Wheel bows really take a good deal of the mystery out. Especially with the advent of 80% let off as well as 50 yard pins and range finders. In that world, draw in anticipation when they are behind something and moving toward you, and take the first clean shot you get, as you never know if you'll have another. Even then though, figuring out just when to draw can be an art, so throw out some other thoughts if you have them.
For my stick, I've learned that how I draw is a huge part of it. The amount of perceived motion is the crux of the issue. I have to wait till I'm going to shoot before ever drawing. I can draw and hold for 10 seconds and then still shoot accurately, but I'd rather not have to hold at all, just pick a spot, draw, see the spot and send the arrow on its way. All that being said, I need to be able to draw without being detected.
So, my bow is up and arm out pointing at the elk the whole time, close to where it would be at full draw before ever pulling in the string. Then the draw is just my string arm drawing as smoothly as possible straight back to my anchor, the bow arm pushing out just a tad at the last moment to have a Smooth release with back tension, hitting anchor solid, the hope being that this masks my actions behind my body and bow somewhat while minimizing total movement. Waiting till he is broadside or quartering away and fairly relaxed to any presence, I pick a spot, draw straight back and the arrow is loosed. Initially when learning to do this I was surprised by the amount of motion I got away with, I was afraid to draw for fear of it. However, I've found that A bull that isn't looking or expecting anything has never jumped and left before I could get a clean shot off. This is almost always within twenty yards, and usually 10 to 15. Sometimes they tense up, but then it's too late. So your just looking for a way to mask your movement.
If you know he's coming and he's going to be close, practice shooting from your knees, one leg back, chest parallel and as close as you can to the ground. This way, even when he's close your draw is masked underneath your body. This shot works well for spot and stalk mulies, antelope and elk. That is the photo, which was taken before Id gotten completely to full draw. From there I can lean even further down to where I am just hovering above the ground. Very little movement is seen and this can be done behind a fallen log, some grass, sagebrush etc. Then raise just enough to get the shot off and let go.
When I first started shooting I taught my self the swing draw, ala asbell, but I could never get a good clean shot. It needed too much Time, too much movement, to much room and allows not enough latitude in drawing stance. With the draw I described, I can do it standing, kneeling, laying down, Bent over, whatever, just making sure to always come all the way to full draw. Or in the heat of it I'd go back to my compound habits and find that I never could get a draw and shot off by timing the movement behind a tree for the draw in such a way that a moment later I'd have a clean spot in the open. All the tricks that I'd taught myself for using with my Matthews pretty much didn't apply and in fact completely threw off any real chances of getting the elk. I had to get over my fear of drawing in front of the animal, learn how to draw in a better way and then pull it off. It's second nature, seamless and very fast now. But it took some thought to come up with a way that consistently works, so that I know if I do everything else right, finally within range of a bull, I'm now completely confident of being able to cleanly kill him.
So what works for you guys, wheels or not? Any tricks or habits that help you out?
Or does it compare to the way those gangsters shoot their pistols.grin
This thread has the potential to help some people. Gonna watch and pay attention when the elk killers talk. Bigdan sets up behind a tree, which is opposite of what most will tell you, but you can't argue with his results.
To bigdan's point of being behind something, given my parameters I like to be behind a downed log in the timber or a sagebrush in more open places. In those places I can shoot 360 degrees but be able to draw and release without being seen. I try not to get behind bushy trees.
It's not that I always opt for that position either, , but when i do... it's just one tool. More often than not I'm on one knee in the shadows of a tree, or standing in the thick beetle killed blowdowns, etc...drawing straight back and releasing with the bull right in front of me. In my compound days I never would have done that, now I do it every time, the draw is silent and fast.
That's one of the intriguing things about getting drawn and setting up, the parameters change every single time you do it depending on terrain, wind, where the bull is coming from, foilage, other elk, etc...
lots of factors of course but waiting until they just start to pass me is when I prefer to draw. angle, cover, is another elk behind them?, how fast they are walking, etc., are all pieces of the puzzle.
I called a raghorn into me last year and he quartered strongly to me 30 yrd, 20 yrds and at 7 yards turned and faced me straight on and we had a stare down. I had my bow up but hadn't drawn as I was hoping he would keep on walking by and give me a quartering away opportunity. He didn't and faced me, drooling staring at me. I waited for what seemed like a long time for him to turn but he didn't. I could see my broadhead shaking a bit. I decided before he figured me out and twirled and got out of there that I would go ahead and draw the bow and go for the frontal if he didn't spook. I drew smoothly but not so slowly and when I hit anchor and settled I released and made a good hit towards the top of the heart through the neck. Massive blood trail and he made it uphill about 75 yrds but it must have been over very soon.
I was amazed after that I got away with that much movement. Probably wouldn't have happened with a mature bull but it worked on this young satellite
