Frontal shot on elk
- Thread starter Bhoesl
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Sask hunter
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Have shot many elk frontal and quartering to with a 338 win mag lol. Very effective at 20-30 yards.
The part I don’t understand with a bow is the quartering to shot I was always taught visualize that bullet or arrow in this case going through the animal and exiting at the last rib. But often to do that you have to break the near side shoulder which isn’t happening or not well with a bow. But online you see guys shooting where the dark cape meets the light body at the base of the neck and it seems to go well. Not sure what I am missing and what they are hitting
The part I don’t understand with a bow is the quartering to shot I was always taught visualize that bullet or arrow in this case going through the animal and exiting at the last rib. But often to do that you have to break the near side shoulder which isn’t happening or not well with a bow. But online you see guys shooting where the dark cape meets the light body at the base of the neck and it seems to go well. Not sure what I am missing and what they are hitting
Doublecluck
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I enjoy calling in elk, most of the time don’t even shoot em. Still been on the fence a few times to sell my bow. Haven’t had a problem with a rifle and it’s a far bigger study group. 100% recovery rate on rifles.
Mallardsx2
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Have you ever shot your bow at pbfr?
Like 1 yard?
You should try it and let us know the results.
Hint, it’s not what you expected.
Sheltowee
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No, I haven’t other than tuning. That’s why I’m asking.
I’m guessing the arrow is going to hit 4-6 inches low just by virtue of the sight being elevated over the arrow sitting in the rest.
JV842
Well-known member
Maybe u were joking.
Wow, archery has come a LONG WAY!!! I started when I was 13 in 1983….30yds was a LONG shot n was a long shot until the mid 90’s. I switched to traditional a couple few years ago but was pretty good w my compound n could regularly hit a paper plate at 90 but there’s no way I would shoot at an animal anywhere near that. Too much can change between the time u release that arrow n when it hits, even w the fastest bows.
Now I stick to under 15 w my recurve; n that’s broadside or quartering away, no quartering to, can shoot much further, but choose not to
A frontal on an elk; like previously stated, is small w a BUNCH of muscle in front and around it, one little move of a shoulder or neck…..n 40yds….thats plenty of time to move….even if ur dead on, on ur part
WapitiBob
Well-known member
Point blank, the sight pin would need to be in the center of the arrow. As you move back, the sight rises, till you get to about 12 yards, then the sight pin starts dropping. At 3 yards, which is typical for a safari type archery shoot, you shoot for around 40 yards on the sight.
Laelkhunter
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What distance and what was your point of aim?? Center of the chest or a little high to catch the spine or a little low to catch the heart??
I know of 5 guys that have lost bulls this year just in our little area.
Doublecluck
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Saw a Facebook post of one crossing I-90 between Livingston and Bozeman with an arrow hanging out of its shoulder. 100% fatal shot in the same spot with a rifle.
The number of bulls lost to archery hunters just hitting the shoulder blade alone has to be crazy, not even taking in to account frontal, heavy quartering and the ELRA crap. Few years back called in a big 5 pt for a good friend, 80lb Mathews with like a 500 gr fixed at less than 30 yards, got on that shoulder barely and had like 3/4 of the shaft sticking out. Looked for two days, dude sold his bow and hasn’t archery hunted since.
I’ve run in to two guys looking for lost bulls this year also.
Gellar
Well-known member
I aimed center chest. He was coming up hill at me. the bullet went through his neck into the chest cavity.
Overheard a couple guys talking about losing bulls in a convenience store the other day. Both were headed out to hunt again. mtmuley
Besides anatomy, large bones etc, and a small target, there's also potential for movement. He might not see you, but will probably notice the movement/sound when you shoot. Who knows which way it might move.
I'd just wait for a better angle.
I'd just wait for a better angle.
Same guys that would throw a fit about someone killing a bull at 500 yards with a rifle
Laelkhunter
Well-known member
I was faced with a similar situation. Sitting under a tree, I looked to my left and saw a bull staring at me about 60 yards away. He was walking up the trail towards me when something caught his eye causing him to stop. I shot him dead center in the chest, and he dropped right there. I really didn't have time to overthink it, it was just a gut reaction. About 6 months later I was washing a rump roast from the freezer from that bull's hindquarter and found the bullet, a 225 grain Barnes TTSX from my .340 Weatherby. It still weighed 225 grains, and was a perfect mushroom.
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Gellar
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I had ranged the treeline where he came out at and it was 127 yards from where I was sitting. He was about 20 yards into the park when I shot him. I don’t know how but He had me pegged and I did exactly like you did. Instinct took over. 3 days later I was sitting in the exact same spot with my dad. A bull with a few cows came out in the exact same spot.
Gellar
Well-known member
I didn’t realize this was an archery question until just a bit ago. The biggest deer I’ve ever killed was at 17 yards and a frontal shot on the October 1. I was in a ground blind, being lazy, I never even zipped the door all the way but that proved to be good because he circled behind me to get my wind. I shot him through the open door while he was staring into my blind. He bolted over the hill since it was pretty tall alfalfa and I was worrried about finding blood in it I bailed out of the blind and ran over the hill to see where he went into the woods. He was already dead.
corndog1
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I killed a bull at ten yards with a frontal shot. It ran about thirty yards. It was pretty graphic when the arrow went in.
Silentstalker
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the frontal shot in my opinion is extremely lethal when executed correctly.
For me that means 30 yards or less.
For me that means 30 yards or less.
I’ve heard of a few as well imo people are shooting too far.
