like this or other shots one may be faced with from time to time, study them you'll be glad you did.

The photo here is of the bull & shot, the shot was in front of front leg not behind, it appears near the leg but it's not.

ElkNut1

 

[elknut1]

http:www.elknut.com


See if this works!

 

[threelemonbob]

Here's a pic of a bull I killed at 8 yards. I shot him facing front on....... oh wait I never found that bull. If you think you could have killed him you should have killed him. Since you
did'nt you werent completely confident of your shot. Dont shoot unless your sure you can make a vital shot. I felt terrible when
I couldnt find the bull I shot facing me, but I thought I could
kill him.

 

[bonefreak]

thanks for the info.
ive shot several bulls and always waited for the broadside and they go down in seconds.

when he stopped and looked at me he was not quartering at all but directly head on but his back legs were lower than his front legs because he hadnt come completely out of the creek.

Has anyone shot an elk i the throat?
it seems that if you hit them in the throat and penetrated the neck bone they would go down in a heap???

anyway theres no could'a, should'a, would'a.
what happens happens and hopefully i can learn from it and
he wont plague my dreams forever

later

 

[elknut1]

http:www.elknut.com

I certainly agree with Bob's thoughts. Do not beat yourself up over your decision. As hunters we are faced with instant type decisions on shot selection almost every year. Confidence & gut reaction are huge in decision making, go with your gut!! You did in your encounter, be satisfied with it! I know in my heart you did the right thing at the time. Maybe with more info on elk anatomy & angles you may make a different decision next time. But only you can make these sound decisions. Nothing worse than a wounded critter & you are unable to find it in diligent searching.

That bull will be waiting for you next year healthy as a horse, will you be focused & ready for the challenge? Forget about what if!!!!! (grin) Good Luck!

I have shot an elk in the throat area, he went 250yds before going down. The shot was taken when he was broadside, he whirled less than 20 yds on release & it caught him where the 2 color phases of mane & chest hair meet, I got 12" penetration, it chewed his lungs & upper part of his heart up.

ElkNut1

 

[canhunter]

If you know without a question you are going to drill it exactly where you want it take the shot regardless of range. Everybody gets all caught up in the "allowable" shot. If you know the arrow will kill quickly and be a fatal shot smoke em!!

 

[BLooDTRaCKeR]

Don't beat yourself up over not taking the shot. It could have ended alot worse or alot better. The point is you had a doubt about the shot presentation and you followed through by passing. Your the better hunter for doing so. There are probably many hunters who whould cross their fingers, shoot and hope for the best. This past general rifle elk hunting season here in Utah, I hunted public land and got into a herd right at dark. I was just standing up to head out of the area when a herd bull bugled and sent his cows into the clearing I was watching They came out at 80 yards. I sat back down, started scanning the herd for the bull with very poor light conditions. It was the 6th day of teh hunt and I hadn't even seen an elk yet. To say I was excited is an understatement. I looked and looked through my rifle scope, trying to find the herd bull. They were all moving out into the clearing to my left. As I looked them over, I found a huge set of antlers in my scope! I pulled down on his vitals, but could not get a visual of my crosshairs on his hide. I tried and tried to justify taking the shot, but could not pull the trigger. I don't kick myself at all for passing on that shot because it wasn't right, it was'nt a gauranteed kill. I didn't want to wound the bull and send him whirling back into the thick timber to die where I would not find him. Long story short, I went back the next day to relocate the herd and walked a few hundred yards into the thick timber where the herd came out of night before, shot and killed a spike. I love elk meat! Don't worry about passing up the shot. In most cases, it's the right thing to do.