Shoot or No Shot 2020, Episode #3. Got patience?

[WapitiTalk1]

Date/Time: Third Week of September, 2019/5:42 PM
Location: Somewhere in the elk woods
Hunt Pressure Status: Minimal
Hunt: Solo Hunt
Tag: Archery tag; any bull.

After hunting with your partner off and on for the past week and a half, working many avenues of your hunt (run/gun, some tree standing, some ambush sites on travel routes, etc.), you find yourselves at the last few days of your hunt. For some odd reason (as it sometimes does) the elk have decided to become a bit choked up over your presence in their neck of the woods and have gone almost completely silent for the past two days. WTH, it’s the third week of September! This evening’s plans are for you and your buddy to each head to a separate spot where you know the elk have moved to or through, at the witching hour (right before dark). If they’re not vocalizing, you may as well split up and maximize your efforts in ambush attempts, right? As you sit at your chosen spot (you’ve been here before and know there are elk that move into/through this spot right before dark almost every night) thinking about all that has transpired on your hunt and what you may do the following morning, you see a nice bull move directly toward you into the small opening you’re sitting at the edge of and holy hell, he's a dandy!. He comes in from the direction you’d hoped he came in from (wind in your favour) and commences to drop his head and sniff the ground for that sweetest smell that tells him a cow in estrus has been there! Of course you’re at full draw by this time with your bow, and now is the time of this hunt to make the CALL. I will tell you that you’ll have approximately 30-40 seconds to decide if you’re gonna touch off an arrow at this bull “but” the crux of the biscuit is……. you’ll have 5 various angles (images I’ll provide) in this short span of time to shoot. The bull is 25-30 yards away and you my friend, have chosen your background to sit in front of well (perfectly breaking up your background), and as mentioned, you have the wind vs. your opponent. This is the first bull "full stop", angle number one of five, in the next 30-40 seconds (it all happens pretty quickly so its up to you to decide which shot you'll take)... he's not gonna be there forever sniffing the dirt. For this first angle/image....Shoot or no shot here?

Remember, if you say "shoot", save the above image to your desktop. Then, open it with MS Paint (or another editing app), place your X or spot, save it... then add it to your post.

[Lefty]

Ive taken plenty of frontal rifle shots at big game just like that. My first bull (Montana) I watched cross an open meadow for1100 yards. Then trot straight at me. Turned the scope down , waited till he was close enough I was seeing a too much hair, with a rifle 39 yards
Im waiting,.. just my nature . For what ever reason its what I do.
Always waiting on a closer shot, , a bull, a bigger buck ,....another day to hunt

I will also say if I expect him to keep coming , Ill wait, if he turns Ill shoot

Drives some others that hunt geese with me crazy. I seldom take the "first good shot" unless that shot is 15 yards out feet down dead center in front

Now of course I was upset when my daughter passed on a 22 yard little4x4 buck because she thought she would get closer.
Im waiting: Ill take that shot every day under 15 yards

[Swede]

I will take the first good opportunity, but this is not it.

[Tigger]

Waiting. But my arms are starting to get a wee bit tired RJ, this bull better start moving as by my count he hasn't moved in hours and I have been at full draw the whole time.

And what is with this "favour" thing? Are you visiting California, cuz in America, we spell it "favor" !?!

[WapitiTalk1]

Waiting. But my arms are starting to get a wee bit tired RJ, this bull better start moving as by my count he hasn't moved in hours and I have been at full draw the whole time.

And what is with this "favour" thing? Are you visiting California, cuz in America, we spell it "favor" !?!

Auto-correct I guess. OK, I'll catch up with two more "poses".

[WapitiTalk1]

A few seconds after the bull arrived on the scene as shown in first image, he shifts a bit and drops his head to sniff the ground. Thermals are still hitting you in the face, your concealment is still working well, you're set up in a "quiet spot" with soft dirt/vegetation under you, your bow is whisper quiet when drawn, but...this bull is not gonna be around much longer.... Barney Bull looks to be a bit over 25ish yards from where you're kneeling. Shoot or no shot here?

