Watch the first 5 seconds of the teaser video and post up if you would take that shot. http://elk101.com/webisodes/gutless-video/
Nope. I've heard often that It's ok to take that shot on an elk. Why not on other big game animals too then?
Im going to say no because that shot is outside of my comfort area with a good shot...BUT it seems that i see more and more of those types of shots being taken on TV?? dont know
The first thing I noticed was the arrow mostly still sticking out of the animal, it looks like only a few inches of pentration (wow...that doesn't sound right...anyway). When I fisrt saw this I was thinking no way would I take that shot, but then I caught myself thinking "well if the guy on TV can kill an elk that way...?". I started imagining staring at a big bull 30 yards out and wondering if I would pass up that shot. If it really is a kill shot, then why pass on it? The problem is I don't know if it is a kill shot. Sorry for the rambling, but being fairly new to archery hunting (2nd year, and 1st for elk) I have been worrying alot about what shots are acceptable. I am fairly certain that the perfect broadside shot isn't going to present it's self, so what is a newbie to do?
I can't see the video @ work, no comment there. But to comment on your post that I highlighted...you wait until it does. I had my share of excrutiatingly close calls with elk, never a dead front on, but some REALLY close calls. And as disheartening this is to admit, even the "perfect broadside" shot can go wrong while elk hunting, why give it any more chance for that to happen with a less than perfect one.
When you do not know if it is a kill shot, regardless of the game animal, then you do not take the shot. It is when we take the unsure shot and hope for the best that the worst usually happens.
Right on Rybo! Another thing to consider too Is elk aren't the easiest critters to bring down. My take has always been with elk that the shot needs to be absolutely perfect. Too many times I've heard from my dad and others that one lung shot elk and gut shot elk can go a VERY long ways.
Point taken. I haven't always been the best with patience. Also because of my lack of expreience it is hard to imagine all the things that can go wrong. All the target practice and 3D shooting has my confidence pretty high. Ok, reality check...get in the mountains and enjoy God's great creation and if a "perfect broadside" elk happens appear...BONUS!
never ever take that kind of shot, the hunter sure wasn't patient for him to take another step out or two. That is a very gutsy shot, lucky to have killed him.
Would "I"? No. But, if the hunter was confident in his abilities to put that arrow where he put it, I won't judge HIS actions. On MOST cases like this one, we can't allow our own limitations (real or self-imposed) to define the moral std. for others.
It's a space thing Steve, the opening into the chest cavity from the frontal shot on a deer is about the size of a baseball, maybe smaller if it's a smaller animal, on an elk, there is a direct path to the heart and lungs that is about the size of a cantaloupe. And for that reason, inside of 25yds, if I have that shot, I'm taking it. The video makes it look like a longer shot, and in that circumstance, I'm not taking it, however, inside of 25yds, with the animal on the same level or slightly above me, that shot is one that I WOULD take. This is part of the reason I had a 465gr arrow on my string last fall while in Colorado. Not always, watch a few elk videos, and read more on elk, and you'll hear lots of stories where the animal never turned, and not shot was ever afforded. A very successful archery elk hunter has taken nearly half of his elk by way of frontal shots, and they are down in short order, in similar fashion to a broadside, HOWEVER, he said the blood trails aren't quite as good. On the diagram, you can see about the size of the opening, and where I'd specifically place the shot considering the angle, again only inside of 25yds, and the animal also must have their head UP as the picture shows.
The op asked, I and others gave their opinion. I completely understand that. Tell me how often your going to get both lungs with this shot?
While I won't second guess a situation that I wasn't there for I will say that I agree 100%+ with what Bruce wrote.
I'm happy to say NO , I would only shoot full broadside or slight quartering away and I agree that even the best broadside could go wrong .... But you cannot go out thinking that way
