Elk Chest Shot. Shoot or pass?

[Montana]

I will now pass on the shot... I snuck in to about 45 yards of a bugling bull and his cows. After about 5 minutes after calling he was headed right to me, straight to me.

Now back up with 2 series of events that took place over the last month. One buddy drew the mecca 380 tag and said he lost a bull at 10 yards with a head on shot. I was sad to hear the story. Then weeks later, talking with another friend he tells me he passed on the same shot, I told him "good job", another friend just took the shot and lost the bull.

Now back to the bull coming my direction... There is no doubt that he is mine, he is slowly walking 10 yards out and starting to turn broadside. As he walks behind a tree I draw back, here he comes, no idea I am there. At the last minute he turns right at me now at 5 yards. I couldn't believe it, now I was faced with this decision, it never hit me until he took the last step... Now I had the same decision. Everything played in my head and just like the above mentioned posts, I thought it was perfect, At this distance there is no way it couldn't penetrate. So I released the arrow, burried 3/4's of the way into he chest.. He ran out 50 yards and stopped, I waited for him to drop, still no doubt in my mind but then he turned and started to walk away... My heart sank and instantly the voices came back i knew I shouldn't have taken the shot... It was sickening, I backed out immediately and got 2 buddies for the next day. 2 days of searching and never found him.

I can only guess the arrow caught the edge/start of his rib cage and slid down to the front of his shoulder, between the ribs and shoulder....

So let me tell you..... It is one awful feeling if you have made the wrong choice.

 

[Stringmusic]

I will now pass on the shot... I snuck in to about 45 yards of a bugling bull and his cows. After about 5 minutes after calling he was headed right to me, straight to me.

Now back up with 2 series of events that took place over the last month. One buddy drew the mecca 380 tag and said he lost a bull at 10 yards with a head on shot. I was sad to hear the story. Then weeks later, talking with another friend he tells me he passed on the same shot, I told him "good job", another friend just took the shot and lost the bull.

Now back to the bull coming my direction... There is no doubt that he is mine, he is slowly walking 10 yards out and starting to turn broadside. As he walks behind a tree I draw back, here he comes, no idea I am there. At the last minute he turns right at me now at 5 yards. I couldn't believe it, now I was faced with this decision, it never hit me until he took the last step... Now I had the same decision. Everything played in my head and just like the above mentioned posts, I thought it was perfect, At this distance there is no way it couldn't penetrate. So I released the arrow, burried 3/4's of the way into he chest.. He ran out 50 yards and stopped, I waited for him to drop, still no doubt in my mind but then he turned and started to walk away... My heart sank and instantly the voices came back i knew I shouldn't have taken the shot... It was sickening, I backed out immediately and got 2 buddies for the next day. 2 days of searching and never found him.

I can only guess the arrow caught the edge/start of his rib cage and slid down to the front of his shoulder, between the ribs and shoulder....

So let me tell you..... It is one awful feeling if you have made the wrong choice.

That is a tough one for sure. At five yards, I believe most would think the same thing (arrow should go through everything). Did you put your top pin on your target? Or your bottom pin?

I shot a bear at 6 yards facing me, and I put my top pin on the spot I wanted to hit, and pulled the tigger. Hit way low. At that range I should have put my 40 or 50 yard pin on him.

 

[dhershberger]

Pass the shot! If you mess it up, you feel terrible!!!! It's important to take ethical shots when bowhunting!

 

[cnalder]

At 5yds it may be an ethical shot. If you know where to aim for the kill zone of a head on animal, know what you arrow does at that distance, and are steady, its a high percentage shot. Most folks probably haven't studied the kill zone and I've rarely seen head on shots at 3D shoots. With the advance of bows most folks have rarely practice at 20yds let alone 5. Just like if you hit one high broad side, you only get the upper lungs when hitting a head on high. Could take the animal a day or two to die with no blood trail.

And then the unknown is how steady a person is while shooting at live animals. I've overcome the shakiness but it took years. I have a buddy that out shoots me every time at 3D shoots but can't shoot worth a damn at live animals. In 15 years of hunting he has only harvested on elk with lots of misses. Last year he missed a spike at 25yds and the next day a 6pt at 30yds both broad side. The frustration is that he believes he has made good shots, only to find no blood and clean arrows. Several of us believe he gets to excited.

I practice head on shots at different distances because I hunt alone during the week before going to work. Unfortunately when alone most bulls are coming directly to you and the biggest problem is getting drawn before they are on top of you. Comes down to confidence and whether you've practiced these or not. I've go a great way to practice head on shots but the consequence of poor shots are broken arrows. Let me know if interested.

 

[In God We Trust]

I don't ever base any hunting decisions on a tv show. I have seen a lot of people on T.V shows do some stupid things. I watched a guy shoot at a bull with a bow as the bull was spinning around to run off. He hit him perfect and it only made it 40 yards. Everyone shook his hand and told him great shot. B.S, that is an irresponsible shot and the guy probably couldn't pull that off if he had 9 more chances. I have seen from posts that most of us have hit an animal badly with a bow and not found it. That feeling is the worst and makes me sick to my stomach. I feel we owe it to the animal to make a clean and ethical shot. I don't think a frontal shot is a good idea. I shoot all year out to 60 yards, still won't take the shot.

 

[Blackbear74]

I have seen Kurt Wells take a frontal shot on a bull elk and be successful, however I believe that is a very risky shot to take. There is a lot of muscle to pass through to get to the vitals in comparison with a broadside shot. I'd say pass on him, and be thankful for the opportunity and chalk it up as another learning situation.