[WapitiTalk1]

And… the bull shifts his position again to sniff another wet spot on the ground..... As of now, he's been well within shooting range for 15-20 seconds (but probably won't be for much longer) and has offered you three angles. He's also moved a bit more into the open and out of the shadows to where he is positioned now to your 12 o'clock. You feel he's gonna continue off to the left (your left as you're looking) and down an elk trail that leads to another small meadow at any time. He's right at 25 yards from your position. My, isn't he a fat, tasty looking bull. Shoot or no shot here?

[Swede]

I would shoot him as he now is presenter. I tried to place a red dot in the dark place low center on the bull right behind the right front fore leg, but it did not happen, so you will have it imagine it went right through.

[Indian Summer]

Normally I don’t take frontal shots but 25 yards is close and since I’m already drawn I’m gonna let er rip! Maybe a hair below my red mark. I’m better with a bow than I am at photo editing.

[Tigger]

20-some hours later and I am still at full draw. I have arms of steel boys! I am still waiting. I don't like any of those shots. If he turns any more to HIS left I shoot, but that shoulder is just covering up too much and the angle is ripe for a deflection. I am holding off. I hope I am not eating vegetable soup the rest of the year.

[WapitiTalk1]

And..... he's moving off to the left as you suspected he may do, probably gonna head down the trail that leads through the thick stuff to another meadow. Nose down again, he does a quick check to see if just maybe, a potentially receptive cow has been there. He's still very intrigued with his smelling mission, but, time's a wasting folks! That is a damn nice bull that many have chosen to wait to put an arrow into. He’s standing about 25 yards from your position. Shoot or no shot here.

[Indian Summer]

He was dead before he turned left!

[Indian Summer]

20-some hours later and I am still at full draw. I have arms of steel boys! I am still waiting. I don't like any of those shots. If he turns any more to HIS left I shoot, but that shoulder is just covering up too much and the angle is ripe for a deflection. I am holding off. I hope I am not eating vegetable soup the rest of the year.

His neck is turned but his body is straight on. That shoulder is out of the way. I used to pass on all frontal shot but Elknut changed my way of thinking. I’m still very hesitant but at 25 yards at that angle I’d go for it.

[7mmfan]

He dead.

[Swede]

Tigger, just shoot where the red dots are placed on the animal, and you will be ok. That is just the way it is done on an actual hunt.
It is one thing to be careful. and another to have analysis paralysis.

[Tigger]

I took the last shot and am busy packing right now. Heavy quarters he has!

[Swede]

photo4.png (797.94 KiB) Viewed 6401 times

Tigger: I have him tied and secure on two ends for you now. Hopefully you can take care of him from here. He is all yours. Remember, shoot at the red spot.

NOTE: To all of you other jerks out there, this is Tigger's bull. Go fetch your own.

[Tigger]

Wow! Were the tenderloins tasty!! Got him all back to camp last night except the rack. Going to get that now. a little stiff from the 36.75 mile one way pack out. probably shouldn't have taken the whole elk out in one trip by myself, but I was strapped for time and knew if I could half jog and half lope I could make it back in time for supper!

[WapitiTalk1]

A handful of steps puts the bull where he is NOW and his head drops one more time to complete his area "scent check". Shooting light is waning and the bull is more than likely heading down the trail he's facing at this point within seconds. This whole scenario has played out in a less than a minute with the bull being in shooting range and offering only the angles you have seen for a potential shot. You may or may not have held at full draw for this entire period but it’s certainly possible as he was pretty much in your face moving and sniffing, changing his body angle several different times, for this short period. For those who have waited to take a shot until this point, do you feel that you should have taken an earlier shot angle or are you OK with the fact that you've waited? OK, shoot or no shot here?

[Swede]

Is this really a better angle than we had before? His head is covered, but he had his head down and was foraging before. I am happy with my shot.

Tigger, you can easily drive around to get the rack? You were only 50 yards from an open gravel F.S. road where you butchered the critter.

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

I'm the odd man out here. None of those angles sits well with me and my recurve... but I'll bet there was a split second in the real sequence where my popping grunt would have given me a clean shot.

[Elkhunttoo]

Wow! Were the tenderloins tasty!! Got him all back to camp last night except the rack. Going to get that now. a little stiff from the 36.75 mile one way pack out. probably shouldn't have taken the whole elk out in one trip by myself, but I was strapped for time and knew if I could half jog and half lope I could make it back in time for supper!

Impressive!!! Next bull I knock down you will be getting a call

[Elkhunttoo]

7mmfan's dot looks good to me