Average recovery distance?
Elk
Thanks to all those that contributed to my average shot distance thread.
New question. What is your average recovery distance?
1st was 30 yards, 2nd was 500+ yards lol, so roughly 260ish.
10, 60,80,40, so roughly 50 yards
Mine are all over the map. One I killed that had stood up from a wallow, double lung, didn't take a step, just coughed and tipped over sideways (still in the wallow, ugh!).
Another I killed with rear quartering arrow entered in front of back leg, lodged in offside front shoulder. Bull had no clue I was there and at impact he rocketed like a racehorse off thru the PJ kicking up dust for nearly 1/4 mile in less than a minute. I was astonished as were the cows feeding around him. He went from 0 to 60 and was gone even though dead on his feet. The cows & I both watched him gallop out of sight like his tail was on fire. I sat tight and the cows just meandered away feeding.
Tough to hazard a guess given the wide range of recovery distances, but my average is probably under 100 yards.
Everything from 20 feet to 1/2 mile (with a high double lung, no blood trail). Every one is different.
Most are 100 yards or less. Have had a few go far - especially if jumped too early. Best to give them time.
5 total...from 24 yards to about 1/2 mile (ugh)
The majority have been dead at 120 yards or less.
Mark
From 3 jumps to 100 yards or so. One went half mile. Actually shot him with a muzzle loader at 75 yards.
5 bulls. Two took about two steps and rolled. Two went about 25-30 yards. One went about 50 yards. I’ve been pretty fortunate with some of the shots not being the best, but fixed blade, sharp heads and heavier arrows have helped.
Wide variance here, mostly due to shot placement--big surprise! Shortest, 12 yds, got to love those. Longest, 1.5 mi., Hope I NEVER have a day like that again!! Most elk seem to go 50-70yds. The first elk I took, textbook double lung, he went 300 yds-- they can do straight downhill quick!
For my group it has been very short....like 15 yards on two cows. One with an arrow, the other with muzzleloader.
My average was less than 100 yards...then I had a bad hit and tracked the bull for over 9 miles. I think I am now somewhere around 1/2 mile at this point. Still sick about that bull!
I'd say elk is one of the most difficult animals on which to answer such a question. I've seen them hit well and often go less than 100 yards, but I've seen several hit poorly or marginally by hunters that went 1-3 miles! It's very important to be patient and take the best possible shot you can get, since they're a very tough animal.
10 feet was the shortest and about half a mile being the longest... with most of mine between 20 and 100 yards.
I rarely have one go 100yds. I've had a bunch where I shot them....and they just stood there looking around...then tipped over. Its all about a quiet bow and COC heads for me!
It helps that I usually bugle quickly after shooting an elk....distracts them.
The ones that go the furthest are ones where I lodged the BH in the off shoulder...then those animals know they have been hit.
Somewhere between 4 feet, and 400 yards?
Average is probably under 100 yards
Furthest, out of 20 plus, has been 200 yards. Shortest was 20. Average around 40ish.
Of the 3 bulls I’ve arrowed- 70, 30, 40 yards respectively.
Lee
I've done well with shot placement and had short trails. The shortest the elk took 7 steps longest was 60 yards but half of that was rolling down a steep mountianside. Average of 5 elk would be around 30 yards.
About 40yds. Closet 8 feet.
When I shot this elk at the base of my tree stand, it dropped in its tracks
Probably around 70 yards for the ones ive shot
shortest 15yds, longest 200yds, 4 less than 100yds.
25 elk less than 100 yds.
Closest 7 yards, still looking for some!
ElkNut/Paul
70, 50, 400, 20, 3, 100, 10, 300,,,,,,,,,,average = 119 yards.
The longest shot I ever took was the shortest recovery I ever had. 72 yard bull shot through the lungs and didn't move. It walked forward three yards, I didn't even know if I hit him (he didn't either) and so I shot again through the heart (he still didn't know I hit him), it stood there for about 10 seconds and started tipping back and then it tipped over onto his nose.
Then again one of the shortest shots I ever took was the longest recovery I ever had. 18 yard shot and 400+ yd recovery.
I usually recover after a couple miles downhill...........my breath that is.......
Usually 75 yards or so. One notable exception: Hit a Montana bull thru the shoulder and the front part of the lungs. Total pass thru, but he still went about 150 yards. No blood. Took me a couple hours to find him.
